Monday, September 19
Thanks to those of you who endured my Tolstoy-esque post that went up on Monday. Because the house I’m going to be staying in isn’t ready yet, things have been a bit hectic and we haven’t started working yet. I should be moved in by Wednesday, so then things will settle down. Our office is right downtown so I should be on the internet a lot more frequently.
Just to reiterate (I’m sure I said this in the previous post), this place is so far beyond comprehension for anyone who has never been to the third world. There are so many contradictions here. It’s dirty and green and beautiful and friendly and isolating. Overall, it’s been great so far.
Some people have asked about the work I’m doing, and because I’m not settled in yet, I don’t really know. The organization, Rural Care Network (RUCNET) is involved in lots of projects, so I’d imagine I’ll be doing many things. The guy who runs it is a Ghanaian named Dr. Addae. He grew up here, but went to med school in Germany and lived there for 17 years. The fact that he decided to leave a prosperous life there and return to Ghana says a lot about him.
Here’s what I know about the work so far. I think the first thing we will be working on is a rural water project that, surprisingly, delivers water to rural areas, be it through wells or actual deliveries. Dr. Addae is also involved in the creation of the first national health insurance scheme in Ghana. It was piloted in 2001 and is now nearing opening. There are already billboards all over the place advertising it and a National Health Insurance Levy is in effect. So I’d imagine I’ll do some work with that. I was talking to him two nights ago and he assured me that he thought I had some value to add and that’s why I’m here. That was reassuring, because I was worried that I’d have little to do or be doing a job that a local could be doing.
Not much else to add now. It’s Monday night and this will probably get posted on Wednesday or Thursday. I’m going to try and keep anything else I add to this in the next few days brief. I bought a phone today (my first ever cell). I’ll close with a this: today, these little kids kept yelling “obruni” at me, which is nothing new, but when I waved, they all went crazy and started chanting it in unison. And some 14 year old girl tried to shut them up but they wouldn’t stop. It was pretty funny. I can’t really imagine a bunch of white kids in Vancouver chanting “black man” over and over.
Just to reiterate (I’m sure I said this in the previous post), this place is so far beyond comprehension for anyone who has never been to the third world. There are so many contradictions here. It’s dirty and green and beautiful and friendly and isolating. Overall, it’s been great so far.
Some people have asked about the work I’m doing, and because I’m not settled in yet, I don’t really know. The organization, Rural Care Network (RUCNET) is involved in lots of projects, so I’d imagine I’ll be doing many things. The guy who runs it is a Ghanaian named Dr. Addae. He grew up here, but went to med school in Germany and lived there for 17 years. The fact that he decided to leave a prosperous life there and return to Ghana says a lot about him.
Here’s what I know about the work so far. I think the first thing we will be working on is a rural water project that, surprisingly, delivers water to rural areas, be it through wells or actual deliveries. Dr. Addae is also involved in the creation of the first national health insurance scheme in Ghana. It was piloted in 2001 and is now nearing opening. There are already billboards all over the place advertising it and a National Health Insurance Levy is in effect. So I’d imagine I’ll do some work with that. I was talking to him two nights ago and he assured me that he thought I had some value to add and that’s why I’m here. That was reassuring, because I was worried that I’d have little to do or be doing a job that a local could be doing.
Not much else to add now. It’s Monday night and this will probably get posted on Wednesday or Thursday. I’m going to try and keep anything else I add to this in the next few days brief. I bought a phone today (my first ever cell). I’ll close with a this: today, these little kids kept yelling “obruni” at me, which is nothing new, but when I waved, they all went crazy and started chanting it in unison. And some 14 year old girl tried to shut them up but they wouldn’t stop. It was pretty funny. I can’t really imagine a bunch of white kids in Vancouver chanting “black man” over and over.
posted by Tony at 1:53 p.m.
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