"I try"

So much as happened in the last little while that I don't know if it's possible to write about it all. I think it all began with our tro tro ride home from Nkawkaw, we were fast approaching our stop of Kasseh Ada and I said okay, everyone make a goal. I quickly thought of one. A few weeks earlier I had traveled to a market with my Mother, we had to take a boat there and they spoke Awe . It was a horrific experience as I was followed and harassed by a man who I believe was crazy for lack of a better word. I spent most of the day in hiding and my mom would just bring me food. It wasn't just this man that made the experience hard, I was in a new area where I didn't know anyone and everyone just treated my like a tourist and yelled yevu (white man in Awe). So my goal was to go back to this market with my head up and actually help my mother this time. After I said this goal I quickly regretted it, I knew it would be hard to go. I wasn't even sure my mom would want me to go because I saw myself as a hassle last time. So I put these thoughts and this goal aside for now. A few days later I was in a taxi with my papa waiting to go home from the local market when my mother quickly arrived, I asked her if I could go to the local market with her next time, i like it there, i know most people and feel safe. She misunderstood and thought I meant the Awe market I tried to explain but there was no use I was going to that market on Wednesday, the next day.

That night I helped my mother fill bags of Cassava dough. I asked her if tomorrow I could help carry the dough on my head, she looked at me like I was insane and said, dabi (no). I pleaded I just want to try, and she said okay. So the next morning She woke me up at 4:30 or so I got ready fast and we walked to wear the tro tro would pick up us and our dough. They prepared me for carrying the dough, put a plastic bag and head wrap on my head. Now, I must explain what a bag of cassava dough is like. Its huge, Aryn and I came to a consensus that it weighs more then 150 lbs. It takes four women to lift it, one to carry it on her head. The other women there could not believe I was going to carry it, I quickly said, "i try". And I did just that, i tried. For my own safety though, I did not carry it. I cannot explain what it felt like to have that weight on my head, i think I could of broken my neck, seriously. So i just helped lift it onto other women's heads and tried not to get into the weight. So we drove to the boat launching area and got into a big canoe like banana boat...filled with cassava dough, I'm surprised it didn't sink. It took about 45 minutes to get to the market and as we arrived all i could see was piles upon piles of fire wood waiting to be sold. We went to my mothers stall and waiting for the dough to follow.

I spent the day either filling bags of dough or helping a women who sells corn. Basically we lay the cord in a strainer and pick out all the bad pieces. She tried to pay me for my work that day, but I refused and told her she did pay me, she taught me. My mother and her cousin also made me get my hair washed and put in curlers. it was just neat to get my hair done in a market. We left the market at about 4:30 and started the journey back, while we were on the water it became dark and lights began to go on in places with electricity. It was neat to see the contrast between those villages without electricity and the city of Big Ada that just reminded me of Ottawa at night. We took the tro tro home and arrived at about7:00. It was a very fulfilling day and I learned a lot. I hope to go again next Wednesday.

I have done so much more that I am excited about that I will right about when I have more time. We leave our villages in just over a week and then began our travel time when I hope to learn more about the history of Ghana and see the beauty.