Easter

On this Easter Sunday in Ghana, I can’t stop thinking about my grandmother, about my family, about the past, and all of the memories from egg hunting at Aunt Patricia’s house to going to Church with Grandma Barry, that have created me. I know that this holiday will not be the same for my family, the first Easter without my grandmother in the kitchen trying to do everything. I know that is sad and yet it is a time we are supposed to be happy. This is the beginning of my understanding that there is a reason why I was welcomed into Grandma’s Gritty house, why she took me in as a daughter, why I am here – to remember. To remember that when there is sadness there is also happiness; while things stay the same, things also change; why we question is also why we believe; and where we are going is where we have come from.

I haven’t written much in the past week about what I’ve been doing because the days past by so fast. Every week there’s American Store Monday (this is when Nikki and I go to this small store that sells American goods), Pizza Tuesday (when Amy, Nikki, and I go to a pizza place to buy one, get one free pizza), Internet Thursday (when Nikki and I go to the A and C mall and use the internet), and Happy Hour Friday (buy one, get one free drinks at Luscious with Melissa, Nikki, and Amy).

This past weekend Nikki, Amy, and I traveled to Kokrobite (only about two hours away and still in the Greater Accra region) and spent Friday night there. We went to the beach on Friday and Saturday where I got a chance to relax and just read. There’s only so much relaxing you get to do though when people are constantly coming up to you and wanting to be your friend or wanting you to buy something from them. However, it was a good short trip and just what I needed before the rest of this time flies by.

The weekend before we (most of the CIEE students) participated in a Community Service project at the Hope Community Chapel Orphanage. We spent Saturday painting and playing with the children. Also, Nikki and I taught at the nursery that Friday and using the egg dying kit that was sent to me in the package we dyed eggs with the children. It was definitely something out of the ordinary.

Lots to do in the next coming weeks. Lots to start. Lots to finish. Lots to think about. Not watching the time, no watch today.