this is officially my last day as a peace corps volunteer in ghana! my fellow pcv kelli and i will be going on a tour through asia as our COS (close of service) trip. vince, kelli and i will fly out tomorrow and spend a few days in egypt. then it's thailand > laos > vietnam > cambodia > singapore > indonesia > taiwan > japan > hawaii > los angeles > las vegas > atlanta. i'm ecstatic!!!

today has been a day full of warm fuzzies from chats with my apcd, beza dor, to my exit interview with the country director, mike koffman. the highlight has definitely been the program and training officer, robert moler, presenting me with a drum that has the peace corps logo carved into it. it's pretty PIMP!!! i just thave to figure out how to get it home...

i'll keep everyone posted on my travels!! keep us in your prayers!!! thank you all and i love you!

I was blinded by the lights and all the pretty, shiny things. The truth is I came here to escape from myself, my life. It’s not that my life was some sort of train wreck. Quite the opposite, really. But wanting to be everything to everybody else prohibits you from being the person you need to be for yourself. My COS (Close of Service) date from the Peace Corps is on November 15, 2010. I left home for this journey on September 27, 2008, and I cannot believe that my time is up. My friend Sam asked me the other day what I felt my biggest contribution was during my service. You often think about these things. On those days that the sun is beating down on you, when you can’t sleep because of the impossible heat, when your water is out for days, when homesickness is as painful as a breakup, when you feel that the people you work with aren’t listening to a word you’re saying…it’s on those days that we all ask ourselves, “Why am I here?” In my trimester reports, the numbers are all there. How many men, women, and children were taught? What activities were done? What did they learn? So on and so forth. But as I thought about it, those numbers were just that: statistics. I told Sam I felt that my biggest accomplishments, by far, were the relationships I have built with the people that I’ve met here in Ghana. There are no words to express the amount of gratitude I have for this experience. I feel enormously blessed in so many ways. We go through all these experiences in life and we don’t fully understand the affect that they have on us until much later. The biggest lesson I can say that I’ve learned is that everything matters. This small developing country in Africa that is seemingly the antithesis of the U.S., I have discovered, is actually quite similar. There is a direct correlation between everything that is happening here right now and what is going on at home. The economy, race relations, gender roles, business, fashion…it’s all interrelated. I am much more conscious of my experiences. This has truly been humbling.I aspired to change the world. I succeeded in at least changing my world.

My worst Ghana nightmare was realized last Friday night. T. Chung was there to witness. The following is her chilling recount of the events of that evening.

"Julie Falls Into a Pit of Urine" by Tanya Chung

This was roughly the size of the pit. Imagine a thin layer of sheet metal covering it. That's how Julie was fooled.

Julie falling into the pit. She was screaming "OHMYGOOOODDDDD" the entire way down.

What Julie kinda looked like immediately after falling into the pit of urine. She was still yelling "OHMYGOOOODDDDD" while flailing her little arms.

PC Ghana Swearing-In Video from The Truth on Vimeo.

what is "paaaaaaaa" you ask? well, in twi it roughly translates into "very" or is used to emphasize something. when asked how you are doing, you would answer "me ho yε paaaa." wikipedia states that there are about 79 languages spoken in ghana, and throughout our 10 weeks of training, each volunteer learns the language that they will be speaking in their respective communities. in southern volta (where i reside), people speak ewe. last year's peace corps training group made this entertaining video for their swearing-in ceremony about the many different languages they were learning to speak.

what's so good paaaaa in my life, you ask? well, for one, peace corps ghana decided to go with my logo for the 50th anniversary celebration (albeit a really basic and extremely boring version of it), and the Director of the Peace Corps (yes, ALL of peace corps worldwide), Mr. Aaron S. Williams, will be coming to visit my site on friday. i'm honored and terrified at the same time. i just hope all goes well!

friend peace corps ghana on facebook and follow us on twitter!!

my dear friend daniel vainner was made a master weaver this past week. he has been learning the art of kente weaving since he got to site two years ago, and now has achieved master weaver status! there was a huge ceremony to commemorate the opening of the visitor's center for tourists and to celebrate dan's master weaver-dom in kpetoe, volta region. dan has been working with the kente weavers, tourism management team, district assembly and countless other community members on promoting eco-tourism in kpetoe. you know those stoles people wear at graduation? my fellow divine 9 greeks know what i'm talking about. well, ghana is where they originated! ghana, specifically the volta region, is where kente began. to this day, the ewe kente woven in dan's area is known for superior quality. anywho, the ceremony was awesome. our apcd (associate peace corps director) for sed (small enterprise development) also attended and gave a speech. kind of a big deal.

the queen mothers of kpetoeour apcd, beza, me, steve, chrissa (dan's replacement pcv) and danhe actually wove this men's cloth himself!! now that's talent!at my graduation w/ my parentals. little did i know the kente stole i had on was made in ghana!

as mentioned previously, my former priest, fr. john appiah, from notre dame high school (who is now at knoxville catholic) is from ghana. the catholic churches at home have been raising money for a medical mission in his home town of nkonya wurupong in the volta region (which is about 3 hours from my site). this is the second year that they have had the medical mission here with doctors, nurses and students coming all the way from tennessee (we're the only 10's you see) to offer their skills. i invited my fellow pcv amber to join in on the medical mission fun! we were able to help register people and take temperatures. a future in the medical field for julie and amber? not likely. but it was great to be a part of the action!

During my Peace Corps interview, the lady asked me whether I would be able to deal with all of the unwanted attention. “You will be living in a fish bowl. People will constantly be yelling at you and trying to get your attention” she said. Judging from the pictures I’d seen of Peace Corps volunteers, they probably aren’t used to getting ANY type of attention at all, hence the difficulty adjusting. “No problem,” I thought. I’d perfected the art of selective hearing/ignoring men from going out in the States. So just multiply that feeling a few times over…couldn’t be that difficult to deal with, right? Wrong. Fast forward to today: I’m giving myself the daily “leaving the house” pep talk again. “You can do it. It’ll be fine. Just ignore it. It’s not that big of a deal. Seriously, you’ll be okay. Get up. Walk outside. You’ll be fine.” I put on my best “Don’t eff with me” face in order to confront the outside world. I step out. My landlord, Joe Pepper, greeted me with a cheery “Fine morning!” This isn’t so bad. “Sister Julie! Sister Julie!” The kids are chanting my name. People are smiling and waving. “Ma Chi (good morning in Twi),” called my old neighbor, Prince, as I passed him on the road. Rejoyce, my pineapple lady, called out “Auntie, pineapple?” I continue walking, lots of greetings and smiles coming my way. The taxi driver kicked someone out of his cab so that he could take me to the bank. We have a nice conversation about the economy and government in Ghana. I finally make it to work. No one grabbed me. No one harassed me. This is what it would’ve been like had Mr. Rogers lived in an African village. It was a wonderful day in the neighborhood.

“Dear PCVs, Concerning earthquakes: to date, earthquakes CANNOT be accurately predicted. In case you learn of a predicted earthquake or earthquake warning in your area, please use common sense and remain calm. The recent rumors of a predicted earthquake in Ghana proved to be false.” I forgot to post this when it happened, but back when Haiti’s earthquake hit, people here started freaking out. A rumor began to spread that an earthquake would occur in Ghana on a specific day, so everyone woke up at 3am (people usually sleep in until at least 4am) to go outside of their homes and shelter themselves from the impending earthquake. Many of my fellow PCVs were awoken by frantic neighbors urging them to exit their homes because an earthquake was coming. Peace Corps Ghana sent out a mass text message in response to the earthquake scare. I found the text incredibly humorous.

while i was home, my favorite local news station, News Channel 9 and anchorman Don Welch, interviewed me about life in the peace corps for his "This N That" segment entitled "sideroads." pretty cool...although i hate the sound of my own voice. a big thank you to Barbara Murnan and Don Welch for making it happen! i want to spread the word! peace corps is pretty much amazing and something that most people should experience! live an adventure! life is calling, how far will you go?

Ghana beat the U.S. last night 2-1 in the World Cup match. Pow.

"When you are in love, you can't fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams."-Dr. Seuss

my bff got married. i was the maid of honor. my mom flew me home. i'm thankful. more than you could imagine. i love you. i thank you.

while home, i was able to witness two very special women in my life marry their soul mates. on june 12, 2010, my linesister ms. charis driver married her high school sweetheart, mr. lyndon baskin. coleman love! and they are both 5's. can we say adorable?!

Mr. and Mrs. Baskin

on june 19, 2010, my best friend forever ever, ms. bettina o'neal wed mr. michael benson. she was one of the most beautiful brides i've ever seen. i can only hope to look half as beautiful as she did on my own wedding day.

Mr. and Mrs. Benson

if you missed it the first time, my video submission for failblog.org:

Paragliding FAIL! from The Truth on Vimeo.

they tied a monkey to the fence at this spot (a spot is a bar)we gave the monkey beerandrea bonded with it...they're friends now

My closest neighbor, Dan, raised money through the Peace Corps Partnership Program (click to link to search & donate to volunteer projects around the world! it's really cool!) to build a basketball court. He likes sports. It took about 6-7 months to complete. Once construction was finished, Dan, Andrea and myself got to paint a lovely piece of concrete to transform it into a basketball court!!

the plot of landcab you dig it?we're against child labor...kind ofthe court is named after dan's aunt who was the biggest donorgreat aunt ann acker athletic arenaalliteration is hilarious!J(ulie) A(ndrea) D(an) forever!! :)the finished court!!!

the hottest trend in hollywood is spreading like the virus! men and women alike have all been seen sporting the latest african baby trend from the red carpet to the streets of l.a.! i found a site that only deals in designer african babies. according to the latest trend reports, malawian babies are now a fashion faux pas. what is the new trend in african baby, you ask? enter the Sierra Leonean Diamond Baby!

obviously that was a joke but on a serious note, today (dec. 1st) is World AIDS Day: Respect & ProtectBy respecting and protecting ourselves and others we can stop the spread of HIV and end HIV prejudice.

check yourself before you wreck yourself learn more about World AIDS Day at www.worldaidsday.orgi'm off to go empower the youth with education :) you know you love it!

texting w/ dan: j: there’s a goat competing with me for leg room on the tro. the goat’s winning. dan: that happened to me going to rachel’s! they tickle j: lol…so true. fyi, this convo is making the blog. dan: gail would be so proud! scene: in a tro early morning waiting to go to accra (3 hr trip) for a u.s. embassy holiday bazaar. the tro is taking forever to fill (so i’ll probably be late to set up), it’s hot (so i’ll probably be sweaty and dirty looking in front of clean, fancy embassy people), and then i feel something brush against my leg. i ignore it. it happens again. i look down and, of course, it’s a goat….there was a goat under my seat for 45 minutes before i even noticed it. it makes its way out from under the seat and just roams about freely in my personal floor space. i spend the duration of the trip with my legs elevated on the rear wheel well trying to avoid dirty goat wind flying in my face. FML conversations w/ my mom: mom: i saw the pictures of you from fr. john. your hair has grown a lot! do you wear those flip flops every day? there was that picture of you in the black dress and you had them on, then that picture of you in jeans and you were wearing the same ones. j: i was at an hiv/aids conference like 8 hours away from my site for a week. i had to leave straight from there to fr. john’s village so i was already traveling with a big, heavy bag. mom: oh okay, i see. well, it doesn’t look like you’ve lost much weight.[a separate convo] j: hi! how are you? i’m so excited to come home! mom: yes, we are all excited! j: *sees someone she knows* hi, martin! how’s it going? okay, i’ll see you later! mom: who were you talking to? someone that lives there? j: yea, one of the peace corps trainers that lives here. mom: oh, they speak english? j: they were colonized by the british. mom: so have you lost any weight? in summary: i’ve been here for a year and my mother knows nothing about where i live or what i do. her only concern is how i look. at least now i know that my superficiality is hereditary. FML

are you excited?!?! i know i am! tammy finally booked my flight home for the holidays!! on friday december 18, i will touch down in that gorgeous place known as america!!! i am so beyond ready for a break (because this is what i have 2 deal with most days: http://kellipoop.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-case-you-were-wondering.html)!!! i think knowing that i will be going home has been the only thing keeping me going some days. this year's holidays have 2 be better than last: http://thetruthinafrica.blogspot.com/2008/12/nye-09.html

3 weeks of clean american julie goodness!! i don't even care that i'll probably be ridiculously out of style, very socially awkward and the like...i'm just excited about coming home! seeing family & friends! being clean! taking hot showers! getting pretty! and dates!! i want to go on lots and lots of dates!!!! with steak and wine!! ha ha!! so fellas back home, get your wallets ready! i'm joking. being in ghana has me feeling like a place with walls and a toilet is fancy. just don't let me get fat gorging on all the deliciousness!!

my SED APCD (PC supervisor for small enterprise development, mr. beza dor, asked me to write an article about the work i've been doing at site for the september peace corps ghana newsletter. since i'm doing so many different things (and have a very short attention span), i decided to narrow it down to networking. in true julie fashion, it was short and too the point...with stupid jokes included!

It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know: Networking in PC Ghana

What exactly is “sustainable development”? To me, it means money. I am working as a business advisor for the income generating projects at an NGO, Village Exchange Ghana. As a way to earn income, VEG started the Lady Volta Beads Project in 2007 and the Lady Volta Batik Project in 2008. Currently, VEG receives funding for the VEG Youth Resource Center through United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The center aims to educate local communities through giving comprehensive and accurate information about reproductive and sexual health (RSH). The organization would like to eventually make enough money from the income generating projects to sustain the RSH Center. So therein lies the question: how will we generate enough money to sustain all of the VEG projects?

Answer: Make like a Fulani and milk that cow! VEG moved into a new office building in February of this year and decided to create a point of sale in the available space. There are a number of short-term volunteers in and around Ho that are always looking for gifts for friends and family back home. With this opportunity, I thought to myself, “Self, how can I support my fellow PCV’s projects and support the business at the same time?” Many of the other SED volunteers in my group are working with various businesses throughout Ghana: Daniel Vainner is working with kente weavers in Kpetoe, Amber Voight is working with a women’s pottery group in Kpando, Adam Martyn is working with a clinic that produces moringa soap (that apparently cures all types of skin diseases), and Joyous Young is working with a women’s organization that produces beautiful woven cloth and stationary. With the pottery group, I was able to coordinate with them to regulate sizes and prices on their products as well as set a standard for acceptable quality. Next to each display, I have information about the producers and where the products are made so that the customers can share in the artisans’ stories.

Through identifying my resources and networking, I was able to strengthen business skills, generate income, and build relationships between Village Exchange Ghana and other artisans and organizations throughout Ghana. By building capacity, making connections, and creating fruitful relationships, we can effectively put sustainable development into action. That’s what she SED.

Julie Nguyen (SED 2008-2010)

Peace Corps Ghana September 2009 Newsletter

**the Fulani people of West Africa are the largest nomadic group in the world-they are generally known for herding cattle

you may wonder, "what is there to do in ghana?" or "what does julie do in her spare time?" to answer your burning question, i change lives! i think bruno said it best, "a fireman may only save 2 people from a burning building, but a supermodel [in this case a peace corps volunteer] can inspire millions." example: i played with sick orphans today and it's not even lunch time! what is more impressive?...i don't even like kids all that much...at least not dirty ones (or stupid ones). kelli thinks i'm being a b*tch, but it's not like it's just here in ghana...i don't like dirty kids in america. and if you gave me a dirty child to play with in any other country, i probably wouldn't like that either. regardless, i set aside my own personal feelings for the happiness of others. can we say, 'modern day mother teresa'?! dear pope benedict, candidate for the next saint right here! :D

kwame suffers from TB of the bones while adam suffers from incurable ugly. sad. playing w/ the kiddies on the see-saw

daniel = soooo adorable! and smart!

kelli loves the kids!

beef cooked in old cement bags. really. health concern?...

donkey = gross

if you have ever seen arrested development, you'll appreciate this

saved the best for last!! in this area, triplets are a bad omen. as a result, this lady's husband left her and the kids...so they came to stay at the orphanage. she puts 2 of the babies in a pan and carries them on her head while the other one is tied to her back. can we say, "AMAAAAZZZIIINNGGG!!"?!

In a later post, I will try to eloquently express my experience of meeting the President and First Lady. But for now...I'll just say that it was amazing. I was right in the front! He flew in on a helicopter coming from Cape Coast directly to Kotoka Int'l Airport, and flew off on Air Force One...how MacGyver is that?!?! Check out the love Peace Corps got from the Pres (Ghana was the 1st country to receive Peace Corps volunteers...we're kind of a big deal)!! Enjoy!

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2009/07/11/obama.ghana.goodbye.cnn?iref=videosearch

"I want to recognize our Peace Corps Volunteers who are here.....(cheering from you & your friends for at least 25 seconds) You know Ghana, Ghana was the very first nation to host young people from the Peace Corps and for decades our two nations have formed vital partnerships & lasting friendships because of this program. So all of you in the Peace Corps you are doing an outstanding job & we're proud of you." -Barack Obama, July 11, 2009

"Young people of Africa ...... serve like these Peace Corps people, serve in communities, and harvest your energy & education to renew & build connections between the world.' -Barack Obama, July 11, 2009

"...we have, in this country, an immense reservoir of such men and women--anxious to sacrifice their energies and time and toil to the cause of world peace and human progress." -John F. Kennedy, March 1, 1961.

(thank you dan's mom, gail vainner, for the quotes!)

dan & i were voted BEST DRESSED! tru story

adam luck got honorable mention

me & k.poop on the private bus

there were billboards and signs all over accra similar to this one

coming in on the helicopter...dun dun dunnn!! the first family making their debut

how adorable are malia & sasha?!...VERY!! president barack obama & president john atta mills

michelle was shaaaarrrp as always! FASHION ICON! jackie o. who?!...

he shook my hand! ::swoon::

i told michelle she was an inspiration...

imagine leaving everything and everyone you knew behind. picture yourself living in abject poverty, doing everything you could to help raise your five younger siblings. would you risk your life for even the slightest chance at a better future for yourself and your family? my mother was 20 when she, along with my uncle, escaped from vietnam. with nothing but the clothes on her back, she set forth on a perilous journey to a world unknown to her. understanding the consequences of her actions, she sacrificed her own well being for an opportunity to improve the quality of life of those she loved. working determinedly, my mother was able to sponsor the rest of her family to come to america as well as providing my brother and i with opportunities that she never had. growing up, she made sure that i was always well aware of my culture, my family and my roots. my mother chose to relinquish her immediate security, knowing that through diligence and perseverance she would succeed.

now imagine not having a choice. imagine being taken away from your home, imprisoned, raped, beaten, taken to a foreign land and forced to work tirelessly with no hope of reprieve. imagine having your family murdered, your heritage destroyed, your language forgotten and your traditions erased. now stop imagining, because this is reality.

“do you think about me now and then, ‘cause i’m coming home again. maybe we can start again”

–kanye west, homecoming

african diaspora

yevu! yevu! yevu!

i swear it's like word vomit. yevu is the ewe word for "white person," which i thought was less obnoxious than the twi equivalent, "obruni." but alas, i was wrong...it's just as annoying. it's like they can't help themselves...they have to say it. adults...children...it doesn't matter. it's like a form of tourettes.

i find it irritating for a number of reasons: 1. i'm not white 2. i don't care what you're yelling at me...you could be yelling "bumblebeetuna." it's annoying having anything repeatedly yelled at you for no d*mn reason 3. it's disrespectful culturally...especially coming from someone younger than you, and it's just plain rude/ignorant coming from an adult. needless to say, i spend a lot of time telling people that my name is not yevu, it's julie, telling children that i will beat them if they call me something other than my name, and ignoring people shouting at me in the streets.

christiane (who is french, and by french i mean white) was trying to explain to me that it's not rude, that it's normal in ghanaian culture, and that they even call african americans "yevu." yeah, slavery was the norm at one point, too, but that doesn't mean it's okay.

my colleague, makafui, asked why i didn't like people calling me yevu. i told her that it would be like me shouting "negro, negro!" at her every time i saw her. i think she understood.

*i dedicate this post to jameria, b/c she deals with this pain everyday in america! lol!

malnutrition? aids? malaria? no, these children suffer from word vomit...

i screamed in horror as my friend ran up to a table of live crows and devoured them, blood dripping from his mouth. it was the most disturbing thing i had ever witnessed. startled, i opened my eyes...

the malaria prophylaxis in conjunction w/ stress united to bring me the latest installment of "julie's wacked out dreams." i fumble around looking for the phone; it says it's 3:38am.

i've had a lot on my mind lately. yours truly hosted nearly 30 peace corps volunteers (and o.h.'s little sis, bevelyn) for ho easter. dan, SoVo (southern volta) social engineer, and i coordinated the livest shindig this side of the volta river/lake. after the weekend, some of us took a trip down to accra to go to the mall (gasp) and the movie theater (double gasp) to see slumdog millionaire. it was almost like being at home until we stepped outside and a man started begging for money...wait...that actually IS just like home.

the newly elected president of ghana, john atta mills, is in ho this weekend. yesterday there was a big procession of cars, and i expected major security measures to be in place. but along comes atta's car with him hanging out of the sunroof waving his louis rag (j/k): picture high schoolers going to senior prom hanging out of the limo. hilarious. i'm guessing mr. mills hasn't seen the zapruder film...

i spent the better part of my morning commute trying to explain to the cab driver in the local language that, no, he could not be my husband because 1. i already have 3, and that would make him the 4th (and having 4 husbands was so 1997) and 2. that my bride price is 80 cows, 50 pigs and 100 chickens (which he informed me he did not have). christiane went back to europe for a few weeks and i have temporarily moved into the VEG house (b/c it's so much nicer than my own place). so what does all of this mean? what comes before part B? PART AYYYYYYYYYYY!!! (christiane, if you're reading this...i'm joking. i'm being very responsible at the house!) however, i have picked up this horrible coke habit (and fanta). i think it's the fact that they use real sugar as opposed to high fructose corn syrup...or maybe it's because it reminds me of home. either way, i'll have to go into detox before i return.

*hi jenna!*