Second part of the first week in Tumu
on Working in Tumu (Ghana), 01/Mar/2011 21:09, 34 days ago
Will go back to last week, busy week in the office every day, although we did get some time for shopping on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and the house is now better equipped than it was. New floor covering in bedroom instead of bare concrete, gaffer taped all the gaps between wall and ceiling so the dust does not fall down into the bedroom all the time and generally tidied up. Spent Saturday morning cleaning the bathroom as there was running water, quite an event but things are now much cleaner in there. Saturday afternoon was six day market i.e. the next market is Friday and we got down there about one o'clock, bought some cabbage,irishpotatoes (full of weevils and uneatable!), ginger, garden eggs, tomatoes, onions and runner beans. That is about the limit of the variety of vegetable although the rainy season might bring some more produce. We then started walking home in the blistering heat and were stopped by our bike man who hadobtainedtwo bikes, but only one with gears so we said yes to the gears and no to the no gears. the bike was then taken to the mechanic who for 4cedi, took every working part of the bike asunder and greased every bearing - we have never seen such askillfuldisplay as we watched from the shade talking to the pastor who was having his tyre repaired. Paying for the bike was next and we only got 5cedisoff the 100, but it is supposed to be number one standard. We had a quiet Sunday and ended having a drink with Charles the fourthVSOvolunteer inTumuand drowned our sorrows overLFCdownfall.Wehad had a day of meetings with the Director on Friday and have met the entire leadership team, circuit supervisors and had had a good two way dialogue about our future work. Although at the moment, starting at 8.00am and finishing at 5.00pm seems enough! Wehada good trip to six schools today andtravelledsome 60kmssouth along some of the most challenging roads inSissalaEast! Well met at all schools by staff and pupils. It was interesting to see how conditions are related to distance from the centre or inTumu'scase the top right hand corner! There is a keen sense of professionalism in theGESand the pupils are so up for education although class sizes do progressively decline as they get older. The furthest school is close to the border with the Northern Region (those with a geographic bent will know that is far away!)and the journey was long and tiring for all. We take a variety of goods back and forward, bringing the staff motorbike back from one school to be repaired and bringing various people, vegetables and animals as well. Our skilful driver is a world class rallyist and could drive in the Monte Carlo rally!Water still on and off, none today but we might be moving into thepolytank'set' in the near future which would bring running water into the house. 9.30pm time (photos taking so long to upload that it is now 10.00! - vodafone locally is a little flaky!) to bring in some water and close this first week. office had a delivery of 800 yam in a huge tractor and trailer, one person bought a hundred, has a big family. Never happened in Havant!