Monday

So today is Monday. This is my first full day here. Nothing too exciting has happened yet. Woke up early, around 6:45. Had breakfast, and waited around with they group of us that arrived yesterday to be picked up to go to orientation. Well, since everyone here runs on GMT (Ghana Man Time), we didn't get picked up til somewhere between 11 and 11:30. (GMT simply means if someone tells you they will be somewhere at a specific time, you can almost always expect to see them at least 2 hrs later..haha) So while we waited, the 6 of us (Gina, Valerie, Kaitlyn, Jerson, Ryan, and me) went for a nice walk around town. We had to cross a busy intersection, and let me tell you, there are like no driving rules here. It is insane...kind of like in Ecuador. CRAZY! I felt like I was going to be hit by a car. In fact, someone (I think Kaitlyn), told us that traffic accidents are like a major cause of death here! So we just kinda walked around a while. Took tons of good pictures. I got a cute one with Valerie and this little girl on the street carrying stuff on her head. I can't believe they can actually do that! I'm WAY too clumsy to EVER attempt doing that! HAHA! Then when we were almost back to the Telecentre, we ran into 4 school girls on the street and we took pictures with them. (I'm going to try and upload it on here, but the internet connection is pretty slow, especially when trying to upload pics!) The girls names were Sofia, Unity, Barbara, and Stella. They were so nice!

We then got back to the Telecentre and headed off to the Telecentre Eye Screening Clinic (different place, same name) where our orientation was held. It went well, pretty much a lot of things we've heard at some point before. Kartee conducted our orientation. He's from Liberia, and he seems really awesome. (He is an ophthalmic nurse working for UFS.)

After the orientation, we came back to the hotel and the 6 other volunteers that arrived yesterday or today packed up to go on an overnight outreach at Adansi South. They will return Friday. I wasn't on the schedule to go with them b/c I am staying longer than all of them, so I will apparently have an opportunity to go on another overnight outreach to a place called Kumasi. So after I said goodbye to all of my new friends, I hung out in my room a bit, then I hung out with Melissa (who just actually left to go to the airport to go home). We sat and talked with Dorkas (yes, that's REALLY her name). She works here at the Telecentre, and is so funny. Melissa was teaching her things in Spanish, and she taught us how to say some things in Twi (one of the languages here). Madasi (spelling?) is thank you in Twi.

Then Melissa and I went off for an early dinner. We walked to the Town and Country (T&C) Restaurant. I had fried chicken and fried rice, pretty tasty. Then we just walked back to the Telecentre. Overall a pretty low-key day for me, but tomorrow I am going to the Crystal Eye Clinic to observe surgeries. I'm pretty excited to finally get to do something!! YAY!!!

Will update more later, when there is more to tell!!!!

xoxo, Haley