October 6. Goodbye to good friends

Today was my last day of work with WiLDAF Ghana. As much as I am hugely excited to come home and see family and friends, it was sad to say goodbye to all the friends I'd made in Accra.

In the morning I walked around behind my office and convinced a man pounding fufu to let me have a go for a while. It made for a good photo, I think, but apparently my technique needs work.

Around lunch time, my colleagues at work threw a small party for me, and presented me with several gifts, including a shirt, a beuatiful piece of cloth, and bracelets. Their generosity was touching, and their kind words made it all the more sad to think that I will likely never see most of them again. I will make sure to keep in touch as best I can, and to spread the word in Canada about the good work they and CCI are doing.

October 4 - 5. Last days

This week was my last at WiLDAF. It's hard to believe my five month adventure is rapidly coming to an end. In some ways it feels like I've been in Ghana for ever, but mainly it feels like the time has flown by. This week I helped edit a couple articles for publication and put the finishing touches on a Toolkit WiLDAF is creating to explain the UN's Universal Periodic Review process and the way in which NGOs can get involved in it.

Sign

Sign

Everywhere a sign

Blockin' out the scenery

Breakin' my mind

Do this

Don't do that

Can't you read the sign?

October 2. Wedding bells and gender equality in action

On Saturday I attended the wedding of my work colleague Frank. It began with a rowdy church service with plenty of singing and dancing in the aisles, and continued at an outdoor reception which also involved a fair bit of dancing. There were easily two hundred and fifty people in attendance, but I was told it was on the small side for a Ghanaian wedding.

It was very nice of Frank to have invited me, and my colleagues also surprised me with a traditional African shirt which I wore for the occasion. The wedding also marked the first time I’d seen a groom have a ‘best lady,’ as another member of WiLDAF, Abigail, was asked to act in that role.

September 30. A fond farewell to a weekly tradition

This Thursday was my last Quiz Night. I went out with a bang, despite the fact that we finished second place by an agonizing half point, as I won the pint chugging contest that determines which team wins the beer round (the prize being a round of beers for all team members) whenever there’s a tie for first. In this case there was a five-way tie, and our designated chugger and current world record holder Andrew the Kiwi was out of town, forcing me to reveal a hitherto hidden talent.

Most interesting question of the week? What is the only US state without a ‘major’ airport? A: Washington crossing the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

September 28 - 29. Sensitization seminars

This week, my last full week of work at WiLDAF, we put on two more seminars to increase awareness of the Property Rights of Spouses Bill and get public input into how the Bill could be altered. On Tuesday we held a session for members of the media, and on Thursday for members of selected women’s groups.

September 25 - 26. Ada Foah

On Saturday a group of six of us went to Ada Foah, my favourite spot in Ghana with the exception of Mole National Park. We stayed overnight at a beautiful spot on a spit of sand separating the Volta river from the sea. Initially we tried to drive along the beach all the way there, but became stuck in the sand. So we had to climb out and dig ourselves free while a small group of Ghanaian men and teenage boys watched, to our irritation, without lifting a finger. When we asked them if they’d mind lending a hand they asked how much we’d be paying them. After a while, a sizeable crowd developed and a few older women and young kids gladly jumped in and helped us dig and push. I thought seeing their grandmothers pushing a car out of the sand might shame the guys into taking over, but I thought wrong.

All in all the experience reminded me a lot of digging cars out of snow in the winter, except that this effort took place on a beautiful beach in over 30 degree heat.

Afterwards we parked the cars and took a boat over to our accommodation, which is the way less adventurous and wiser people generally get there. It was great to be out on the water taking in the beautiful scenery. This was something I’d done before actually, during my first week in Ghana with Kathy and Keith.

The place we stayed was great, with clean fresh water for swimming on the estuary side and violent surf on the other. We even saw a mother turtle burrowing in the sand during the night.