Fufu Awards

After over a week with my fellow 2007-2009 Peace Corps Ghana Omnibus group (31 of our initial 48), the best way to sum up the time is with some highlights from our Fufu Awards. Our new Program and Training Officer Rob brought Fufu awards from his former post in Vanuatu. They're sort of like high school yearbook polls but funnier and more personal. Rob posted highlights from the 180 Fufu awards that were revealed during the conference and I've posted them below.

Most likely to:
• Take a calabash to a kegger – Gray
• Use Ghanaian English in the U.S. – Terri
• Design, sell, and wear her won Ghanaian line of clothes – Shawn Fox
• Still wear too much batik in America - Darren
• Have worms by COS – Daria
• Dress up like a guinea fowl for Halloween – Leanne
• Be a trophy wife - Katrina
• Use “I’m Irish!” excuse for drinking habits – Niall
• To be ticketed for “freeing” themselves in public – Jon
• Get lost on their COS trip and never make it home – Becka
• Eat dogs in America – Blake
• Be unrecognized by family at the airport - Chris
• Treat herself to a pedicure in America, give a pedicure in America, and date her pedicurist – Joy
• Try to take over the world – Carolyn
• Skip PC Conference sessions and sleep instead – Allison
• Feel threatened by other blondes in the U.S. –Caitlin
• Be rich and show it off – Ledor
• Bark like a seal when excited – Phil
• Always be a beach bum - Mandy
• Continue using Ghanaian hand gestures in America – Cheri
• Have the best foot tan lines – Erin
• Keep taking Lariam, not for the malaria, but for “the dreams dude.” – Will
• Succeed . . . with a mustache – Ira
• Have a nation-wide fan club upon the return home – Thuy
• Use the pickup line, “I lived in Africa” for the rest of his life – Jon
• Become a samurai warrior – Egan
• Stare awkwardly at you and then say, “thanks for the dance” – Ashley
• Request that all subordinates call him “Chief” - Larry

As you may have guessed, I rocked a sweet mustache for the conference. Gray and I ran into each other in Koforidua a few weeks before the conference and commented on each others unkempt facial scruff. For fun, we decided to manicure that scruff into a nice COS mustache. They were a hit for sure.

The conference focused on re-adjusting into American culture and the fast pace of life. Compared to previous conferences, this was amazing. The food and lodging was upgraded as a way of rewarding our hard work. We ate barracuda, shrimp and other tasty treats. At night, we let of steam at the hotel pool or on the beach. It was a nice head start at re-adjusting.

From the Peace Corps sanctioned event, many of us branched off onto an event of our own. All volunteers were invited to a beach hotel that was more Peace Corps speed. The rooms had sand floors and the beach had trash all over it. We enjoyed this place just as much as the previous, swank hotel. We used the faux-nerf football that I brought back from the USA to play football/volleyball on the beach court. We broke off into two teams and would simply throw the ball over the net in an attempt to make it un-catchable. It was kind of like anti-catch and it was incredibly fun. We spent our days playing cards when we were tired of football-volleyball and playing cards when physically exhausted. We are going to be very easy to please in the US.

On the last day of our time at the beach, a Lebanese ex-pat befriended a few from our group. Cheri was summoned from the football/volleyball court when Tanal started talking about his wakeboard boat. After two years of telling stories about water-skiing, Cheri was promised the opportunity to strut her stuff. The following morning, most of our group left the beach on their way to their respective sites. Cheri, Daria, Steve, Shawn and I waited for Tanal to make good on his word. I was skeptical until I saw the beautiful boat pull up just before 11am.

Cheri and Steve were incredibly impressive while I failed to even get up out of the water on my first series of attempts. Though I was frustrated, I was perfectly happy to see Cheri so happy and in her element. After I went, Tanal took a turn and wowed us all with back flips and other tricks. He also took the time to show us the 12 bathroom house he's having built beside the Volta River. Talk about a drastic change from live in the world of development.

I got a second try on the wakeboard and stood up on my second try. I felt like a baby learning to walk again but had an amazing time. Once I stood up for the first time, it was like second nature and I couldn't understand how it had been so difficult to figure out. Cheri took another turn on the slalom ski and looked as comfortable as she does waling down the street. Very nice to see.

As we finished too late to get a tro-tro back to Accra, Tanal and his driver (boat and car driver) David gave us a ride to Accra in a nice air conditioned car that took no more than half the time a tro would have. Talk about a head start on re-adjusting. I don't plan to spend my weekends on a wakeboard boat but I did have a nice time indeed.

While away from Bormase, my Small Project Assistance grant was funded by USAID so when I return to Bormase, we can start to work on the school improvement project that is about 50 years overdue. I can't wait!!!

Love to all.
Go Giants!!!!!


Ira