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