I said I'd blog again this week and here I am! I don't know how much I'll write about projects though, since I planned nothing and am kind of just in a free writing mood....

Today, for the first time since November it rained - like, really, really rained. It came slow... I heard the thunder last night, and felt the pressure change in the form of one of rain headaches (don't laugh, at least I don't feel it in my joints...yet). It wasn't until this afternoon though, while I was at work that the heavens opened, and the air just broke. All that heat and humidity melted right on away. Soon the power went out, meaning I couldn't work on the ancient desktop I usually do so I wrote a letter instead, chatting with the volunteers and feeling the childish excitement a snow day usually brings. The two other volunteers, Emily and Peter were supposed to leave around 1:00 but couldn't because of the downpour and the fact that cabs couldn't even get through because our (dirt) road was flooded. We waited for a small break, when the rain slowed to a drizzle and booked it to the junction to catch a trotro home (I was afraid if I didn't leave then I'd miss my chance). The three of us picked our way through puddles, over the dirt road, fjording small streams and rapidly flowing sewers, our bags in plastic bags to protect their laptops and my camera. I sat in that troto, window open just feeling the cold, fresh air and realized that, for the first time in God knows when I wasn't sweaty. The ride home was so refreshing - even the moments where we got a little stuck on the roads, driving through puddles the size of small ponds, fighting our way through traffic. It's amazing how the rain changes the city. Things slow down, the vendors are few and far between and what with lights out and roads flooding, it seems that some offices (aka mine) close down for the day. It felt like a little mini adventure, and what with how much I've missed cool breezes and (slighty) fresher air, I feel like it was just what I needed.

It's been a long time coming, but I feel at home in Ghana. There's still a lot which frustrates me, but I genuinely enjoy my days. Accra may not be the most beautiful, or nicest smelling city in the world but it has so much going on, and the business has become a huge comfort, even though its sometimes exhausting.  I love my work placement, not because it's my dream job, but because I get to write, and I get to learn and I feel like's its exactly what I need right now. I love that I'm starting to have relationships with the people around here - not super exciting ones; I've never been a huge people person. But I have my porridge lady, and my rice lady, and my bofruit lady, and my wakye lady and my internet guys - and they notice if I'm not around for a couple of days and that feels kinda nice. There are so many more moments now where this doesn't feel like a "program", but rather just like life. And being in the city, at a work placement I am starting to see how maybe one day I could find a way of belonging here, despite my whiteness and my money and my western views. I think I'm starting to strike that balance. And I no longer feel bad about not living up to anyone's expectations - including my own. I may not have the same relationships or social life or adventures as other obrunis, or others in the program - but I'm also not a social, adventuresome kind of girl. I admire people who can go out and make friends and put themselves out there. But I'm happy having finally connected with one of the girls in the hostel (other than the ones on my program), even if it was just a gradual conversation as we were watching Van Helsing on the crappy, common room television. (Her name is Aggie, and she's from Tema and taking a managment course here in Accra).

Something else I've gotten the hang of is haggling. Sometimes I feel too guilty to argue about prices - or too embarassed because I know the person selling me the toothbrush or whatever knows I can afford to pay more. But I totally respect the whole idea of haggling. I can just see the words in my first year econ textbook describing how prices are determined based on the interaction of what people are willing to pay (price demanded) and what people are willing to sell for (price supplied). Somtehing like that. I think. It was a long time ago and I used to skip that class a lot. So maybe I can't see the exact words in my textbook... But I do remember learning about how it's impossible to determine the optimal price/quantity demanded for individuals, so we have other ways of determining the market price/quantity supplied. Here, I feel like there's a much more democratic way of determining price - the price you pay really is representative of the price that you want to pay, and same for the person supplying it (at least, in theory). While there's some comfort, sure, in having a price tag you know represents the "market price", I like the idea that people with more money, or who are simply willing to pay more for a product will sometimes end up paying more. If you are willing to pay a lower price than the last person to buy the product, as long as it still makes a profit for the seller, they'll still sell it ot you.

In any case, I pulled off my first "walk away" the other day at this really expensive used book stand (ok, its cheap, but by the standards of my usual book stands its expensive). The Agatha Christie book started with a price of 5 cedis. I offered two. He countered with three. I usually will pay 3 cedis for a book, but this one wasn't that thick and I knew I could get thicker ones, which would last me longer for the same price so I walked. He called me back, and gave it to me for two. What rocks about this  (I think) is that I was genuinely just not willing to pay more, and totally ok with just not buying the book. The fact that he called me back tells me that he really was willing to sell for 2 cedis, even though its not the optimal price. And it was a nice surprise after making the decision I didn't need it that bad. So I don't feel guilty, because I didn't force or manipulate just to get it as cheap as possible, but rather just let my actions be guided by how much I valued the Agatha Christie book. (Funerals are Fatal - a Poirot mystery!) And I have bought a Christie book for one cedi before so I still feel like he got an ok price. Anyway, it's such an interesting way of buying for me, when I'm not paralyzed by guilt. Whoever thought I'd willingly be thinking about/blogging about economics by choice.I still wish I knew more about prices paid and how much street vendors make, but I'm working on asking more questions and finding out more.

Ok, seriously, I will blog about projects soon!! Meanwhile, tomorrow I give my talk on personal hygiene which hopefully goes alright. Today (before the power went out) I also wrote up my evaluation sheet and set up for next week's Teen Club Debate on whether or not it's good for teenagers to be in a relationship at their age. I'm interested to see what they come up with. Also, I am kind of excited just for the debate - reminds me of my own high school days (yes, I was a nerd; and yes, I still am).

Until next time,
Jac