A Note from Tohajie: This blog entry is from another member of my Ghanaian family, Amdrew Goldman, who teaches in Boston. He is a person who is forthright and honest, and has offered a unique perspective throughout the six-week trip. I hope you enjoy...
All along during our trip I had mixed emotions about the homestay looming at the end of the trip. Would it be great, or would it be an ordeal? As it turned out, I was the last one to be dropped off with my family, the Akyeampongs of Aburi. The husband is a very experienced Presbyterian minister and former teacher, while his wife taught family studies for over thirty years herself. A formidable pair, who were accompanied by two young girls, Ada and Emelia, whose status I was never able to figure out. They were in the care of the mother, Juliana, who sent them to school, but they functioned as servants around the house, cooking and cleaning in seeming perpetual motion. I didn’t notice a lot of affection aimed in their direction, but Juliana worked along side of them most of the time. Another African mystery...
From the very first, it was clear I was in a very religious household, not surprising since it was the Mission House for the nearby church, run by its leader. However, as it turned out the Reverend Kwaku was more interested in people’s character and how they behaved than in their interactions with others then in their strict adherence to specific religious practices. It was his wife who was much more interested in my personal beliefs, and in teaching me about the centrality of Jesus Christ in all of our lives. I listened politely, agreed with the principles when I felt that way, but to her disappointment didn’t leap at the chance to affirm my faith. They were amiable discussions, usually over meals while her husband was busy with church business, which walked in the door anytime night or day.
It was the discussions I had with the Reverend that were the most enlightening. While I found him presiding over a rural congregation in his last months before retirement (he’s 70), he has done some amazing things over the years. He describes himself as a builder and an organizer, and he has taken a number of churches over the years and inspired his flock to grow, improve the physical condition of their house of worship, and to get more people involved with both improving their own lives and in serving their community. His photo albums are filled with smiling people at his installment in various pulpits, presiding over weddings, and sadly seeing him off to other assignments. He was also a Peacekeeper during the South African elections in 1994, which meant he was an observer. Another member of his team: Jimmy Carter. Indeed. We talked about everything - personal values, teaching, world peace (really!), black-white relations, raising kids, travel, and some topics I have forgotten. Over the course of these conversations, we found ourselves in tune with the others beliefs on a very deep level. We, two men from very different backgrounds and homelands, not to mention religious histories, had very similar views of the world. We were both pleasantly surprised, and very touched and pleased.
I had a number of fascinating experiences with the Akyeampongs. On Saturday, the Reverend was asked to officiate at a funeral far away near Kumasi, so I accompanied his wife to another funeral in a nearby town. As her husband was to deliver the sermon, we got more than a few second looks when we walked past the laid out body and went up to greet the local minister. Then I was seated in the front row facing all of the mourners! This was clearly an occasion when I would have to strive to not fall asleep - Juliana would never hear the end of it. After awhile, a man came up to us with a paper and pencil, to find out who I was. Juliana spoke to him and later, when the visiting dignitaries were introduced, Brother Andy of Boston visiting from the United States was compelled to stand up and wave to the gathering. Life as a celebrity. This happened again the next day in church (of course), and then again on Monday as we attended a celebration of the institution of the new teacher training policy at a local teacher training school - as a fellow teacher and not a politician, I got big applause - how funny is that! The wildest thing is that this “new” policy is 35 years old! Rev. Akyeampong remembers it being passed in 1972 under Busia, when he worked in the Secretariat of the Presbyterian Church. Unfortunately, when the military government came in such things were shelved.
But my various visits to the VIP platform won’t be my enduring memories of this visit. What I will cherish are the images of a loving family, and of a community united joyfully around its faith. Not coming from an especially close family, and living in the ever malleable United State where practically no one lives where they grew up, these stark differences from my life were especially poignant for me. This is a way of life that clearly works for these people, and I hope that in their drive to be more modern, to reach for some of the things they see that will make their lives easier, that the people of Ghana don’t lose the aspects of their culture that we would do well to emulate. I had so much fun pounding foo-foo, learning that I shouldn’t “fear my own hand” when eating kenke or anything else without cutlery, and showing that even an abronie (white foreigner) enjoys the spicy sauces that Ghanaians love. All of this, along with a series of spontaneous gift exchanges, solidified my place in this family.
And there is a person who deserves his own paragraph - Kofi, who is finishing up his university career at Cape Coast. He is studying Math and Statistics, and hopes for a job in telecommunications after he completes his national service. We had an amazing time comparing notes on college life, people (who values you enough to call on their cell phone when it costs them minutes!), playing sports, and life in general. We chatted for hours, and when his mom declared that he had a new wufi, or uncle, neither one of us had any desire to contradict her. Kofi is his father’s son, but has his own mind. He questions everything around him, respecting what seems to him to be sincere and consistent, and wondering about the rest. I think he is well on the way to being an extraordinary young man, and I would not be surprised to find us in touch in ten years time. Kofi is quietly intense, but also has a sneaky sense of humor which I very much appreciate.
This whole visit to Ghana has, for me, been a much bigger stretch than my jaunt to China three summers ago. This has been much more personal - in China, we mostly observed from afar. This trip has been a get in and get our hands dirty, rather than an academic exercise. Both approaches have their place, but this time around has taken root in me in a much deeper way. I have plenty to tell my students to be, and perhaps even more to mull over on my own and with friends. This is an important time in my life, and only the future will show how I come through it. Stay tuned, and come along for the ride!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
The Homestay: a Follow-up
After staying with Daniel and Elizabeth Asirifi for four days I believe I was able to get an up close look at a Ghanaian family. I would like to be able to say with confidence that it was a typical Ghanaian family, but I am not sure that was the case. Daniel and Elizabeth cared for four children, none of them which were their natural children. As I mentioned in the previous blog there was Linda, age 17; Richmond, age 16; Eric, age 13; and Lizzy, age 6. The children were all "adopted" by Daniel and Elizabeth, but not in the same way a child is adopted in the United States. Each of the children were taken in by their adopted parents when their own parents were either unable or unwilling to take care of them. Linda was from the north, Richmond and Eric were from villages in the Eastern Region, and little Lizzy was from very nearby.
Elizabeth, the mother, clearly was in charge of running the household. She was so much in charge that she actually behaved in a very bullish manor. She sharply told me and Ellen what to do and when to eat whenever she had the opportunity, which was most of the time because we really didn't go anywhere. I must pause for a moment to explain that one of my colleagues on the trip, Ellen Cummings, was with me much of the time because her homestay "mother", Grace, was away tending to the needs of her own sick daughter in Accra. Consequently, Ellen had her meals and spent much of her time with me at the Asirifi's house. The truth about the stay is that Elizabeth was very bossy and very difficult to be around because neither Ellen or I could sit down without being told where to sit. We attended church with them on Sunday morning. Daniel gave the sermon and Ellen and I sat with Elizabeth. Elizabeth sat next to me and told me when to stand and when to sit (as if I could not sort that part out for myself). She told me when to bathe and when to watch TV. I really did not enjoy her too much as a person, but she ran a "tight ship" as the one who ran the household.
The children were up by 4:30 AM sweeping the floors and the various rooms of the house with the little palm brooms that are so common in Ghana. Elizabeth of course would skip on over to the church (across the street) to answer the 4:30 AM church bells (a pleasant sound to wake up to), and sing with the other women of the church. Not only did they sing for forty-five minutes or so, but they piped the music through the outside speakers for all to hear. I was not able to sleep the rest of the night away, but instead listened to the singing and the wind blow outside my window (I'll address the weather in a few moments). After the singing, Elizabeth would return to her den to make sure her cubs were obedient. She had absolutely nothing to worry about as they had been working the whole time since she left. I heard them. I offered to help, but it was made clear thatI was not permitted. The children then had to heat water for everyone's bath, clean up the Turkey pin and outhouse area outside, and tidy up the place in general. The kids worked much of the day. I am not certain of the quality of the life of the children, but I am sure that both Daniel and Elizabeth care tremendously about their well-being. When I gave Elizabeth the set of towels that I brought she gave each one of them one of the new towels (their old towels were quite tattered so I felt good about the gift). I also am glad we were there because I believe the kids were given at least part of the multitudes of food that Ellen and I were served and could not possibly eat. I now want to say a little about each of the kids.
Linda, the oldest, and the one who did much of the cooking and fetching of the water is a beautiful young girl. She is pleasant and does virtually everything she is asked with a smile. She had recently taken her exams to enter senior secondary school (high school), and was waiting for her scores. I got the impression from Daniel that he was hopeful she would be able to attend, but Elizabeth seemed to indicate that Linda was almost prepared to go out on her own and make her own way. When Elizabeth showed Ellen how she made her own soap it was Linda who did all of the mixing and most of the grunt work. When Elizabeth showed Ellen and me how to do tie and dye, it was Linda (not Ellen and me) that was asked to do all the work. After we were finished "getting to do arts and crafts", Elizabeth boasted how she had prepared Linda to take care of herself. Oh how I hope Linda gets to continue with her education, but it seems as if Elizabeth is ready for Linda to go, and find herself a new girl to "save" from parents who do not care. Linda is very responsible, and already knows how to do everthing required to run a house in Ghana.
Richmond is the oldest boy. He is sixteen and is getting ready to enter his second year in junior secondary school (7th grade). Richmond is obedient and very responsible. He takes good care of little Lizzy (as all the kids do) and seemed determined to teach me how to speak Twi (the local language). Richmond was very religious and asked me often if I have read the Bible. He told me he wanted to continue his education and become a banker. He was very fond of math. His parents called him Gyo (pronouced Joe). I heard this and asked him why his parents called him Gyo and Richmond responded by saying that it is because he was "bought" on a Monday (see the paragraph below marked ABOUT NAMES). I thought the term "bought" was strange, but was not very comfortable in talking with Daniel and Elizabeth about it, so I let it go. After I gave the kids a soccer ball, I got to kick around with Richmond and Eric and they liked to play very much. On the last morning we were there, they were told to go to the farm to help some of their friends, but they managed to take the ball with them. Like most kids I think they sneak some fun in amidst all of their responsibility.
ABOUT NAMES:
In West Africa a child is named for the day he or she is born. Take Kofi Annan for instance, the former general secretary of the UN. He was born on a Friday, hence the name Kofi. (By the way, I read in a book on West African Culture that the name Annan is given to the fourth child.) Hence Kofi Annan was the fourth child born to his mother born on a Friday. Using this naming scheme my name would be Kwasi (Sunday born) Annan (fourth child). And since my new adopted name from earlier in the trip is Tohajie my new name is Kwasi Annan Jimmy Tohajie Jewell. I wonder if it will fit on my driver's license.
Eric who is 13 years old is the musician of the family. He constantly wanted to see me dance and he played the drums in the church service. Elizabeth of course forced Ellen and I to dance with the entire congregation so I hammed it up a little bit when Eric was looking. He had a very bright smile on his face when he saw me. All of the kids loved it when I took their picture especially with the Polaroid camera. I left them about 15 pictures for them to keep. Eric was constantly asking me to take more pictures and found it difficult to understand that I only had a few shots left. I think he was disappointed, but he seemed to perk up when I broke out my $8 wind up flashlight (without batteries) from Target. he thought it was very cool that you could just crank the handle and make the light shine even brighter. I left if for him; I hope he actually gets to use it.
Little Lizzy was about as cute as a little kid can be. Like Linda she had her cut the length of a boy's head. Lizzy spoke almost no English, but she taught me how to sing the song Cocoa Farmer (sung to the tune of where is thumb man?). Lizzy also loved to wear my big Australia hat which I bought to protect myself from the sun, and she loved to walk with me and hold my hand as we traveled around. I took her to the library and read her a story. I knew she didn't really understand, so I made goofy noises to emulate the animals in the book and it made her laugh. Lizzy was the only one of the children there to say good-bye when we departed because the others were away working on the farm or playing soccer. I for one hope they were playing soccer.
Daniel is a 74 year-old retired Presbyterian Minister. He didn't say much, but did want to know how much just about everything I owned was worth. He hinted that he wanted me to bring him to the United States, but fell short of actually asking me. I am glad he didn't. I wathced the news with him in the evening and played a board game called Ludo with him in the days. He was a very nice man, but he seemed disappointed when I answered his religious question incorrectly (for him). He asked me If I believed it was my duty to spread the word of Jesus to all of the corners of the earth. When I said I did not he seemed perplexed, but did not say anymore about it. I think he was going to ask me to deliever part of the sermon. After our conversation he was content with having me read from the Book of Genesis and Ellen reading from the Book of Luke.
The weather in the Akwapim Mountain Range was delightful for a fair-skinned, burn under a full moon type of guy like myself. It was often overcast and very breezy in what is considered the short rainy season which lasts from August to maybe mid-October. It was cool and very damp in the evening. The first night we were there the wind holwed and blew rain in all sorts of directions. The rain beat on the tin roof and made a nice melody with the goats yelling and the drummers playing through the night off in the distance.
I can't say I had a great time on the homestay because Elizabeth would not let me move without asking me what I was doing or where I was going. At one point I was trying to write for my journal, and she was reading everything I wrote over my shoulder. When I stopped writing she seemed very dissappointed. When I went to the little store and brought back a beer she gave me a hard time by asking me, "how can you be a teacher and drink that beer?" I bought two the next night. Although it was not all roses at my homestay I learned a lot. I hope the kids are in a good place, and I am convinced their parents care for them. I am thinking I want to try and send some used clothes to them because the area seems a little depressed. There is no running water in the area, but the church seems to have a weird hold on the village so I am leary about sending them money. I am truly puzzled about the experience, but I feel like it was one of the most valuable parts of this entire trip. It was certainly real.
I will try to write at least one more entry to my blog before we fly out of here on Sunday morning. I again thank any of you who have been reading and especially those of you who have been responding. I'll write again soon. Kwasi Annan, out.
Elizabeth, the mother, clearly was in charge of running the household. She was so much in charge that she actually behaved in a very bullish manor. She sharply told me and Ellen what to do and when to eat whenever she had the opportunity, which was most of the time because we really didn't go anywhere. I must pause for a moment to explain that one of my colleagues on the trip, Ellen Cummings, was with me much of the time because her homestay "mother", Grace, was away tending to the needs of her own sick daughter in Accra. Consequently, Ellen had her meals and spent much of her time with me at the Asirifi's house. The truth about the stay is that Elizabeth was very bossy and very difficult to be around because neither Ellen or I could sit down without being told where to sit. We attended church with them on Sunday morning. Daniel gave the sermon and Ellen and I sat with Elizabeth. Elizabeth sat next to me and told me when to stand and when to sit (as if I could not sort that part out for myself). She told me when to bathe and when to watch TV. I really did not enjoy her too much as a person, but she ran a "tight ship" as the one who ran the household.
The children were up by 4:30 AM sweeping the floors and the various rooms of the house with the little palm brooms that are so common in Ghana. Elizabeth of course would skip on over to the church (across the street) to answer the 4:30 AM church bells (a pleasant sound to wake up to), and sing with the other women of the church. Not only did they sing for forty-five minutes or so, but they piped the music through the outside speakers for all to hear. I was not able to sleep the rest of the night away, but instead listened to the singing and the wind blow outside my window (I'll address the weather in a few moments). After the singing, Elizabeth would return to her den to make sure her cubs were obedient. She had absolutely nothing to worry about as they had been working the whole time since she left. I heard them. I offered to help, but it was made clear thatI was not permitted. The children then had to heat water for everyone's bath, clean up the Turkey pin and outhouse area outside, and tidy up the place in general. The kids worked much of the day. I am not certain of the quality of the life of the children, but I am sure that both Daniel and Elizabeth care tremendously about their well-being. When I gave Elizabeth the set of towels that I brought she gave each one of them one of the new towels (their old towels were quite tattered so I felt good about the gift). I also am glad we were there because I believe the kids were given at least part of the multitudes of food that Ellen and I were served and could not possibly eat. I now want to say a little about each of the kids.
Linda, the oldest, and the one who did much of the cooking and fetching of the water is a beautiful young girl. She is pleasant and does virtually everything she is asked with a smile. She had recently taken her exams to enter senior secondary school (high school), and was waiting for her scores. I got the impression from Daniel that he was hopeful she would be able to attend, but Elizabeth seemed to indicate that Linda was almost prepared to go out on her own and make her own way. When Elizabeth showed Ellen how she made her own soap it was Linda who did all of the mixing and most of the grunt work. When Elizabeth showed Ellen and me how to do tie and dye, it was Linda (not Ellen and me) that was asked to do all the work. After we were finished "getting to do arts and crafts", Elizabeth boasted how she had prepared Linda to take care of herself. Oh how I hope Linda gets to continue with her education, but it seems as if Elizabeth is ready for Linda to go, and find herself a new girl to "save" from parents who do not care. Linda is very responsible, and already knows how to do everthing required to run a house in Ghana.
Richmond is the oldest boy. He is sixteen and is getting ready to enter his second year in junior secondary school (7th grade). Richmond is obedient and very responsible. He takes good care of little Lizzy (as all the kids do) and seemed determined to teach me how to speak Twi (the local language). Richmond was very religious and asked me often if I have read the Bible. He told me he wanted to continue his education and become a banker. He was very fond of math. His parents called him Gyo (pronouced Joe). I heard this and asked him why his parents called him Gyo and Richmond responded by saying that it is because he was "bought" on a Monday (see the paragraph below marked ABOUT NAMES). I thought the term "bought" was strange, but was not very comfortable in talking with Daniel and Elizabeth about it, so I let it go. After I gave the kids a soccer ball, I got to kick around with Richmond and Eric and they liked to play very much. On the last morning we were there, they were told to go to the farm to help some of their friends, but they managed to take the ball with them. Like most kids I think they sneak some fun in amidst all of their responsibility.
ABOUT NAMES:
In West Africa a child is named for the day he or she is born. Take Kofi Annan for instance, the former general secretary of the UN. He was born on a Friday, hence the name Kofi. (By the way, I read in a book on West African Culture that the name Annan is given to the fourth child.) Hence Kofi Annan was the fourth child born to his mother born on a Friday. Using this naming scheme my name would be Kwasi (Sunday born) Annan (fourth child). And since my new adopted name from earlier in the trip is Tohajie my new name is Kwasi Annan Jimmy Tohajie Jewell. I wonder if it will fit on my driver's license.
Eric who is 13 years old is the musician of the family. He constantly wanted to see me dance and he played the drums in the church service. Elizabeth of course forced Ellen and I to dance with the entire congregation so I hammed it up a little bit when Eric was looking. He had a very bright smile on his face when he saw me. All of the kids loved it when I took their picture especially with the Polaroid camera. I left them about 15 pictures for them to keep. Eric was constantly asking me to take more pictures and found it difficult to understand that I only had a few shots left. I think he was disappointed, but he seemed to perk up when I broke out my $8 wind up flashlight (without batteries) from Target. he thought it was very cool that you could just crank the handle and make the light shine even brighter. I left if for him; I hope he actually gets to use it.
Little Lizzy was about as cute as a little kid can be. Like Linda she had her cut the length of a boy's head. Lizzy spoke almost no English, but she taught me how to sing the song Cocoa Farmer (sung to the tune of where is thumb man?). Lizzy also loved to wear my big Australia hat which I bought to protect myself from the sun, and she loved to walk with me and hold my hand as we traveled around. I took her to the library and read her a story. I knew she didn't really understand, so I made goofy noises to emulate the animals in the book and it made her laugh. Lizzy was the only one of the children there to say good-bye when we departed because the others were away working on the farm or playing soccer. I for one hope they were playing soccer.
Daniel is a 74 year-old retired Presbyterian Minister. He didn't say much, but did want to know how much just about everything I owned was worth. He hinted that he wanted me to bring him to the United States, but fell short of actually asking me. I am glad he didn't. I wathced the news with him in the evening and played a board game called Ludo with him in the days. He was a very nice man, but he seemed disappointed when I answered his religious question incorrectly (for him). He asked me If I believed it was my duty to spread the word of Jesus to all of the corners of the earth. When I said I did not he seemed perplexed, but did not say anymore about it. I think he was going to ask me to deliever part of the sermon. After our conversation he was content with having me read from the Book of Genesis and Ellen reading from the Book of Luke.
The weather in the Akwapim Mountain Range was delightful for a fair-skinned, burn under a full moon type of guy like myself. It was often overcast and very breezy in what is considered the short rainy season which lasts from August to maybe mid-October. It was cool and very damp in the evening. The first night we were there the wind holwed and blew rain in all sorts of directions. The rain beat on the tin roof and made a nice melody with the goats yelling and the drummers playing through the night off in the distance.
I can't say I had a great time on the homestay because Elizabeth would not let me move without asking me what I was doing or where I was going. At one point I was trying to write for my journal, and she was reading everything I wrote over my shoulder. When I stopped writing she seemed very dissappointed. When I went to the little store and brought back a beer she gave me a hard time by asking me, "how can you be a teacher and drink that beer?" I bought two the next night. Although it was not all roses at my homestay I learned a lot. I hope the kids are in a good place, and I am convinced their parents care for them. I am thinking I want to try and send some used clothes to them because the area seems a little depressed. There is no running water in the area, but the church seems to have a weird hold on the village so I am leary about sending them money. I am truly puzzled about the experience, but I feel like it was one of the most valuable parts of this entire trip. It was certainly real.
I will try to write at least one more entry to my blog before we fly out of here on Sunday morning. I again thank any of you who have been reading and especially those of you who have been responding. I'll write again soon. Kwasi Annan, out.
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