Pokerfaced in Accra

So, I am officially on day 3 in real live honest-to-god actual Ghana. I've been spending my time so far dealing with what most of you are dealing with - finding a place to sleep, figuring out how to change money on a Sunday, trying to understand the rules of haggling and tipping, and taking utterly terrifying taxi rides - and later this week I have my first Ministry of Health meeting which in theory will be the first step toward my running a bunch of focus groups next week in a village way off to the east. By myself. Which I still find hilarious.

When I was in JFK airport catching my connecting flight to Accra, I spoke on the phone to a friend who just (quite to her own surprise) found herself accepted to business school. She'll be starting in autumn. "I feel like the universe really called my bluff on this one," she said.

Indeed.

After getting some sleep on my flight, I woke up and watched the path of the plane on my little display screen until landing, and any encroaching sense of panic I had was mitigated by looking at that map and seeing how I was flying just over the heads of Kerrie and Ganle and stopping just short of Georgie and a bit south of Chloe, and this is not to get all misty-eyed or anything; it is more to point and laugh and say ha! you suckers are all in the same boat with me!

Best of luck and keep up the pokerface
Ryan

Moral/Immoral Support

Dear All:

Just a shout-out to all of ye, as we are busy preparing/leaving for fieldwork.

I just wanted to remind you and I of our lucky place as students of development studies, and wish you all safe and happy fieldwork visits. Even the difficult times will help us grow as students and help us be better able to create the changes we want to see.

Also, for anyone going to West Africa, I have two words for you: dollar sangria.

Just saying.

<3
Kerrie