For Grandma!

For my Grandmother and all other avid birdwatchers who are interested in some of the birds in West Africa that I've seen. All of the pictures were googled because my camera isn't this good, but I've seen them! Birds names is beneath the photo.

African Finfoot

African Jacana
(or Lily Trotter)

Malachite Kingfisher

*One of my favorite birds!

Cattle Egret

Pied Kingfisher

Purple Heron

*One of my favorite pictures

Black Bee-eater

Laughing Dove

Red-eyed Dove

Woodlands Kingfisher

(or Senegal Kingfisher)

Cinnamon Chested Bee-eater

Western Reef Egret

Great White Egret

Little Egret

*Of course I can't tell a difference between any of these Egrets

African Pied Hornbill

Olive-bellied Sunbird

Village Weaver

(or Black headed Weaver)

Their are tons more but I'm out of time! I hope you enjoyed them Grandma and I wish you could be here to see them yourself. Love you and miss you!

Surfs up!

Look at this, 2 blogs posted in less than 1 month. I must be turning over a new leaf! And I'm planning to post 2 today if I have time!

Work has been keeping me very busy for the past few weeks. As a matter of fact work is what's brought me back to the internet so quickly. We are preparing for the grand opening for out new visitor center in Ebonloa. The opening is set for June 26th and we are hoping to get the French Ambassador to come.

In preparation for the opening we are trying to prepare the grounds and put up some fresh paint. I'm in charge of getting the gift shop ready. I'm designing and having furniture made and finding crafts for the shop. I'm at the internet today researching West African birds, sea turtles, sperm and humpback whales, mona monkeys, and information on fishing traps. We've collected bird nests and local fishing traps to decorate the walls along with the information I'm researching. The new visitor center is in the picture on the right. The picture to the left is one of the fishing traps that will be used for decorating the walls. The trap is used to catch mudfish, tilapia, catfish, snakes, and monitor lizards. Yum yum!

Another activity we've started planning is the Amansuri clean up event. The event will include the churches in 8 different communities. We will have a 2 hour clean up competition between the different church groups in each village. We are providing trash bags and gloves to all trash cleaners. Each village will be given rakes and cleaning supplies for participating. The winning church group from each village who collects the most trash will get an event t-shirt. The program will also include environment education in 12 local schools. The picture to the left is one of the villages who will take part in the clean up.

I've been working hard but I've managed to find time to play hard too! A nearby beach resort has had 2 Australians and 3 Americans staying with them for several weeks. I was able to use their surf board and go surfing. I was also invited to stay the night for free for their going away party. One of the owners, my friend Nina, also returned home to the UK for vacation. The going away party was beautiful complete with beach bonfire, fireworks, candle lit dinner, wine, and chicken curry.

While you were all home enjoying a long weekend of bar-b-ques and pool parties we had a funeral in my village. The man who died has spent the last 30 years in Cote D'Ivoire but as tradition calls for he was buried in his home town of Elloyin. My village was invaded by French speaking strangers. I became the biggest attraction in the village again. All the funeral guests were very excited to speak Nzema to me. My house was also invaded by more than 15 new guests. They slept strewn all over the floor in every room of the house. They kept the typical party hours of a traditional Ghanaian funeral, going to bed between midnight and 1am and waking up at 4:30 am for more dancing and drinking. Quite different from the quiet village hours I've adopted, go to bed at 7:30 to 8pm and wake up between 5 and 6am. Unfortunately they made themselves at home and all my plates, cups, bowls, and silver wear disappeared for 4 days. I assumed they would be returned after the funeral and long weekend was over but I was wrong. My landlord very apologetically informed me his guests took off with my kitchen wear to Cote D'Ivoire. I'm eating our of pots with my hands...true Ghanaian style! Oh and the picture on the right are a few Ghanaian kids playing with one of the most popular toys in Ghana. Its a stick pushing 2 wheels...kids of like a remote control car....right?

I believe that is the full 2 week update! I love you and miss you all!