SOON.

Hi! We talked since this right? I will see you at the airport, after
my debacle buying our tickets, I'm getting good at it.

I'm glad I don't have worms, but the ones in my drain are
de-sgust-ing. I have no tolerance for them and yet no ability to get
rid of them for I fear I might die/barf if I try.

I hope the books come for her. St. Cloud, man, there's not much there.
I shall go mad I think if attending school there.

I would like 6 dispensers and just enough candy for each dispenser.

Tell Dad I am. :) Though, you know what, sometimes here I wake up
crabby. That doesn't usually happen in the U.S. (well, post-coffee is
better than pre-coffee of course, that part goes without saying) and I
don't know what to make of it. I can't shake it either for a long time
when I wake up crabby and I can't discern any legitimate cause.
Thoughts?

Also, yes, you must love me. Good thing I love you too, otherwise it'd
be terribly awkward. How were the shots? Are you feeling healthy? Has
your visa arrived?

Just a little over a week, can you believe it? Crazy soon!

Before I forget, Godwin just asked if you could bring some colored
paper, one packet of regular printer sized paper and one that is sized
something called, “A3” and apparently, dimension-wise is the length of
legal sized paper and the width of 2x printer paper. Check Office Max?

Gracias!

Guess what? The water finally returned! I cleaned my toilet and life
is pretty good. Not much has been happening. I went to Accra on Monday
to buy our flight up North and it caused me nearly 100 headaches, but,
thank goodness, I was able to buy it. Whenever things are strange or
non-functioning here it seems that someone will smile and remark,
“That’s Africa!” and typically I just think, “Well, that’s very nice,”
but in Accra I wanted to say “That’s Africa!” and then pummel a
punching bag. :)

It takes a lot of patience, you know? I mean, not just planning your
time here, but life generally. I think, on the spectrum of patience,
I’m on the more-patient side (by no means the most patient, but
definitely not the least), but it sure takes a lot out of me. In Accra
to show the patience for the ATMs, the flight company, the general
lack of understanding. In class everyday for the kids. It’s so easy to
be patient when it’s 1:1 or 1:2, but when it’s 1:47 and you’ve got 3
punky kids who are just annoying the spit out of me, it’s hard. Some
days, I just want to toss them all out of the room and have myself a
good scream (most days, however, I just want to collapse into a group
hug). It’s something that I constantly have to think about and
practice and really put in painful effort. It’s all good for me
though, I know.

Oh, another thing, to give you a heads up so that you are not
disappointed to see it. There is a lot of garbage on the ground.
There’s no system for waste except for sweeping it away and then
burning it, so please be prepared for it.

I’ve led my second teacher training workshop. This one on sensory
integration. I think it went well, and hope the information will be
utilized. Next week I’ll be teaching them ice breakers and games. Any
suggestions? I’ve got about 12 students. What a cool opportunity it
is!

Grade 4 drove me half mad this week (see the previous note about
patience, sigh) and, as of next week, will be working on making their
own books which could be cool if I don’t disown them all in the
meantime (I love them, I promise, but, gosh they’re hard). Grade 5 is
doing poetry. I am having them write a Shakespearean sonnet for
homework this weekend. How adorable is that? Well, modified to lack
the iambic pentameter (they’ve just learned what a rhyme is this
week), but still. It’s adorable. The ones I’ve seen so far are sweet.

I just learned my Friday classes will be cancelled again because
they’re sending the kids to farm. It’s a bother, you know, Godwin
wants really high results from the kids and is trying to implement
strategies to elicit improved marks, but, at the same time, the
farming he asks for reduces the time allowance for the students to
learn and reduces their chances of actually being able to improve
their marks. He doesn’t really seem to see any issue with the high
expectations of academics and farming, but when you take away a whole
day every week, it’s a huge deal. Blarg. I’m glad we don’t do that in
the U.S.

This Saturday I’m taking Precious and Josephine to the Accra Mall for
an outing. They’re always pampering me so much and buying me things
and cooking for me so I want to give them something and, a trip to the
mall is as close as a trip to America as I can afford. I told them I’d
buy them pizza too. They have no idea what pizza is, but are both
excited nonetheless. Also, on Tuesday Dima and I will field trip to
the beach after I finish class. I’m desperately excited.
Also, I’ve booked us a swanky hotel for the night you arrive. I hope
it’s as nice as it sounds.

There are other things I’d like to write, but they’d all sound so
terribly disconnected if I included them in this email so I’ll wait
for another day. Can you bring my small Elements of Style book, Strunk
and White, which is grey and in my bedroom on the shelf?

Love you!

Oh, the hotel is Afyia's Village. :)