Random thoughts and Customs

Here's just a few pictures that I thought I'd share with you. In the city, most people live in more of like cement shacks, but outside the city, it's just like these houses. They have mud walls and thatched roofs. This was taken on our way to Cape Coast.
I just thought that this tree was awesome, if you take away the power lines and the house with hanging laundry. These trees are all over the place.
We think that Craig broke his toe. Nothing heroic or anything, he just stubbed it on the furniture. But it sure did hurt, I tell you what. Even though he did this like 2 weeks ago, it's still swollen and double in size compared to his other toe.

I wanted to share some interesting things that I've learned. In every custom there is always certain customs that you follow. I of course am still trying to learn all of the customs here. Like for example, you shake hands with the right hand because the left hand is considered dirty (it's used for "wiping"). It's insulting and disrespectful to shake hands with the left hand, however they're a little lenient with obruni's because they're just outsiders. Also, I found it interesting that even though you can just visit a person without being invited, you have to ask permission to leave. I was told this and thought, "why"? If they want to go, then they can just go. It's not like I'm holding them prisoner. That same afternoon our bishop called and said that he wanted to come and see us and that he was on his way and wanted directions to our house. So he comes with his daughter and just shoots the breeze, nothing in particular to discuss and then after about 20 minutes, he just says, "please I would like to go." Not only do they ask permission, but it's like they're begging by asking please! I had to laugh. It's just a polite formality, but still worth laughing over to me.

I also learned how to properly wave to someone. Apparently when you wave my moving your finger up and down (instead of from right to left) you're telling someone to come here instead of goodbye. Why would anyone ever wave like that anyway? Well, i'll tell you! When you have a 2 year old son who waves like that and smiles at you, wanting you to wave back you just wave as he does. It's just a habbit for me, more when I'm waving at children. I waved to these little girls and they looked to their mom in confusion because i was waving the signal "come", but was saying "bye" at the same time. That was when they explained to me what it all meant. So instead of thinking that all these Ghanaians always come over to my kids because ehy think that they're cute they're coming because my kids are actually telling them to without speaking!

Oohhh! One thing that I'm learning is the proper way to handshake. (Yes, everything seems to be gearing around hands!) When you shake hands you first shake with the hands and then slide your fingers against each other until you get to the tips and then you snap using yours and their middle finger. It's like a secret hand shake that's not a secret because the whole country knows it.

Also, I've had a beer here. Just kidding. Actually what they like to drink here is called Guiness. It's a beer. But they also have non-alcoholic Guiness that's made with barley and is supposed to taste similar to beer. yeah, it was pretty nasty. But hey they love it so more for them right?! Well this is all for now. Over and out!