Ride on the Magic School Bus

"Do you guys only like me because I'm a bafoono (white)?"
"No. We love you because you are our sister."
-Richmon, my brother, to me

For anyone who has ever watched/read anything from the Magic School Bus series, they will remember Arnold. Arnold who always repeated, "I knew I should have stayed home today" as Ms. Frizzle shrunk her class down to the size of peas or white blood cells to help them better understand the circulatory system or how a polar bear stays warm. Regardless of the adventured Arnold would state that he "knew he should have stayed home" when a particularly rough leg of TMSB adventures began. Sometimes I have these moments.
I have been in Ghana for a month and a half. We are now in Accra, getting ready to go to Nkawkaw for a retreat and then we will head back to our homes/families for another three weeks. I have been living in the village for three weeks. I am in Bedeku, Caitlin in Luhuor, Mark in Gbantana and Amanda in Asigbekope (refer to their blogs for their adventures). But Bedeku is best. I am having the time of my life.
First, let me talk about my family...
I have three Yayos (grandmothers) that don't speak a stitch of English and think my attempts at Dangme (Dahngbeh) are hilarious (which they are). But according to Grace and Julie (friends in the next compound) the Yayos love me because I'm always smiling.
I also have Papa (Joseph), Mammi (Rebeccah), 12 brothers (Joshua 17, Samuel 18, Richard 11, Richmon 15, Jacob 6, Godson 10, Junior 10, Amateh 7, Joshua2 15, Richard2 17, Yona 11 and Christian 8) and one sister, (Gertie 16).
Joseph and Rebeccah are astoundingly amazing people (seriously, only Gertie, Richard and Jacob are their biological children). Joseph is a farmer of cassava, pepe, maise and millet. Rebeccah also farms with her husband as well as selling in Market on market days and is a hairdresser. The two of them have been astounding. They really comprehend why I am here and they have treated me with the perfect amounts of patience, respect, caring, humor and understanding. I can only hope that I've at least given them back a fraction of the warmth and happiness that they've given me.
My brothers. Are brothers. They are ridiculous, hilarious, stupid, sweet and disgusting. I spend a lot of time with them working in the cassava grinder and generally hanging out. They protect me (from annoying men), understand me (refusing to serve people who call me bafoono), teasing me (though I dish it out almost more than they do) and torturing me (capturing a bat and showing it to me after I expressed HOW MUCH I HATE THEM!!!!). I spend most of my time with Joshua, Richard and Ricmon but I love each of them. And the great thing about my little bros is that if one doesn't understand me, another is guaranteed to. Amateh and his inventions of very dangerous toys, Junior and his infectious laugh, Richard with his quite charm, and Godson with his paitence and teaching nature. Sometimes it feels like I'm living in a total boys club but luckily I fit in alright.
Gertie is the love of my life. She is the only girl in this mass of boys. At first she and I didn't know what to think of each other and now, we're almost inseparable. We just have to look at each other and we burst out laughing. She enjoys watching me struggle with Dangme and Banku and Fufu but eventually she helps me out. If I'm not with Gertie selling water in the market, we're lazing on the sleeping mats, reading through old school books or talking about nothing at all. She is totally beautiful and smart and she's a great resource for me when I have questions.
I have made friends, I have routine. I sleep later than everyone else (7am), eat, fetch water, bath, wash my clothes, visit friends/sell in market, come home, nap/rest, hang out with brothers, cassava grind/other chores, eat, goof around, bed (8pm).
I did get slightly sick at one point. I was put on Malaria treatment. I'm fine now. But it sucked because I didnt get to spend as much time with my family as I would have liked to. Laying in bed being sick as a dog was a definate "I should have stayed home" moment.
Don't get me wrong. I'm having the time of my life. But these moments sometimes come around and frankly-they suck! One day my Yayo called me over (remember, no English) but stated to me, in perfect English, "You bring my girl (Gertie) home with you. She needs a better life." I also found out through some detective work that I had been the cause of a series of cane-welts on my brother Richmon's back late for school because he was fetching my water for me when he realized I was too sick and weak to do it myself. I also cringe every time I hear "BRAFOONO!!" hollered at me and I feel like my white privilage badge is always glowing bright.
When I think about how the majority of my brothers are living with Joseph and Rebeccah because their parents couldn't afford them and Joseph makes an extra 60 pesewas (about 60 cents) a day with the cassava grinder, I am reminded of the fragile existence that I am living in.
I have moments where I close my eyes and hope when I open them, I will be standing in the Toronto airport and six months will be gone. Sometimes I think, "My life would be a lot easier if I hadn't even joined One World". Sometimes, all I want, more than anything in the world, is Cool Ranch Doritos. These are the moments when my inner Arnold is stating "I knew I should have stayed home today."
But then sometimes, (not always right away), I remember that at the end of the episode/book Arnold is smarterm and better off and knows more about the circulatory system or how a volcano works, more than anyone else because he lived it. He experienced it. Experiential learning through living.
So, even though I'm not the size of a pea or a flea or being baked into a pie, One World has been my Magic School Bus, and Ghana is my adventure that I am living and learning in (and like Ms. Frizzles class, sometimes I don't really belong in the situations I'm in). In the end, I chose this class and I am happier than I can ever remember being in my whole life. One thing I've learned from my village family is how to take the good with the bad. For that I am forever in debt to them.
Anyways, my time is up, I will be back at the end of the week so email me or comment down below! Tell me about home! Also, there are a few pictures on Facebook now.
I miss you and love you all!

PEace and Plantain,
Aryn




Oh, Pamela, this makes you Ms. Frizzle