Happy Easter


Happy Easter to all. I am in a predominately Catholic community so Easter is a big event. There are the usual services include washing of the feet on Thursday – something that is a bigger deal because most people walk on dusty ground with sandals  (flip flops actually if my sister reads this post). There is also the Stations of the Cross and service on Friday. Saturday vigil mass is also very popular. The spirit of Easter and the joy of the Resurrection is certainly present In the community.


However, I have not been able to fully participate in the services this year. I'm been having some minor problems with my stomach and intestines on Thursday during the day and night. I thought I was over it – but it came back seriously on Friday night and into Saturday morning. It was uncomfortable and annoying – but nothing truly serious. I'm doing to normal thing of waiting it out for a few days and laying low. Hopefully, the “cleansing detox” treatment is effective and I'm over it now.  As of Sunday morning I seem to be on the road to recovery.


My family knows how I am when I get sick - "Just leave me alone. I'll be in bed until it passes."  I spent most of Thursday afternoon and evening in bed. I also slept in on Saturday morning to make up for being awake most of the night – up and down. Of course every sickness brings the opportunity for feel lonely and isolated.


My ears remain clogged as well although with some minor improvement. The hearing is still impacted, but I will be seeing the doctor next week if all goes according to plan. This problem of not hearing well for over a week has been frustrating and annoying – but again – nothing truly serious.


Each holiday is also a time that my separation from family and friends is more painful so this one has been doubly hard with being a little sick.


Well, triply hard because I also enjoy the spring season associated with Easter. I miss the jonquils, forsythia, tulips, dogwood, and apple blossoms just to name a few. We are in the middle of our dry season and with the increased humidity and temperature we are in the hot part of the dry season. Temperatures are in the 90's. The humidity is commonly around 50% that makes the heat even more miserable (we had low 20%'s during the cool part of the dry season). The sun is hot – stifling at times. They tell me we are now in the worst of it and last year was hotter.

Dusty road ahead for the next month or so during the dry season.
(Then it will be a muddy road and hard to travel so I'll most likely complain about that as well.)

Ghana as a country has trouble keeping the electrical power on - demand is greater than supply. Rolling black-outs are common in the south but we had, and I stress “had”, been having relatively stable power. No more. The power is on and off – up and down. (The power has been up and down several times while writing this note.) I don't even try to use my fan as the power now is so unreliable. Sometimes I can sit outside in the shade for some relief or take a quick bucket bath during the day. Neither one is perfect and the situation is just something to accept and live with for the next month or so.

Accepting and living with the situation is something that we all need to learn – and most Peace Corps Volunteers take the advanced course. Abroad and in the states all of us try to work to improve the situation for ourselves and others but when things are truly out of our control it does little good to complain, worry, and fret about the situation.



Next Week : All Volunteer Conference.



I should be well enough to travel to Tamale for the Peace Corps meeting next week. I'm looking forward to meeting other volunteers and having someone else to cook. Perhaps I'll even have a balanced diet for a few days. I also want to talk over a couple of project ideas with the staff/other volunteers and I'm on the schedule to present my earthworm project.


I complained about some health issues this time, but I remain healthy. The minor things are just passing problems that are pretty common and not serious. We know how to take care of things away from medical care and if we have a serious problem the Peace Corps will do what it takes to get us treatment.



Love always,



John

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