I want to thank both my mom and Anne on behalf of everyone here for the textbooks, pencil sharpeners, and computers. That’s right Anne! COMPUTERS!! I picked them up in Accra last week and am in the process of setting them up! With the help of some friends *cough* (Anne), I have been able to purchase 4 computers to start up a brand new ICT lab for the kids at the Volta School for the Deaf. I can not wait to see the kids faces when they start arriving at school. They should start to show up on campus around September 14th. I will find a camera to take pictures for posting. Meanwhile, here are some more photos from the tail end of Momma Aku and Auntie Yawas trip to Ghana:

[Show as slideshow]

I am anticipating the arrival of my mother and Ms. Anne Bailey, who will be coming to Accra on Wednesday! I have made some very minor preperations, as my two guests have managed to create a fantastic itinerary.

Unfortunatly, I am having some shutter/mirror release problems with my Canon 40d, so I hope to get some good photos of our travels with my mothers  camera

Stay tuned, Mommas going to have an adventure!

As soon as I stepped foot off the plane and touched the Ghana soil, I was welcomed by the sun as it energized my internal batteries and warmed my skin. I had to remind myself that I am arriving in Ghana during the rainy season, and that the sun will most certainly increase in voltage over the next few months. I may not find the sun to be as welcoming tomorrow, but on my day of arrival it reminded me of the weather along the American South.

The climate in Ghana, like in America, varies greatly depending on your location. I have found the weather to be mostly pleasant, with conditions similar to those in which I left behind in the American South. Hot days are followed by warm nights. Rain showers occur once every day or two, cooling the air so that there is a hint of what it might feel like to be cold. I bask in the 70-80 degree weather. Meanwhile, my host mother wraps herself in 2 yards of local batik fabric to stay warm. “It’s sooooooo cooooooooold!” she exclaims with a giant grin on her face. One of my host brothers agrees, while a second brother runs around in front of the house shivering with his shirt off claiming, “it’s sooooooo haaaaaaaaaaaawt!” He jokes that he will have to get used to the weather, or he will never be able to tolerate the extreme conditions in America. He insists he is going back with me when my service is complete.

I have shown my host family several photos of my snowy adventures in America and have explained that the weather is colder than the inside of a refrigerator. They don’t seem to believe me that such conditions exist, and when I tell them that some days it is colder than the inside of a freezer, they presume I am telling them a tall tale as they laugh at the idea of living in such a manner. I have been told that in Northern Ghana, I can expect to be greeted by temperatures in the 140s. I find this hard to imagine, so I can understand why my host family is suspect of my outrageous claims. I plan to travel north during the dry season so I can experience what it is like to live in conditions that most closely resemble the depictions I conjure when envisioning hell. Maybe 70-80 degrees will seem cold to me too after a trip to the northern inferno and back. I will certainly keep you posted.

I am thankful that training is being held near Koforidua, located north of Accra in the eastern region. Koforidua is about 30 miles inland, so I have been mostly sheltered from the extreme humidity that accompanies life on the coast. I did however spend a week in Cape Coast where I was not so fortunate. During a visit to a current Peace Corps Volunteer at the Cape Coast School for the Deaf, I was faced with the most extreme case of humidity that I have ever experienced. That’s right American South… ever. The SEC has nothing on Ghana when it comes to humidity. It is not even close. I spent my days at Cape Coast swimming through the sticky air, absorbing language, culture, foods, and new faces. It was mid week that the air reached its maximum saturation point. One evening, after a most sticky day, the skies opened up and released the moisture that had been beckoning to be freed all day long. I sat awake in bed enjoying the wind and rain as they offered a short respite from the heat, as well as a free concert. As the night dragged on, the wind grew stronger. The downpour began blowing sideways, entering the room I was sleeping. I felt as though I was sleeping in the middle of a monsoon. I soon realized the water was not only coming through the closed slats on the windows, but from the ceiling as well. A small flood had begun to overtake the room, so with the assistance of my host, I lined the floor with buckets to catch the drips that fell from the ceiling. I laid back down on a rain soaked foam mattress as the smell of mold and mildew confirmed that this was not the first time the room had been overtaken in this manner.

I have since been posted to Hohoe, a town in the Volta Region, where I will be serving at the Volta School for the Deaf for the next two years. I am told that the weather will be much more friendly, but on nights when the power goes off like last night, the air still hints of Cape Coast, and a repeat performance. At night, I dream of dehumidifiers and industrial size fans. I also have a newfound respect for baby powder.

I am rewarded daily for coming to Ghana. I have met Barrack and Michelle Obama, and have been given the opportunity to teach in Deaf Schools. I am learning American Sign Language (ASL), and am immersed in learning the language as I teach all my art classes in ASL. I have enjoyed meeting many new people, but have struggled at times to make it through training. Redundancy and miss-organization aside, I am prepared for life at my site.

On Thursday, August 13th, I became an official Peace Corps Volunteer. Along with 64 other volunteers, I ceremoniously spoke the oath and pledged to serve the constitution of the United States. Since swearing in, I have traveled to Hohoe and am currently resting in my new home at the Volta School for the Deaf. The school is currently on break, so I have the next month or so to set up a kitchen, travel, and develop some lesson plans. I will be looking for ways to watch American football and access the Internet. I am hoping that at the very least, I can get some text messages with updates on the OSU v. USC football game on September 12th. Contact my family for my phone number, or you can send me a postcard and I will forward my number to you. Those of you with Facebook, I can send it to you in a private message. Good morning from Ghana, pictures are forthcoming.

In the short time that I have been here, I have visited the Accra University School of Performing Arts and played basketball with locals.  The Ghanaian people are very friendly and eager to teach.  I have already faced my fear of dancing and actually enjoyed performing a traditional African dance in front of 66+ volunteers and a number of Ghanaians.  Laughter was had by all.  The basketball is a slightly different brand.  I look forward to playing on courts all across Ghana, to see if the rules are the same from region to region.

I am currently residing with a Peace Corps Volunteer at the Cape Coast School for the Deaf.  I am enjoying my time here in Cape Coast, learning sign from some of the children by using a scratch sheet of paper for interpretation.  The Peace Corps Volunteer at the school has some mighty large shoes.  He is a modest guy who has impressed me with his patience and realistic approach to service.  Whomever replaces him will have a solid foundation with which to work from, and  I suspect will most likely meet many people within the community that have been touched by his presence.

I have been taking many photos since I arrived.  I will post them as soon as I become more technologically organized.  Technology is everywhere in Ghana, but like the language, I require some time to be able to use it to its potential.  I will be updating my blog intermittently over the next 2 and a half months while I go through training in Kukurantumi.  I am excited to meet my host family, and to meet up with the other 66 Peace Corps Trainees to share our experiences of the past week.

So long for now from Cape Coast!

I would like to give a super special shout-out to my sister Carey, her man Joe, and my niece Willow.  I will miss you guys and plan to send out more super special shout-outs in the future.

I am writing to thank you for your generous donation in support of my
bicycle trip across the country.

I began my trip on March 6th in San Diego at Ocean Beach, arriving in
Saint Augustine on May 13th.  Along the way, I met some of the most
unbelievable people and experienced joys that will last for the rest
of my life.  I watched as the donations came in and was inspired to
keep on pedaling each time my efforts were validated by the gratitude
of my family and friends.

Because of your donation, I was able to raise $1280!  Last week I
mailed a check for $250 to Project Homecoming - Katrina Disaster
Recovery.  The money will go to help a woman named Carol Jupiter get
back into her home.  This morning, my mother and I joyously submitted
donations to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ($250), and to the
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention ($500) in my brother Kyle’s
name.  I gave her a giant hug as NOW, I feel like the fruits of our
hard work are finally going to make a difference.  Because of you and
your generosity, there is more good in the world and I thank you for
that.

Tomorrow morning, June 2nd, I leave for Philadelphia.  I will begin
the staging process, consisting of some shots and pep talks before
leaving for Ghana on June 3rd.  I will be serving in the Peace Corps
for 27 months, but hope to remain in contact during that time.  I will
be using Skype (scootermcpooter) <—- my wonderful sisters nickname
for me, email, and will continue blogging at
www.scottdavisanderson.com/blog.  I also hope to get a phone upon my
arrival, and will update my number via my blog.

Thanks again for your support not only from me, but from my family,
and from all those whom your donation will help.  A little good really
does go a long, long way.

Respectfully,

Scott Davis Anderson

Starting point: Hawthorne, FL
Ending point: Saint Augustine, FL
Total miles on this day: 70.79
Total miles to date: 2762.51
Average MPH: 11.3
Max MPH: 29.1
Saddle time on this day: 6:15:34
Saddle time to date: 243:51:59