After a somewhat lengthy hiatus, I'm back for another post. The girls have kept things well up to date with how things are going, the huge range of sights and sounds, the great people we've met, and the many things we've been learning. One thing, however, that we haven't done too much of is take very many photographs. As a friend in Kingston described to us before leaving, it is difficult to photograph places and people before you can truly appreciate their meaning. Hence, our first few weeks were filled with very few photographs as we learned the landscape of Accra. However, we've taken a few up to this point, and I'd love to share them with you.

This is a shot from our trip to the beach last weekend with Eddie and Kofi Daniel. What I find so striking about it is the beauty of the ocean and the waves paired with the startling amount of garbage and trash. As those of you who know me as the environmentalist, this has been something I've thought a lot about since being here. There is a lot of litter on the streets, and minimal effort in reducing material. Additionally, it does not appear there is any municipal recycling system in Accra. It has made me think about how challenging it must b

e for the government to place priorities on expensive waste management strategies, when there is still a struggle in economic growth and improving people's quality of life.

I hope these two photos can give you a sense of where Lindsay and I were at in Kade the week before last. The first shot is of a phenomenal sunset just outside of the guesthouse where we were staying. The geography is very lush and green. It reminds me a lot of my time on the west coast, with some interesting new tropical sub Saharan plants. The second is of the guest house where we stayed in Kade.

This weekend was very nice in Accra. Lindsay and I made it to the heart of Makola Market where we both picked up another piece of clothing to wear to the office. It is phenomenal how professional everyone dresses, and how consistently well pressed and clean their clothing always is. We're trying to get in the habit of ironing clothes more often, but we still appear as the somewhat dirty and run down Obrunis.

I think Lindsay's given a pretty good update below, so I don't want to repeat too much. The tro-tros have been great, and I'm really glad we have started to take them. I can't emphasize enough just how friendly everybody is, and how welcome we are made to feel. We will definitely update before heading out of Accra. (Potentially later this week).

Thanks for all the updates, and be sure to keep them coming. I hope everyone had a great time at convocation--wish I could have been there! Enjoy the rest of your travels, work, and relaxation, and talk soon!