homestay!

June 11, 2012

We got to meet our homestay families today!!!  We left Valley View and drove to Kukurantumi to eat lunch and meet our Peace Corps Volunteer Trainers (PCVT).  After that, we drove to Anyinasin, which is our village we will be staying in for the next 10 weeks.  We all met in an outdoor church and had a discussion for a few minutes.  We told the families what we wanted from them, and the families said what they wanted from us.  Basically, we all said we don’t want anybody to be afraid to ask questions.  If you don’t know how to do something, just ask.  If you don’t know where to go, just ask.  Simple.  Then Agatha (our homestay coordinator) announced the parents and then the child (volunteer).  My “mother” is Grace Sarfua Donkor.  She told me to call her Mami Grace.  We talked a lot about what I like food-wise (which is amazing, because that has been the one thing I have been scared of).  I told her I kind of like fish, I love fruit and rice and spaghetti, and I drink coffee (not tea…or Lipton, as they call it).  She has two sons (my “brothers”), one of which was there.  His name is Kofi, and he is 24.  Her other son is away in Kukurantumi and will be back Wednesday.  I don’t remember what his name was, but Kofi said he was 22.  After our chat, all of the volunteers gathered together, and we were told what we would be doing tomorrow.  After that, we had to get our luggage out of the truck.  Everybody (including all the families) walk over and help gather our belongings.  I was waiting for one rolling suitcase, one travelers backpack, and a computer case.  All three of these things are beyond heavy.  I get my stuff and Mami Grace grabs for all of them.  She takes my 40 pound backpack and just plops it right on her head.  Impressive!!  I wish I could have taken a picture!  Then a little girl named Ama takes my computer bag and puts it on her head.  And finally, Kofi takes my super heavy rolling suitcase and carries it on his shoulder.  The walk to their house wasn’t very far, but I imagine it would have felt like it if you were carrying 40 pounds on your head!

Their house is almost like a motel.  There are several doors going to bedrooms that are in a square, and everybody shares the backyard.  There are two clothes lines with a few clothes still drying.  Towards the back of the yard was a wooden structure.  That is the kitchen.  Further back, I saw four doors.  Mami Grace said it was the bathroom.  I got anxious.  Will it be a latrine?  Will it flush?  What about toilet paper?  She told me the far left door was my private bathroom.  Really?!? My own bathroom!?  That’s crazy!  I don’t need that!  It even has a lock on it.  I open the door, and I see what I will be using for the next 10 weeks.  A TOILET!  It doesn’t flush or anything, but at least I don’t have to squat.  It’s just like a port-o-potty.  No toilet paper (which is fine, since I brought plenty of butt wipes).  And there’s a trash can.  The next door was another bathroom (I assume everybody else’s?), and the next door was my “shower”.  It is a fairly large enclosed area, with a door that locks, and very high walls.  No shower head, no spicket, just a bucket.  Let the bucket baths begin! 

After the tour, Kofi showed me his room/the living room.  There is a tv in there, and they were watching the football (soccer) match.  I sat with him and his friend, Kennedy, and we watched the game.  Shortly after that, Mami Grace brings me dinner.  A huge plate of rice and two pieces of chicken.  Yum!  I was starving!  She set it down and said “Eat All!” and smiled.  The rice was soooo good!  But there was just sooo much.  I ate a ton of rice and one piece of chicken, and I sat back to relax and digest.  Kofi asked why I had stopped eating.  I told him I was full and satisfied.  He told me to eat more, so I said I would try.  It was so hard to continue, but I did.  When I could eat no more, Kofi and Kennedy ate some of it.  Two little girls, Aquia (sp?) and Ama, had come over and finished the plate.  Whew!  What a team!  After that, Aquia showed me what to do to clean the dishes and where to put everything.  I went back and watched more of the game. 

Several minutes later, Mami Grace comes into the room with a pot and a package of spaghetti she had just purchased.  She asked if it was okay, and I said yes.  She then said she would go and make it for me.  Umm….what?!  I just ate my weight in rice, and now you’re cooking for me again?!  I don’t think I can do it!  She came back after cooking, came to my room, and handed me a plate with the pasta and a sauce.  Ugh.  She walked away, and I was left alone to eat…again.  I tried to eat enough to where you could tell some food had actually been eaten.  I ate so much that I thought I was going to barf mid-bite.  Aquia and Ama came to my rescue and finished the plate for me!  I don’t know how much longer I can do this!  But I’m sure I’ll get used to it J

Kofi and Kennedy came and helped me hang up my mosquito net (luckily, because I had no idea how to do it), so I’ll be safe from malaria while I sleep!  Yay!

It was starting to get dark, and Mami Grace asked if I was going to bath (yes, bath) tonight.  I said I would, so I gathered my things (flashlight included) and marched to the shower.  Only to realize I forgot to put batteries in the flashlight.  Looks like I had to hurry.  Mami Grace had fetched a bucket of water for me and gave me a pail to scoop with.  I would scoop the water up and pour it over my head.  It was actually really refreshing, and not as hard as I was expecting.  The only hard thing about it was being able to see what I was doing, but I will remember to take a shower sooner tomorrow. 

After that, Aquia and Ama came back and Aquia asked if I could help her with her homework.  Of course I would!!  She had science homework.  I helped her with the 5 questions she had, then she turned the page to more homework, and voila!  Math homework! YAY!!!  She had 2 pages of that, and I happily helped her finish.  It was awesome.  I gave Aquia and Ama 2 bouncy balls (I was going to wait a few weeks to give them gifts, but oh well).  They really enjoyed them and couldn’t stop laughing as they were playing with them.  I started to get tired (and Mami Grace had already said goodnight to me), so I told the girls they should probably head to bed since they had to get up early for school.  Aquia kissed me on the cheek and went home.  How awesome!!!  Ahhh, it was such a great feeling knowing I helped her and she thanked me with a kiss!

Today was such an exciting yet exhausting day.  It’s only 9pm, but I’m about ready to pass out.  We have training from 8am-5pm tomorrow, so lots of sleep is essential!  I hope everyone else enjoyed their first day with their family.  Mine was a lot of fun.  I spent most of my time with the little girls, so hopefully I can get to know Mami Grace a little more and be able to interact and talk with her tomorrow.  Farwell and sweet dreams!