Okay so my last blog didn't work...

I am going to have to retype (or at least try) all of what I wrote last time, plus the extra stuff I have in my brain now. Hoorah. Joy of Africa.
So we are in Kumasi right now because we desperately needed to go to a grocery store. The spaghetti, ketchup and rice routine got old fast. So now we stocked up on food. Not to mention I found a Twix bar. I almost died. I did have tears in my eyes. Sad.
Anyway, to start where I left off, we finished up our stay at orientation camp. The last night we went to a bar and it was awesome because I have found the best beer in the entire world here (Star), but Rikke's found got stolen when we were off buying some things. That blows, and it was even worse because it was the day before we were going to our projects, and it made me feel kind of shaky about this whole thing all over again.
I get that shaky feeling everyday, who the hell am I kidding?
Anyway, we all got super close during the camp so it was hard to leave everyone. Another set of sad goodbyes to wear on my alredy thin "missing capacity" Does that make any sense?
When we were at the camp we went to an orphanage which was a really good experience, because we finally got to see some social projects in Ghana. The orphanage was well kept and all the kids seemed relatively happy. However, as I was talking to some of them Elisabet came to find me and dragged me to the hall where all the kids rooms were. There was a girl there that everyone referred to as "crazy Jenna", and I swear on my life I will never ever forget the site of her room, or lack thereof. She actually slept in the open hallway, on a ripped up mattress outside the room where all the other kids had bunk beds and mosquito nets. It seriously tore my heart out.
When we got back to camp I asked one of our counselors, Kofi, to explain the situation to me. He actually told me that it was a good sign that she wasn't locked away, and she was running around with the other kids. In African culture, to be mentally handicapped is seen as embarressing, so nobody grows accustomed to it. All the other kids had no concept of her dissability. They thought was nuts, or even worse a danger to them
I don't know if it was the sight of the bed, or the realization that kids like that have no shot in hell here. In Western societies people try to make a strong effort to integrate people with dissabilities into the mainstream. Not only that, but people are educated and understand mental dissability so they don't have too many misconceptions about it.
Sorry to be so despressing.
My roommate, Lisette, and I have an enormous apartment to ourselves which is right next to the clinic we work in. Despite the fact that we have no running water and the electricity goes out for a day every 2 days, it is a very pleasant and VERY safe place. Everyone at the clinic wants us to feel comfortable so its awesome that we have them to turn to if we need something.
The first day we worked we organized the cards which the medical records are kept on. There is over 6000s cards and they were all haphazardly placed in cardboard boxes. They don't even have filing cabinets. Not only that but at the malnutrition clinic they don't have bottles, they have to spoon feed the children all the milk formula. At the eye clinic they have to manually check for the correct lenses to improve vision.
These things seem so basic to me. So basic to anyone coming from a wester country. But to them, a filing cabinet even better a computer that would not only sort but save medical files is a luxury. Bottles. I mean...bottles?
Culture shock.
This is such a good experience and the longer I am here, the longer I feel like I am actually getting something out of it. Not just missing home.
I do miss home.
But, I think I miss eggs benedict the most. Haha, Laura you understand.
I was so glad to come to the city today because we got to eat at a restaurant where I had lomein noodles! I could have even splurged on a milkshake, but I think my body is getting used to not eating as much, so I was (and still am) completely stuffed.
We are going to go the market later, and I am excited, but trying to prepare myself for the overwhelming experience I know it will be (thank you Triggs.)
I should get moving...I have so much to say, but somehow I always forget something. Well I can always write it next time.