The art of the fifth-of-a-bucket shower

Hello my peoples,

I warn you from the get-go that I am in a bad mood today, and that my customary Friday blog entry may be:

-shorter
-less enthusiastic
-boring
-closer to an extended whining-rant than anything else

Why, ask you, am I in such a bad mood? Sure, the hormones may have a lil’ something to do with it, but the main reason really is the fact that we don’t have water, that we don’t know when water will come back, and that we are unsure what measures will be taken to rectify this situation (oh, and the “we” is not used as the royal we, but as in my roomies, myself and all others who live on our housing compound). Though we had a shortage earlier this week, we were living off of our tank for a few days. The plumber has confirmed that the said tank is now officially empty, none of the taps are working and basically, we are screwed. Melinda and I have 2 buckets and a half left to last us for god knows how long…and this must cover all our water needs, from personal hygiene to food preparation and of course flushing (a whole half bucket down the drain in one shot which means flushing is reserved only for “emergency” situations). We’ve mastered the art of the fifth-of-a-bucket shower, but still, we’re going to end up running into problems quickly if something isn’t done. Mind you, I must specify that this is not particularly unusual…for instance Liv and co. have been living without running water for the past three weeks. But unlike us, they live in a very busy neighborhood where they can hire children to go fetch them buckets. Acquiring water will be a much greater challenge here in Labone, as has been the case for two of Melinda’s co-workers who live close by and have been sans water for four days (and still haven’t found alternatives, other than showering at the gym, that is).

So this has basically become my main concern –if not obsession-- and quite a source of stress over the past 24 hours. I even dreamt of water buckets last night (almost like that scene in Disney’s Fantasia where Mickey borrows the Wizard’s wand and it turns into this domestic disaster of spilled buckets and mops). All that to say that you don’t realize how very dependent you are of this precious resource until you lose it altogether. Mind you, stress and frustrations aside, I do find this to be a very eye-opening experience, which has not only made me realize how valuable water really is, but also how much water I waste in the space of a day (I mean, the fifth-of-a-bucket certainly doesn’t compare to a nice long shower…but it still does the trick).

Water concerns aside the week has been very busy and productive. I had about 7 meetings with various organizations and groups, and so in addition to the meetings themselves, spent a good deal of my days writing up notes at the computer. The research is coming along really well and I feel like I have made huge strides since coming back after Christmas. I had been told by fellow expats that it takes about two months before you really start to get into the groove of things with work…which has indeed proven to be the case for me (and I thought I was special!). Social activities over the course of the week were kept to a minimum (my nerdy half once again starting to take over my social half in the ongoing battle of bookworm vs. butterfly) and consisted mostly of visits to the Trust Hospital, where poor Elizabeth was brought in on Monday with stage 4 malaria. For those of you not too familiar with the lovely disease that is malaria, is the highest score and hence the suckiest version (it works a bit like the Richter scale). Thankfully, the quinine drip worked its wonders, and she was released earlier today, feeling much better and ready to regain her own bed for the remainder of her convalescence.

With the whole water-shortage thing, the next few days will have to include much dining out (very hard to cook and do dishes without water…which is certainly the highlight of the whole experience). I’m going to check out a pizza joint close by with Melinda, Jacques and Gislain tonight (mmmmm….pizza), tomorrow hanging out with my new friend Mercy (a fantastic young woman I met at Salsa nite last week) and then Sunday, we’re hitting Osecan for the day, an amazing terrasse right on the ocean where hours can easily be spent chatting and sipping beers while watching the waves role in. Unless water comes back, there will be no laundry for me this weekend (good thing I’ve been buying clothes lately so I have enough to last me for a while without having to do any washing…amazing when you find something that excuses both excessive shopping and dining out!).

So yes, tis my report. On Sunday, there will be one week left before Eve’s arrival…and so excitement levels are building (though of course I hope we get water back by then lest poor Eve be faced with a smelly sister and a dirty place to stay while in Accra). On that note, I ask you to please turn off the water tap when you are brushing your teeth this evening, and send a few good vibes the way of Ghana Water Services, such that Sophie be able to return to her usual cheerful and positive glass-half-full (of water) self (!).

I miss you all very much.
From Smelly-Sophie

Vulgar Vultures and Other (Mis)Adventures

Hello my precious,

Has a week really gone by? Are we really Friday? Huh? It’s been a good week though, as far as I can remember. I got lots and lots of work done, including some fascinating meetings at local NGOs which have given me so much food for thought I feel like my brain might implode at any time now. Mind you, I’ve been writing notes about one of the said interviews for the past five hours…so this may also explain my advanced stage of brain-decrepitude (and will also explain why my blog entry may not be too too long today.) Indeed, with the holidays behind me (and another vacation looming near with Eve’s impending arrival), let’s just say I’ve decided to dive into this research process head on. That’s not to say that there’s only been all work and no play…quite the contrary, amidst all of this brain stimulation, a good deal of activity has also been happening on the social side of things.

First, my new roomie arrived last Saturday, so we spent a good deal of the weekend hanging out. As I mentioned in my previous entry, her name is Melinda and she is French, though she has been living in Montreal for the past few years, and is hoping to eventually become a full-fledged Quebecer (or Canadian…depending on what side of the fence you’re on...). But above all, she is a really cool and friendly woman, and it’s been quite the delight to get to know her and to share my incredible knowledge of Accra with her (all is relative, right…so to her novice eyes, I appear quite the expert!). We spent all of last Sunday together, visiting Lucy who overfed us with her delicious chicken stew and rice, and then being treated to a yummy steak dinner at Jacques and Gislain’s --a mere three hours later (certainly not enough time for my stomach to rebuild its appetite, but I am part Albertan after all and find it hard to turn down a good T-bone (and again, all my apologies to the vegetarian readers out there!))

On Monday, in order to congratulate myself on my first day back at the office (any excuse is good really), I did a bit of shopping at a local thrift store (ie a big pile of clothing in the middle of the street) and then headed over to Tim’s house. Again, I was fed massive quantities of food, by his mother this time, who also doubles as an excellent Ghanaian chef in her family time. I really can’t remember what happened Tuesday evening, but Wednesday, on the other hand, is forever etched in my mind. Liv invited us out to Salsa night, a weekly happening at the Coconut Regency Hotel. Hundreds of young Ghanaians and obronis gather together to chat, have fun, drink, and above all, dance some salsa…which is apparently quite popular here. Of course, it was cool to see couples dancing and twirling around to some sweet Latin sounds, but the best part came when every single one of the two hundred bodies or so on the dance floor broke out into what appeared a highly choreographed and coordinated line dance! Yes, my darlings, believe it…line dancing in Accra! Needless to say that my inner Albertan was incredibly amused and secretly delighted to witness this, though I didn’t actually join in, as I was much too interested in watching the whole thing from afar. But I do plan to go back next week, and the following, and the following…as I certainly understand why Salsa night is so popular with young Ghanaians…what a riot!

Yesterday evening was spent (hand)writing research notes by candlelight (not cause I was trying to be romantic with myself but because we had our 12 hour power outage which takes place every five days now) and before I knew it…well, here we are, Friday evening. In addition to the customary weekend activities of laundry, cleaning and sleeping, the next few days also promise lots and lots of time spent at my computer working and writing notes, and then congratulating myself for my good behavior in the evenings. Tonight: Sushi at Monsoon (yes, you can actually get Sushi in Accra, and having tried it once before, I can say that it’s pretty damn good!), tomorrow, not sure yet and then Sunday, some pool-time and a good home-cooked meal at Mark and Pamela’s house. They are a Canadian couple that I met earlier this week. They moved to Ghana with their two teenage daughters a few months ago and live a few doors down on my street. Needless to say that I am quite looking forward to a Sunday family dinner in their company (sure, it’s not my family, but still) and some time spent communing with their sweetly still (and chlorinated) pool-water.

Yup, so that’s that, really. Though my week seems like a blur at the moment, and it’s taken me quite some energy to draw up this report, I do know that it was a good one and that all is well on my side of the screen. And to top it all off, I saw vultures mating on a coconut tree on my way to a meeting at UNAIDS this morning…which in all my juvenile humor, I found to be extremely amusing (well…I mean, is there anything that could possibly be more unappealing and unsexy than two of those awful-looking birds getting it on?)

So on that charming and imaged note, I bid you farewell, adieu, auf wiedersehen and goodbye, until next week that is, when you can read more about Sophie’s fun-filled adventures in Ghana!

I miss you lots
Bisous mes cheris
Sophie

Surviving Beach Withdrawal

Hello My Darlings !

Well, the first post of 2007 and I must therefore begin by wishing you all a very happy new year filled only with the goodest and bestest things in life (who needs grammar when you’re trying to make a point!). It seems like an eternity has passed since I last wrote, though it’s really only been eight days…But a busy eight days no less. Amazing how fast time flies when you’re sitting on a beautiful beach doing absolutely nothing!

So yes, the new year adventures were a success. Gislain, Elizabeth, Tracy and I left early Friday morning to go West, where life is more peaceful indeed. The drive was lovely, complete with air conditioning, beautiful scenery, loud music and even a Mr Freeze to start it all off (Gislain and Jacques loaded up a container with some good ole Canadian produce before heading over to Ghana). I don’t normally eat Mr Freezes, but in the 30+ weather and with a vacation looming on the horizon, I don’t think that frozen blue-flavored sugar juice could have tasted any sweeter. After about five hours watching incredibly lush and green scenery go by, along with occasional towns and villages, and catching quick glances of the ocean, we arrived safe and sound to Safari Lodge…or a little piece of heaven as some might like to call it.

The brainchild of a friendly Texan couple, James and Angela, the lodge has only been open for a few months. It is simple yet elegant, with eight small room/chalets complete with a bed (mosquito-net included…which is good cause in addition to mosquitoes there are also these really really really big spiders that seem to like to cuddle up to warm bodies during the night), wooden furniture and oil lamps (as this is also an electricity-free venue). In addition to the small chalets, there is a huge outdoor dining room, where we were fortunate to taste an array of sumptuous dishes over the course of the long weekend. Indeed, it appears that James is not only trained but extremely gifted in the culinary arts, and so it is that my incessantly expanding tummy was treated to some of his amazing concoctions from baked brie to fish tacos to ostrich steak (my apologies to the vegetarian blog-readers). There was also a steady supply of beer, wine and even little cocktail drinks on hand (none of them served in coconuts alas) and so by no means did I suffer from dehydration over the course of my stay. Important things to keep in mind when traveling in tropical regions.

And of course, to top it all off: THE BEACH! The Safari Lodge property stretches across a beautiful sandy beach, with coconut trees all around and fishermen’s boats in the distance (incidentally enough, our suppers were quite often delivered fresh from one of these boats). The current can be strong, such that it is advised to remain pretty close to the beach at all times. This being the case, I still managed to spend a good portion of the weekend in the water, enjoying the waves with a boogie board or sans, and at times swallowing a good portion of the ocean through my nostrils (nothing like a good gulp of saltwater up the nose to make one feel on vacation!). Of course, braving the ocean is a tiring activity, and the rest of the weekend was therefore spent on a beach towel or chair, reading books or just listening to the incessant lull of the crashing waves. It is accompanied by this soothing background melody that we rang in the New Year, at 10:30 as opposed to 12 cause by that point, everyone was tired and ready to go to bed (it can be quite draining to spend a day doing nothing on the beach!). There was champagne, sparklers and even fireworks (that Jacques and Gislain had brought from Accra) to complete the festive event. A few of us also went on a late night turtle hunt (not hunting literally) as it happens that ‘tis egg-laying season for beach turtles, and they seem to favor this coastal area. We saw marks in the sand and the carcass of a dead turtle (which was more sad than exciting really) but alas, no sea turtle or little babies breaking out of their shells. I don’t know if this is a good omen or a bad one…or an omen at all, but I’m sure there’s some superstition somewhere about seeing or not seeing sea turtles at the stroke of midnight on the 31st of December. I’d like to think either way it means 2007 will be a good one.

Mind you it didn’t necessarily start off on the best foot, since in addition to being violently separated from the Safari Beach Lodge on Monday morning (we had a long way to go before Accra, after all), I developed a strong case of sinus infection (I blame it partly on the ocean-up-the-nose). It was therefore in bed, congested and feverish that I suffered through beach withdrawal for a few days, drowning my sorrows in Kingsbite chocolate and various DVDs borrowed from the Jacques and Gislain collection. With the help of some friendly antibiotics, lots of bed rest and intensive cocoa-therapy (hey, why not…they do offer such treatments in spas after all!), I was feeling better within two days. And having taken advantage of all my excuses, it was time once again to get back to work. The process has not been too painful, might I add, and I feel more motivated and excited to get back to it than anything (proof that I am still very much a dork and/or doing exactly what I need to be doing.) I haven’t been back to SWAA yet, since we re-open on Monday, but did manage to have a meeting with an organization yesterday, and to spend the rest of my time writing some notes, brainstorming and sifting through my documents.

I hope to do a bit more over the course of the weekend, while still finding some time to celebrate my newfound health. Tonight, we are doing drinks at a local “terrasse” (aka tables and chairs set out on the sidewalk). Tomorrow, my new roommate is arriving…a young woman by the name of Melinda who is French but has been living in Montreal for the past years (it’s a small world after all). I met her briefly today, and she seems really nice…so I look forward to getting to know her… and doing so in French, which is always a pleasure! Sunday, I will go spend some time with Lucy and then maybe pay a visit to Mrs. Field as I am very much looking forward to visiting with her again.

I must admit that I am not unhappy to see the holidays becoming a thing of the past, as beach relaxation aside, it did prove slightly painful at times to be so very far from my family and my friends during this period. And with January officially started, the countdown has also begun in preparation for Eve’s arrival, scheduled for the 29th in the evening! I can hardly wait to finally see my big sister, and to have a chance to share with her this incredible place where I’ve been so fortunate to spend the last months.

Well, my lovelies, I hope that your holiday season proved relaxing and enjoyable and again, I wish you all the very best for this New Year.

I miss you all very much and send you my warmest salutations from chilly Ghana (the Harmattan has descended upon us…making the air slightly (very slightly) cooler such that some Ghanaians walk around in tuques and jackets… Somehow I still manage to sweat profusely in a t-shirt and skirt…a testament to the fact that everything --including weather-- is indeed relative).

Gros bisous mes cheris !
Sophie