John's Next Step

After arriving in Ghana on Monday night I spent some time in Accra to see about my shoulder pain. I arrived back in Nandom last Sunday afternoon. Here are my initial thoughts on my return to my site. Heat and humid in the rainy season is good for mold.  My place was closed up for a month and that gave the mold a chance to gain the upper hand. I'm allergic to mold so despite my washing, cleaning with bleach, and putting things out in the sun – I got my cough back. Nothing serious and with some of the cleaning the cough is moderating. But I expect it will linger on until well into the dry season. Lights on, lights off. How quick I became use to stable electricity. Every day we have had lights on and lights off or low current. A balanced diet. Let me just say it is easier to find a variety of food in the states. Back to simple foods and oh so much oatmeal.  On the plus side - I'm back to living within my budget. It rains during the rainy season! We've had r...

Seeing family and friends during my time back home was wonderful.  I thank everyone for the time and I regret not being able to see everyone. Wedding The wedding was marvelous.  It was a simple ceremony focused on the obvious love between Samantha and Brandon.  The reception was amazing with great food, great music and dancing, and great conversations.  Again, thanks for the time and my regrets for not getting around to everyone. The pictures from the day are on facebook at  this link (hopefully it works). Samantha and Brandon on top of the Neo Samantha and Brandon dancing Samantha and I dancing Back to Ghana After the wedding it was back to Ghana for me.  I left St. Louis on Sunday night and arrived in Accra on Monday night.  I'm staying in Accra for a few days to get some therapy on my shoulder.  I'm hoping to get back to site soon.  I need to get back to teaching, to finish up my rabbit project, and to start ...

Just a quick note about the wedding. Again thanks to everyone who came to help make the day special and enjoyable.  As thanks to those unable to make it but kept Samantha and Brandon in their thoughts and prayers. We had a wonderful time.  I enjoyed visiting everyone.  I really really enjoyed the discussions.  I know I missed greeting some people and for that I'm sorry. Samantha and Brandon made their early morning flight.  I have an evening flight and I'll be back in a little over a year. Love Always, John

I'm writing this just before the wedding Saturday evening but it will post after the wedding on Sunday. I fly out of St. Louis on Sunday evening and I arrive in Accra, Ghana on Monday evening.  About one year left in my service. This week was spent catching up with a few people in St. Louis. I went to my parish, ICD, to greet those who remembered me and to make arrangements for the columbarium. Currently Theresa's mortal remains are at my parent's parish. However, ICD was her last parish and the one where she did the most work – particularly as a PSR teacher and St. Vincent de Paul volunteer. ICD does not yet have a columbarium, but will likely have it completed by the time of my return at year from now. The pastor saw me but I'm not sure he recognized me and the two associate pastors came after I left so they don't know me from Adam. A lot of things change is a little over a year. However, Amy, Barb, and others remembered me and it was nice to reconnect. ...

I spent this third week at Samantha's place. Seeing her in the morning and evening and being alone in the apartment with the computer and the television during the day was an interesting compared to life at site. Note to self – don't get a television – it is a big waste of time. Samantha has a fairly long commute so I did not drive and pick her up. Therefore I did not have a car during the day. Without a car I took some walks during the day – the closest store is about eight blocks away. I noticed that the America culture of limited greetings was different from Ghana. Even the minor, good afternoon greeting, was surprising to some. Walking past someone without talking is normal in the states but abnormal and rude in Ghana. The greetings and conversations in Ghana can be exhausting, but I think it is better. I think my dad would have fit in well in Ghana in that respect. I'm doing what I can to help with the wedding, but Samantha and Brandon have it pretty well ...

Peace Corps Volunteers know that life goes on back home while we are away in service. We worry about our families – their health and well being back home. Since we are not around we don't know everything going on back home. We don't always know how people are really doing. Of course, the same is true of our families and friends who worry about our health and well being in our remote communities. They have an even harder time understanding what and how we are doing in a different culture under rather austere living conditions. Even with skype calls and blogs it is not always (not ever) possible to let people back home know how we are really doing. My daughter's wedding gives me the opportunity to come home to visit and to reconnect with family and friends. Spending time together in the same room is a good way to reconnect. Seeing each other and spending time together has been very nice. I spent this week with my mom and family in Northwest Arkansas. My family g...

I took the flight from Accra to New York to Atlanta to St. Louis. On Saturday I got up at 5 am Accra time and got into St. Louis at 11 pm central 20 something hours later at Accra is 5 hours ahead of St. Louis. It was much different from my 20 hours bus ride from Nandom to Accra on Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday late morning). I did not sleep on the plane and it was like 4 in the morning Accra time when I arrived so I was a zombie who could hardly think when I landed. I'm thankful that my son picked me up and let me recover for a few days. I got to hold Andy, my first grandchild, on Sunday morning. He is a cute baby at 9 months. Chris and Missy are doing well and the house looks fine.  Missy, Andy, and Chris Holding Andy. On Tuesday I was less of a zombie and I took the train from St. Louis to Kansas City to see Samantha and Brandon. The train trip was a very nice trip. I could get use to traveling in a first world country. My favorite (and only) daugh...