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I am going to quickly sum up the village even though it was a huge part because SO much has happened since then.

During the time in the village we had to do mini independent study projects so I chose basket weaving and what an experience that was... full of ups and downs and confusing conversations. I worked with a student at the JHS who said he was 20 but in reality he was 16 I believe. We started the training by going out into the bush and cutting down branches from the palm trees to make the base for the basket - I used a machete and it was awesome and then carried the materials back on my head. This part consisted of a lot of bush going and knife using which was a lot of fun for me and I didn't even hurt myself! Basket making is much much more difficult than I had imagined but I stuck by it and learned how to make a basket on my own. It was an awesome feeling. I had learned so much from the process of the basket weaving and then in addition so much about Ghana and the culture of the village from working with the basket maker.

Most days in the village there was no electricity and there was never any running water but each and every minute - aside from when I went to the hospital- was filled with enjoying out lives. Walking, talking, relaxing, playing jungle boogie, celebrity, and dancing with the kids from the village. The nights were either filled with intense thunderstoms with pink lightning and bolts that lingered in the sky or the most amazing set of stars I have ever seen.

We went to the market one day and I was wandering by myself down the street and a woman stopped to talk to me, she was so excited by the fact that I spoke twi that she laughed and pulled me into her family's house and handed me the smallest baby I had seen in Ghana. We laughed and talked each using the little of the others language we knew all the while I had a 2 or 3 week old baby in my arms. Needless to say I was thrilled. I left there and sat for a long time helping an old woman sort onions to sell, she smiled and hugged me after I asked to take her picture.

I returned sooner than I thought to the market place because I few days later I had to go to the hospital ... wamp wamp. I had been feeling sick for awhile and explained my symptoms to the Dr. and was treated for malaria. Essentially, I was given a million pills (about 30 I had to take everyday), a shot in the butt, and an IV for a few hours and was ssent home. nothing too exciting or crazy. The funny part was that even though I was feeling sick I still was having the best time.

So much more happened but those were some key highlights!

Leaving the village and saying goodbye to the kids was really sad and a lot of them cried when we hugged them goodbye but hopefully we will be able to go back and visit during our last month!