The thinking man says...

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So I think it has been a while since I have posted... but my mom was here this week and we had a great time together. Having a canadian get right off of the plane also showed me how ghanaian I've become... all of the little things that my mom looked quizically at that I consider perfectly normal... it will be strange when I get home, that is certain.

So my mom arrived on friday and they lost her luggage, so it arrived seperately on monday, but that wasn't bad because monday was a ghanaian national holiday, so we took the opportunity to see Kumasi a bit more and do some shopping. Tuesday and Wednesday we spent at the school and I got some great pics of my mom reading them stories. On thursday, we fulfilled my mom's last request to see original Kente weaving, so we drove to a small town outside of Kumasi for the day and watched the weavers at work. Yesterday we got up super early to drive down to accra, take her to the cultural centre, and get her on her plane.

And so, today I am in accra, and doing some shopping (you never thought I was a shopper eh? let's just say I am now the owner of 6 thinking man statues ranging from 2-35 dollars CDN). I also got to buy over 30 yards of batik to completely re-apholster one of the cabins at the cottage.... it will be a ghanaian room from now on.

One thing worth mentioning is that people at home are really working hard for our project. I'm including the message that Kyra (principal of Rowntree public school in brampton) posted here a few days ago, saying that they have raised over $2500 in the month of june alone. If any of their staff or students are keeping up with my blog I just want to say a huge thank you to them... Ababio wears his Rowntree t-shirt to school all of the time and some of your contributions have already been used to buy stone to fill the first floor pillars.

Speaking of the building site... the substructure is officially complete and it's starting to look like a building might soon appear... we started work on the back and side walls before we left offinso, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few levels of brick over the entire structure by the time I get back (it's slow work though, keep in mind the bricks weigh 40 lbs and have to be moved by hand).

And lastly, as for me, I'm suddenly aware that my trip is over 2/3 gone and I still have a lot to see... I want to spend a day at a government school so that I can see firsthand the differences in the quality of education (one of the boys in my class transferred from a government school last time and he doesn't know the alphabet... he's 11). I also plan to visit a home for dissabled children that is a few hours from us, and possibly the free maternity home as well (Leela's mom gave me some medical supplies that I will drop off there). I am also going to go some time in the next two weeks to the ghanaian board of education with ababio to plead our case... they had originally only given us an extention until september to get the school built, but there is very little chance that that will happen... the foreman estimates two more months of labour just to complete the first floor if there were no financial delays, but since we are still far from the amount we need to complete the first floor that will not be the case. We also need a school bus before we can make the move, because the new school is too far from the old one for kids to walk, so they will need to be bussed. The fact that we're being evicted from the home we currently use as a school is also a concern but hopefully they'll be willing to give us an extension.

Anyways, I'll likely be in Offinso most of the time for the next few weeks, and as my mom can tell you, leaving this family will be one of the hardest things I've ever done.

Lindsey

...posted by Kyra:

Rowntree P.S cares about Lindsey's quest
As of June 30, 2006, the staff and students at Rowntree P.S in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, raised over $2,500.00 for Future Island school. The school also sent many needed resources to make teaching effective. The fundraising has not stopped.... We'll continue in September 2006. The Mayor of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, Susan Fennell, congratulated the students, community and staff when they raised $1,500.00 in mid June. Mayor Fennell also contributed to the fundraising. The staff and students plan to continue their fundraising activities during the 2006-2007 school year. Thank you Lindsey for sharing your quest with us. We are a new school and our building cost in the millions. We want to share our enthusiasm with the children of Offinso by continuing our fundraising. If your reading this blog, then you care. Help fundraise. Together we can make a difference! Lots of love Lindsey, Kyra, staff, R.P.S. community and students

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Comments

[Anchal]

Linds, You're honestly doing something awesome. So proud of you.

[Dan]

Sounds great
Your trip sounds so amazing up to this point...enjoy the time you have left!! Today was mailout and it was a lot of fun. Good luck in your quest with the government! All the best, Dan