On Thursday, I returned to the Dodowa Clinic. I left at about 5:45, and shared the trotro with only twp other people at most from Legon to Adenta. Usually, I share a tro-tro with 20 people! I arrived at the clinic at 7:00 AM to help with outreach. I went to use the bathroom before starting as I always do, and I think in that four minute span, the outreach team left without me. I was told to wait for the clinic to open. I wanted to cry. I had been going, or should I say trying to at least, to my internship for a month now. I just wanted to do something. Anything! I waited for about 45 minutes and then I decided to be more persistent about my role as a diligent intern. I asked the people at the "Dispensary" (the pharmacy, to you and I.) and they told me I could work with them ("Yes, you are welcome!" to be exact). I actually did work! It wasn't much, but the workers (Evans, Michael, Eric, Yawli, Harriet, and Mavis), explained what they were doing and were eager to show me the ropes. I told some patients how to take their medication and vitamins. A lot of people are illiterate here so it's important to do so. When you label the small bags in which the meds are given out in, you have draw a picture of the dosage, that is draw a circle for a pill that is to be taken once daily, and draw a circle a slash and another circle for pills that are taken twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening, etc. I felt at ease with these people I was working with. They talked to me, instead of ignoring me as other employees there had. They asked me about the States, and Eric said his brother lived in the Bronx and I told him that it was about an hour away from my house in New Jersey. His brother called while I was there and Eric asked me if I knew where his apartment was by saying, "Do you know Apartment 2F?" Not exactly... I tried to talk about things they were interested in such as football, where they were from in Ghana, etc, and I tried to show them that I truly am interested in their culture by speaking Twi and showing them I've learned certain things. I think this has helped me in the relationships I am already building with my coworkers and has contributed to the comfort I feel with them. Their kind and outgoing personalities and good senses of humor has also definitely helped!

On Wednesday, I received a call from my friend Amy, who said she saw I had a package in the CIEE office and she was going to bring it to me. I didn't know who it was from. I met Amy and the large package she had in tow. It was from Dan P, and was one of the nicest things that anyone has done for me. He put soo much time into this gift. He baked the most delicious vegan chocolate cookies (with macadamia nuts! whoa!!) for me, but he baked them for Angela and Kwame and Kwasi as well!! In the card that he wrote to me, he said that he tried to bake these cookies for me three times. So nice. He also gave me a book, and on the card envelope he cut out all the letters of my name (first and last, and a miss!) out of construction paper and glued them. He also gave Angela a book and collaged her name on the envelope. He wrote her a really sweet note too and thanked her for taking him around Ghana, and that he hoped that the book helped her feel less homesick and strange in where she was because he said it helped him when he felt like that at one time. He put all of these things in beautiful little chest. I was so excited about this, because it was both unexpected and amazing! Amy took a picture of me when I was opening it because my smile was so wide, she had to capture it. I shared the cookies, which tasted so amazing considering the sweetest thing I eat here is fried plantains, and maybe pineapple, with Amy and Raia, and my favorite ladies at the night market, Linda and Diane. Dan P's gift put me in the best mood. I'm pretty sure I was glowing. Thank you, Dan! :-)

My friend Rush, on the program is this weekend, and we celebrated last night. It was the best time. Everyone was in a good mood, people of all the little factions of the group mingled, and there was no drama. We went to Ryan's Irish Pub, in Osu, where their was a high level of joviality, perhaps induced by alcohol, or being in good spirits, or both. Michael bought so much for everyone on his credit card, that he was called away by the waiter and asked to go to the computer, where the screen prompted Michael to verify that it was okay to put as much as he was putting on his credit card. Oh Michael...We then went to Epo's Spot, which is a rooftop bar, and down below is a place for getting down on the dance floor. I was totally in the mood for some getting down! It was a blast and a half! We heard "Do Me" (my new favorite song - with lyrics like, "If you do me, I'll do you" how could I not love it?? Now you can love it too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o771_Sc07uo) three times, which was great. Michael made it rain. Cedis were everywhere. It was the best time.

I talked to Valerie, my lovely housemate and dear friend, earlier in the week. She's in Spain working for her aunt at a non-profit. I miss her. I miss her even more when I think of my current living situation. I don't know what the deal is with some of the Ghanaian women living in my hostel. I can understand that some things may be lost in translation culturally, and that some things are acceptable and some are not and are culture specific, but I think there's an international understanding of what is rude and what is not. Some of my American friends love their Ghanaian roommates, and I try to like mine, but she is not courteous at all. It has been very clear from the beginning that the room we both live in is HER room. She arranged the room how she wanted, after arriving a month after I had began living there, and put my bed near the door so I could hear all the doors below me slamming at all hours of the day, people talking in the hallways, sweeping, you name it, and the sun in blinding me when I woke up. And when I complained about the new arrangement, she acted as if I asked her to put her bed in the hallway. She, by the way, put my desk on the balcony, stating that there was no room for it in the room. Some how it fit before...but I don't care because I don't use my desk anyway. I think it's funny, and there have definitely been some pictures taken of me sitting out in my "study area" hard at work. She also likes to lock the door when she's in the room so even if I have my key, I have to knock to get into the room that I live in, because my key will not unlock the door because there's already a key in it on the other side. I've asked her not to do it, and she still doesn't listen. And the gospel music. All day long. All night long. If I hear about Jesus one more time, and how he should be praised, I might commit a mortal sin against someone. A few nights ago, I got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and when I returned, I wanted to sleep without hearing the terrible music. I thought she was asleep, so I went to turn off the radio, and before I was even to my bed, that is walked 5 feet, she was up and the radio was back on. I was seething. All I want to do is be able to sleep and get into my room. I don't think it's too much too ask. I wake up early, at 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, or 8:00 depending on what I have to do, and I lay out my things so I don't wake her when I'm moving about in the dark in the morning. When I return she's still sleeping or at least laying in bed, at 11:00 am or even 2:00 pm! I'm not in the room that much. I never complain about the gospel, although I despise it by now. I don't get it. I think a lot of spoiled wealthy Ghanaians live in my hostel. I've heard some stories similar to mine. I just hate the feeling of not wanting to be in your own living space. Oh goodness, sorry for this rant. I hope it gives you an idea of my innermost thoughts on my living experience...ugh.

Anyway, my time here is about up. I'm heading to the Volta Region with CIEE this weekend. We're going to a monkey sanctuary and Wli Falls! Woot! Freeee traveling! Enjoy the weekend! PEACE.