A machete is the solution to all of your problems

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Hello to those who are reading this,
I guess the last few days haven't been particularly eventful in terms of exciting things to tell you. Regarding the project, we have written letters to the local markets to see if we can set up an HIV stall and we are getting t-shirts made saying 'Ask me about HIV', but that is about it. I think this is probably going to take a while to set up properly as nothing really happens in a hurry here, and we need to send letters, wait for replies etc.

Yesterday at the house, Bret's lock broke whilst the bolt was still engaged. Now, Francis (host dad) decided that the way to fix this would be to use his machete. The machete was used as a screw-driver to take the door handle off, a crowbar to take the wood surrounding the door off and to lever the door and naturally a hammer to put it all back together again when fixed. I think this just confirms my view that a Ghanaian will use their machete for everything. Other examples: weeding, cutting the lawn, peeling fruit and vegetables (such as yam), cutting coconuts open (to me, this one seems normal), making toothpicks and naturally, to try and fix the broken lorry at the side of the road!

Unfortunately, Helen (host mum and regional coordinator) has told me and Louise we are going to have to move families. Apparently, SYTO are bringing in a new rule that means staff members aren't allowed to host volunteers unless looking after them whilst they are sick (which is understandable), so they are going to have to move us. It'll probably take a while to find a new family in the local area though as they only had 1 and they don't give him volunteers anymore as he tried to force religion on to them ... One thing I will certainly not miss when I move are the cockerels which have woken me up every single morning at about 4am. I genuinely cannot wait until they are fat enough to eat.

This weekend I am going down to the coast and also going to another National Park (the one with the 50m canopy walkway) with the other English people who came at the same time as me and one of the Dutch girls we met in the first week, so hopefully the next entry will be more interesting.

Until next time,
Sam(uel) x

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