Chicks and Money

Just over a week ago, exactly 2 months after arriving in Ghana, I finally gained access to my Ghanaian bank account. This was a lengthy process, not helped by the three weeks my application spent in a desk draw. It does mean that I now have access to the allowance that VSO pay me quarterly (in advance). The actual application meant spending a number of hours in the Koforidua branch of one of Britain's best known banks, shuffling from one seat to another as I got nearer to the desk officer. I now have a cash card with a pin number, both of which were created on the spot in the branch. We are advised to withdraw over the counter though, as this is safer than using the cash machines. Money generally has been slightly more confusing than the usual problems you have on holiday. In July the Ghana Cedi lost four zeros and colourful new notes were issued. The old ones though remain in circulation and will do until at least the end of the year. When shopping, prices are still given in the old denominations so 5,000 cedis has now become half a Ghana cedi and combinations of both notes and coins can be used. A new Ghana cedi is worth about the same as a US dollar and there are two to the pound. One big advantage is that the new notes go to a much higher value. The previous highest value was 20,000 cedis or one pound! It is now 50 Ghana cedis or 25 pounds but try getting change from one of them!

Virgil, one of the Filipino volunteers spent the weekend with Krishma and me. In his honour Krishma made chicken curry for us and the other Koforidua volunteers. As everybody locally will tell you, the best chickens are bought live from the market. We collected one on Saturday morning. Adjua, our landlord's niece had agreed to kill and pluck it but when it cam to it, Virgil did the deed. Without giving details, it was a fairly straightforward process and the results were done justice in the cooking and the eating.

One final thing. When I introduce myself to Ghanaians, I usually have to say my name is ree-CHARD. Richard is a common name in Ghana but if I pronounce it Rich-ud, I usually get blank looks and the request to repeat it.

Call Back

To complete our in country training all new volunteers attend a two day meeting to compare experiences and look at solving any early problems that are emerging. Because most VSO v0lunteers are based in the north of the country this usually happens in the north. This year it took place in a hotel on the edge of Tamale. All the southern volunteers travelled up by coach from Accra, on Wednesday of last week. This was a 12 hour trip with breaks on the way, on the edge of Kumasi and in Kintampo. We left Accra at 7:30 am and arrived at 8pm. It was really good to catch up with the other volunteers and we spent a couple of enjoyable evenings together. On Friday night a few of us went to one of the local nightclubs in Tamale. As frequently occurs the white people are the focus of attention and I think we all recived complimentary remarks about our dancing. On Saturday morning Hilary, Al and I paid our respects to the local chief and visited his house and many wives. (Nobody present was prepared to say quite how many wives he had.)



Most of the volunteers then returned to their placement towns and villages but Dan and I stayed a few days longer and were provided with excellent hospitality in Navrongo and Bolgatanga. It was good to see the conditions and circumstances in which other volunteers live. The north is different the south in many ways. One of the most striking practical differences is how much drier it is. Our clothes dried out much more quickly than at home. The dry Saharan Harmattan winds are also beginnig to blow. This will make everything including our throats very dry over thhe coming weeks. On Sunday, Dan Hugh and I visited the crocodiles in Paga right on the border with Burkina Faso and we spent a large part of Tuesday with the volunteers staying in Bolgatanga to have motorcycle training.

The journey from Bolgatanga to Accra is 816 kilomtres, over 500 miles. The bus was scheduled to leave at 9 am yesterday, it left at 10:30, at Tamlae it was taken away for 90 minutes, At Kumasi we had to change onto another bus and we rolled into Accra at about 3 am. I am currently at the VSO office in Accra and should be back in Koforidua later today.