Saturday 24th February 2007
It’s been a while since my last post as I have been busy working.
Having not posted for so long, I wrote my usual huge entry in the interim with the intention of posting it just now. Having reread it, while sitting down at the shite cafe, I realise it turned into a ten page whine epic, so I scrapped it.
Instead here is a poem I wrote on the Tro Tro on the way here.
Marcus Didius Gecko.
Who knows where my Gecko goes?
For weeks on end the only clue…..he is here at all….is Gecko poo
In amongst the VSO highs and lows, while I am lying on my bed
He appears on the wall, and for no reason at all
I line him up between my toes.
Perhaps now would be a good time for a recap.
My name is Jon and I am VSO volunteer. A few months ago I gave up my cosy life in Britain to teach IT to disabled kids in Ghana.
Life on the equator is tough but the climate has turned out to be the least of my challenges.
Teaching a technical subject to children who believe that God created Adam and Eve is the hardest thing I have ever done. They have no concept of speed, time or efficiency, all of which are essential to understanding and learning the basics of computers. A computer is, after all, a time saving device.
They don’t know about dinosaurs, space, physics, gravity, history or much else. If I try to teach them any of this, they think I am telling them fictional stories, boring ones at that.
I once told them that we descended from Apes and they couldn’t stop laughing at me.
Food and the actual logistics of running an IT dept in a Third World country are also interesting personal challenges.
My VSO placement is also isolated beyond belief and very far from the description of the placement I originally accepted.
Despite all this, I am feeling fit and healthy and have had some amazing support from readers of this site. For that I need to take the time to say thank you.
I have four weeks left until the end of my first term, at which time I plan to go to Accra and spend a few days in an air-conditioned flea pit hotel room, eating chips. I am looking forward to it immensely.
I have been here for three months. In that time I have had malaria, frogs in my toilet, snake encounters, a mosquito behind my eyeball, a maggot in my arm, cockroaches in my toilet roll and three marriage proposals and that was just in the first month.
Lately things have been more sedate and more serious. Either that or I have stopped noticing all the hilarity.
As Arthur C Clarke writes in the second of his Odysseys, ‘The human mind has an astonishing capacity to adapt; after a while, even the incredible becomes commonplace.’
I leave you with two pictures.
One is of me in my classroom with my students. There are only seven of them now. Three of them have left after being asked to provide proof that they have the required certificate to take their exam in May. Another left in sympathy. That was a very long story and it would be unfair on them to reveal the details here.
The second is part two of my Microsoft Paint, preconceptions project. Last November, if you read back through the archives of this site, you will find part one, and an explanation.
Anyway, that’s all for now, it was after all, time I made a post which was actually readable for those of you who have lives to attend to.
I will update more fully soon, either at or before the end of term. Send my love to Britain, the Internet and Cheese and Onion crisps.
Cheers
Jon
BY EMAIL 
or RSS feed 
I actually like the long posts! I tend to print them out and read them on the tube journey home. Keep up the good work pal. And posts are fantastic regardless the size…!!!
I like the long posts too. Don’t feel bad about posting them, they’re great reads and always well written.
Anyway, I sent you a package today with some random stuff in it. Forgive me for not including a proper letter, but there’s a text file for you on the USB stick. :p Hopefully it arrives intact and will dodge the attention of the customs people.
JB, do any of your mobiles work down there still? I might have a cunning way of getting some stuff to you but it involves arranging a few things, let me know what number I can get you on if any!!
Jaaybeee,
Forgive me for linking but check this bad boy out.
http://www.msdnaa.net/search/SchoolSearchIntl.aspx
some sort of alliance type american center that dishes out freebies from Microsoft office 2003 to the latest vista. Seems to be designed for students and schools alike to kit you with stuff so you can learn. Microsoft globalisation at its best but hey its free.
Not sure how you can apply and get the free stuff but many universities in the uk are signed up. as you can see from the link even places in Ghana are registered.
Hope it helps
PS - bbq the Gecko if you get hungry.
Hmm didn’t quiet work as intended but on the link find Ghana and in city add Accra.
Although I’m sure you worked that out but hey ho.
Just out of interest did you test packages ever make it?
Hi Jon,
Greetings from London! Great to read about your experience in Ghana. There are not many sites like yours out there that give such an honest impression of what it is like living and working in Africa.
I am a friend of Jay and Lyndsay and heading to Ghana in mid April to spend 1.5yrs in some villages in the Sefwi Wiawso, Western Region, for my PhD. It would be great to meet up some time. Are you planning on visiting Accra or Kumasi at some point?
good luck
Bjorn
Hi Jon
Glad to see all is well (ish) & you are fighting fit.
September & the pfc seems like a million
light years away!
I have been in The Gambia now for 6 weeks (tomorrow) but have not, for other reasons, started work or moved into my compound as yet - I envy you on both accounts.
Keep up the good work - you sound as though you are enjoying - hope you are getting plenty of chances to read.
Take care
Jacqui (The Gambia)
Hi Jon,
I was a VSO volunteer in Nigeria from 2004 - 2006. I really enjoyed Nigeria, and miss the people there, so it’s good to read your blog and remind myself of life in Africa.
It’s also good to see your honesty in asking questions about VSO and your placement, while still staying optimistic.
I would like to continue to help VSO, and have created a wiki at ictvolunteers.wikispaces.com
If you get a chance to look at it, or add/update info I’d be grateful for your comments. I’ll also try and send some stuff to you, would manuals on CD rom be useful? I ‘ll try and hunt out some hardware and/or inkjet refills. If you need device drivers and have the device names I’ll download the drivers and burn them onto a CD to send you.
Hope that things are going OK in Ghana
best wishes
Indar
Hey jb
Sorry I’ve not contacted you for a while, but just a quick note to thank you for all the updates I’ve received via email.
As others have already said, they make for great reads regardless of their length!
I sent you a funny joke the other day, but have also just emailed a fantastic document that contains some pictures. Once you [have hopefully been able to] view them, I’m sure you’ll treat yourself to a little smile as I did.
Stay healthy and happy, mate and keep up the wonderfully selfless work.
Jim
I wrote some time ago regarding cheese! We are now back in Ghana and living in new Gbawe in Accra. I expect your stay in Accra may be busy with meeting other VSO’s but if you fancy a beer details including our phone number are on our website.
I wrote some time ago regarding cheese! We are now back in Ghana and living in new Gbawe in Accra. I expect your stay in Accra may be busy with meeting other VSO’s but if you fancy a beer details including our phone number are on our website.http://www.bakoji-hume.blogspot.com
wow. your posts are really long. but one day ill take time to read all. for now i just read the part abt your teaching experiences. I was an exchange student in high school in Ghana a few years ago and i experienced the same thing. the kids werent learning anything and it was heart breaking to watch - and it was funny asking questions in class which i was used to in norway and looking at all their puzzled faces when I did
Soon to be ghanaian resident, Yngvild Knudsen, Norway
Hey all thanks for all your thoughts. Hearing from anybody is always great. I dream about internet access so I could have time to reply to you. I am trying to convince the school to get some kind of connection.
cheers
Jon
Hi Jon
Am sending you Shadow of the Wind one of the books on your wish list. Hope it arrives Ok
Great book - look forward to seeing you in Juan
lots of love Annie, Daniel and Jo