----- Original Message -----

From: "Tim Rauk"

To:

Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 8:22 AM

Subject: More info from Africa

> From: Anna Rauk [mailto:africarauk@hotmail.com]

> Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 6:45 AM

>

>

> Hello again!

>

> Once again, I'm on a painstakingly slow computer, and so I am going to try

> to get this out before I try to read my emails.

>

> I got my site placement. I will be living in Sokode and working in Ho

> (biking the commute), in the Volta Region on the eastern side of the

country

> (just east of Lake Volta) and not too far from the Togo border. Sokode is

a

> small village, whereas Ho is the regional capital so it is relatively

large

> (key word being relatively. Throw away your U.S. standards). I'm not

quite

> sure what to expect, because my site description says I'll be working in

> Dome, which is a neighborhood on the outskirts of Ho, and apparently its

> mostly inhabited by farmers...so maybe it will have a small village feel

> too. We'll see.

>

> My job description is still pretty vague. I will be "working with

farmers,

> women, and youth to get them more involved in natural resource management

> and conservation". So, I think it may end up being whatever I make of

> it...which could be good or bad. We'll see.

>

> There will be another volunteer in the village where I'll be living,

though

> I dont know how far away or if/how often we'll see each other yet. She is

> also an environment volunteer, and will be managing a tree nursery.

>

> Right now I am in training. I am staying in a TINY village near Swedru

with

> 4 other volunteers who are learning the same language (which, by the way,

is

> Ewe...pronounced eyvay). The village consists of fewer than 200 people,

> and I swear 2/3 of this number must be children under the age of 10. No

> exaggeration.

>

> The village is probably just about exactly what you'd imagine if someone

> were to refer to a small, poor African village. It is tiny (takes about 4

> minutes to walk all the way around it), and made up of small 1-room huts.

I

> have my own, and it is very small. Since the village is so tiny, I am

very

> close to the 4 other volunteers who are training with me. I am not sure

how

> many people sleep in these huts, because it seems that many just sleep on

> the ground outside, or on benches....I've only been here 2 nights, and my

> language classes have only just begun, so I'm still pretty in the dark

about

> details. Only a few speak English, so communication has been slow.

>

> We are followed everywhere by the children. If I sit to write a letter,

at

> least 4 or 5 will sit to watch me. If I break out my guitar.....well,

then

> I am surrounded by dancing children and adults alike! Many of the

children

> have swollen bellies from malnutrition. They get plenty to eat, but not

> much variety, and most people are not very well informed about nutrition.

> It is difficult to be taking my vitamins every day, and receiving

> supplemental food from our trainers, when I know that the people in the

> village are not getting what they need.

>

> Oh...a few of you have inquired about meds. I have been vaccinated for

> yellow fever, meningitis, hep A & B, rabies, and

> more but I can't remember. My malaria med is larium/mefloquine, and so

far

> no noticeable side effects so that's good. I'll let you know if I start

> hallucinating. And of course I sleep under a mosquito net.

>

> The animals are everywhere. The village is saturated with goats, dogs,

and

> chickens. They are everywhere. They fend for themselves, or are fed

> leftover scraps, and so most are scrawny - especially the dogs. They

don't

> eat dog in the Volta region - they are only used for hunting...they flush

> out bush rats for men to shoot.

>

> The noise during the night and morning is incredible. I am already

> adjusting to it fast. I think it is mostly the goats, and of course the

> roosters.....which start crowing around 11pm and continue through until

> morning.

>

> There is no running water or electricity at my training village, so we use

> candles or kerosene lanterns at night, and carry water from the 1 village

> pump. I have already carried a water bucket on my head! The village

women

> laugh at me ....... I'm not sure if I'm doing it wrong, or if they just

find

> it entertaining. Luckily our water pump is supplied by a bore hole, which

> means it is relatively clean and safe. If it came from a river or lake,

we

> would have to collect twice as much, to let it sit for 2-3 days while the

> schistosoma died, or we'd get schistosomiasis. No good.

>

> It sounds like, since my 2-year site is so close to Ho (the regional

> capital), I may actually have running water and/or electricity, at least

> part time. It is going to feel like the Radison after these first few

> months.

>

> I am doing well. The language barrier is frustrating, and so is the

> cultural one, but its something I'm going to have to get used to. But I

> tell ya - this is one great country to be serving in. Everything is

> community-oriented. Once you get out of the touristy areas, it is much

> better. If I need to find someplace, I simply ask someone....and more

> likely than not, they will take my hand and lead me there, even if it is

> miles out of their way. If they don't know where it is, they will ask

those

> around them, and pretty soon someone will be able to help. If I am on the

> tro-tro (the public bus) and don't know where my stop is, all of the other

> passengers will talk to the mate (the driver's partner, who sits by the

door

> and collects money) to tell him where to let me off. If you ask someone

> standing next to you how much you should expect to pay for a taxi, they

will

> probably talk to the taxi driver themselves to make sure you get a fair

> rate.

>

> But I know that it will be a completely new experience once training ends.

> Right now, I still have the safety of the other volunteers right next

door.

> I have to resist the temptation to do everything as pairs. But we are all

> gradually getting better at branching out and trying to use our limited

> language skills to meet people. And the people are so warm and inviting,

I

> have no doubts that I will do fine.

>

> Oh. I forgot to tell you...my host dad is the chief's son. So I am a

> princess. :-)

>

> Well, I think that's good for today. In case anyone needs a refresher,

> here's my address again

>

> Anna Rauk

> c/o Peace Corps/Ghana

> P.O. Box 5796

> Accra North, Ghana

> West Africa

>

> Postage costs 80 cents.

>

> Better send this.

>

> Love you.

>

> -Anna-

>

>

----- Original Message -----

From: "Tim Rauk"

To:

Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 8:28 AM

Subject: FW: hi

> From: Anna Rauk [mailto:africarauk@hotmail.com]

> Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 8:07 AM

>

>

> Hi Again!

>

> I am on a crazy slow computer, so I hope this has time to send before I

have

> to leave.

>

> Things are wonderful. I am currently in Accra with two other trainees,

for

> "Accra quest", where we do a little scavenger hunt around the city to find

> some places that might end up important in the next couple years. We

aren't

> having much luck today....but that's to be expected the first day of

> navigating a new city, public transportation, etc.

>

> Whenever I sit down at a computer I draw a little blank on what I was

going

> to talk about, but I'll give a few answers to peoples' questions.

>

> Which reminds me......thanks to y'all who have been writing. Rest

assured,

> I will get your e-mails....but I can't make any promises about when I will

> get to reply.......internet time has been ljittle so far, but hopefully

when

> we get to our training sites it may be a little more accessible....but

then

> again....it may not.

>

> The group is great. Mostly my age (between 22 and 28), though a couple

are

> in their 30's, and one is a retired grandmother (in her 60's...and she's

> never left the country before!)

>

> There is one volunteer who came here directly from a previous 2-yr peace

> corps service in Bulgaria. Another served in Kenya ten years ago. They

are

> all Americans, as peace corps is an american program.

>

> I am currently taking "survival twi" lessons, because that is the language

> generally spoken in and around Accra. Most people here in Accra speak

> english as well, but they speak Twi with each other. I find out tomorrow

> which village I will end up in...and until then, I dont know what language

I

> will be learning.

>

> Oh. I was going to tell you. My favorite lesson/seminar so far has been

on

> how to interact with my village chief. I am excited to meet him.

>

> Shoot. Iwould love to write a ton more. But there is no time. Like I

> said, tomorrow we find out waht villages we will be in, and Saturday we go

> to our home stays. I will be by myself with a family, and staying in the

> same village (during training) as 2-4 other volunteers who will have to

> learn the same language. We will have language class together every day,

> and will meet up with the rest of hte group who is in the same half of hte

> country once a week, and stay in a hotel together as a group one night a

> week, and have lessons more specific to our jobs.

>

> Last night we had a reception at the Ghana US Ambassador's house. They

> served us wine and American food (mini pizzas!!!!!), and we schmoozed with

> all the big-wigs in Ghana who are connected with the US government. Or,

> more accurately, the big-wigs schmoozed with each other and we peace corps

> trainees watched. Afterwards we went to the French embassy, where there

is

> a drumming/dancing performance once a week.

>

> Amazing.

>

> I want to learn to drum and dance by the time I leave.

>

> I better send this. There is so much to tell. Hopefully when I get to my

> training site, I can find an internet place to sit at for a few hours

> (rather than 20 min at a time) and collect my thoughts and give you an

> adequate e-mail.

>

> But rest assured that I am with a good group, I am making

> friends (it may be comforting to know that one of my better friends so far

> has worked his way through school as a body guard to celebrities...he has

> protected George W, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise............), and I am happy to

be

> here.

>

> I am excited and nervous to meet my home stay family.

>

> And now I really have to go.

>

> LOVE YOU.

>

> -Anna-

>

>