That Girl!

Jancy's having a great time in Ghana, we're learning in bits and pieces. When she headed over, she told us that she'd like us to "let her be" for awhile, so we're obliging. She's bought a cell phone, which has proven to be a very affordable way for her to keep in touch. Most of her minutes have gone to Tim and he's enjoyed those calls. Between occasional calls home, our Google News Alerts and a great documentary we've developed a pretty good picture of her life in Berekum - near the border with Ivory Coast www.touringghana.com/facts.asp

Ghana is a beautiful place, it's hot, filled with friendly people and it's a third world country. Jancy's family is very friendly and they are fairly well off, with the only TV in the village. Her "mother" is a school teacher and her "father" is a construction technician; she now has four brothers (including Timothy) and sisters. Jancy wears a uniform to school, which she loves and her Berkshires education has prepared her well - she is not required to take math and science because she has already covered the material. She is enjoying economics, history and local cultural studies including drumming and dance lessons. With the time saved by reducing her schedule, she has been volunteering at both the local hospital and at the newly opened orphanage (she attended to grand opening of the new facility).

Living conditions are quite different than here, as you might guess. The power grid is quite unreliable, with frequent outages. In fact, there was a little bit of national embarrassment when the lights went out at a big soccer match that was being held in a new stadium (I learned that through Google News Alerts - I doubt that Jancy or her host family were embarrassed). There is no indoor plumbing and a shower involves a bucket. Food is bought daily and drinking water is purchased as well. Jancy has a bicycle which she uses to get around when going farther than walking distance. She has been putting up with reactions to mosquitoes and high temperatures. It takes time to learn who her "real" friends are, because of the assumption that all Americans are rich - many ask to be taken home with her.

There are other western students living near her - young women from Alaska, Michigan, Denmark and Australia. AFS has organized trips to Accra, the capital, for the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament and the Mole National Park where elephants are a major sight. As I write this post, Jancy is travelling around the country on her own, with a few of these friends. Again, we get just a little info but she is covering it all. They are using the public transportation of buses (called "tro-tros") & staying in affordable, safe hotels. Apparently lots of pictures have been taken, and we are looking forward to seeing them when she returns in late June.

The documentary I mentioned above is called Emmanuel's Gift, recommended to us by Henry Hagenah - http://www.emmanuelsgift.com/ . Sven carries it at West Stockbridge Video. A tremendous story that connects with both of our children, and we'd enjoy hearing your comments.