Abunkyire: Somewhere beyond the horizon

As I sit here on our front porch, I am exposing myself to my first protracted encounter with potentially malarial arthropods in Ghana. A toxic cocktail of permanone, OFF! and garlic pills have warded off the evil skeeters up until now, but the promise of a (relatively) consistent internet connection and the lovely sound of croaking toads draws me to the at least once-mentioned Jesus porch here on American House Road in East Legon.

Please don’t bite me, skeeters.

Anyway, this was going to be some deep entry about how I really enjoy the cohort here. They are fantastic and adorable. I hope I’m out here long enough to hear them pop into the compound all abuzz from their evening out being a silly bunch of young bohemians. That’s all I really have to say about that.

Instead, I will use my wisdom and experience (ha) to send a message to all those reading, especially parents and other authority figures in the lives of said young bohemians.

Living in Ghana is not particularly easy for people who’ve only lived for a couple of decades in a land of luxury and indulgence. They’re doing their best to adapt to flotillas of militant bugs, bathing in a cool drizzle (showers), bathing in a warm drizzle (near 100% humidity), having innocent epithets hurled at them, preparing their meals, and overall, keeping their noses clean in one of the world’s dirtiest cities. Some of you may think that these guys have taken too drastic a leap from their comfortable upbringing. I am sure that most of you also agree that they will come back with a fresher, more mature and more balanced perspective on the world and the ways that they can contribute to its betterment as media professionals.

Well, let them know that. Though we are less wedded to our computer screens as we familiarize ourselves with our different lenses (metaphorically or literally), internet access is not hard to come by. Send these kids your e-love and let them know you are proud of them and that the potentially lethal insect bites are statistically unlikely and the warm shower that they’ll get upon their return home will be the best shower they’ll ever take. But assure them that what they’re doing in Ghana is such a life-shakingly awesome opportunity and that they should relish these next six weeks of adventure and misadventure.

I’m finishing up, and I will be itching to high heaven tonight. But I’ve got stacks of fun to look forward to with the kiddoes this weekend. We’ll keep you posted!

 

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