Update during the rainstorm

Some wonderful things are happening in my life:

• I just got stuck in the most amazing rainstorm. It started with purple clouds rolling in and wind tossing leaves up and down gutters. All of a sudden, drops of rain splattered to the earth, jumping up to bite my legs. It reminded me of the second day I was in Ghana, when I got caught in the rain and was soaking wet. A man called across the road (in a Ghanaian accent, which I did not yet fully understand): “Africa has blessed you!” I am updating my blog while I wait out the storm.
  

• When my parents come, we are going to stay at the Green Turtle Lodge, an Eco-Tourism project about 3-4 hours away from Accra. 17 days until they come!

• I am helping to facilitate a workshop concerning gender-based and sexual violence among Liberian women living at the Buduburam Refugee Camp. THis will be a two-day affair with thirty women. I am working with Center for Youth Empowerment, a grassroots NGO that is run entirely by Liberians. They are doing some neat things in their community. The workshop will take place in two weeks. I need to do some serious research about the specific ways that GBV comes up in that particular community. I'm used to thinking about it from an American perspective, but the norms will be completely different, and ways of addressing topics will be challenging. I think that I will learn a LOT from the women.

• I'm going to a bead-making village this weekend! Jemima, the receptionist at the Center for African Studies, is going to bring me, Sarah, and Pearl.

• My dresses are ready! I have two "traditional" African dresses (long skirts and fancy shirts) and one wrap-dress made from batik fabric. I am extremely happy with the results.
  

• I dressed up as a snail for halloween yesterday. I made the shell from my laundry bag- I sewed it into a shell shape, stuffed it with my pillow, and then sewed circles on the sides. I was pretty proud of it. I'll never get too old to dress up.

Some sad things are happening in my life:

• Lydia Brown, one of the girls who came on this trip from Calvin, has been sick for 5 weeks with a debilitating stomach cramping and nausea. The doctors have no idea what it is, and condescend to her (the nursing major) as though she doesn't know her body. She hasn't been able to go to classes or travel, and she's pretty miserable, so she is going home early next week. I am going to miss her so much. Hopefully she will get well soon.

• I think that's pretty much the only thing.