Pure Water

It feels like its been ages since I have been on this thing and I apologize. The internet across the country has been mediocre at best and the connection I have in my room has been down. I got a partial explanation of why everything is so slow here. There are basically a handful of companies (a few years ago there were literally only two) that control all the bandwith coming into the country, which is summarily divided up between all the internet carriers. Thus, there is very little bandwith to go around for a lot of people meaning that we all have to suffer slow to totally not-working internet. In the meantime I have emails and Facebook notifications that I am slowly working on responding too...so don't worry, just cause you haven't heard from me doesn't mean I'm not thinking about you all.

I think last entry I wrote about the impending final that was courses for this semester. They have officially ended I have taken finals for Twi and USAC class, both of which I think went fairly well. My drumming final on the other hand was probably the single most disorganized endeavour I have taken part in here, which is saying something. I was literally sitting in my final for FOUR AND A HALF HOURS!!! The way they schedule and grade the finals here makes little to no sense and is terribly ineffecient. It was one of the more frustrating experiences I have had.

Hopefully that will be mitigated a bit by me going to see Wyclef Jean on Saturday, woot!! I haven't listened to Wyclef a whole lot but I know he's a good performer and I just want to see what its like to see a concert in Ghana. I'm hoping it will be sweet and will bring back any cool swag to be had.

Speaking of good tunes...a few nights ago Sammy, Rachel, and I headed over to this sports bar called Champs which is frequented by ex-pats. Normally, they have some kind of special on the weekend but tonight it had been cancelled and replaced by a show from the band "The Obronis." When we walked in, we initially felt like we were in a middle school dance -- there were some young kids playing on stage and every foreign secondary schooler apparently decided to show up (it was so funny to hear them talk about curfew!!!). We were going to bail when the kids left and a group of middle aged white guys (the actual Obronis) got on stage and played one hell of a show. It was nice to hear some good, loud, energetic Western music. These guys played everything -- Rolling Stones, Oasis, Robbie Williams, Stevie Ray Vaughn, ABBA, Santana, Steppenwolf, CCR, and Elvis to name a few. We rocked out like there was no tomorrow and it was an excellent time.

Last night was interesting too only because I almost got into another fight with another cabbie....guy was demanding more money than the agreed upon amount and was trying to talk a big game about beating me AND sammy (literally no way that was going to happen). He also told me that if we weren't on campus that he would show me "some black pride." To which I just laughed in his face...he didn't really appreciate that.

Its funny though, how in confrontations here such a fine line has to be walked between fun argument and attacks of race. I don't care who you ask, racial tension still exists and even if you don't mean what you say it is the easiest way here to get under someone's skin, white or black or yellow. My friend Kalei the other day got into an argument with this rasta chief who started ranting about white oppression and exploitation of the black man. Kalei is ASIAN for crying out loud. Its an interesting dynamic...

I am still hoping to go to Benin and/or Togo after Thanksgiving...I am just trying to determine some logistical issues. Until then, I will be hanging around Legon, doing random little adventures and sleeping (I am so damned tired...). It should occupy me until I am home in 3 weeks!!! And man am I excited to come back...hot showers, my bed, good food...no excrutiating heat and not constantly having to get into confrontations over stupid stuff. And not eating eggs everyday!! they are good but I'm worried my cholestrol level has already shot through the roof!!!

Will update again when time and internet allow.

Miss and love you all.

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