Wli Waterfall and Richard the Rap star!

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Only 5 days left in Ghana - I knew that 2 weeks would go past too quick. There's so much I could do here, or places to visit but not enough time. This time next week I'll be back at my desk at work - there is no comparison to life here!

When I was here last year, I randomly met an artist called Kofi who I bought some paintings from. I remembered roughly where he lived so on Friday morning I set off to find him. He is not far from the hotel I am at so it only took about 10 minutes to find him again, and he remembered me straight away. I told him I was looking for a painting in a specific colour but he did not have one. However, he simply mixed up some paint and got to work. It only took him about 30 minutes to paint the picture, which is excellent. It was amazing to watch him paint and it's a shame that his talent will probably never really be recognised. He just has a small wooden shack at the side of the road. I bought 2 pictures from him and he gave me one for free - he did the same last year so must be expecting me back year after year!

Later on Friday I went along the road to where Stephen lives. He was not in but I sat with his family for a while. Family here is very different from Scotland - it includes every long lost cousin, uncle, in-laws etc etc. It's impossible to keep up with everyone as they all refer to each other as brother and sister. Stephen has 2 brothers, Oscar and Eske. Oscar has finished school but wants to go and train to be a teacher - but as usual here, paying for it is the problem. So many people here want to achieve something but just can't without money. I suppose that's the same anywhere, but it's definitely tougher in Africa. His other brother Eske is partially deaf and by what I can figure out has never really had an education and does not work. I can imagine that any disability here is met with ignorance so there was probably never much hope for him. Some other family members appeared when they heard a white person was on the go and started asking if they could touch my skin, hair etc. I'm used to it by now I just let them!

On Saturday, I went to Wli waterfall which is about 2 hours from the hotel - a long time in the a battered old taxi, with the driver a maniac on the road. But I made it there safely. G and Stephen came with me - they told me they had never been in the water before or seen a waterfall so it was quite an experience for them. The waterfall is amazing to see and you can stand directly underneath it which literally takes your breath away. I visited here last year but did not go in the water, I'm not sure why. But this year I made sure I went underneath the falls and it was great. There was a group of locals there and when I appeared I was quickly surrounded by some of them asking if they could have their photo taken with the 'Yevu.' I said yes as normal, and was then introduced to Richard. He was a rapper he told me and started rapping in some unknown language.....then asked if I could be his manager! Of course coming from a small town in Scotland my knowledge of rap and hip hop is vast! I don't even remember what I said, but he told me he would get my number before leaving, but I somehow managed to avoid him. So far this trip I've been asked to be a doctor, and now a rap star manager - who knows what's next!?

Yesterday (Sunday) there was a massive thunder storm which I got caught in and was soaked. The storms here seem to arrive in minutes so you've not much time to run for cover. I spent the afternoon with some of the locals I met last year - they have moved to a new place in town but I managed to find them and it was good to see them again. Some of them started calling me 'their father' last year which I was not too happy with because I did not think I looked old enough - but I suppose it was a kind of compliment!

This morning I was back to Prince of Peace school - the class I was with last year have a different teacher this year. Today, I taught them a bit about the differences between Scotland and Ghana. Their teacher put his head down in class to sleep for a while, then disappeared to buy some credit for his phone! The same thing happened last year so it's not a surprise now. I still get annoyed at how unorganised the class is - books just thrown in cardboard boxes and no pencils or pens anywhere. Even though they have no resources I am sure the teacher could organise the class a bit better. But I will not change this - unless I was here for a long period maybe. The kids are definitely back to being themselves, after initially being a bit shy. Some are now quite cheeky again and are asking to come home to Scotland on Friday.

One week down and I'm still amazed at how excited people are to see or speak to a white person. It's not just kids either, grown men and women smile and wave like crazy and love it when I stop to talk. I know it's not me in particular - it could be any white person, but it's good that I can make someone's day just by waving or smiling. I wish I was this popular back home!

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