A human being is a part of the whole called by us"the universe,"a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest-a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few persons nearet to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening the circle of understanding and compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.
-Albert Einstein
All right time for huge amounts of spelling errors(sp?). I've got 30 min to describe about 2 weeks so sorry i'm gona have to pick and choose. One thing i forgot to metion about in Accra was people selling items ( i think i forgot i cna't rember) peopel walk in amongst traffic as they're stopped selling things that are carried on their heads (some peopel holding/carrying too). You can get water, pop, food (mealish food or small tidbity or deserty), fruit/vegetables. There are even people selling items as well. And when i say people aer carrying things on there head they range from small to gargantuanly huge. I've seen people carrying at least 3-5 stacks of 24 packs of pop, huge bundles of wood (in Ada). People here are insanly headstrong (yes i know bad joke, cut me some slack). So we left from the Accra to Ada(to say in Bed Bedeku in Ada). The ride over was so awesome. We drove in a truck and i got to sit in the back, OUT SIDE IN THE OPEN AIR NO SEAT BELTS(sry mom). The wind against you is just so relaxing and the sceneray and sun, AMAZING. It wouldn't be the last time either, at least 3-5 more times and once at night in pitch black (by the way it gets dark here at like 6-7 and i mean pitch dark). That one time at night was amazing the starts, beautiful. It was funny the first time i rode with just Jackson(Francise) in the back. We were both facing the back looking at everything that passed. But after about 45-1hour he had to turn around and face the same direction as the car was going. It was because he couldn't take or wasn't used to all the people that were staring at us. It was funny. So we got to Ada. Bedeku was the village we were staying in but the peopel we stayed with, Dinah, Happy(not sure of spelling) and Sala, lived in a house more accompinng to western standards. We started language lessons at a school where we took part in their Dangme lessons and also at night we had Dinah's Neice, Vida, teach us as well. IT WAS AMAZING(i need a thesouraus). The first time we went (to shcool) the teacher wasn't actually there. So Jackson taught us the alphabet on a chalkboard their instead. All these little kids on break circled around us and were yelling and screaming. At one point we all said the alphabet in unison(we have video of that). School was awesome, except for the Kaning. The still hit students here some more than others. That was hard to watch. But the teacher we had only did it a few times. He was a good teacher in my mind. He was loud and very into the teaching but it was hard for him. They have a system of Nursery then Primary then JSS (they are different levels of grades/schooling). The kids in all grades speak the language but they can't read. So in some classes you have kids for all schoolings and they may be in all the same level but you have kids who are going to graduate but can't read the alphabet. He was trying hard. He joked a lot with the kids to make the atmosphere enjoyable but he also complained a lot aobu the fact that we could do the alphabet in 2-3 days and the local people couldn't even read. But he was doing this more to try to motivate them. There was this man named Jeff who was a science teacher and lived next to us. HE was so cool. He was always so happy and excited, ALWAYS. Just an all around happy guy.
There has been rain here and one morning we missed school because of it. We were waiting for Jackson to come take us (we realzied after awhile he wouldn't always be on time). Because of the rain there had been a flood near by. The drains backed up in other villages and flowed down to another aread that got flooded. He had to go help a friend move stuff from his house. Most things electronic were destroyed. This was just one night of rain that caused this. We also got to tour a local radio station(community) Radio ADA 93.3. It was really cool. We learnt that before that radio station got funded there was only 30min of the Dangme language on the radio once a week. I better go now there's tons more but to much to type even in 2 more goes. From now on i'm going to have to pick and choose (like I did in this one) when i type. Well see everyone in about a month and sorry to all the people that i didn't e-mail back(muh bad). PEACE
Friday, October 19, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Can't think of a good title
Sorry no quotes today (forgot them back at the house) but instead just a small story of what happened on the way here. As i was walking up to the internet cafe(alone) people said white person as usuall and i'm used to it now. But this one person really got me down. Some otehr families had said Obruni and when i turned to smile and say hello they didn't really respond and i heard a couple mutters about white people from them when i turned around. That didn't bother me, a couple kids shouted "Brafuno, how are you" that made me smile. No, it was just this on guy on a bike who passed by that got me down with 3 simple words. "Hey, White Man." Said simply as its written. No tone, no up or down pitch in his voice to tell what he meant. Just a drool meaningless statment with empty eyes staring at me. I got no real response from my hello how are you but a grunt or shrug or something. Those simple words brought me down. But not for long along the way i Eric saw me and called me over, I jumped over hugh hole(it runs down the street collecting garbage that peopel through in)talked for 1 min and slapped hands and I finally did it right. When they shap hands at the end they snap their fingers. Not after their hands have left each other on their own. At the end of the clasp you snap of each others fingers. I'll try and show people when i get back. Anyways i was so happy to see someone i knew and crazy excited to finally be able to do the hand slap(people had been trying with us and we hadn't been that succesful). Then just before i arrived here a man came up to me, hand clapped me and i got it again. Then he started talking about soem hotel, chicken and rice, Pakistan, and finally ended with we be the same and something about chillin the same(i think he might have been a bit strung out). But again at the end we slapped hands and i got it. It's funny how something so small can bring you down or up.
Anyways i left off after breakfast. After riding the trotros for the first time. We went to Dead White Mans Clothes Market. It's an area just full of clothes, shoes and accesories. When you walk into the heart of it the light is kind of blocked out. All the little huts and stands are so close to each other that the tops block out most of the light. The experence was intense. They'res barley enough room for peopel to pass buy each other when walking. Everywhere you look they're is hughe piles of clothes, bundles of shoes, tons of belts lying on the ground. All kinds of brand names, any kind you can think of you can probably find at this market. All the prices are extremly cheap. The amount you've paied for one fo these designer/brand nambe shirts at home is probably the amount someone pays(or less, probably less not sure exactly) for a hugh bundle of clothes, that are shipped to Ghana. It was like a miny maze and as soon as you got out onto the street it wasn't over. There on the street were hundreds of people selling things indavidualy, holding shirts,belts,watches, all kind of clothing orriented things. Everybody is trying to get your attention (espcially if your white, you must have money and be eager to spend). Either that day or the next (can't rember) we went to a place called Kaneshi(Kenshi sorry one world not sure of the spelling) Market. Think of Costco but taller. There was 3 levels. The ground floor was dirt and full of tables selling all sorts of food, cooked, raw everything. Hughe mounds taller than a person in all directions you looked, I can't even begin to explain it. I think i need to go again to really see what's there. It was so amazing. The 2 and 3 floor I'm not sure exactly what was on each one. There was clothes, electronics, electronice fixing, watches, medical supplies, I think a docters office. I know i'm forgetting tons but it was so unbalivably emmense. It was so amazing and the view at the top of the city. Oh My God(we'll i don't really have a religion so it's more like oh someone elses god) it was breathtakingly beautiful. After that we went to a part of town that is an automotive section. That means there were motors on the streets, I saw seats hung from walls, parts hung from trees. I don't know much about cars but just imagine any internatle part of the car that can be bought and it was out in the open or in a shop all in this one part of town.
I have to go know i've only got 10 mins left. The best part about this whole experence is this. Not once since we've landed have we really felt nervous or scarred or not wanted to do something because it was unknow. We've walked all over the place and had somemany new experencies in such a little. Every single time it's always been meet with excitment(whether outwarldy or inwardly) and no fear. Its awsome. Something that I will say is strange is I'm havin not much of a problem with the sun/heat. Normally i get hot in the summer in canada in shorts. But here in Ghana I'm wearing pants and long sleved shirts and fine. I seem to be able to handle this with no extra heat. I dont' know what it is either way it's awesome. I have to go but i'll be updating in 1 or 2 days for the last time for about 1 month. We'll be heading for our villages soon and I won't have or go to get internet access for that time. PEACE
Anyways i left off after breakfast. After riding the trotros for the first time. We went to Dead White Mans Clothes Market. It's an area just full of clothes, shoes and accesories. When you walk into the heart of it the light is kind of blocked out. All the little huts and stands are so close to each other that the tops block out most of the light. The experence was intense. They'res barley enough room for peopel to pass buy each other when walking. Everywhere you look they're is hughe piles of clothes, bundles of shoes, tons of belts lying on the ground. All kinds of brand names, any kind you can think of you can probably find at this market. All the prices are extremly cheap. The amount you've paied for one fo these designer/brand nambe shirts at home is probably the amount someone pays(or less, probably less not sure exactly) for a hugh bundle of clothes, that are shipped to Ghana. It was like a miny maze and as soon as you got out onto the street it wasn't over. There on the street were hundreds of people selling things indavidualy, holding shirts,belts,watches, all kind of clothing orriented things. Everybody is trying to get your attention (espcially if your white, you must have money and be eager to spend). Either that day or the next (can't rember) we went to a place called Kaneshi(Kenshi sorry one world not sure of the spelling) Market. Think of Costco but taller. There was 3 levels. The ground floor was dirt and full of tables selling all sorts of food, cooked, raw everything. Hughe mounds taller than a person in all directions you looked, I can't even begin to explain it. I think i need to go again to really see what's there. It was so amazing. The 2 and 3 floor I'm not sure exactly what was on each one. There was clothes, electronics, electronice fixing, watches, medical supplies, I think a docters office. I know i'm forgetting tons but it was so unbalivably emmense. It was so amazing and the view at the top of the city. Oh My God(we'll i don't really have a religion so it's more like oh someone elses god) it was breathtakingly beautiful. After that we went to a part of town that is an automotive section. That means there were motors on the streets, I saw seats hung from walls, parts hung from trees. I don't know much about cars but just imagine any internatle part of the car that can be bought and it was out in the open or in a shop all in this one part of town.
I have to go know i've only got 10 mins left. The best part about this whole experence is this. Not once since we've landed have we really felt nervous or scarred or not wanted to do something because it was unknow. We've walked all over the place and had somemany new experencies in such a little. Every single time it's always been meet with excitment(whether outwarldy or inwardly) and no fear. Its awsome. Something that I will say is strange is I'm havin not much of a problem with the sun/heat. Normally i get hot in the summer in canada in shorts. But here in Ghana I'm wearing pants and long sleved shirts and fine. I seem to be able to handle this with no extra heat. I dont' know what it is either way it's awesome. I have to go but i'll be updating in 1 or 2 days for the last time for about 1 month. We'll be heading for our villages soon and I won't have or go to get internet access for that time. PEACE
Monday, October 15, 2007
In Ghana
Silence can scream
-(someone? maybe me? probably not?)
So i'm in Ghana now and its amazing. Just a little pre note i'm probably going to spelling a lot of places and names wrong but it's because i'm not going back to correct because at the internet place i'm in they tend to loose power and i loose the things i'm writing (i've learned from this the hard way). So we landed some days ago and lost one bag (still haven't found it yet keep your fingers crossed that they do). Coming to airport was awesome. Caitlin was the first person to be asked for marriage. He asked me if she was my wife and when i said no he said (this was the guy at the bagge claims), "Let me ask you a question, would you like to be my brother in law?" It was hilarious, she got hit on at least 2-3 more times before we left. Now i know this sounds crude but people never meant it in a demaning way and when they do we'll now the difference. I got on too a couple days later, "My husband come here."I'm also getting some rasta reffernces,"Hey white Rasta" or Ganagster references "Hey g,g, yo g wut up(that one cracked us up)" I think i'll stick with the Rasta. Anyways we came out of the airport and there was huge groups of people on both the left and right sides being held back by security bars. It was crazy just walking down the centre, right smack dab in the middle of everything. Some man came up to me and we talked. He asked where i was from if i was Christian (we were being picked up by sister bernadette) and other questions. Then out of nowhere he asked for a tip. Strange espcially since he didn't do anything. I just shrugged it off. The ride to the Salvation army was amazing. The way we drive in Canada, not for Ghana. People drive really fast and are constatnly using their horns. It's not out of anger or frustration like we do in Canada(well some times it is), it's to let other cars know that your passing or to let people walking on/near the roades they're coming behind them. Either way the driving here is fast, vicious and much more fun and way better scenerary than Canada(not knocking you Canada but i've seen you for 19 years). So we got to the Salvation army and we were introduced Jackson and Eric brohters. Jackson was the one who would be taking us around town. After they left we went to get water but they were out. Instead of them getting it for us we said we would get it ourselves. One of the guards (Lehmos? we were never sure of what his name was) decided to take us into town. First he took us to a restaurant to get bottled water but we said we wanted satchet water (they're small plasitc bags 500ml that you bite a tiny bit off from one of the corners and drink). He took us to a local area were there was food and water and lots of different things to buy. We bought a bag of satchets (30 satchets ) for 80 pesoas(old currency is 8000) which is about 80 cents. Then we got some food to eat, rice and chicken. They served us spoons but we told them we wanted to eat with our hands, like Ghanians. She smiled and laughed then got us a bowl of water to wash our hands. When you eat, it's always with your hands(just about always) and with your meal they bring a bowl of water to wash before and after the meal. The food was so delicious and had a spice to it. Every meal has spicyness to it and i'm pround to say i can eat whole pepe or two or three seeds and all and not be bothered by it. I love spicy so much now and i'm glad that a couple months pryere to coming i decided to start adding hot sauce to most of my meals. I'm pretty sure if I didn't do that it would have been a lot harder.
The next day when we went to get breakfast with Jackson we ate cocoa pouridge(yes this one was spicy too, although every time we've had it after it hasn't been). It was really refreshing and we were told is had some medicinal purposes too. That day was the first time we took a trotro. A trotro can go just around town or you can go to the bigger bus stations to get on the longer ones that ride for hours. They're usually vans but they but in extra seats so they can fit more people. We've been in one with close to or just over 20 people. They're awesome. Anyways I need to go now but i'll be back tomorrown or the next day, thanks to Maria (shout out to Maria). Thank you so much for setting me up with the college application to Kings( affliatie of Western Ontario Unversity in London for those who don't know). I'll try to do the application here and e-mail you soon. Thanks to everyone for reading and to everyone whos been sending messages. PEACE.
-(someone? maybe me? probably not?)
So i'm in Ghana now and its amazing. Just a little pre note i'm probably going to spelling a lot of places and names wrong but it's because i'm not going back to correct because at the internet place i'm in they tend to loose power and i loose the things i'm writing (i've learned from this the hard way). So we landed some days ago and lost one bag (still haven't found it yet keep your fingers crossed that they do). Coming to airport was awesome. Caitlin was the first person to be asked for marriage. He asked me if she was my wife and when i said no he said (this was the guy at the bagge claims), "Let me ask you a question, would you like to be my brother in law?" It was hilarious, she got hit on at least 2-3 more times before we left. Now i know this sounds crude but people never meant it in a demaning way and when they do we'll now the difference. I got on too a couple days later, "My husband come here."I'm also getting some rasta reffernces,"Hey white Rasta" or Ganagster references "Hey g,g, yo g wut up(that one cracked us up)" I think i'll stick with the Rasta. Anyways we came out of the airport and there was huge groups of people on both the left and right sides being held back by security bars. It was crazy just walking down the centre, right smack dab in the middle of everything. Some man came up to me and we talked. He asked where i was from if i was Christian (we were being picked up by sister bernadette) and other questions. Then out of nowhere he asked for a tip. Strange espcially since he didn't do anything. I just shrugged it off. The ride to the Salvation army was amazing. The way we drive in Canada, not for Ghana. People drive really fast and are constatnly using their horns. It's not out of anger or frustration like we do in Canada(well some times it is), it's to let other cars know that your passing or to let people walking on/near the roades they're coming behind them. Either way the driving here is fast, vicious and much more fun and way better scenerary than Canada(not knocking you Canada but i've seen you for 19 years). So we got to the Salvation army and we were introduced Jackson and Eric brohters. Jackson was the one who would be taking us around town. After they left we went to get water but they were out. Instead of them getting it for us we said we would get it ourselves. One of the guards (Lehmos? we were never sure of what his name was) decided to take us into town. First he took us to a restaurant to get bottled water but we said we wanted satchet water (they're small plasitc bags 500ml that you bite a tiny bit off from one of the corners and drink). He took us to a local area were there was food and water and lots of different things to buy. We bought a bag of satchets (30 satchets ) for 80 pesoas(old currency is 8000) which is about 80 cents. Then we got some food to eat, rice and chicken. They served us spoons but we told them we wanted to eat with our hands, like Ghanians. She smiled and laughed then got us a bowl of water to wash our hands. When you eat, it's always with your hands(just about always) and with your meal they bring a bowl of water to wash before and after the meal. The food was so delicious and had a spice to it. Every meal has spicyness to it and i'm pround to say i can eat whole pepe or two or three seeds and all and not be bothered by it. I love spicy so much now and i'm glad that a couple months pryere to coming i decided to start adding hot sauce to most of my meals. I'm pretty sure if I didn't do that it would have been a lot harder.
The next day when we went to get breakfast with Jackson we ate cocoa pouridge(yes this one was spicy too, although every time we've had it after it hasn't been). It was really refreshing and we were told is had some medicinal purposes too. That day was the first time we took a trotro. A trotro can go just around town or you can go to the bigger bus stations to get on the longer ones that ride for hours. They're usually vans but they but in extra seats so they can fit more people. We've been in one with close to or just over 20 people. They're awesome. Anyways I need to go now but i'll be back tomorrown or the next day, thanks to Maria (shout out to Maria). Thank you so much for setting me up with the college application to Kings( affliatie of Western Ontario Unversity in London for those who don't know). I'll try to do the application here and e-mail you soon. Thanks to everyone for reading and to everyone whos been sending messages. PEACE.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Dreaming Upside Down
Here's a writing we were given to read. Think of it as food for thought but the kind of that doesn't sit to well in your stomach. You may try become blind to the discomfort but no matter what you do, it'll still be there whether you think about it or not.
Dreaming Upside Down
Dreaming Upside Down
I dreamed the other night that all the maps were turned upside down. Library atlases, road maps of Toronto, wall-sized maps in war rooms of great nations, even antique maps were all flipped over. What had been north was now south, east was west. Like melting vanilla ice cream, Antarctica now capped schoolroom globes.
In my dream, a cloud of anxieties closed around me. Canada was now at the bottom of the map. Would we have to stand upside down, causing the blood to rush to our heads? Would we need suction cup shoes to stay on the planet and would autumn leaves fall up? No, I remembered, the apple bopped Newton on the head - no need to worry about these things.
Other matters troubled me more. Now that we're at the bottom, would our resources and labor be exploited by the new top? Would African, Asian and Latin American nations structure world trade to their advantage?
Would my neighbors and I have two-dollar-a-day seasonal jobs on peach and strawberry plantations? Would women and children work from dawn to dusk to scratch survival from the earth of British Columbia or Ontario? Would the fruit we picked be shipped to Thai and Ethiopian children who hurriedly eat it with their cereal so they won't miss the bus? Would our children, then, go not to school, but to fetch water from two miles away and to gather wood for cooking and heating? Would a small ruling class in the country send their daughters and sons to universities in Egypt and Argentina?
Would our economy be dependent upon the goodwill and whims of, say, Brazil? Would Brazil send war planes and guns to Ottawa to assure our willing to pick apples, grapes, and tobacco for export while our children went hungry? Would Brazil or Vietnam fight their wars with our sons and daughters in our country? Would we consider revolution?
If we did revolt, would the Chilean government plot to put their favorite
Canadian general in power and uphold him with military aid?
Would we work in sweatshops to manufacture radios for the Chinese? Would our oil be shipped in tankers to Southeast Asia to run cars, air-conditioners and microwave ovens while most of our towns were without electricity?
Would religious leaders from the "top of the world" call us stubborn pagans upon whom God's judgment had fallen, causing our misery? Would they proclaim from their opulent pulpits that if we simply turned to God, our needs would be met?
In my dream, I saw a child crying in Calcutta. Her parents wouldn't buy her any more video games until her birthday. I saw her mother drive to the grocery store and load her cart with junk food, vegetables, cheese, meat, and women's magazines.
I saw a mother in Regina baking bread in an earthen oven. She had been crying because there we no more beans for her family. One of her children, a blond boy about six years old, listlessly watched her. He slowly turned his empty, haunting gaze towards me.
At that I awoke with a gasp. I saw I was in my bed, in my own house. Everything was still OK. It was only a bad dream. I drifted back to sleep thinking
"It's all right. I'm still on top"
Yo I have words
He who will live for others shall have great
troubles, but they shall seem to him small
He who will live for himself shall have small
troubles, but they shall seem to him great
-William R. Inge
Well I left off at our 3 days off. So for the next week we stayed at Pamela and Colleen's place. We spent this time debriefing our camping trip, looking more in depth about Ghana and it's culture, seeing pictures from the times other groups had gone and last minute checks about the program and the things we were committing to. The first night we went to the Guelph library and we each did aspects of Ghana. I did the history of Ghana starting from 1500. I'd write it all but it's 3 pages long so I'll pass. Although I will say this it, was a very interesting history. Learning more about Ghanaian culture and seeing all the pictures with all the different stories behind them was very educational/moving. It's funny how it's all the little things we may take for granted, in the sense that we assume it's same all over the place, are a lot of the time what really matter in Ghanaian culture(as well as others). I really have come to understand the goals of this program and have come to respect it even more. We're coming into Ghana with a sense of trying to accomplish solidarity. Although this is a goal we all realize will be hard to truly to attain, seeing as we're only there for 6 months of our lives. I'm not saying it's futile but it's a reality we must face. When i compare this program to others I'm really glad we're not coming in as a group of foreigners telling people what or how to do something. Much disrespect can result from doing this especially from how our cultures differ. What we value as important and a sign of respect may in other places not be valued and disrespectful. In terms of money, giving money just because we can may not always be the best solution, unless properly investigated. An example given to us was, if we had the money to pay for the towns to get water why wouldn't you just give them the money. Although you want to pay for it(lets say it's 600 which seems so small a price to pay when your talking about getting water to a whole village), what could be the consequences. When it's payed for and you've left, do these people still have monthly fees to pay? If they do, how are they going to be able to pay for it? Will it be a small fee that's affordable or a large one that's not. Remember we all have different views of what's affordable. Charity should not start and end at the idea of giving money to the problem. It should start with researcher and knowledge. Not for our sakes but of those we're trying to help. Why give money to an charity,who's fees and costs take away a huge portion, when we can find one that directly helps the people. I'm not trying to say don't give money it won't help, it will, but not when it's given blindly and we hope that where ever we put our charity it's helping. Some times the sad truth is it's not but it doesn't have to be like that . Know where your money goes. This sentiment is not only to money but as well with groups going into other countries to help. Our idea of help is not always as ideal as we'd like to think. All I'm saying is look into what your doing with your charity and make sure it's helping the right way and not the wrong way with good intentions. I feel happy that where I'm volunteering is at a free medical clinic set up by Ghanian's for many years. This program is created so that or understanding is big but our impact is small. Then when we return we're able to take that big understanding and small impact and turn it into something bigger. In the past, participants have gone back with Oneworld to help setup change in Ghana, in terms of water, money, food, but this change comes from the people there, we only come to help it get started.
So the next week we spent at a cabin on Lake Huron for or spiritual retreat. It was a really nice way to unwind from all the things we've been experiencing over the past month. With the exception of one night, there was always an amazingly crazy awesome sunset each and every night across the sky and over the water. We had really interesting and neat workshops on hope, images of god(god in a general term),creation(not creationism but of the cosmos down to humans, this one really made me want to learn biology), journal writing and our individual needs. We also did one day called monks day where we didn't talk or eat the entire day. I found it surprising that the entire day i was not hungry at all. Except i decided not to drink anything as well and i was doing really good until around 7 or 8 pm. All I could think about was the orange juice we had in the fridge. I broke down and went to go get some but all we had was lemonade(devastating...well not really, it was the best f'n cup of lemonade I'd every had). That week was a very relaxing one except for the lose of Maria at the end of it. But i did get a lot out of that week and one thing I felt really good about getting out was on paper. Normally I'm not one to do poems but after the discussions we had on hope I just wanted to write something about it. It came from a place that seems dark and a place where we may be when in Ghana. But this isn't a poem about the end or having no where left to go. It's about finding that bit of hope when you think it's not there. I don't have a title yet but here it is below. I'm flying out today so this will be my last post for a bit. Hope everyones enjoying the blog so far and hope to hear from people when i come online next. PEACE.
Hope
I have none
In my mind I've been stranded
On an island, all that surrounds the tides of black
Inch by inch it creeps, the tide comes in
Over the sand, it does not stop
It crawls to the sun and covers the sky
Hope
I have none
It comes to cover the grass
And follow me to the forest
So slowly it consumes everything on this island
Trudging along, as if it wants me to witness it's intent
I curse it
Hope I have none
No where left, up I climb
What was once enveloped in shimmering beauty
Is only the ever present dark rising tide
It moves faster now, engulfing all
I stand at the top, alone, no where left to go
Every last move exhausted
No where or thing left to contemplate
Except ...
Hope
I have some
PEACE(I'm saying peace that's not part of the poem)
troubles, but they shall seem to him small
He who will live for himself shall have small
troubles, but they shall seem to him great
-William R. Inge
Well I left off at our 3 days off. So for the next week we stayed at Pamela and Colleen's place. We spent this time debriefing our camping trip, looking more in depth about Ghana and it's culture, seeing pictures from the times other groups had gone and last minute checks about the program and the things we were committing to. The first night we went to the Guelph library and we each did aspects of Ghana. I did the history of Ghana starting from 1500. I'd write it all but it's 3 pages long so I'll pass. Although I will say this it, was a very interesting history. Learning more about Ghanaian culture and seeing all the pictures with all the different stories behind them was very educational/moving. It's funny how it's all the little things we may take for granted, in the sense that we assume it's same all over the place, are a lot of the time what really matter in Ghanaian culture(as well as others). I really have come to understand the goals of this program and have come to respect it even more. We're coming into Ghana with a sense of trying to accomplish solidarity. Although this is a goal we all realize will be hard to truly to attain, seeing as we're only there for 6 months of our lives. I'm not saying it's futile but it's a reality we must face. When i compare this program to others I'm really glad we're not coming in as a group of foreigners telling people what or how to do something. Much disrespect can result from doing this especially from how our cultures differ. What we value as important and a sign of respect may in other places not be valued and disrespectful. In terms of money, giving money just because we can may not always be the best solution, unless properly investigated. An example given to us was, if we had the money to pay for the towns to get water why wouldn't you just give them the money. Although you want to pay for it(lets say it's 600 which seems so small a price to pay when your talking about getting water to a whole village), what could be the consequences. When it's payed for and you've left, do these people still have monthly fees to pay? If they do, how are they going to be able to pay for it? Will it be a small fee that's affordable or a large one that's not. Remember we all have different views of what's affordable. Charity should not start and end at the idea of giving money to the problem. It should start with researcher and knowledge. Not for our sakes but of those we're trying to help. Why give money to an charity,who's fees and costs take away a huge portion, when we can find one that directly helps the people. I'm not trying to say don't give money it won't help, it will, but not when it's given blindly and we hope that where ever we put our charity it's helping. Some times the sad truth is it's not but it doesn't have to be like that . Know where your money goes. This sentiment is not only to money but as well with groups going into other countries to help. Our idea of help is not always as ideal as we'd like to think. All I'm saying is look into what your doing with your charity and make sure it's helping the right way and not the wrong way with good intentions. I feel happy that where I'm volunteering is at a free medical clinic set up by Ghanian's for many years. This program is created so that or understanding is big but our impact is small. Then when we return we're able to take that big understanding and small impact and turn it into something bigger. In the past, participants have gone back with Oneworld to help setup change in Ghana, in terms of water, money, food, but this change comes from the people there, we only come to help it get started.
So the next week we spent at a cabin on Lake Huron for or spiritual retreat. It was a really nice way to unwind from all the things we've been experiencing over the past month. With the exception of one night, there was always an amazingly crazy awesome sunset each and every night across the sky and over the water. We had really interesting and neat workshops on hope, images of god(god in a general term),creation(not creationism but of the cosmos down to humans, this one really made me want to learn biology), journal writing and our individual needs. We also did one day called monks day where we didn't talk or eat the entire day. I found it surprising that the entire day i was not hungry at all. Except i decided not to drink anything as well and i was doing really good until around 7 or 8 pm. All I could think about was the orange juice we had in the fridge. I broke down and went to go get some but all we had was lemonade(devastating...well not really, it was the best f'n cup of lemonade I'd every had). That week was a very relaxing one except for the lose of Maria at the end of it. But i did get a lot out of that week and one thing I felt really good about getting out was on paper. Normally I'm not one to do poems but after the discussions we had on hope I just wanted to write something about it. It came from a place that seems dark and a place where we may be when in Ghana. But this isn't a poem about the end or having no where left to go. It's about finding that bit of hope when you think it's not there. I don't have a title yet but here it is below. I'm flying out today so this will be my last post for a bit. Hope everyones enjoying the blog so far and hope to hear from people when i come online next. PEACE.
Hope
I have none
In my mind I've been stranded
On an island, all that surrounds the tides of black
Inch by inch it creeps, the tide comes in
Over the sand, it does not stop
It crawls to the sun and covers the sky
Hope
I have none
It comes to cover the grass
And follow me to the forest
So slowly it consumes everything on this island
Trudging along, as if it wants me to witness it's intent
I curse it
Hope I have none
No where left, up I climb
What was once enveloped in shimmering beauty
Is only the ever present dark rising tide
It moves faster now, engulfing all
I stand at the top, alone, no where left to go
Every last move exhausted
No where or thing left to contemplate
Except ...
Hope
I have some
PEACE(I'm saying peace that's not part of the poem)
Benifits for the World
Things never were"the way they used to be"
Things never will be"the way it's going to be someday"
Things are always just the way they are for the time being
And the time being is always in motion
-Alexander Evangeli Xenopouloudakis
I found something i had wrote back before i started this program and i wanted to post it because i thought it was a neat(neat naw bitchen) thought. Or at least some thing i just started rambling(writing) on about.
Benefits for the World
I always wonder how people pollute the world without thinking about the future. Actually I know why money(what else), but it's another reason I brought it up. When I think of why we should crate a better future for the coming generations, I started to think about what others have done for us. It seems little in an environmental perspective and I only compare the environment because that's what the issue for us at present(and poverty and social injustice). That's when I realized the sacrifices others had made for us. Our parents created a more politically correct/democratically/racily free world. Their parents defended us and the world in the 2 World Wars. Than before that was the Industrial revolution and the independence of British Colonies. Each Era creates or betters something for the future. It's up too the present day people to help maintain a balance. Take for example the Industrial age. They created/started the pollution problems but it was necessary for the evolution of humans. It has now become our problem not because they did it but because we did noting to learn from their mistakes. Instead some people took advantage of these mistakes and we as a people have done nothing(well not nothing but I'm talking majority here) to improve our situation. It now comes done to us to make that change.
Well i ramble but i do not gamble. Peace.
Things never will be"the way it's going to be someday"
Things are always just the way they are for the time being
And the time being is always in motion
-Alexander Evangeli Xenopouloudakis
I found something i had wrote back before i started this program and i wanted to post it because i thought it was a neat(neat naw bitchen) thought. Or at least some thing i just started rambling(writing) on about.
Benefits for the World
I always wonder how people pollute the world without thinking about the future. Actually I know why money(what else), but it's another reason I brought it up. When I think of why we should crate a better future for the coming generations, I started to think about what others have done for us. It seems little in an environmental perspective and I only compare the environment because that's what the issue for us at present(and poverty and social injustice). That's when I realized the sacrifices others had made for us. Our parents created a more politically correct/democratically/racily free world. Their parents defended us and the world in the 2 World Wars. Than before that was the Industrial revolution and the independence of British Colonies. Each Era creates or betters something for the future. It's up too the present day people to help maintain a balance. Take for example the Industrial age. They created/started the pollution problems but it was necessary for the evolution of humans. It has now become our problem not because they did it but because we did noting to learn from their mistakes. Instead some people took advantage of these mistakes and we as a people have done nothing(well not nothing but I'm talking majority here) to improve our situation. It now comes done to us to make that change.
Well i ramble but i do not gamble. Peace.
For in much wisdom is much grief
and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow
-Ecclesiastes 1:18
So we started at an amazing cabin at Earamosa Edens in Guelph where we all meet for the first time. We all got along really well, in terms of being able to talk and joke and just be comfortable with not really knowing each other rather than not talking and keeping to ourselves. Their we had many workshops in the first few days on team dynamics and how to function as a group(i think we might have missed a few essential components from those lessons, hey sue me I'm allowed to make a joke). Despite our shortcomings, I now see in hindsight, I took a lot away from these lessons. Pamela and Collen were the two people doing the workshops along with a couple other past participants how on different days. They were all amazing people. Collen is a math teacher, so once school started we saw her a bit less and Pamela is taking courses at university on top of taking on the majority of this program. All through out that week at the cabin we learned many things about the global economy,simple living(eating better,less waste,packaging consumption,local grown food, energy consumption) and Ghana but more so about life and how Ghana is abused by companies. Really understanding the world bank was an eye opener and helped me to grasp of the US has a huge sway in the economy.
The World Bank, IMF and other organizations lend vast amounts of money to foreign countries who are developing and need money to build. That is great and very necessary but these loans are really more of a way to control other countries economies and especially the value of their dollar to the U.S. dollar. Parts of the agreements for accepting this money,and they have to because there's no where else to go and they need this money to survive, are 20%-25% interest rates. This is a really good way to keep the countries in continues debt. They're told whats allowed to be exported and imported, if money is lent to farmers or local business they're allowed to dictate how much interest. They have the ability to devalue currency, in Ghana their dollar has been devalued %240 to the US dollar. But there is more to theses organizations than i could explain or fully understand. If it interests people i highly suggest going out and finding out of they work. I was told about a book by John Perkins by Sheila, we stayed at Sheila and Dwier's (sorry i spelled your name wrong) house later, and she said just read the first page and you'll hooked. I was. The First book is called"Confessions of an economic Hitman" and the follow up is called"The secret History of the American Empire". John Perkins worked for corporations and went into foreign countries to make sure they're corporate interests would be looked after. It's his tell all pretty much about what really goes on with some corporations and what really goes on with the World Bank IMF and others. I can only account for the second book because I just got the first now because i had to order it but from what I've read in the second book its a real eyeopener. Please read these books if you get a chance. Here's a quick few huge difference between things here and in Ghana. In Ghana it's very disrespect full to wave or shake or eat, by the way they eat with their hands not with knives or forks,with your left hand. In terms of giving gifts if you give to daughter you must give to the mother,she bared the child, and then the father, the child came from him, and also to any elders. A lot of people will say things like give me your shirt or bring me back bread but they don't really mean it. The thing with bread happened to tons to people and one of the responses they would say is"I went to get bread for you but all the bread makers died today" and then everyone would laugh their heads off. Last one, the beggars(or homeless as we call them) in Ghana are just about all people who are psychically disabled and most people give money when they see them. Seeing a westerner not give money they may sometimes say"if we can give some,surely you can give some too". In Ghana 1 dollar goes a long way, you can buy a full meal pretty much.
So next we stayed at Dwier and Sheila's house,in Kitchener, for the next 4 days. They had just come back from Mexico 2 days earlier. They had done 3 things there, meet with workers from a Maquilladoras(sweatshops) to hear about the conditions(here's an example:when they make faded jeans they have to wash them in their own rivers so the dye gets into the water and irrigation, goes in to local crops and is drank by livestock), with people who help others cross the border into the US(in the summer 100's die from getting lost and wandering the dessert until they die) and finally the the Zapatista resistance movement(they haven't used violence since their failed uprising in 1994, they crusade against the government for the poorest people in Mexico). While staying at their house we were working at a Soup Kitchen during the mornings and a bit in the afternoon. It was such an amazing experience. Gretchen was the head lady, who we were told might be grumpy at first but by the end would have a hard time saying goodbye. She was lovingly grumpy right of the back when she said"I won't remember your names today but in 3 days I'll be crying when you leave". We meet tons of amazing people. Sammy who had come from Brazil, Anna who told me a heart breaking story about loosing all here possessions and house in the war in Yugoslavia, Darlene who worked at the womens shelter down the block and lots of other people. It was great place to learn. On top of this we also had to buy food for 4 breakfasts and 4 dinners with a 75 dollar limit for the entire thing. We only spent 50 dollars. O yeah.
So the next 2 days were spent at Colleen and Pamela's place. We were going on a 35km hike at Algonquin Park for 5 days. To make a long story short, we ended up doing the hike in 3 days, we saw a porcupine, some red foxes, 2 moose (Aryn fell down right near one as we were trying to sneak by because your not suppose to startle them) and then we went to Amanda's house. But when we got there we were instructed that we had to go back into the forest again. So the next day,very much to dissatisfaction of most of us the previous night, we went to Kill Bear Park and camped there and in stead of the crazy hiking we were doing we did a bunch of trails. I have to say that day got a lot better.During the entire 5 days we each had time to tell our life stories. I was impressed with everyones honesty and trust in each other and our ability to be vulnerable. I think it was a freeing experience for some of us, I know it was for me. So with those couple weeks behind us it was time to drive home for our 3 days off. And with that I'm off and will update once or twice more before i leave for Ghana. I still have 2 weeks i haven't talked about. Peace.
P.S. I forgot to mention if you get a chance watch Life and Debt it's a documentary about how bad it really is in Jamaica despite the image that's shown about their laid back lifestyle. This movie shows the damage the world bank has done. Watch in you can.
and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow
-Ecclesiastes 1:18
So we started at an amazing cabin at Earamosa Edens in Guelph where we all meet for the first time. We all got along really well, in terms of being able to talk and joke and just be comfortable with not really knowing each other rather than not talking and keeping to ourselves. Their we had many workshops in the first few days on team dynamics and how to function as a group(i think we might have missed a few essential components from those lessons, hey sue me I'm allowed to make a joke). Despite our shortcomings, I now see in hindsight, I took a lot away from these lessons. Pamela and Collen were the two people doing the workshops along with a couple other past participants how on different days. They were all amazing people. Collen is a math teacher, so once school started we saw her a bit less and Pamela is taking courses at university on top of taking on the majority of this program. All through out that week at the cabin we learned many things about the global economy,simple living(eating better,less waste,packaging consumption,local grown food, energy consumption) and Ghana but more so about life and how Ghana is abused by companies. Really understanding the world bank was an eye opener and helped me to grasp of the US has a huge sway in the economy.
The World Bank, IMF and other organizations lend vast amounts of money to foreign countries who are developing and need money to build. That is great and very necessary but these loans are really more of a way to control other countries economies and especially the value of their dollar to the U.S. dollar. Parts of the agreements for accepting this money,and they have to because there's no where else to go and they need this money to survive, are 20%-25% interest rates. This is a really good way to keep the countries in continues debt. They're told whats allowed to be exported and imported, if money is lent to farmers or local business they're allowed to dictate how much interest. They have the ability to devalue currency, in Ghana their dollar has been devalued %240 to the US dollar. But there is more to theses organizations than i could explain or fully understand. If it interests people i highly suggest going out and finding out of they work. I was told about a book by John Perkins by Sheila, we stayed at Sheila and Dwier's (sorry i spelled your name wrong) house later, and she said just read the first page and you'll hooked. I was. The First book is called"Confessions of an economic Hitman" and the follow up is called"The secret History of the American Empire". John Perkins worked for corporations and went into foreign countries to make sure they're corporate interests would be looked after. It's his tell all pretty much about what really goes on with some corporations and what really goes on with the World Bank IMF and others. I can only account for the second book because I just got the first now because i had to order it but from what I've read in the second book its a real eyeopener. Please read these books if you get a chance. Here's a quick few huge difference between things here and in Ghana. In Ghana it's very disrespect full to wave or shake or eat, by the way they eat with their hands not with knives or forks,with your left hand. In terms of giving gifts if you give to daughter you must give to the mother,she bared the child, and then the father, the child came from him, and also to any elders. A lot of people will say things like give me your shirt or bring me back bread but they don't really mean it. The thing with bread happened to tons to people and one of the responses they would say is"I went to get bread for you but all the bread makers died today" and then everyone would laugh their heads off. Last one, the beggars(or homeless as we call them) in Ghana are just about all people who are psychically disabled and most people give money when they see them. Seeing a westerner not give money they may sometimes say"if we can give some,surely you can give some too". In Ghana 1 dollar goes a long way, you can buy a full meal pretty much.
So next we stayed at Dwier and Sheila's house,in Kitchener, for the next 4 days. They had just come back from Mexico 2 days earlier. They had done 3 things there, meet with workers from a Maquilladoras(sweatshops) to hear about the conditions(here's an example:when they make faded jeans they have to wash them in their own rivers so the dye gets into the water and irrigation, goes in to local crops and is drank by livestock), with people who help others cross the border into the US(in the summer 100's die from getting lost and wandering the dessert until they die) and finally the the Zapatista resistance movement(they haven't used violence since their failed uprising in 1994, they crusade against the government for the poorest people in Mexico). While staying at their house we were working at a Soup Kitchen during the mornings and a bit in the afternoon. It was such an amazing experience. Gretchen was the head lady, who we were told might be grumpy at first but by the end would have a hard time saying goodbye. She was lovingly grumpy right of the back when she said"I won't remember your names today but in 3 days I'll be crying when you leave". We meet tons of amazing people. Sammy who had come from Brazil, Anna who told me a heart breaking story about loosing all here possessions and house in the war in Yugoslavia, Darlene who worked at the womens shelter down the block and lots of other people. It was great place to learn. On top of this we also had to buy food for 4 breakfasts and 4 dinners with a 75 dollar limit for the entire thing. We only spent 50 dollars. O yeah.
So the next 2 days were spent at Colleen and Pamela's place. We were going on a 35km hike at Algonquin Park for 5 days. To make a long story short, we ended up doing the hike in 3 days, we saw a porcupine, some red foxes, 2 moose (Aryn fell down right near one as we were trying to sneak by because your not suppose to startle them) and then we went to Amanda's house. But when we got there we were instructed that we had to go back into the forest again. So the next day,very much to dissatisfaction of most of us the previous night, we went to Kill Bear Park and camped there and in stead of the crazy hiking we were doing we did a bunch of trails. I have to say that day got a lot better.During the entire 5 days we each had time to tell our life stories. I was impressed with everyones honesty and trust in each other and our ability to be vulnerable. I think it was a freeing experience for some of us, I know it was for me. So with those couple weeks behind us it was time to drive home for our 3 days off. And with that I'm off and will update once or twice more before i leave for Ghana. I still have 2 weeks i haven't talked about. Peace.
P.S. I forgot to mention if you get a chance watch Life and Debt it's a documentary about how bad it really is in Jamaica despite the image that's shown about their laid back lifestyle. This movie shows the damage the world bank has done. Watch in you can.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Feeling funny,gona be fine in time
In small matters trust the mind
In large ones the heart
- Sigmund Freud
So, at this moment I'm two days away from flying out and still have to say it hasn't hit me. But I'm that kinda person it won't get me till hours before i leave this house or maybe minutes before I get on that plane. Either way it'll be a tidal wave. Since i just started this post people haven't heard about all the things I've done over the past month and I'll get to that in the next post but first I have explain what's recently happened. We started out with 5 members(me included). Amanda(25) who is our facilitator, she's an amazingly strong person with so much worldly experience and an interest and respect for nature that's humbling.Aryn(18) who's so full of joy and excitement(makes me happy) and full of injuries that have happened and will happen(well i hope they don't happen Aryn). Caitlin(17 well 18 basically) who is always ready to laugh(makes me laugh with you not at you...well maybe sometimes at you) and get you laughing too. Maria(23) who is one of the most amazing people that i have meet, always there with a kind smile, words that strike the soul and just an outlook on life to be admired. But because of events in the group Maria has decided to leave. It's not because she hates us(I hope not) or that we hate her(I hope not) or that she's not strong enough(she's immensely strong), or any other reason i could think of. The reasons are her own and those may include the ones stated above or not or a mix of everything. But they're reasons that i know she will have the strength and courage and wisdom and tons of other words that describe how great people are to get through. The fact that she decided and made the decision not to come is proof in itself. How many people do you know, have done things that to them don't feel right but because of pride or other stupid ego influenced reasons just continue in vain and loose the reason for why they wanted to do what they wanted to do. I know this is the right decision for you Maria and I'm behind you 100%. If you decided to do this program next year i know you'll have an amazing experience and others will be greater for having the chance to travel with you. I'm defiantly sad that your not coming but such are the pains of life and i know for me this trip to Ghana will be even more of a challenge for will and determination. But that's why i came to this program to understand the struggle of our world and it's people. And by fu*k it'll be a hard one but I'm ready or more to say as ready as i can be. I know you will be too. I have only my deepest respect for you and even though i know we've been told not speak for the group,I know they wish you only the best. So this first post is dedicated to Maria, for all the ways she's made me stronger, kept our group organized, made us laugh, made us cry(not in a bad way but a good way), made us think and for all the things you've done for us. THANK YOU. May god bless your path and how you choose to follow that road. I promise when we get to Ghana we will say a prayer for you(well i don't know any but I'm sure Aryn can suggest one). This post may not make sense to a lot of the people reading it but i hope it makes sense for those i was writing it for. Well I'm tired right now and my hands are cramped so at the moment i shall type no more but in a few hours I'll be back. Thank you for the strength and courage that you've shown me I've always possessed.
In large ones the heart
- Sigmund Freud
So, at this moment I'm two days away from flying out and still have to say it hasn't hit me. But I'm that kinda person it won't get me till hours before i leave this house or maybe minutes before I get on that plane. Either way it'll be a tidal wave. Since i just started this post people haven't heard about all the things I've done over the past month and I'll get to that in the next post but first I have explain what's recently happened. We started out with 5 members(me included). Amanda(25) who is our facilitator, she's an amazingly strong person with so much worldly experience and an interest and respect for nature that's humbling.Aryn(18) who's so full of joy and excitement(makes me happy) and full of injuries that have happened and will happen(well i hope they don't happen Aryn). Caitlin(17 well 18 basically) who is always ready to laugh(makes me laugh with you not at you...well maybe sometimes at you) and get you laughing too. Maria(23) who is one of the most amazing people that i have meet, always there with a kind smile, words that strike the soul and just an outlook on life to be admired. But because of events in the group Maria has decided to leave. It's not because she hates us(I hope not) or that we hate her(I hope not) or that she's not strong enough(she's immensely strong), or any other reason i could think of. The reasons are her own and those may include the ones stated above or not or a mix of everything. But they're reasons that i know she will have the strength and courage and wisdom and tons of other words that describe how great people are to get through. The fact that she decided and made the decision not to come is proof in itself. How many people do you know, have done things that to them don't feel right but because of pride or other stupid ego influenced reasons just continue in vain and loose the reason for why they wanted to do what they wanted to do. I know this is the right decision for you Maria and I'm behind you 100%. If you decided to do this program next year i know you'll have an amazing experience and others will be greater for having the chance to travel with you. I'm defiantly sad that your not coming but such are the pains of life and i know for me this trip to Ghana will be even more of a challenge for will and determination. But that's why i came to this program to understand the struggle of our world and it's people. And by fu*k it'll be a hard one but I'm ready or more to say as ready as i can be. I know you will be too. I have only my deepest respect for you and even though i know we've been told not speak for the group,I know they wish you only the best. So this first post is dedicated to Maria, for all the ways she's made me stronger, kept our group organized, made us laugh, made us cry(not in a bad way but a good way), made us think and for all the things you've done for us. THANK YOU. May god bless your path and how you choose to follow that road. I promise when we get to Ghana we will say a prayer for you(well i don't know any but I'm sure Aryn can suggest one). This post may not make sense to a lot of the people reading it but i hope it makes sense for those i was writing it for. Well I'm tired right now and my hands are cramped so at the moment i shall type no more but in a few hours I'll be back. Thank you for the strength and courage that you've shown me I've always possessed.
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