August 7 2009: Slowly but surely

Slowly but surely I am becoming more and more like a Ghanaian. I find myself clasping my hands when I talk to make a point, I am more direct when it comes to things that I would like, and I am really beginning to understand what it means to live and exist in this economy. My initial "wow" has now turned into a quest to find a deeper meaning, a more profound idea and a better understanding to compound some of the experiences that I have been having. It is no coincidence that I am here in Ghana at this moment. It is beyond a serendipitous occurrence that I am meeting the people that I am meeting. This experience has been like a coming of age theme in a book. I am the main character Kwaku, and I have come home. When at first I am wowed by the new way of life I see, I have begun to understand more of why I am here.

A friend asked me not too long ago why Ghana. When I was at Cornell I used to attend the Ghanaian student banquet each year. Many could not understand my connection. I have not traced my family lineage back to Ghana, I don't have any family members that are, I am not married to one or anything. There is this profound attraction that I have to Ghana. It has always been an interesting curiosity. Nothing I dwell over, but it certainly is stark enough for people to see it. I suppose in someway I showed favoritism to Ghana. I grapple with that question all of the time and have still yet to find a clear answer. I chalk it up to the idea that God does things for a reason. Sometimes we don't quite understand what he is doing. This is where that F word comes in. No..not the bad one but the one that kept Job alive and ultimately made him rich, and the thing that has kept me going strong each and every day..its called Faith. Perhaps by the time I finish my time in Ghana I will have a better understanding of why Ghana..until then, lets ride the faith wave until something comes my way.

I plan to stay in and relax this weekend. I don't plan to do much. I bought some books written by African authors and so I plan to get through them this weekend. I have also been invited to a friends house to have lunch on Saturday. Kwabena Bucknor's (Cornell '07) mother actually works in the embassy. She has invited me over to their house for dinner.

Other than that, things have been pretty simple around Ghana. After this weekend I have one more weekend left. I will end with a bang.

See yall on Monday.