Sleepless in Teshie

I did not sleep a single wink last night, and neither did Sherie. So, we spent the night talking, eating random food left in the pantry, reading, and listening to our ipods. We couldn't figure out why in the world we couldn't sleep. We both got out of bed around 7:30 am and decided that we must be too excited about coming home to rest! We stopped by the hospital to say goodbye to Prosper and Dr. Akosua, my two favorite people in Ghana. We then spent the day by the pool at La Palm. I am now a few shades darker and Sherie has a few new freckles!
I made some scrumptious pancakes last night for dinner. The power was out, but the stove is gas. I had to use candles so that I could see what I was doing. Sherie photo-documented the experience, just so that there would be proof of me cooking (in an apron)!
We leave for the airport in a little over an hour. We are all packed and ready to go. All that's left to do is shower. I am waiting until the VERY last minute so that I sweat as little as possible between here and the airplane. I am not looking forward to the long plane rides. The only thing worse than my goat phobia is my plane phobia! Hopefully, I will be able to sleep most of the way. I am really excited about being home. I can't wait to see my fam and friends at Match Day on Thursday, and some even sooner than that! I love ya'll and miss ya'll!

Breaking news: Sherie just walked in the door and told me she has malaria for the SECOND time! She told me its not fair that she has it, that it was supposed to be me. She says I am the sickly one! I am so thankful that I did not get malaria or typhoid. I'm not sure how I did it! But, with my lousy immune system, of course something had to go wrong. I have a cut on my toe that is now grossly infected. I looked down while walking today, only to see a lot of pus and swelling. How delightful, I know! Its pretty gross. Im sure that plenty of bacteria crawled into my cut from walking on the beach that people use a public toilet! Foul!

Much love,
Leah

Mudassi

Mudassi means "thank you" in Twi. I think that it is a pretty appropriate title for today. I am leaving tomorrow, and I feel really thankful for my time here. I am so lucky to have had the chance to come to Ghana. I have had some incredible experiences, and seen many amazing things. There have been several trying times and a couple of bumps in the road, but I wouldn't trade this trip for anything. I have definitely learned a few things about myself. For instance, I really need to have access to air conditioning when its 100 degrees outside, and I have a huge goat phobia. But, in all seriousness, I don't think it is possible to come to a third world country without it changing you in some small ways. And, my visit to Ghana has made me appreciate my family, my friends, my opportunties, and my fridge so much more than I ever could have before!
Sherie and I saw all of the UVA kids off to the airport last night. It was so sad to say goodbye to them. They have become a lot like family, and I know we will both miss them. The house felt so lonely and quiet last night!
We came into work this morning, and then found out that we had the day off. That made me really excited, because there were hardly any patients to see. So, Sherie and I went and had lunch at the resort and then spent some time walking along La Beach. Multiple Ghanaian guys tried to rip us off by making us pay to walk along the beach. We have learned that when a lot of Ghanaians see white skin, they think "stupid" and "money". Sherie and I have grown so tired of people trying to rip us off. Needless to say, after exchanging a few words, we walked along without paying.
I'll be up bright and early tomorrow morning so that I can lounge by the pool before I have to come back and pack in the afternoon. Our flight leaves at 9:55 pm from Accra, so we are leaving for the airport around 6:45 pm. It is about a 6 or 7 hour flight to Amsterdam, and we arrive around 5 am. Then we have a nine hour layover before our flight to Memphis, which leaves at 1:30 pm. From there, it is a ten hour flight to Memphis. After a short layover there, we will finally be back in Mobile around 9 pm on Sunday. First thing on my agenda when I get home....SHOWER!!
Alright, I'm off to buy some fruit to go with the delicious pancakes I am making for dinner. I hope everyone is doing well. I can't wait to see you when I get back!

Much love,
Leah

TWO MORE DAYS!!

So, we ran out of water again. We were out for over a day and half before we finally got some. That was not fun! Our fridge has also broken, twice, which means all of our food has spoiled, twice! They don't plan on fixing it anytime soon, so I have been living off of granola bars and pita bread that is going to mold at any second. I can't wait for a good meal!
We went out to dinner last night at a place called Coco Beach. We had dinner (pizza for me!) on the ocean. It was a really great time! The five students from UVA are leaving tonight. The house is going to be empty and lonely with only Sherie and I there for the next couple of days. We are really going to miss everyone!
I have the day off today, but we all came into the hospital this morning, because the staff wanted to present us with gifts. They had fabric embroidered with our names. Everyone has been so sweet and helpful, and it was really thoughtful of them to have something made for us!
We are planning on working tomorrow and then I am going to make some delicious pancakes for dinner. The plan for Saturday is to go to the pool at La Palm all day, and then come back to Manna and pack before we leave for the airport that evening. I can't believe we leave in 2 days! Time has really flown!
I love and miss ya'll!

Much love,
Leah

The Final Countdown

The final countdown has begun! Only three days until I leave. I am really excited about coming home and seeing everyone. I am DYING for some mexican food, TCBY, and red wine!
I don't have anything super exciting to write about today. We went to the National Cultural Center yesterday and got harrassed by lots of Ghanaians trying to sell us stuff. I bought some gorgeous paintings and got to try some delicious Ghanaian ice cream. I felt bad last night and went to bed early. I got tested again for malaria today, and I don't have it. YAY! It turns out I am just pretty dehydrated, and that explains my headache and fatigue.
I spent the afternoon giving a presentation to the doctors at Manna Mission. We are all about to go a beachside bar to have drinks and celebrate the UVA kids' last night here, and I am super excited!
I hope that you are all having a good week. You have no idea much I miss all of you!

Much love,
Leah

Big Hugs

Personally, I think that nothing is better than a really big hug! And, big hugs is just what I have been getting recently. I got to spend Thursday at an orphanage hanging out with about 50 children. It was by far the most wonderful and meaningful experience I have had here in Ghana. The minute I walked through the door, I was bombarded (literally) with hugs from children ranging in age from 1 to 15. They were all so sweet and lovely. They loved playing with my hair and my camera. It was really wonderful to see them all so happy. However, it was definitely very humbling and somewhat sad. I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to have loving and supportive parents. The children at the orphanage had beautiful faces and wonderful personalities, and they are all a victim of circumstance. They deserve just as much as me, or anyone else, to have a family to take care of them. I was glad that I was able to listen to them and give them some much needed affection, even if it was for just a little while.
Sherie and I went over to Manna Mission School on Friday to buy some fabric, and the children there were having their morning recess. All of the school children in Ghana wear uniforms. The Manna uniforms are red and white checks, and the kids look like a little sea of red and white running around everywhere. I decided to take a few minutes and interact with the kids, who were immediately enamored with me because of my light skin and hair. I bent down to talk with one of the little girls, and I asked her to give me a hug. When the other kids heard this, they immediately ran to me and suddenly I was in the middle of a group hug with about 30 six year olds. It was the sweetest thing, and it gave me the greatest feeling! It totally made my day!
After playing with the kids for a bit, we went to the pool at La Palm Resort. It was Ghana's Independce Day and the pool was packed. I always have a fabulous time reading and sipping drinks by the pool, and Friday was no different!
On Saturday morning, the whole crew woke up early and we left for Cape Coast around 5:30 am. We had quite a bit of trouble getting the cab driver to take us to the correct tro-tro station. We always make a point of asking the cab drivers before we get in if they know how to get to the place we are going. They inevitably ALWAYS tell you yes. Then, about 15 mintues into the drive, they always turn to you and say, "tell me which way to go". This is beyond frustrating. How are we supposed to know how to get around the crazy dirt roads in Ghana?!
We finally made it to Cape Coast around 9:30 am. Sherie and I spent the day laying by the pool and the ocean. It was really sunny and really hot. By 3:30 or so, we both realized that we were burnt to a crisp, so we went back to our hotel and sat by the ocean and had drinks. We had dinner there, and I managed to stuff down an entire pizza and an order of french fries. During dinner, we watched some tradional African dancers. After dinner, we went to the nightclub upstairs from the restaurant. Apparently, it is the best place to go in Cape Coast. We had a blast dancing with the Ghanaians!
The place that we stayed was on the beach, but was far from glamorous. There was one communal shower outside and two outside toilets. We crammed four people into our dirty room with two sleeping on the floor. It was an interesting experience for me. I'll leave it at that.
We came back from Cape Coast on Sunday and Sherie and I went to the La Trade Fair. It is basically like a big flea market. Soon after we got there, the sky fell out and it began raining incredibly hard. Sherie and I got soaked! I was dripping wet and my feet and legs were nasty from tromping through ankle high water (think rain water mixed with sewage) in flip flops. It was actually really fun, though!
The power was out for most of the night last night when we got home. We also ran out of water again, but luckily I had already taken a shower!
I am super excited because I am starting my final week of medical school today! I can't believe it. I have been so caught up thinking about Ghana and Match Day, that it had not occured to me that I will officially be done with med school on Friday! I am also really looking forward to coming home. Only five days until I leave!
-Health Update: I am feeling pretty well, especially in comparison to most of the others here. Sherie and one other girl have malaria. Two girls have typhoid fever. I just want to stay healthy until Saturday!
I hope that you are all doing well. I love you and miss you!

Much love,
Leah

Public Urination

It is definitely time that I address the problem of public urination here in Ghana. No one needs to see you pee in public...Ever! (Well, I could possibly forgive someone who suffered incontinence.) People here are constantly peeing in the road, on the side of the road, on the beach, you name it! And I am not just talking about men, it is women and children, too. You can't go anywhere without seeing a man unzip his pants and just start urinating. The women just lift their dresses and go to town, as well. These people make no attempt to find somewhere even semi-private. It is insanity! The final straw for me was this afternoon when our cab driver just swerved off the side of the highway, got out of the car, and peed right there in front of us!
Okay, enough talk of urine. You would probably rather I update you on what I have been doing. I went to a church service here at Manna Mission on Sunday. I honestly cannot come up with words good enough to describe the experience. I arrived at 9 am.....I left at 12:15 pm, and the service was not even over yet! I decided that 3 hours and 15 minutes was my limit for watching women fall over in the aisles, screaming and shaking frantically. At first I was quite intrigued and entertained, but after a while it got pretty old! I am glad I had the chance to see what a service was like here in Ghana, but I don't think I will be going to another any time soon!
Something must have gotten into me on Sunday, because that evening I made pancakes for everyone for dinner. Yes, I cooked! And it actually tasted good! In case you were wondering, no, I did not set anything on fire. However, by the time I was done, I had pancake batter from head to toe. No shocker there!
In other exciting news, we ran out of water last night. I used a bottle of water to wash my face and brush my teeth last night and this morning. While doing so, I made a promise to never take running water for granted again! I am really looking forward to a shower tonight.
New tidbits:
-There is trash everywhere. You really can't get away from it. People just drop their trash on the side of the streets, or by their shack. It is pretty gross. The sewage system here consists of two and a half foot ditches along some of the roads. They are completely open, and nasty green stuff and trash flow through them. You can also sometimes find a goat walking through there or a child laying in one!
-There is always a fire burning somewhere near. I find this a little disturbing considering it is so hot and dry here. It is a huge brush fire just waiting to happen.
-I go buy bananas and pineapple almost every day from the fruit lady near the hospital. She speaks little English, and every single time I stop by she tells me "long time". I find this very odd, because its often only 24 hrs between visits. I like her, though, because she always grins really widely and puts an extra banana in my bag!
Well, I hope that everyone had a lovely weekend. I leave in 12 days! Time flies! I love and miss ya'll!

Much love,
Leah

Malaria Free is the Way To Be!

Super dorky title, I know, but I am in a super dorky mood today! The good news of the day is that I don't have malaria. I started feeling bad last night when I went to bed, and I didn't sleep at all. I felt really crappy this morning and was having some dull achy pains in my stomach and back. Dr. Akosua insisted that I get tested for malaria. I went over to the lab and Prosper was nice enough to test me, even though the lab was closed for the day. I was a giant baby when he stuck me to get blood, and I screamed. The Ghanaian people here are very stoic, especially the women, so he got a good laugh!
Sherie and I kept with our plans and went to the resort after work yesterday. It was heavenly to lay by the pool all afternoon and drink tequila sunrises. I spent most of my time in the water because it was so hot, but I was able to finish yet another book. After the sun went down, we got dressed up and headed to dinner. Sherie laughed at me when I came out of the bathroom wearing a dress and heels, with my hair and make-up done. We had dinner at the resorts open air restaurant on the ocean. It was super nice, by Ghanaian standards, and we had a great time. I ordered grilled chicken, and was super excited about it, until I got it and realized it was all dark meat. I tried to eat it, but all I could think of were the nasty chickens clucking along the side of the road here. So, I devoured every last one of my french fries! I felt so sorry for our cab driver on the way back home after dinner. It is about a 35 minute drive, and he had to listen to Sherie and I singing along to my ipod at the top of our lungs the entire way back. I felt so bad for him that we almost paid him extra just for putting up with us, but he didn't seem too upset.
I had the chance to go to a Ghanaian wedding this afternoon. It was supposed to start at 12:30, but didn't really start until about 1:30, which is totally typical here. It was held inside the church here at Manna Mission. The service was really long, but I had a fabulous time! I couldn't help but think the whole time how much Corie would have enjoyed seeing it. There was lots of music, dancing, singing, and worshiping. It was such a different experience from a regular American wedding. There were people raising their arms in praise, people dancing down the aisles, and people shouting out good wishes at the couple throughout the ceremony. I am sure that some Americans would have found this to be rude, but I thought it was an energetic and delightful experience!
We have plans to go into Osu tomorrow to browse and shop. We will probably have a low key night tonight since Sherie and I lived it up last night!
Assorted thoughts for today:
-If you walk out and about on the dirt roads after dark, you can see tons of little children stripped down naked and taking their daily bath with a bucket and a cloth outside their shacks.
-They sell hair weave on the side of the street everywhere. It cracks me up.
Anyways, I hope that everyone is having a nice weekend. I love and miss ya'll!

Much love,
Leah

WOOHOO!!

I cannot contain my excitement today! Sherie and I moved back into our downstairs room last night. I literally jumped up and down when I got back in there. The air conditioning actually works and the bed is fabulous! And, I had the day off and got to sleep until 10:00!
We went into Accra today and I spent some time shopping and changed some money.
Today was the first day that I have felt harrassed by anyone here. For some reason, Ghanaian men were constantly annoying me today. I was really suprised, because everyone has been so respectful the whole time I have been here. Luckily, my friend Adam (from UVA) was with us and was very nice to help me out. Hopefully, I won't have any more bad experiences like that!
I am going back to work at Tema tomorrow. After work, Sherie and I have plans to go to one of the resorts and lay by the pool and then have our very first nice dinner since we left the states! I am super excited about decent food, and the posibility of having meat for the first time since I left!
Okay, I must include my random assortment of thoughts for the day:
-In order to get your attention, or tell you to "come here", the Ghanaians make a strange hissing noise. The first time I heard it I was totally freaked out. It is sort of like a mix between a snake hiss and cat hiss. It is not meant to be rude, it is just their way of doing things. However, I don't think I will ever get used to it!
-Every shop, building, or car here has a religious name on it. It is actually rather humorous! For example: In His Name Cold Foods, God is Love Furniture, Praise the Lord Salon, Jesus Almighty Cab, or my personal favorite, God Never Sleeps Convenience Store!
I know my post is a little short today, but I am in a hurry because I have very important business to attend to. That is, I found fingernail polish and a fingernail file at the grocery store today, and I must go do my nails. I haven't had a manicure in weeks, and one is desperately needed! :) I already had do give up my hair dryer and makeup, so give me a break!
I miss all of you so very much. I cannot wait to show my pictures and share my stories from Ghana with you. Hopefully, over some delicious food and wine!

Much love,
Leah

Laundry List

The title of this blog is appropriate for two reasons. First of all, I spent over an hour last night handwashing my laundry in the kitchen sink, then wringing it out, and hanging it to dry. I rather enjoyed the task at first, but after about twenty minutes I decided I would rather just wear dirty clothes and stink than continue! I pressed on, however, so I won't run anyone off with my smell. Secondly, I am in the process of compiling a laundry list of things that I want when I get back to the states. I am including it below. It is in no particular order except for the first thing on the list.
-Mexican food with lots of cheese dip, air conditioning, a washing machine, TCBY, a giant filet with mashed potatoes and asparagus, bananas foster bread pudding (only to be had in New Orleans, of course), diet dr. pepper, a shower that I don't have to wear flip flops in, a glass of good red wine, and last (but not least) lots of hugs from everyone (I'm feeling a little affection deprived). I am sure that I will add to that list as time goes, but those are definitely the biggest things.
I spent the day working at Tema in the outpatient pediatric department. I had tons of fun with the kids, except for one little boy who would scream every time I looked at him! Some of today's cases included malnutrition, pneumonia, a newly diagnosed VSD (I was the first to pick up the murmur!), malaria, and schistomiasis. I like the OPD, but I will be glad to be back on the wards on Friday.
Sherie and I get to move back to our original, and decently air conditioned, room tonight. We are so thrilled! We have been sleeping in the stiffling heat on terrible matresses, so we couldn't be any more excited. Of course, this will involve both of us packing up all of our crap and hauling it back down the stairs. For normal people, this might be a simple task. But, for us self-proclaimed slobs, it is going to take FOREVER.
We are going into Accra with Sam and Alex tomorrow, as we have the day off from work. On Saturday, Prosper (the lab guy) is going to take us to his friends house to tie babies to our backs and to make FuFu, a traditional Ghanaian food. We are also going to a wedding on Saturday. I have no clue whose wedding it is, but it is on the grounds of Manna so we kindly invited ourselves!
My rank list has officially been completed and certified, as today is the deadline to send it in. Now we start the countdown to Match Day! I can't wait to spend the day with my family and friends and find out where I will be for residency. You all know exactly where I want to be, so no need for me even to have to tell you my number one!! It is only three weeks away! I can't believe I leave here in 17 days. Time is starting to fly by!
New random tidbits for the day:
-You can literally buy anything from the side of the road here in Ghana. Seriously, even the most random stuff. There are people selling tv's, water, plantains, chairs, rugs, manicure kits, coffins, couches, shoes, used clothing, and tons of other things! It is totally crazy, but makes for an interesting car ride.
-I believe I have no seen every type of barnyard animal roaming around the streets. Pigs, cows, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, and I could go on.
-Most people here drink water out of little plastic pouches. It has been filtered, and it is cheaper than buying it out of a bottle. I find it weird to drink out of a pouch, so I always squeeze mine into a bottle.
-The roads here are almost always dirt, and never have markings. There is rarely EVER a street sign, and at this point I am not even sure if there are driving laws! People here drive like mad men. They weave from one side of the bumpy road to the other, they pass at awful times, and they never use blinkers. One thing they do use, though, is their horn! They honk at anything and everything...and sometimes even nothing!
-I am continually amazed at how rude the doctors here can be to the patients. Many of them have little patience, and a saucy attitude. I can't imagine getting away with some of the stuff they say to the patients!
That is all for today, I suppose. I love and miss all of you, and look forward to seeing you in two and a half weeks!

Much love,
Leah

Fat Tuesday

I cannot even begin to describe how upset I was when I realized, after I booked my trip to Ghana, that I would be missing Mardi Gras....every single bit of it!! I miss the beads, the beer, the balls....I could go on and on! But, hopefully, I will be right in the middle of it next year in New Orleans!
It has been a really long time since I posted, and I almost don't even know where to begin. I suppose I should start by getting everyone up to speed on what I've been up to the past couple of days.
Sherie, Andrew, and I visited the Cape Coast this weekend as planned. We took a bus from Accra and it took about two and a half hours. We stayed in a hotel with air conditioning, which I will admit was initially at my insistence. However, the others ended up being SUPER GRATEFUL that we had A/C. Never mind that the bathroom smelled like stale urine or that the floor had never, ever been cleaned...all we cared about was the cool air! The Cape Coast was the epicenter of the exportation of slaves during the slave trade, and we got to visit the castle and dungeons where the slaves used to be held. It was a really neat experience, but it was very sad and humbling. We were able to eat lunch and dinner on the beach, which made me delirously happy! On Sunday we went to Kakum National Forest and did a canopy walk at the top of the rainforest.
Dr. Akosua arranged for Sherie and I to work at Tema Regional Hospital, which is about 45 minutes from Teshie, this week. It is a referral center and has a large pediatric ward. I have had an incredible time working there for the past two days. I have gotten to see tons of really interesting peds patients and I love it! I have been able to do rounds on the patients and help out with procedures. I am inserting a thank you to Mama and Daddy in here for suffering selflessly by teaching me to start IV's and then letting me practice on them. It has been a huge help, because all of the doctors drawn their own blood and start their own IV's. I have seen so many things in my short two days: TB, cerebral malaria, pseudomonas meningitis, scalded skin sydrome, HIV, and the list goes on!
We got off of work early today and went to the pool at one of the two resorts in La, which is about 30 minutes away. I have decided that all of the white people in Ghana are located at these two resorts. It was blissful to lay be the pool, read my latest book, listen to my ipod, and have drinks!
Of course I can't post a blog without including some random thoughts:
-Sherie told me this weekend that I am starting to look "very hispanic". I thought she was exagerating a little, but once I took a good look in the mirror, I decided she was right. The sun is constantly out in Ghana and I am frequently outside. I will probably return to the states looking like a Ghanaian.
-A Ghanaian lady told me yesterday afternoon that I was "really stubborn". I am sure my parents will get a kick out of hearing that one!
-My worst nightmare in Ghana has officially come true....a lizard crawled in my bed!! Yes, Michelle, I know that you like lizards, but I DO NOT! This one was very small, like two inches, compared to the really long ones that crawl around everywhere. However, I found this even more disturbing because it may be a baby, with siblings, and parents, and cousins, and grandparents, that may decide to slither across me while I sleep! It gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about it!
-The other kids are now attempting to plot a way to put a goat in my room. I have vowed to kill them if they do!
-The cashier at the Ghanaian grocery store tried to set me up with her half brother (half white/half Ghanaian) yesterday as I was buying groceries. She left her register to go hunt him down and bring him to me. I politely declined.
I could probably go on and on with my many scattered thoughts, but I will leave it there for now! I am missing everyone more than ever and I still love hearing from you. Having a phone here has been awesome. It always brightens my day to get texts or talk to people! I hope that you are all doing well. 18 days until I leave Ghana!

Much love,
Leah

Happy Friday

I am in the greatest mood! I worked in the lab today, which just so happens to be air conditioned!! I actually got cold...I had forgotten what that felt like. The guys that work in the lab, Prosper and Isaac, are awesome! We spent the day talking and listening to American music on the radio that they always play. Apparently, we all share a liking for Jay Z, Nelly, and Beyonce. They really wanted to hear me sing, which I had to explain would be quite the painful experience. Then, they begged to get me to dance. I then explained to them the concept of "booty dancing", and they thought I was hilarious. We diagnosed several cases of malaria and typhoid fever, in addition to more common things like anemia and UTI's. Prosper is going to take Sherie and I next weekend to pound fufu (a Ghanaian bread-like food) and to tie his friend's babies to our backs like the Ghanaian women do. I am so excited! I am sure that sounds lame to some of you who have TV, Mardi Gras, Wii, and Bars, but it should be quite eventful for those of us hanging out in the third world!! :)
Sherie and I had to move from our room downstairs with a king bed to a room upstairs with a bunkbead. There is apparently a married couple who are coming to stay for week, so we got kicked out of the big bed. So, we hauled all of our stuff up the two flights of stairs this morning before work. I am looking forward to returning to our original room, although I am not exactly looking to moving my stuff again.
We are still planning on leaving for the Cape Coast in the morning. I'm looking forward to hanging out and going on a canopy walk. It will just be Sherie, Andrew, and I, and I am sure it will be an interesting experience. Andrew will probably freak out if I try to drink a beer on the beach, just like he did when I accidentally said a cuss word. But I am sure Sherie and I will have a blast, regardless.
I have a few more random thoughts today:
-I forgot how great it is to be able to barter for everything you buy. You can't really bargain at the legitimate grocery store in town, or at a restaurant (there are very few around) , but everything else is pretty much fair game!
-There are lots of lizards here. They scurry around everywhere. I'm terrified that one is going to jump on me!
I still can't put pictures up, so maybe I will try to email some out. I am headed off to the pool! I love and miss you all!

Much love,
Leah

Obruni

Obruni?!....Yep! That's my new name. Obruni means "white person" in Twi. The Ghanaian children LOVE to yell it and wave, or even run up to greet me. It is not said or meant in a rude way at all. It is quite humorous, actually! After all, there are hardly any white people here, so I can understand the fascination.
I didn't have to work today, so I took the chance to head into La and Osu for some sightseeing and shopping. I won't bore you with the exact details of what I did, but there are several things I would like to share about my trip thus far in Ghana:
-There are goats and chickens running around EVERYWHERE! Literally...everywhere. I have seen a total of four dogs and one cat since I have been here, but I have seen hundreds of goats and chickens. The goats really creep me out. They just walk along the side of the road, or lay on the dirt, smacking their nasty little goat tongues! Sherie thinks I should bring one back as a pet. I totally disagree! The worst ones are the pregnant females. The seriously look like they swallowed a giant egg and it got lodged sideways in their stomach...gross! Ok, enough of my goat rant, on to more interesting things.
-All of the Ghanaian women carry their babies and toddlers by tying them to their back with a big piece of colorful cloth (that often matches their dress). The little babies are so cute with their round little heads bobbing around while their mothers go about their business. Sherie is obsessed with this practice, and is desperate to find a lady who will let her carry their baby on her back for a bit. I can't wait to get a photo!
-I have given up on drying my hair and wearing make-up. It is totally useless to do either. I have also given up on lotion. It is to hot and it gets all slimy. My post-shower lotion routine has now been replaced with my 98% DEET bug spray routine.
-The women, and a lot of the men, here carry tons of things on top of their heads! It is amazing to see how much stuff they can carry without dropping anything, or falling over. I have yet to see anyone drop anything. I can't even walk down a paved, flat, straight road without busting my ass!
-My little love, Emerson, is totally racking up on the gifts! No offense, but I have yet to buy anything for anyone but her. I love her so much, and she is so much fun to buy for! Maybe I will get around to buying the rest of my friends and family some souveniers (spelling?) soon. If you have any special requests please let me know. I personally want to smuggle a fat little Ghanaian baby for myself!
Okay, those are all the tidbits I can think of to share right now. Plus, I need to go shower. We have decided to go to the beach tomorrow after work. Then, we will go to the Cape Coast for Saturday and head back on Sunday.
I think I am finally settling in here in the third world. I remain homesick, but I am really starting to love it here. I can't even begin to describe how wonderful the Ghanaians are! I appreciate all of their kidness and hospitality. I have had trouble putting photos on the blog, but I will try again today.
I love you and miss you all.

Much love,
Leah

Hot, Hot, Hot!!

Tuesday afternoon after work, Sherie attempted to teach me to play soccer. I lack a little in the coordination department, so it was a rather humorous experience! Wednesday morning we showed up for work at 8:30, but none of the staff arrived at the hospital until 9:00. I am quickly learning that the Ghanaians have an even bigger problem with showing up on time than I do! I spent the day working with Dr. Akosawu, a young doctor from here in Ghana. She is such a pleasure to be around! I saw several interesting cases today. Namely an unusual presentation of endometriosis, a guy with schistomiasis and nocturnal hematuria, and a lady who had a TIA while in the office. Of course I saw multiple more cases of malaria and a few cases of food poisoning. I’ve been told a million times not to eat food from the street vendors, but the locals apparently don’t always heed their own advice.
Sherie, Andrew, and I went to lunch at a local place just down the road with Prosper, one of the lab technicians. I was so hungry, and I was hoping that I would be able to find something good to eat. I ordered rice balls with chicken, which sounded more appetizing than fish or goat. It was pretty gross, I’m not going to lie. The Ghanaians don’t use silverware; they eat with their hands. However, the lady serving us was nice enough to bring me a spoon!
After work we decided to take a trip to Accra Mall. We had the cab driver drop us off about half a mile from the mall, so that we could stop by some of the street vendors. I immediately spotted a little, dirty Ghanaian girl sitting under one of the make-shift tents. I made my way over to the tent and asked the vendor there if it was his daughter. He introduced me to Princess, who was a little over a year old, and Prince, who was about two and a half. They were the most adorable children and were so sweet and tolerant to let me hug and hold them! I took pictures with them and then I bought a little trinket from their father. As we walked down the road, we can upon a group of Ghanaian men and women singing and dancing. It was a really cool experience, and watching them definitely brightened my day!
We made our way to Accra Mall, and found ourselves some delicious ice cream! I stopped by the grocery store at the mall, and had my first experience with fending off a Ghanaian guy. Apparently, my fake wedding band had been working pretty well up to that point!
I have Thursday off from work, so we are going to go into town to visit the cultural center. After work on Friday, we are leaving for a weekend trip to the Cape Coast, which is about two hours away. I am looking forward to it!
I am still super homesick. I won’t even try to deny that one. I miss everyone so much. It has been pretty hard. I love hearing from you guys, so keep the comments, emails, texts, and calls coming!

Much love,Leah

WARNING...dosen't travel lightly!

Sherie and I made it to Ghana! I slept the entire flight from Amsterdam to Accra. Apparently, I was twisted up into a very stange fetal/pretzel position for about 7 hours. Thank God for ambien! The Ghanaian man sitting next to me told me he had no clue how I slept like that. I arrived with a total of 4 bags...4 HEAVY bags! My checked suitcases weighed in at 68 and 54 pounds.
After a 30 minute trip in the car, we made it to the Manna Mission House where we will be staying for the next four weeks. We were very surprised to find that there were six people already there! We were expecting to be the only ones. There are six students from UVA who are working at Manna Hospital this month. I was happy to find that our bedroom does have air conditioning, but none of the other areas in the house do. The power tends to go out quite frequently, so I am thankful for the flashlight that Mama sent with me. The water in the nasty shower isn't warm, but I prefer a cold shower anyways! It is insanely HOT here, and incredibly dusty. All of the sweating grosses me out, especially because it makes the dust stick to my skin!
I slept in on Monday and then Sherie and I got a tour of the hospital and made a trip into Osu to go to the grocery store and explore. Six of us took a tiny hatchback cab into the town. I bought a phone to use while I am here, so I welcome phone calls and texts!
We all woke up early this morning (Tuesday) and made our way to work. It is a short walk down a dirt road from the house to the hospital. Everyone here works on Ghanaian time, which means that nothing starts when it is supposed to. This works out well for me, because I have a serious punctuality problem! I spent the day working in a tiny, hot room with Dr. Asari, a young, Ghanaian doctor. He asked me multiple times why in the world I would decide to come to Ghana. He seriously thought I was crazy! I saw a wide array of patients today. My patients ranged in age from 9 months to 86 years. Their diagnoses were everything from an anal fistula to chronic hypertension. My very first patient was a 6 year old with malaria. I was so excited to see a case of malaria....until I diagnosed about the 9th case of the day! I knew I would see it while I was here, but I had no idea how common it would be! I learned yesterday that Kim and Ashley (my classmates who just spent the month here) got malaria while they were here. Izzy, one of the girls from UVA, diagnosed herself with malaria yesterday. I have resigned myself to the fact that I will probably also get malaria. I am not very happy about it. I'm a huge wuss when I am sick! Until then, I will continue to take my malarone and dump loads of deet on my skin.
I am adjusting to the Ghanaian culture relatively well. The people here are very friendly and many speak English in addition to Twe. I haven't tried any of the food here, because a lot of it isn't safe. I have bought lots of fruit from a lady who keeps a stand right outside the hospital. I am already missing my family so much, and can't wait to see them again! I didn't bring my camera to the hospital, so I will upload some pictures tomorrow. I will try to keep everyone updated by this blog, but please feel free to email me! If anyone wants to call me or text me, my number here is 011-241587682. I would love to hear from you!