John's Next Step

Warning: In the post I describe a minor medial issue that other PCVs may get using bicycles – the only independent mode of transportation allowed in Ghana. I'm posting this embarrassing condition in the hope that it will help someone else. Market Day The area around Nandom is farming communities with mainly dirt roads. Bumpy dirt roads. The town center and part of a road south to Lawra is paved or partially paved. The roads are dusty or muddy depending on the rain – a reddish brown color that has increased the amount of laundry I'm doing. I have to travel about 3 miles one way to get food. Our market day is Sunday. Each town has a market day and the market women generally travel from town to town. Lawra, a town about 20 miles away has a market on a 6 day schedule. Market day is the day of the week when you can get the most food. However, in the case of the Upper West Region the selection is rather limited. There are a lot of rice and beans, corn, yams,...

Road Trip I went from Accra to Nandom on an overnight bus – waited at the station for 5 hours with a couple of volunteers and we were on the bus for 15 hours. The bus had reclining seats and in theory you could sleep on it. However, we had seats in the back row that did not recline and the bus played loud music videos or movies all night long. The extra people sitting or sleeping on the floor along with the luggage in the aisle made it nice to have long legs at the toilet breaks. Future note: Bring earplugs, eye mask (thanks Sam), and make sure to get a ticket before number 25. Still the trip was worth it because I'm finally at site. My site The corn and millet is considerably taller than at my last visit so the paths look different. We are getting a fair amount of rain so the crops look pretty good. I'll post more about farming once I learn more about West African agriculture. The people are great and Roger, my neighbor, is very helpful showing...

I'm now almost done with Preservice Training (PST). I don't know when I will have enough internet to post this message but I'm writing it now. After site visit I pretty much spent all available time learning, attempting to learn, the language at my site – Dagaare. I spent almost every available hour not otherwise consumed by Peace Corps with flashcards, studying, and reciting words, phrases, and paragraphs. Please ignore the Facebook photos on my birthday or otherwise at “the spot” - (local slang for a resource center (slang for a place that serves drinks.)) Missing out on spending time relaxing with others in the group was a sacrifice. I passed the language proficiency interview (LPI) at the minimum level required. In Ghana that means intermediate mid. So higher than novice, lower than advanced – in the middle of the intermediate rank. I'm happy I passed but I have a lot of work once I get to site. I could function fine with minimal Dagaare at my si...

Site visit. I'm about ½ way through Preservice Training (PST). All is going well in Ghana and back home. I'm able to break “radio silence” for this blog post and then it is back to training. I'm following a volunteer in a small farming community just outside of Nandom in the Upper West region of Ghana. Jessica, the volunteer, is amazing and very kind to help with my transition to a Junior High School Teacher. I am not saying that I'm replacing her – just following in her footsteps. The plan is for me to teach math to the “Form 1” (first year junior high) students. Jessica started information communication technology (ICT) last year with the Form 1's and I may be able to extend ICT to Form 2's as well Bathroom My future house is great – relatively speaking from my past life of course – it has a bedroom, kitchen, and living room. There is a patio in the back with the toilet (I'll be pooping in a hole), shower (ok a room with a hole i...

Staging gets everyone prepared for the travel and is a prelude to Pre-Service Training in the country.  Staging was nice with modules following a pattern of the trainer giving the information, small group discussing the subject, then everyone giving feedback. Staging yesterday started with ice breakers at noon and then training started a little bit before 2 pm and ended early, a fair bit before 7 pm.  22 “invitees” arrived – a nice group of men and women – at the end of staging we were Peace Corps Trainees (PCTs) I am the only one anywhere close to using an AARP card – wonder if they give discounts in Ghana. Today will be spent waiting in the hotel for the ride to the airport, waiting in the airport until 6 pm or so, flying to Frankfurt, waiting in Germany, flying to Ghana – arriving about 7 pm local time in Accra (2 pm central time with daylight savings time).  Time to get to know the members of the group.  We all have fears and ambitions, streng...

Last week, my last full week stateside, was full of activities.  I was able to visit my family in Arkansas and help celebrate my mom’s 80th birthday.  The visit was WONDERFUL – one last face to face time with family before departure.  The visit was short, but a short amount of time is normal for people so close to departure to the Peace Corps.  My wonderful daughter also came into town one last to time to help with seeing me off at a party yesterday.  Thanks to Brandon, Chris, Missy, and all those able to come by say farewell. Distance changes the family dynamics.  I've been away from my family for more than half of my life. My relationship is not the same as family members who live near each other.  My relationships are strong, but it is easier for me not to get under other’s skin or to let them get under mine during short visits.  It is not that I would not or could not annoy people – they know that I could.  The distance just means ...

I've been talking with family, friends, and fellow volunteers.  I'm well less than a month before departure.  This seems to be about the time that volunteering for the Peace Corps becomes “really real” – “crazy real” – “scary real”.  Scary for volunteers, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, other relatives, and close friends.  Now is the time when some families and friends put pressure on future volunteers to re-examine their commitment.  Now is the time for future volunteers to reexamine the significant commitment staring them in the face even if they have a very supportive family like mine. How can you leave now? Some younger volunteers are being asked “What about your great grandmother (grandfather, aunt, uncle, etc.)?”  They are being told that they’ll miss the first year in the life of a niece or nephew. Graduations and other life events.  The impact on their career and future earning potential might be explained or hammered home...