Last Night at Home

Ever since I found out what the Peace Corps was all about I knew that after I graduated college I would be a PCV.  This dream has become my reality.  Now I can only think should it have stayed a mere dream? Can I handle this reality? What have I gotten myself into? Questioning your own capabilities is healthy and I am no longer worried about being worried. I am mentally and physically ready for this experience. Also I am officially packed 79 lbs (80 lb limit).

Wednesday morning I will arrive in Accra, Ghana. The flight is just over 10 hours long. If you have seen the news about the flight last week going to Ghana from Dulles International Airport, yes I am on the same flight and yes I will be putting my seat back because I do need to sleep. It would just be completely ironic if a fight broke out on our flight with 73+ PEACE Corps workers, so no worries.  The first week I will be getting orientated; therefore, I will not be able to use the Internet. By the next time I blog I will be able to tell you all about the food, weather, other volunteers and my home stay family.

Thank you all again for your support and love. Here is a short list of things that I will miss and not miss:

Miss

Dry red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon)

Mango sorbetto

Caprese salad...really any type of salad

BBQ sauce (some Masterpiece might have to be sent to me)

Fresh organic vegetables (maybe I'll get lucky and have some agriculture person near me)

Listening to Smiley and West podcasts

Watching Democracy Now! in the morning

Family, friends, dogs (OBVIOUSLY)

Possibly going on walks by myself

Eventually the Ithaca snow

Not Miss

TV

American politics

Over zealous soccer moms in minivans

Consumerism

Cookie cutter neighborhoods

The things I am looking forward to are endless!

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."
-Nelson Mandela

What a Nice Quote

I just finished reading Buddhism without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening by Stephen Batchelor. The whole book was extremely enlightening and I highly suggest reading it especially if you find yourself in the agnostic with Buddhist tendencies category. It really speaks to the soul. The chapter on compassion begins with this quote and it really resonated with me. Enjoy.

Even when I do things for the sake of others
No sense of amazement or conceit arises.
It is just like feeding myself;
I hope for nothing in return.  - Shantideva

COUNT DOWN: 7 days

Peace Corps in the Media

Yes, I am still going to Africa.  Many people have asked me about the recent Peace Corps rape stories in the news. Rape and sexual assaults happen all around the world. In the US 1 in 6 women are raped.  After talking to current Peace Corps women from all around the world including Africa I am not any more worried than before; however, I am more aware.  During PST I will be trained on how to avoid dangerous situations and what to do and who to contact if an event occurs.  The best way to avoid any dangerous situations will be to form relationships with my community and that is my plan. Since the bad media attention, the Peace Corps has become VERY serious about sexual assaults.  Ghana will be an extremely safe location because they are celebrating their 50th anniversary this August.  They will be doing everything they can to protect us to not get anymore bad PR at this joyous time.   If you want to read some more about the stories, here are some links:

ABC NEWS
New York Times
Official Peace Corps Response

Address for first 10 weeks

Hannah Braun, PCT
Peace Corps/Ghana
P.O. Box 5796
Accra-North, Ghana
West Africa

Countdown

Akwaaba! (Welcome!) It is now less than two months before I am on a plane to Ghana.  It has been difficult concentrating on school work the last couple of weeks. For now it seems more important to mentally prepare myself for this journey. I have been spending my weekends traveling to visit friends (Miami, NYC and Philadelphia coming up).  The love and support I am getting from those around me is way beyond what I ever could have imagined. It is those people who are going to get me through this lone journey.  My biggest battle right now is self-doubt, and when everyone tells me that I will be able to handle anything that will happen lifts my spirits every time. I will forever be grateful to my friends and family.

I am trying to learn Twi right now, but it is a slow process. I will most likely learn another language or two while abroad since Ghana has  over 70 spoken languages. I will be able to get a tutor after the training ends so I will be practicing and learning for the entire 27 months.  This will be a skill that will make my experience. I did not sign up for the Peace Corps because I thought it would be fun to prance around a village and use all my American undergraduate education to "help" the people.  My assignment will be physically and mentally demanding and I wouldn't want it any other way. I will learn more than I am able to teach. 

There is a program called Correspondence Match run by Coverdell World Wise Schools, which allows me to connect with a classroom, scout troop or boys and girls club while I am away.  I signed up to be matched with a random classroom, but I am allowed to correspond with more than one group. If you have any ideas let me know. I am very open to speaking with our youth. You can go to www.peacecorps.gov/wws/correspond for more details.

Lastly, as most of you know I love to read. Since I am only taking 80 lbs of belongings my mother bought me a Kindle. This and a camera will be the only electrical devices that I will be packing since I probably won't have any electricity in my home.  If you have any book suggestions Mepa wo kyεw (please) let me know!

“People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they are not on your road does not mean they have gotten lost.”- Jackson Browne

Assignment

This is no joke! Today I have officially been invited into the Peace Corps. I am accepting the Health/Water and Sanitation Educator Position in Ghana, Africa. I leave June 6th for orientation and leave for Mother Africa on June 8th. Here is a link (it's long I know) to see more about what I am going to be up to.
Peace Corps Ghana

Much love all by brothers and Sisters!

Does a Cockroach in your teacup took more scandalous than the failure to provide safe water to millions of people? Can you imagine drinking water polluted by chemical or human waste? Did you know that one gram of faeces can contain 10 million viruses, 1 million bacteria and a hundred worm eggs? Now you do.