Good morning! I should have written this yesterday when I was brimming with joy because CIEE is the best study abroad program EVER. I was having some roommate problems, as you may know, and everything came to head last week when Hurricane Meredith came ashore and was classified as a category 5 storm apparently. I sent my program director, Kwasi-Gyasi Gyamerah an email about the issues I was having. He promptly replied and told me that Abenaa, the assistant program director, would get in touch with me. My phone finally kicked the bucket this weekend, so when she was trying to reach me, I was unreachable. I went to the CIEE office yesterday to speak with Abenaa. And this is where I love CIEE. Abenaa listened to my Princess Meredith saga with concern. ("Oh! [a Ghanaian sound, one of many, which I will show you, which means, 'I can't believe that!'] This is serious!") Abenaa told me that she would find me a new place to live and the problem will be resolved soon. I don't think I'm going to even have to move out of my building, ISH 2. After that meeting, I felt even better about CIEE. I know that if I have any problem at all, the staff here are approachable, professional, and will efficiently address any concerns I may have.

Later that day, we had a group meeting at Chez Afrique, a restaurant/bar which has live bands on Fridays and Saturdays. The group meeting was a way to voice any concerns or comments we may have about how everything is going, including housing, academics, Ghanaians, security, CIEE, group trips, etc. It was wonderful. First of all, we were fed. Free food, especially food that is not rice, is always a plus. Secondly, it was such a nice atmosphere to have this meeting. Everyone was jovial and it's so easy to get along with the program directors. It was nice to hear how everyone is doing. I am so elated to be part of CIEE because it is an island of organization in this sea of disorganization. It has made adjusting here much easier than had I not been part of this program.

Nothing else is new really. I've been busy with going to the Dodowa Health Centre. It takes a large chunk out of my day because commuting there takes about 3 hours total. I love going there because the dispensary staff is so wonderful. It may have very little to do with my sociology field of study, but I am learning things I did not know prior to going there, especially in the realm of the inner workings of health care, the Ghana Health Service, specifically. I worked on a powerpoint presentation about quality assurance with Harriet, the staff supervisor, who has taken me under her wing and given me various tasks to complete. When we were writing the conclusion of the presentation, a reality of the health care system in Ghana became even more apparent to me. The concluding statement went something like this, "...We cannot expect money from anywhere. We have little resources and must do what we need to do with what we have." This was disheartening, considering my family doctor gives us free samples of prescription drugs, marking the abundance of resources we have. I discovered another real life example of a problem in Ghana: underemployment. I asked Harriet is she liked working at the dispensary. She hesitated for a short while and then responded with a 'no.' She then went on to explain that she has a bachelor's degree in pharmacy, and a master's in public health. Not only was she overqualified for her position at the dispensary, but she was working in a field that she does not particularly enjoy. Employment in Ghana is high, and for those who are educated, such as Harriet, appropriate employment is hard to come by. No wonder qualified educated individuals flee the country to places such as the UK or the US to seek employment. The brain drain is happening.

I have to venture to Dodowa now. Have the best day! Peace.

-Akosua Dede (The name that Evans, in the dispensary, has given me because I am born on Sunday [Kwasiada (Sunday)--> Akosua] and I was the first born girl in my family [Dede] - I introduce myself with this name now. Oh, the reactions I get from Ghanaians. They act as if I've told them the funniest joke in history. It's also easier to use this name because it's a name that they can understand and pronounce. When I try to use Rachel, they think it's Rita, Ritchel, Richeal, Richie, Richard?, and recently Lena?)