So many tourısts

I know that I am one of the 20 mıllıon plus tourısts that vısıt Istanbul annually but thıs ıs ınsane. I guess 6´3 blonde guys stıck out as much ın Turkey as they do ın Ghana.

I got here last nıght and thanks to a generous gıft from my mom I am stayıng wıthın a few mınutes of the Blue Mosque the Hagıa Sophıa and the Hıppodrome. If you cant tell I am havıng a hard tıme fındıng most punctuatıon on thıs Turkısh keyboard.

After arrıvıng at about 2pm I got my tourıst Vısa got asked about transport and managed to lug my bags across town on local transport for only 3 Turkısh Lıra (I thınk that equals about 2 dollars). Not much compared to the 30 euro aırport shuttle that was offered.

I wandered for two hours last nıght and another three hours thıs mornıng. I know there ıs a lot to see but wıth the entıre populatıon beıng made up of tourısts and hawkers I am gettıng worn out quıckly.

The plan from here ıs to take an overnıght bus to Cappadocıa where I hope to spend a few days. From Cappadocıa I hope to go to Antalya on the southern coast. Tryıng to balance my ultra frugalıty and my desıre to experıence Turkey has been dıffıcult. I have had very nıce food and grea tea but wıll save the Turkısh baths untıl I leave tourıst central.

Exhausted but greatç

Love to all
Ira

Turkey yesterday, Turkey tomorrow

The trip north and to the beach was a success. I got to see great drumming and dancing in Kpendua to round out the village experience. Cheri and I went surfing at Busua beach in the south. At this rate, maybe I won't be so bad after six continents?

Yesterday was my second consecutive Thanksgiving Day spent at the ambassador's residence. Plenty of food and Sangria. Very nice!!! After the meal, I went to the home of our Country Director with two fellow volunteers where we watched football (the american type) and relaxed.

Today I got my luggage in order and tomorrow I fly to Turkey. It's hard to believe but the next journey is starting very shortly!!

I still haven't heard anything from Columbia being more practical than pessimistic, I'll be getting my other applications in order in Turkey.

Happy here.

Love to all
Ira

Getting my R

In a few hours I will officially be an RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer). I've had my work cut out for me the past few days. I left Bormase at 5am Monday morning. Sunday was full of fun, playing spa (a local card game) and football. Much of the community came out to the school site where I received a smock from the village bicycle project participants. It was very hard to realize how many things I would be doing for the last time.

I had my last bucket bath by starlight. I went to sit at the borehole though I didn't need to fetch water. I went to visit many friends for the last time. Too many lasts to count.

My mind is awash with memories and I'm sure I haven't even begun to miss my village like I will. I've been busy getting administrative things done in Accra. I'm closing out proposals for the bead workshop (only flooring needs to be completed) and the school (blackboards and some plastering still needed) and submitted my Description of Service and site history reports. I've been poked and prodded and given a variety of samples. I had a chest x-ray to prove that my inactive TB didn't become active TB. So much so quickly.

I'm hoping to get out of Accra today. Cheri and I will go to Kumasi this evening, to Tamale the following day and to her village Kpendua on Friday. We plan to venture toward the beach on Monday. More whirlwind touring. I want to get a day of surfing in before I leave Africa. I have a goal to become the worlds worst surfer to have surfed on six continents. I have two continents down and the upcoming trip will take care of the rest. I'm flying to Turkey in ten days and hope to get my mind out of my village before then. We'll see how that goes.

Though my Peace Corps journey is coming to an end, I plan to keep blogging. I'll update the blog through my third straight Christmas away from home and the many adventures that I can't yet imagine.

Thank you all for following this blog. I've enjoyed writing more than I expected I would.

Love to all, more to come.

Ira

Going away dinner

I'm in Kof buying the last cement for the school and bead projects.

Yesterday, Dorothy, Raphael, Stephen, Paul, Johnny, Michael and I enjoyed a day in celebration of my time in Bormase. We had minerals and biscuits for lunch and slaughtered a rabbit for dinner.

Emmanuel joined in time for fufu with delicious rabbit meat. Stephen and Raphael will leave today and I likely won't see them again before I leave. I hope to see them again ever.

The day included carrying handfuls of 8 week old chickens from a tro to the chicken coop. I was attacked by another mama hen as I tried to save it's chick (a few days old) while the chick hung upside down by it's clawnail.

I did wash by hand for one of the last times. I've been taking photos like a maniac, trying to get what seems mundane but will be so strange soon. A sheep munching away at a plantain leaf, a toothless old woman walking barefoot to the store. I sure will miss this place.

Love to all.
Ira

Peace Corps emotional swings

I've been visiting with some of my best Peace Corps friends during their last days in country.

As the one in the group who would be going back for more work at site, I expressed the feeling that always accompanies time away from site.

I told my friends that when I leave, I feel guilty for being away and become eager to go back. When it's time to go back, I dread it a bit, savoring the running water, company and electricity. When I finally get on the road, I'm excited to get back to my friends in the village. When I'm in Bormase, I love it and wonder why I dreaded my return. When the time comes for me to leave site for any reason, I'm eager to leave.

I thought that this process would stop after a few months but it's lasted the full time. When I expressed it aloud, it was received with emphatic nods and wholehearted agreement. It's hard to understand the emotional swings but they come with the territory.

Seeing my friends leave is sad. I don't know when I'll see them again and most of them have no idea what they'll do when they get home. We've all spent time talking about how long a Peace Corps service is. We counted down months and now it's time to go. Each experience is fully unique and unexplainable. Here's to two years and a lifetime of failing to explain what it was like.

Love to all.
Ira