Sunday Feb 11, 2007
(Posted Monday Feb 12)
Now that there is internet access at work, I should be able to post more frequently and with more multimedia goodies. However there is a drawback: there is only one computer hooked up to the outside world, and that means it might not be easy to get access on demand. It could mean going to work super early or staying super late. Super! But it's better than having to deal with the internet cafe. And it's certainly cheaper (free).
The big news is the delay of "Freedom Flame" roadtrip. I've mentioned this before, but in a nutshell: In honour of Ghana's 50th anniversary of independence, a torch will pass through each of the nation's 10 regional capitals -- very much like an Olympic torch run. It's all very symbolic... and will be an amazing experience.
Our less-than-organized trip was to begin Saturday Feb 10th. By Monday we should have been in Wa, way, way up north. However, Ghana's president, John Kufuor, can't make it and that means the official start of the event has been pushed back until at least Thursday.
There is a silver lining -- it allows me more time to prepare. As of Friday morning I was stressed out at the thought of hitting the road and not being to answer simple questions like: How are we getting there? Where are we staying? Who's paying for this?
In theory, the government is picking up the tab in some sort of cost-share/contra deal with the television station. If that's the case, I have yet to see it on paper. And, since I am effectively field producing the entire journey with a green reporter, I really want to have all my ducks in a row.
By midday Friday I was pulling out my hair. Will my NTSC camera work in a PAL world? When are we leaving? Where are we staying? Who's paying for this?
I urged the reporter, in a less than subtle way, to call the government people to find out what the deal was. That's when we learned of the delay.
Unfortunately, the end date of the entire Freedom Flame event remains solid. We arrive in Accra on March 5th and the golden jubilee is on March 6th. It means we have 3 weeks to criss-cross the country, not four. And that, in turn, means that we have less time between destinations to travel, to find human rights stories, and to stop and smell the roses.
That said, it remains an unsurpassed opportunity to see parts of the country (most, in fact) that I would never get a chance to see.
-- CULTURE SHOCK --
Everything is going well, but there are still times when I suffer from culture shock. Absolutely everyone I deal with is nice and they go overboard to make me feel at home. But at the same time I sometimes feel it's all too much and I need a break. That was the primary reason for going to Akwidaa for a day last week.
I wish I could go there again, but I don't think there is time before I head off on the roadtrip and three straight weeks of work with no days off! Although I will definitely be at the Green Turtle after March 6.
I've come to the realization that I need a motorbike or scooter. My colleagues in Tamale have each purchased motorbikes and rave about the freedom they have.
As I am here alone (no other JHR person is in Takoradi), it is important that I build my life in the community. But I often feel my life is little more than time spent at work and at home -- with a short but sweat-inducing walk between. (Sounds like real life everywhere!)
If I am going to explore where I live, I need wheels. It's too hot to walk great distances (remember, we're only a few degrees north of the Equator) and the Takoradi-Sekondi metropolis is far to big to just wander around -- especially when you don't know where you're going. I've actually thought of hiring a car and driver for a day just to scoot around to get my bearings.
That's why I need wheels. I need to be able to zip to the store with ease. I need to be able to explore town. I need my freedom!
It shouldn't be too hard to find a good deal on something won't depreciate too much during my time here. The problem is money. The cedi has a low value against the Canadian dollar (about 7200 per $1) and the biggest bill is a 20,000 note (about $2.50). That means bank machines can only spit out a maximum of 800,000 cedis per transaction. That's about $100. And each transaction costs me about $5 in fees. It adds up.
There is an option: I can take a cash advance off my Visa at the local Barklay's branch for any amount. The fees are a bit higher, but if I need several thousand dollars, then it's the cheapest and easiest way to do it. After the money is pulled off the card, it's a simple matter of using internet banking to transfer money from a regular account to pay off the Visa balance. Interest for one day would be minimal.
I'll be looking into this when I return from the roadtrip.
Power continues to come and go. It went off today around 3 p.m., just as I returned from the beach. Luckily, SKYY has a generator, so everything always works here. An afternoon power cut is rare, and it's very likely the outage will be short lived. I'll know when I return home for dinner.
We also continue to suffer from water outages. There is no rhyme or reason to them. There was no water at 7 a.m. this morning -- a Sunday. But there was water by 3. The city council is replacing water mains in the area, which is the main reason for the poor supply. But I don't understand why it goes on and off so many times in a single day -- and at weird times, like midnight, when there shouldn't be any work underway on the line. It just comes and goes like bad gas.
Other than the water and power, daily life very much like at home in Canadaland. The sweating is still a drag, as is the constant dirt under my fingernails. A small thing, to be sure, but every time I look at my hands, I recoil in horror. I suppose it's normal when one lives in a hot and dusty environment. Despite not being a germ-o-phobe, I still use a lot of hand sanitizer. It may be one reason why I've yet to become sick.
--BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE--
If you scroll down you'll see lots of pictures from this past weekend when I had the chance to explore a little more. I'd like to include the images within my bigger postings, but it remains too difficult with a slow connection.
There is much more is below... so scroll!
That's about all for now. I starting to feel like I'm repeating myself in these posts... but that should change once I hit the road.
Cheers!
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