Adjustments

Most of what I've written about has been things I've been doing this week but I wanted to take time to also share the adjustments that one has to make in a developing country.

1. The electricity can go out at any time. Power outages occur frequently and the duration is not known. Just before writing this we experienced a power outage but fortunately it only lasted about fifteen minutes.

2. The water is not always running. This means that when the water is running, tanks in the back of our house fill up with water to provide us with running water for showers and washing hands, etc. Generally the water will run on Friday or Saturday and this is when people do laundry.

3. All laundry is done by hand. Tomorrow will be my first time doing wash and my grandmother will help me learn how to do it.

4. "It is finished." This is what people say when they have run out of a product.

5. We drink water out of small bags. They cost 10 pesawes (about 7 cents).

6. You must greet someone if you want to be recognized. You don't just go up to someone and ask a question without greeting them.

7. You can eat with your hands. I have mostly eaten with a fork and knife but sometimes its hard to eat fish like that because it has so many bones so it's easier to use your hands.

8. There are only cold showers. This isn't really a problem since it's so hot during the day.

9. There are no maps. There are no street names. This makes getting around for us Americans kind of difficult.

10. Every cell phone is pay as you go. Also purchasing internet only lasts for one month and then you have to go back and get more time.

This is just a start, a preview of what life is like here in Ghana for me.