My college's slogan, Sapere Aude, always puts me in a good mood when i see it; Mainly because t is next to a mural cartoon drawing of two guys up in a tree one is sitting on a branch sawing it down and the other has a notepad asking, " How do you define intelligence?". What a knee-slapper.
So it has been awhile since i blogged, as we say here in Ghana, Sorry-o! I thought today i'd write because today was my first official day teaching! hooray, finally! Although i did enjoy my extended vacation time but i could tell boredom would strike soon enough. And looking at my schedule for the academic year, looks like i do not get much time off until next summer, so boo. I haven't actually spoken in the classroom yet mainly just observing today. i should make actual words come out of my mouth tomorrow as i have time in the evening to study the syllabus and textbook and come up with a riveting lesson plan. My weekly schedule is not too bad, i teach 12 one-two hour period blocks per week. Tues and Thurs might be tough as my classes begin at 6:30 a.m. but ill be done by 10am, so there is always an upside!
So, the past couple of weeks i have mostly been bumming around the Volta region. I did buy a bike though, and a pretty sweet bike i might add. Apparently, every couple of months, the bike shops in Hohoe get a shipment of what the locals call "jungle bikes" which are usually bikes from more westernized countries like the UK and the States. So i got a brand-spanking new Trek mountain bike, yippee! It was pricey but one of my PCV friends, who has already been here for a year, said it was a great deal. I've done a couple of nice rides so far including one where i got lost trying to find my friend's town but turned out to be a great little 20 mile exploratory journey. It's weird, 20 miles at home would seem like a piece of cake but out here with the varying terrain and weather conditions, 20 miles is quite a bit of a workout. I want to start making more frequent trips to Hohoe so that i can save some money. I went the other day and when i came back to Jasikan people were coming up to me saying " Oh. I saw you biking to Hohoe the other day. Sister Laura it is very far!" I just laughed and said it was great exercise. I told them that in American people like to ride their bikes recreationally and of course they thought that was crazy. Mainly the people who have bicycles here are the farmers or lower-class citizens. If you have the money it is expected that you take transport or have your own. Well, thats what im here for to stir things up and add some outside perspective!
Speaking of weather changes, even though for exercising it goes from muggy to hot to muggier, it is hitting me now that there are no season changes. The other day i stopped and took note of the date ( because i have no concept of time here) and was so shocked it was October. Back in Jersey the leaves would be turning all shades of yellow and orange and red and in Syracuse it would probably be snowing…It is definitely hotter now than when i came and it's still the rainy season. I heard that in the dry season some places get up to 120 degrees. yikes. but i don't miss the cold yet! Maybe closer to the holiday season...
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