Tamale

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We finally made it to Tamale after an insane million hour bus ride to Kumasi which involved the bus breaking down numerous times and various other bending-the-safety-rules instances, and then another long trotro ride the next day to Tamale, where I carried my backpack on my lap and was kind of losing circulation in my legs. Tamale is very dry. Everyone told us that our lips would crack and our noses would get very dry and it's true. Have you ever tried putting Blistex in your nose? It's tingly. Right now we're staying at Dr. David Abdulai's Shekinah Clinic. It's a free clinc for the poor. Dr. Abdulai is a very exciting man. He gave us granola bars!!! Delicious... We have our own little apartment/house thing that we're staying in, and we're cooking for ourselves...eek! Tamale is very different from the other two big cities we've seen, Accra and Kumasi. It's a lot more spread out it seems, not as much crammed together in one space. It's still a bit busy but not nearly as busy and Accra. It's a mix between a big city and a village, if you can picture that. Yesterday at the bank they were giving out free Fanta and I didn't get one because Katrina declined before I got a chance to accept. In the bank we also watched a kid's game show from what looked like the 80's called Fun House. We also listened to Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion, and J.Lo. Anyway, we've been working on sorting a ton of clothes that will be given away on Christmas and working at the food program, where we had delicious ground nut soup and rice. I'm happy to be here, it's relaxing, but at the same time I'm going through a bit of a homesickness phase. It's weird because I'm not at home in Canada for Christmas, nor am I at the place I called home for six weeks. It's a lot of feeling lonely but trying to explore new things at the same time...bahh I don't know what I'm saying and I've only got three minutes left on internet. So the nights are cold. All the leaves are off the trees so in in the morning it feels like fall. Anyway, Merry Christmas--again--and yeah peace out.

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Comments

[Brad]

Merry Christmas Steph
Merry Christmas Steph! It may seem like a lonely christmas now, but I bet this is one you'll never forget! I asked the guy at the post office about sending Manchu Wok, he looked at me kinda weird, so I think the answer is no. I ate some noodles though and tried to pass the taste on telepathically, did you get it?

[Brad]

I forgot something....
Oh, I also thought I might send you some snow... but we dont have any. At all. Its a frigging green Christmas here

[Wanda]

Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Steph! I always enjoy reading your new blog additions and think about how proud I am of you and the person you are. Will be thinking of you this holiday and hope for health and happiness in the New Year! Take Care of yourself.... Wanda

[Lisa Gardner]

Katey Gardner
Hi Stephanie, My daughter, Katey was just travelling in the same area as you, maybe you were on the same bus! and tro-tro! Do you know here, she is with You Lead in Sekondi-Takoradi? at a Montessori School. She travelled with other You Lead volunteers, Karen, Zoe, and Kate - all from BC. I loved your story about the "insane million hour bus ride" cause that's how Katey described it. They apparently waited up all night to catch a 4am bus and then missed it!! had to take a tro tro all the way, then a taxi. Anyway, nice to read your amusing stories....the internet is really wonderful way to communicate with people. Take care, Lisa