Hippobottomus

So this a story about a boy or really a man that saw a hippo walk by his house one day and so like any curious person would do he followed. Now this individual started to gather a following of children who could have been following him more than the hippo but we will never really know. So the hippo leaves the main road and heads into some tall grass, so naturally everyone follows each other down a small path. With no hippo in sight the hero of our story starts to look around behind him and to the sides. While he is doing this the hippo reappears in the path, the children scatter and now our man finds himself alone with a hippo bearing down on him. I want to add this side note that it was only a year ago that people stopped hunting hippo's for their meat, so for the hippo this was purely self defense. So our hero after overcoming the shock of hippo starts to run but without getting far he trips and falls to the ground. He gets up with the hippo still coming at him, being that this is a very scary thing his fright took over flight. Yes I do mean fright and not fight. This resulting in another fall to the ground that ended with his rear end getting bit. Now the lesson of this story is the hippo is a very dangerous animal and just because it likes the water does not mean that it is not also just as dangerous on the land. The individual in this story gave me permission to write about it and he is ok after getting some stitches leaving a scar that will always have a good story.
So I went to the hippo sanctuary recently which involves riding in a dugout canoe on the black volta and looking at the hippos in the water. I saw six just swimming around but none really emerging to show themselves to me but it was fun. It may not be as good of a story but I didn't have to get stitches in my butt either.

hello

mullet

America?

So I have had a few lingering thoughts about life and that kind of stuff, I mean I can't help but to think about such things and when you are in another culture it becomes a new window to look at your own culture so to speak. I am constantly made aware of how our American culture radiates around the world or at least to Ghana and other countries like it where the youth are watching movies from the states or even the latest season of Heroes. The thing that troubles me is the same as when I was back home to see a whole culture portrayed in a way that so completely and inaccurately describes what a true American is like. However when Americans go about mocking and acting the way that people do in the movies and music videos then I could be wrong. I know that this is not our culture however and yet it is being passed off to others as being what America is. It is just as troubling to elder in a village who sees a youth wearing his pants down at his knees and sporting chains around his neck, both which cost a substantial amount of money and yet the boy has no job and complains that he is going to move to the city where things are better. Well that was a little rant now wasn't it? The point that I think I was trying to make is that the world sees America through a different set lenses and we wonder how can anyone not like us. Well I know that if everyone was given the chance to actually meet us then yes they would change their minds but as long as Hollywood and the music industry are advertising for us people will continue to think that all Americans are rich, greedy, Godless, and selfish not to say that these people don't exist because they do all over the world. I just like to think that of most of the people I know this hardly does justice in describing an actual American. So now that, that is off my chest I would like to say that I am well and healthy. I am excited about the projects that I will be doing with my community, from building latrines to digging fish ponds. Even the smaller ones like painting a world map at the school to having a HIV AIDS awareness soccer matches. So life is good just as you may have noticed plenty of time to be critical yet anyone who knows me would say that I have always had time for that. So I hope everyone is fine and that life is also good.
Peace, Love, and all that Good stuff,

Austin McCain

Thanksgiving

You know it is funny to celebrate a holiday that is unique only to the US in another country. I remember the first time this happened to me was while I was in London such that right after Halloween the Christmas decorations started coming out. Makes you think about people who think that right after Thanksgiving is to soon for Christmas stuff, but the point I was getting at is that I remember asking myself what about Thanksgiving. Of course I realized that the holiday is an American creation and so that only we would celebrate it just as other countries celebrate their own Independence. But Thanksgiving here in Ghana at the US ambassadors house was great just like I had never left the states eating a turkey leg and pecan pie(no whip cream)mashed potatoes, and stuffing. The weird thing is that while yes all these things made me miss home and feel nostalgic I also realized what things I am giving up for these two years. This did not depress me but rather remind me of what I came here to do and that is the important thing because the world goes on life goes on and I know when I get back Thanksgiving will be there for me. So the real funny thing is that later that night I go and play trivia and drink a margarita as if it was cinco de mayo so really no matter the holiday what truly matters is the people you are with and despite not being with family I was surrounded by friends and really who could ask for a better Thanksgiving than that? So I hope that everyone had a great turkey day I know that the one turkey who got Obama's pardon did.

my local name

So while I have been in Ghana I have pick up some names so as of know I may be known as Austin Auzansoma Kofi Wesley McCain. So you may ask what are the meanings of these names and so here it is "Auzansoma" means all is well, all is good, with God all is good, or all is well with God. Basically all is good but with the many different variations. Kofi is simply Friday meaning that I was born on a Friday which actually I was born on Thursday but because of the time difference when I was born in Ghana it was Friday, plus I didn't like the name for Thursday. So life is good I remain in good health and have been playing soccer almost everyday since receiving a ball in the mail thanks dad. I am excited about the projects that I will start and as always my community is great they make it feel like home. I miss all of you and hope that things are well back home and sorry for no pictures this time.

Peace,

Austin

xylophones

So these xylophones are part of the funeral process one is a male and the other is a female and the songs they play all have different meanings so you have to be a talented player to play. A note on the funerals is that they last a total of three days the first normally being Friday going on all night to Saturday where also people stay up all night until Sunday when the body is buried. The activities include viewing the body crying a lot but also dancing and drinking plus eating the whole town gets involved and so it really is quite a site I haven't stayed up all three nights but normally visit during one of the days. It also depends on the person who has died if it a older person then people accept that they lived a good life I mean they are sad but not as sad as when it is a young person it is then that everyone really gets emotional because this person should still be alive. So this is the lowdown on Ghanaian funerals and depending where you are in the country you will have differences in the practice.

back yard

The view of my back yard.

update

So first of all I am well staying healthy and actually gaining weight which is strange because I have been trying to do that the past ten years so maybe it is all just catching up to me. I finally got my bike so that I can move about more easily which is really exciting because my town is really spread out and I was getting tried of people saying that I never visit them. I am also excited about all the projects that people want to do some of which are feasible and others a little less realistic for me but all the same it is nice to have an eager community that wants my help as much as I want to help. I know don’t know what else I can really say because I haven’t really gone anywhere exciting because of the lack of bike so now that will change. But until then I will just say that I am well and miss all of you back home but am constantly reassured of the positive work that I will be doing here. Until the next time Peace Love and all that Good Stuff.

Austin

just letting you know

So things are well sorry I haven't post anything in a while. People have been asking what I might like to be sent and really anything you want whether it is a hardshell candy or some game found at the dollar store all gifts are welcome. Also I have been asked about the climate and wildlife well there are only two seasons the rainy and dry right now it is in the end of the rainy and coming to the dry so it will be getting hotter so any little fanspraybottle type things would be nice. As far as the wildlife most of the animals that you might think about like monkeys hippos loins elephants and so on are in wildlife reserves. I will take pictures as I experience this things. So I am doing ok and it is always nice to hear from all of you by any means. Well sorry no pics this time I am trying to get some good ones but I have mainly just been in the village and nothing has stuck out as pic worthy. Well later hope all is well back home.

Austin

All quite on the home front

So things are going ok I have been integrating into the community meeting with various groups and having fun cooking for myself. Don't have much to report other than I am fine and healthy enjoying this cool weather from the rainy season. I will try to go to the hippo sanctuary so I can get some more good photos up for all to view. So until next time peace love and all that good stuff :)

Austin

Off to site I go

So I am now a volunteer and will be at my site for three months getting settled in figuring out what projects my town wants to do. I am excited about cooking for myself for once and having some freedoms to do home improvement projects. I am well and healthy so far I have not really had any thing bad like worms or such things. It is kind of sad that now all of us who have been together for the past three months are going our separate ways. It will be all the more worth it when we get together over the next two years. So I hope everyone is well and I look forward to any letters and postcards that come my way.

Peace

Swearing in

Me and my host family

The Environment Sector

My language group

My house and some cool rock

Almost there

So I feel like it has been a while since my last update and a lot of stuff has happened. Well first of all I am fine, safe and healthy. So I just back from site visit where I was able to see my site and visit with my community. My site is nice it is a compound that I share with a pastor and his family. There is still some painting and other things that need to be finished but it is a nice pace to call home for the next two years. The pastor is nice he was really glad to meet me and wants me to come to church with him which is good. My community is very warming and glad to have me their. I am excited about the projects that I will be able to do with them and working with the school to possibly teach some social studies. So training is coming to a close and this week I will take my test proving that I had learned something during these three months. Then next week I will swear in and become a real peace corps volunteer. I can't wait it is so exciting to finally get working instead of just talking about doing stuff. I got some newspaper articles from home about Sanford wow how crazy is that I mean it sucks to him but I am sure you all know the details so no need to talk about that. I wish all well and just know that I am making a difference in Ghana in more ways than one by constantly talking to Ghanaians about America and helping them to understand that the US is not what Hollywood makes it out to be now only if all Americans could understand this fact. So I hope that all is well and everybody has a job. I will try to get more pictures up but sometimes it just doesn't work so well but I should be able to get them up soon.

more pics

Obama

So much to my surprise we were all bused down to see Obama as he left Ghana. I am glad to have had the opportunity to have two United States Presidents speak before me. The first George W. Bush when I graduated from Furman and now Barak Obama while I am serving in Ghana. John Atta Mills spoke first and then Obama followed acknowledging Peace Corps three times the first time we made so much noise that he had to pause for us and apparently I was on TV so I have heard. I did not get close enough to shake his hand but I was pretty close only five people from the front. I just love the fact that I had this fortune and shall remember it for the rest of my life. It was also a great way to mark the halfway of training giving a nice break from classes. The ride was long but well worth it I got some good pictures and meet some of my neighboring volunteers that I will have at site. I only can assure myself that this event marks the first of many great things that will happen during the next two years. I hope that some of you watched on c-span and said hey there is Austin. Until the next time Peace Love and all of that Good Stuff

Austin

pics

havin fun

So the past week I was on field trip, we spent many hours riding into the north to see some other volunteer's sites. It as totally worth it because not only did we get to see sites and gain a better understanding of what we will e doing s environmental volunteers but we also saw some of the Eco-tourism sites along the way. First was the Crocodile sanctuary where legend tales of how a croc saved a hunters life thus returning the favor for the croc's. It is said that for every person i that community that a crocodile exist. Their lives are so revered that when one dies it is given a burial just like a person and people morn for the loss of life. The second site was the monkey sanctuary in Boaben Fiaman. Just like the crocs the lives of the monkeys are sacred each one getting a proper burial, there is the notion that if you harm a monkey then you will bring harm to yourself. We were sited cases of people who killed a monkey and their whole family died. The town even moved from it's original location in order to preserve the tree's for the monkeys. This trip was also a great bonding experience for all ten of us environment volunteers as we shared stories and a cramped van throughout the days of travel. On the last day we found out that we are going to be able to see President Obama off as he leaves Ghana on Saturday. So that is pretty sweet maybe I will be able to tell him to give us a raise since our re-adjustment allowance is really not enough. Please feel free to write or call your representatives and tell them the same I surely will be doing so while I am here. Well I hope to get all the pictures up and will take as many as I can with Obama. In the first picture is my host bro and our matching shirts the others are speak for themselves.

video2

videos

Field trip

So I am on my field trip to other environment sites and after a long day of riding through the country we are all settled in at the hub site. I am proud of my self for eating things that I would not eat otherwise like beans and plantains but when you are hungry things are delicious. I have managed to have shirts made so that even though I am white I am trying to be Ghanaian. My host family is awesome they help me with everything I could need and feed me very well. I will try to post some videos but only if I can get my laptop to access the Internet otherwise the formats don't seem to want to work out. Well I hope all is well back home and that everyone is enjoying life to the fullest.

Austin McCain

All is quite on the home front

So just giving an update I am ok and life is good I am just learning my language and eating well. Sucks that MJ died he shall always live on forever or at least while I play beat it on my Ipod. So don't hesitate to write a letter it would be nice to get some mail. For now that is really it life is good and hope all is the same for you.

6/21/09

So I am now in my home stay and learning my language I am learning Dagaare it is spoken in the upper west which is where I am going. My family is very nice they hosted a volunteer last year who is in the same region so that is nice. It is hard to learn one language while everyone here is trying speak to me in twi. I just have to tell them that I am learning dagaare and they are fine with me speaking English. Today I started picking up trash in up area of town and before I knew it all the children had filled my bag so we filled more and more until I couldn't hold any more. Then showed them the place to put the trash so I don't know if this will catch on but it is worth a try. I am fine eating well I don't know how I am supposed to loose weight when I am being fed so much food. I hope all is well back home and everyone is fine.

6/17/09

So tomorrow I will join my host family for the remaining of training. So far everything has been great a few people have dropped out for their own reasons but everyone is great. Things seem a lot like summer camp so far with all of us being in a large group splitting up into our sections from time to time. I have been eating well they have been feeding us American food with the option to eat Ghanaian food so figured that I would just eat up while it lasted and eat Ghanaian food when that is all there is to eat so I haven't eaten with my hands yet but I am looking forward to it soon. I hope that no one is worrying about me back home because I really am having the time of my life. I need to take more pictures but besides that I have been enjoying the hospitality of the Ghanaian people everyone is really nice.
So until next time Peace, Love and all that good stuff
Austin

Updates

6/3/09

1. So I made it through pre-registration in Philly and now am riding on a bus to JFK to depart for Ghana on an 11 hour flight. All 66 other volunteers are really nice I think we will all get along I already know that I will make lasting relationships. I got my yellow fever shot and my first malaria pill so i am looking forward to those vivid dreams.

6/4/09

So I made it to Ghana today and at 7:30 it was 80 degrees and very humid. Everyone made it through customs unscathed and we drove to Peace Corps headquarters in Accra. We had all of our introductions with the staff and meet more people that I have to remember there names. We checked into our rooms while we stay in Accra which are pleasant and better then we will get during service apparently. Not much else to say right now just a little tired from the flight so I a going to try and nap.

6/5/09

So it is Friday and I got some more shots which was nice. Thus far everyone is really excited and glad to be here we walked around Accra a little but really just enough to know how to get back to Peace Corps headquarters. Don't really have much to say besides that I am loving it here people are nice and we are being fed well. I will see how long this daily writing will last, but I suspect that I will be switching to a weekly update.

6/6/09

So today we split up into groups of five and set out to Accra having to travel on our own. We rode on trotro's which are basically vans that pick people up and drop off others continuously. This was a fun experience because we where able to build our confidence and figure out how to move around the city. We walked around the market and you can really buy anything that you would ever need if you had too, this is reassuring because I will need to buy things at some point. The market was like others that I have been in such that being white means you have money but once we explained that we were Peace Corps no one really bothered us. All in all the day was fun and everybody had great stories to tell. Well this is probably going to be the last time I continue the day by day report. I just want everyone to know that I am eating well and being taken care of with the utmost care.

If you want to write a letter

So to any of you that want to write letters you can send it to me at this address but please follow the guidelines posted.

Austin McCain, PCV
Peace Corps
P.O. Box 5796
Accra-North, Ghana
West Africa


Dear Prospective Volunteer: Please give this letter to your family/friends and ask them to hold on to it for as long as you are in Ghana.

Dear Families,

Greetings from the Ghana Desk in Washington, D.C. It is with great pleasure that we welcome your family member to the 2009 Ghana training program. During the past year we have received many requests from Volunteers and family members alike regarding travel plans, sending money, relaying messages and mail, etc. As we are unable to involve ourselves in the personal arrangements of Volunteers, we would like to offer you advice and assistance in advance by providing specific examples of situations and how we suggest they be handled.

1. Irregular Communication. (Please see #3 for the mailing address to Peace Corps' office in Accra the capital of Ghana). The mail service in Ghana is not as efficient as the U.S. Postal Service. Thus, it is important to be patient. It can take from three to four weeks for mail coming from Ghana to arrive in the United States via the Ghanaian mail system. From a Volunteer's post, mail might take up to one to two months to reach the United States depending upon how far the Volunteer is from the capital city, Accra. Sometimes mail is hand carried to the States by a traveler and mailed through the U.S. postal system. This leg of the trip can take another several weeks as it is also dependent on the frequency of travelers to the U.S.

We suggest that in your first letters, you ask your Volunteer family member to give an estimate of how long it takes for him or her to receive your letters and then try to establish a predictable pattern of how often you will write to each other. Also try numbering your letters so that the Volunteer knows if he or she missed one. Postcards should be sent in envelopes--otherwise they may be found on the wall of the local post office.

Volunteers often enjoy telling their "war" stories when they write home. Letters might describe recent illnesses, lack of good food, isolation, etc. While the subject matter is often good reading material, it is often misinterpreted on the home front. Please do not assume that if your family member got sick that he or she has been unattended. The city of Accra has medical and dental facilities, and there is a Peace Corps Doctor and nurse there as well. Most Volunteers can reach Accra in less than one day's time. Many Volunteers also have access to a telephone (most have cell phones!) so that they can call our Medical Office. In the event of a serious illness the Volunteer is sent to Accra and is cared for by our Medical Unit. If the Volunteer requires medical care that is not available in Ghana, he/she will be medically evacuated to South Africa or the United States. Fortunately, such circumstances are very rare.

If for some reason your communication pattern is broken and you do not hear from your family member for at least one month, you should contact the Office of Special Services (OSS) at Peace Corps in Washington at 1-800-424-8580, extension 1470. The OSS will then call the Peace Corps Director in Ghana, and ask him to check up on the Volunteer. Also, in the case of an emergency at home (death in the family, sudden illness, etc.), please do not hesitate to call OSS immediately, so that the Volunteer can be informed in person by a member of Peace Corps/Ghana staff.

2. Telephone Calls. The telephone system in Ghana has reliable service to the United States. While few Volunteers have access to a telephone (land line) at their sites, more and more Volunteers are choosing to buy cell phones. Some sites have clear cell phone reception and others do not. In any case, most Volunteers have access to a phone (land line or cell) when they travel to a larger town within a few hours from their sites.

When dialing direct to Ghana from the U.S., dial 011 (the international access code) + 233 (the country code) + the number. Volunteers generally set up phone calls with people in the U.S. in advance, and have the distant party call them, which is much less expensive than calling the U.S. from Ghana. You may also choose to call your volunteer on their cellphone, if they decide to buy one in Ghana.

The Ghana Desk in Washington, D.C. usually calls the Peace Corps office in Accra at least once a week. However, these calls are reserved for business only and we cannot relay personal messages over the phone. If you have an urgent message regarding travel plans, etc., you can call the Desk, and the message will be relayed.

3. Sending Packages. Parents and Volunteers like to send and receive care packages through the mail. Every package mailed to the PC Accra P.O. box is opened by Ghana postal staff in the presence of a Peace Corps staff member to verify that the contents match what is listed on the (small green) declaration form. For example, it is therefore not appropriate to write "Religious material inside" if there are no religious materials inside.

You may want to send inexpensive items through the mail, but there is no guarantee that these items will arrive. We do not recommend, however, that costly items be sent through the mail. Even though most Volunteers eventually get local post office boxes, you may always use the following address to send letters and/or packages to your family member:

Austin McCain, PCV
Peace Corps
P.O. Box 5796
Accra-North, Ghana
West Africa

It is recommended that packages be sent in padded envelopes if possible, as boxes tend to be taxed more frequently. Packages can be sent via surface mail (2-3 weeks arrival time) or by ship (4-6 months). The difference in cost can be a factor in deciding which method to utilize. For lightweight but important items (e.g. airline tickets), DHL (an express mail service) does operate in Accra, but costs are very expensive. If you choose to send items through DHL, you must address the package to the Country Director, c/o Peace Corps, 26 West Cantonments, Switchback Lane, Accra, Ghana, West Africa. The telephone number for the Peace Corps office in Ghana is (233) 21-775-984, should DHL need this information. If you send the item to the Country Director, no liability can be assumed. For more information about DHL, please call their toll free number, 1-800-CALL-DHL, or visit their web site at www.dhl.com.

Sending airplane tickets and/or cash is not recommended. Certain airlines will allow you to buy a prepaid ticket in the States; they will telex their Accra office to have the ticket ready. Unfortunately, this system is not always reliable. Many airlines (eg., KLM, Air France, Sabena, Ghana Airways) fly into Accra, but each has its own policy on pre-paid tickets. Please call the airline of your choice for more information. You could also send tickets via DHL as mentioned previously. However, Peace Corps will assume no liability in the event of a lost/stolen airline ticket.

Trying to send cash or airline tickets is very risky and is discouraged. Volunteers are meant to live modestly and not accept any additional financial resources to support their service. If your Volunteer family member requests money from you, it is his/her responsibility to arrange receipt of it. Volunteers will also be aware of people visiting the States and can request that they call his/her family when they arrive in the States should airline tickets need to be sent back to Ghana.

We understand how frustrating it is to communicate with your family member overseas and we appreciate your using this information as a guideline. Please feel free to contact us at the Ghana Desk in Washington, DC, if you have further questions. Our phone number is (800) 424-8580, ext. 2326/2325, or locally at (202) 692-2326/2325.

Sincerely,




Jennifer Brown, Country Desk Officer
Evan Baker, Country Desk Assistant

some picks

just because

Well I don't really have anything to talk about but figured whats the point of a blog if I don't write something. I am at the point of sorting through my life here before I leave which is kind of strange because you don't really eve think about all the stuff that you acquire until you start to go through it. Anyways I am getting very excited and just checking off my list to make sure I have everything together. On a not so related note it is hard to see everyone graduate this year because even though I have seen people for the past four years I feel like I don't have enough time left to really see everyone. But what can you really do I mean I set to set my priorities somewhere and right now family is at the top and everything else comes next. Well that is enough random thoughts so I will try not to do this to much before I leave and more so when I get to Ghana.

Peace

kinks

Ok so I think I have worked out the kinks

Well with one month to go I am getting very excited. I have been testing all my soar toys to make sure they work and getting all the loose ends tied up. I just want to say that I am going to miss everyone that is currently in my life but I want to remind my friends to not make it to hard to find them when I return. I know that in the day and age we live in that it is a hard thing to not be connected but it can also be easy to drift into seclusion if one wants to. So I will promise to make the effort to keep in touch if you do too.

almost there

So as I near the departure date I have been trying to get everything lined up I now have my solar panels so that I might have electricity to continue this blog while in Ghana, I have a mosquito net and plan on using it. I am going to do a test pack and see if everything will fit so that I can meet the size and weight limits. All in all I feel pretty prepared even though there is still much to do. I am awaiting further instructions as to what to do during the staging process. I should get that info soon so that I can make my travel arrangements. I am just so excited I can't believe that this is really happening, I mean I have had dreams before and they have come true but this just seems surreal that I am about to live out of my realm and into a different culture. Anyway just thought I would put some thoughts up here because well that is what a blog is for right.

My Mission

As I get ready to leave in June I can't help but to think about my mission in Ghana. By this I don't just mean the duties for Peace Corps but my personal mission why I am even doing this seemingly crazy thing to some and noble to others. It is not that I am not thinking about my eventual duties rather I am thinking excessively about these things and forgetting my mission and why I have chosen to go down the unbeaten path. Truthfully I have been searching for sometime about what to do with my life. By this I don't mean long term but in the here and now. This type of thought will drive you crazy unless you can surrender to a higher power for guidance. Now I am sure that some would say that I just took the initiative and applied and it all worked out but from my perspective it is different I prayed for answers and the response I got was do something that can make a difference. This is easier said than done however. I mean it is not an easy task to just put aside my whole life and everyone I know to go halfway around the world and plant trees. I know life won't stop while I am gone and I don't expect it to rather I want it to continue as if I were still part of it influencing peoples lives the way I try and do presently. I look past all of this and toward the greater good that will be accomplished through my works not only allowing for a greater understanding of our culture abroad but to bring back an understanding of the culture in Ghana. I think this is one of the most important things i can do because we need a greater understanding of cultures in the U.S. if we ever want to overcome the prevailing notion that nothing else matters to us but us. Well I have rambled on for long enough I hope some of this makes any sense.

Support

I am constantly amazed at the support that I receive everyday not just from friends and family but from complete strangers as soon as they hear I am going in the Peace Corps. It really shouldn't surprise me I guess it is just a warm feeling to know that people still care about helping others in a selfless way. I will miss having all the things that I enjoy on a daily basis but really they are all just tools that make life easy. I want to have to live life in the here and now without all the luxuries that currently cloud my perception of the world we live in. It is convenient but is that really all life has to offer? The fact is that it may seem hard the think about a life without our stuff but most people in this world have very little in comparison and they are still happy with what they have. It is not just an ignorance is bliss kind of happiness but rather the gratification of living right now and enjoying this moment not worrying about the past or fretting over the future but simply living.

getting ready

So this is my pre-departure thought slash just making sure I can add a post. I am getting excited for my adventure in Ghana. I am just trying to get everything ready as far as solar collecters and water purifiers. Twi the most common language in Ghana is not an easy language but it doesnt seem to hard. Well that is all for all.