June 2, 09

How has the weather been at home, is it really hot? The weather here is crazy because it will be burning hot and then the next minute it is POURING rain, harder than I have ever seen before. Then it will clear up and be hot and humid again all in the same day. Just the other day Kelsey and I danced out in the rain for a long time and it was so so fun. We were in an African rainstorm!! It was awesome :) Last weekend we went to a wedding! A true Ghanaian wedding for a deaf man named Marco marrying a hearing woman named Hannah. It was an adventure! Their wedding was just at a home in Kafordua, about an hour drive from here. We were told that we should be there promptly at 9:00. We were a few minutes late since we picked up the Kibi group but to my surprise we were the first ones there! We sat on plastic chairs under a tent and for the next 3 hours watched the decorations get put up including a few balloons, fake flowers, a small cake, wine glasses on a small table, and blasting music. There were chickens walking around this lawn and a little boy during the slow comotion dropped his pants and peed in front of us... more than once. More guests slowly arrived and the bride and groom were walking around in other clothes. It was way interesting for awhile, but then an hour passed and the novelty of it all was also gone. When we sat there I guess going on inside the house was this big ceremonial trade where the bride's parents with her & the groom's parents and him sit and discuss things. The groom gives this bag of things I guess he promises at the engagement and they were clapping & cheering every once in awhile. There was no wedding song or walking down the aisle. They had a man give a screaming openeing prayer :) The whole thing was in the language Twi but they did kiss and dance - people danced around them. Then they sat at a long table facing us and I guess it was time for the after party "reception". Well first they read scripture and a man added something to it every verse - he yelled it. At times the parents would dance or a man tried to sell hankercheifs for a few dollars and that money I'm guessing would go to the bride and groom. also, they could pay a dollar to pop a balloon. They were so excited that people from another country came to their wedding. Eventually they brought out food and we got to eat it too. It reminded me of a family barbeque, but everyone was dressed in African clothes and we had chicken and rice. It was really spicy, but delicious! We each gave about $5 for the couple and left. It was a long morning, but fun. We don't live close to really anything special, we have to take a taxi either here in Aburi or Akropong - both the same distance either north or south of our town because the internet doesn't work there. I'm really starting to get into a routine now, and the nights are either spent back at the school to help tutor/teach or in our house talking with some high school students. I don't like to stay home, I prefer to leave but I try to be flexible :) It's hard. I go running here now about every other day. The people really stare when we run by because not only are they not used to a white person, but a running white person with an iPod is something to laugh at here - it's pretty entertaining for them. This town Aburi has the wood district where we will be going after this. We are planning on going into Accra - it's about 2 hours from here - sometime soon and do some shopping there. No I am not forgetting how to talk :) I wish I was signing that much, but I definitely don't say as many words in the day because of school. The other night I went to the school and a little boy named Soloman taught me this rock game where you throw up a rock & pick up 5, then catch the thrown rock. There is a lot of variation to that game. He had the tiniest hands, but he was so quick. When I finally could do it too his eyes lit up, he was so proud of me! It was way cute :) Another little boy named Stephen drew a picture of me today and it is really good! I couldn't believe his art skills! He is probably in about 4th grade and he was amazing. Kelsey, Lyndsey and I traveled to Madina to go to the LDS ward on Sunday. It was their stake conference so we saw the area president who was white and ran into a couple of white missionaries. It was a really great meeting and we were so proud of ourselves for finding our way there! They had many of the new converts get up to give their testimonies. I love going to church because it just feels like home. We had to walk through this crazy market to get there that smelled terrible, but people are really helpful if you ask them where to go and how to get somewhere. I love these kids and I am loving this experience, it is tough but so rewarding and I can already see how hard it is going to be to leave these kids because I am creating such great friendships with them. When I worked with the kids last year I bonded with them and that was so short so I can tell that leaving these students is going to be difficult. More to come next week.