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Published: April 22nd 2008
Birds eye view!
Nanayaw and me again....Well this is it! my last blog entry....I leave Ghana this Friday evening and arrive back home 11.30am the following Saturday...i cannot wait!! get butterfies in my stomach when i think of seeing family and friends again. Although I have enjoyed my time in Africa immensely, 3 months is just the right amount of time to be away from home!!
Not much has happened since my last blog. I spent my last weekend in Accra, taking time to chill with my friends and host family which was really enjoyable. I didnt really feel like squeezing another trip in and thought I would just like to spend the time i have left with the people ive met over here. Even went into the orphanage on Sunday to say hi to the children! trying to cram in as much time as possible with them before i head home!
Actually the orphanage was chaotic on Monday due to a visit by the President of Africa's wife and the UN sectarys wife! all the children were dressed in nappies and new clothes and shoes that we had never seen before!! obviously kept aside for special occasions! The children from the school performed a
Naughty treat!
Thought we would treat ourselves one night to a nice round of ice cold strawberry margahrita's!! :) dance for the ladies as they drove into the home in big 4x4 with police escorts and body guards! As the women were taken round the presidents wife took the time to shake each volunteers hand and say thank you for the work we have done in her country which we all really appreciated. What we didnt appreciate as much was the fact that the whole visit was filmed and that we appeared on African television! not brilliant when your not dressed for it! We were all in on normal working gear..shorts and a dirty t-shirt!! oh well! Today has been a lot calmer thank goodness...although there was another visit from a couple of German state ministers...but hardly much fuss was created for them! Im trying to spend as much time with the children whilst trying to fit last minute present shopping in too!! The children are doing a lot better...many have recovered fully from the bout of malaria that seemed to affect about 6 children. I had my first hospital experience as well last week. I was asked by the aunties to take this little girl called Lizzie to the hospital to be tested for HIV, so I went
Ruth x2!
Ruth and Ruut!! The people here cant pronounce the 'th' sound so may name over here is RUUT!! always sound like they are angry with me when they call my name!! along with another volunteer to the local hospital...something I'll never forget..walking into the main reception area felt like i was walking into a circus ring...everybody stopped what they were doing and the room fell silent as we walked across the room to the desk- every eye was on us because we were two white girls carrying a black baby...the hospital was very unorganised with no air conditioning. We were sent to 5 different rooms until we were found the correct person, and spent 5 hours there. Thankfully Lizzie tested negative to HIV which was a great relief...just sat in the hospital surrounded by people and children dying of HIV and other illnesses really made me see how lucky i was and that maybe the NHS isnt so bad!!!!
Nanayaw (my baby ! ) can now hold his own head up and another little boy Saleem sat up on his own for the first time yesterday. One girl Acoco spoke her first word - eye - which means ok! Its been so amazing to spend 3 months with these children and to see how they have grown. Its also been reassuring to see a few children being adopted and knowing
Sanna and I
Ive spent nearly 3 months with this girl and she's helped me so much!! love her to pieces my finnish friend!! that they are going to a better life; it means there is hope for the rest.
So thats all really..nothing much else to say apart from see you all when i get home!!! and if you ever get the chance to come to Ghana and do what ive done, I promise, you will have no regrets :D had the best time ever!!! thank you for everyones support and contribution to this blog, it really brightened my days when i saw the comments you guys had made - I really appreciate everyone giving up their time to read it, so Thank you!!
See you all on Saturday!! xxx
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mum
non-member comment
can't wait!
You may not read this comment, Ruth, but just wanted to say that we can't wait to see you emerge from Manchester's arrivals safe and sound; bacon sandwiches on stand by! Safe journey home - lots of love, mum