I wish I could publish the whole shoot. Robyn, a fashion designer from NY, came out to look at Kente and loved my house. I'm not allowed to post any of the sweet pictures of her in her pink boots that we did all over town but she did make me poise for 4 shots in my Kente vest.

The full line of Kente Stationary

Bags for home

Obama is coming to Accra July 11^th and 12^th! When Clinton and W. came they visited our Headquarters, I hope Obama does too. If he does and I get picked to meet him (which won’t happen) I’ll wear my kente vest and tie (which is why). I think he’d look good in Kente.

Water and power were out for a few days last week. The funny thing is just how little my days changed because of that. One day we had some embassy people come out. The Spanish Ambassador’s wife asked me why PC is still in Ghana because “it’s a very peaceful nation.”

Mom and Dad had to do an international handshake via MoneyGram so I can go up north to visit my friends last weekend. (Julie says my mom is the best PCV ever). A few summer volunteers from Ho came with. Traveling 2 days one way to see people isn’t that big of a deal here, especially when it’s to see my friends from training. Bright, Oscar, Mukailia, and Mr. Agba from my site all checked up on me. Breaks like that really help.

Last week I got the final quote for the basketball court! Inflation hurts, a lot. I’m going to get the proposal in asap so it can get up on the website and hopefully filled before the price increases more. Right now it’s about $5,000. If it gets approved through PC Ghana and then PC Washington it will be given a spot on the PC website where anyone can make any size tax deductible donations. I know it isn’t exactly the ideal time economy wise to be trying this but I wouldn’t be if I didn’t think it was worth it.

Alon-Did you get your haircut?

Dan-No

Alon-Did you dye it?

Dan-No

Alon-It looks good

Dan-I washed it…

A Day in the Life of….

Victoria Ahadzie (“Mrs. Ahadzie” to me)

Age: Even here I don’t ask mothers their age

Occupation: Business Women (market lady) and Housewife

Mother of 4

Notice the tribal markings under her eye, really cool

Her English was slightly better than my Ewe so this is what I got out of it:

5:15-Wake up and pray

5:30-sweep the compound

6:00-Bathe

6:15-Make breakfast for entire family

6:45-Eat

7:00-Clean up after breakfast

7:30-Laundry

10:30-Start making Lunch

12:00-Eat Lunch

12:15-Clean up after Lunch

1:00-Housekeeping

3:00-Start making Dinner

5:30-Eat Dinner

6:00-Clean up after Dinner

8:00-Put kids to bed and close the house down

11:30-Pray

12:00-Go to bed

*Every 4 days is market day and she takes the young girls. The girls sell pure waters off the top of their heads, she sells slippers and fabric.

Some strips for the Golden Jets of JCC, I really like the one on the right.
Just a really pretty day

Where they usually announce the football matches I found this instead, being Budgey's brother I had to go.
My tailor is pretty much a pimp.

Tuesday I finished my first pattern and have like 300 feet of it. Matching smock, camera case, and laptop case is pretty sweet right? I’m excited to start my next pattern but that will have to wait until next month. My tailor has taken like 3 weeks longer than he said he would on my set of bags for home but I won’t even think about changing tailors, he’s good, really funny, and they’re coming out great. Hopefully next month I can afford to ship them, maybe they’ll get there in time to be Christmas presents.
Sunday Bright took me out to a village that makes pots. The ride out there was just as cool as the village. It’s close enough that if visitors want to see kente and pots being made we can do a combo.
When visiting a village you are supposed to see the chief and inform him of your mission. We were well trained in how to handle these greetings but I don’t get it. Why do I have to either pay for or bring Schnapps when meeting a chief? Then they go around in a circle with a shot glass and fill it up, you pour some on the ground as an offering then you drink the rest. This sounds like something Tripp, Cody, and I would have freshmen on the rowing team do for us. I know PC reads these so I’ll say I have nothing against Africa Traditions like this, you just don’t pay us enough to support the good ole’ boys drinking habits.
Someone called Mr. Agba (I put his number on our brochure) and I was out on a run, when I got back…
-Oh Daniel, your brother, he call and liked the distings (word for EVERYTHING and he can never remember “stationary”)
-(Budgey would not like stationary so) Ah, what was his name?
-I forget, he wants to make a deal for the distings.
-Awesome, did you get his number or anything?
- No, he asked if I was Peace Corps.
- What did you say?
-I told him I am not Peace Corps, I am his father! (starts laughing and patting me on the back)
We didn’t make a deal but Mr. Agba was very pleased with himself.

A Day in the Life of….
Bright


Age: 26
Occupation: Master Weaver at weaving centre & Tour Guide in Training
One of the 2 fastest weavers I know
Mon-Saturday
5:30-Wake up and bathe
6:00-Get porridge and buy daily supplies if needed
7:00-Start weaving
1:00-Lunch of rice and beans
1:30-Weave
3:45-Fix all the errors Dan has in his weaving so far that day
6:00-Close at centre
6:30-Dinner of banku or fufu
7:00-Relax (TV or friends)
8:00-Sleep

Last weekend my church hosted over 2000 people from the rest of the diocese. One of the events was a "5k." With all the training I've been doing lately I figured I could do pretty well. When we were being driven out to the start it was obvious this was more than 5k, it ended up being like 10kish. At the start 65 Ghanaians took off at a sprint and I was like, have fun guys, you'll be seeing my backside in a few miles (saw that on a running shirt once, it's a bad thing in rowing to have you backside seen). Well a few of them flied and died, but not nearly as many as I thought. The problem with being the only white person is that no one wants to get passed by you. I would pass someone then they would sprint back ahead of me and we'd repeat a few times until they finally quit. This was like every person that I passed. I steady stated it and had to bust out a Dan Vainner sprint to not lose to a 9 year old in sandals, no joke, he was fast. I ended up getting 12th so my new goal for the marathon is to just finish.
The stationary has been selling faster than we can make it which is great.


A Day in the Life of…
Michael
Age:12
Student at CEPS School Complex
Level 5
Wants to be a football player or 1st Ghanaian to play baseball in America
Neighbor and personal favorite
5:00-Wake up and brush teeth
5:15-Sweep compound
5:30-Eat Ken-key (pounded millet)
6:00-Wash dishes and bathe
6:30-Dress for school then go ask Dan what he is doing today
6:45-Walk to School
7:00-Classes (English, Math, Science, Environment Studies, ICT, Citizenship, Art)
10:30-Break
10:45-Classes Continued
12:00-Lunch (beans and rice) and Football
1:00-Final Classes
2:00-Walk home
2:15-Eat snack (rice)
2:45-Play (football, baseball, American football)
5:00-Study
6:00-Dinner (banku)
6:30-Wash dishes and bathe
7:00-Watch film or study
8:00-Bed