Eventful few days

I'm back from Kumasi.Two volunteers and I spent the weekend in this old Ashanti city, which is now Ghana's second biggest city.It's more cultural than Accra as Ashanti people are very proud of their history and really try to preserve it.We visited the Ashanti king's palace (yes, they still have a king) as well the Kumasi market, one of the biggest markets in West Africa.It's very busy and everything is sold here.We also visited the Ghana Cultural Center where everything from drums, statues and paintings can be bought.

The ride to Kumasi was beautiful even though buses are uncomfortable, crowded and hot.Imagine lush green landscapes.Although it rarelly rains here (we had the first rainfall in two weeks on Friday...and what a rainfall.Kids here take showers outside when it rains and have water fights because it's the only time they can play with water without wasting it).The countryside is amazing.

On our way back from Kumasi we had a small tro-tro accident but nothing major and nobody was hurt.Drivers are crazy but they know what they are doing.We jumped onto another tro-tro and five minutes latert it ran out of gas, meaning we had to find another one.Eventful drive back home indeed.

The night following the trip was a strange one.Around 3 am, our neighbours came banging on our door saying that everyone should get out because there had been an earthquake warning.Earthquake in Ghana.So imagine everyone at 3 am sitting outside for an hour.It was both scary, amusing and ridiculous.Especially since it turned to be a false alrm.Apparently someone in Ghana (I don't know where) prtetended there was going to be earthquake.He phoned a friend who phoned a friend who phoned a friend.Richard, our coordinator, actually heard it from someone living in Cape Coast, 200 km from Accra.Eventful night.Ghanaians call each other so much and have such a great sense of community that the whole coastline found itself on the street at 3 am waiting for an earthquake.The Haiti tragedy only made things worse.

On Monday, I started work at the Maternity Clinic....and was allowed to watch a mother give birth to a baby boy.It was absolutely amazing...and nothing like I had imagined.They have no drugs here so it looked VERY painfu.I was allowed to hold to child after.The first time he opens his eyes is absolutely beautiful.
There is a lot to do here.The Margo Maternity Clinic is a small rural hospital.Chickens and cats roam around and the clinic is made out of little shacks.A lot of people come everyuday so I help with the pulse taking, temperature, questionnaires, injections...They taught me so much.Bacxk home you would need a degree for this but here they just learn opn the ground.

It is interesting to watch a woman's reaction here when you tell them they are gonna have a child. Out of the 4 women I talked to only one was truly happy.It was her first child.But the others already had a few and the prospect of another one means the family will struggle to make ends meet.After seeing what happens at the maltrunition ward, I can understand that they worry.A young woman today ate herbs on purpose so she could lose the child.She was 7 months pregnant.Poverty leads to terrible acts.I've heard a lot of similar stories since I've been here.Ghana is still very poor.

I told you the last few dfays had been eventful...

On another subject, I tried to upload pictures onto the website and it takes FOREVER and the computer crashes.Internet is very slow here.