Mole National Park

I don't know if I actually ever wrote about our trip to Mole National Park. One weekend in February, we decided to go on a safari because you need to go on a safari if you're in Africa. We were all eagerly anticipating seeing elephants as we climbed on the little trou trou we rented to make our way to Mole.

The road was bumpy and dusty so we needed to cover our noses and mouths... not that it helped much. We must have looked hilarious to all the Ghanaians we were waving at out the window. Strange Obruni's (white people).

Mole was beautiful! It was so nice to get out of the city too... and to have a weekend of nothing but sitting outside, eating, swimming and reading. It was a much needed get-away for us.

These cute little guys were all over the place! They were so playful with each other -- at least the little ones were. The mama's usually just tolerated their young'ns, but they would sometimes play and push the babe's around. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them... which is good because our actual safari was a little disappointing.

Our instructor had been telling us that every year they came they saw elephants within minutes of arriving. We thought it was a sure thing, but we were sorely mistaken. We ended up seeing wart hogs, kob (antelope type creatures), and some baboons far off in the distance. And that was all. No elephants. No animals really as the kobs were so far away we needed binoculars to see them... and there were only a couple of 'em.

It was lovely to walk anyway and to see the beautiful landscape. Africa is breath-taking. Learning about the trees and the animals that are usually present was very interesting. I can't remember most of it, but you can determine how far away from water you are based on the animals you encounter -- that's how hunters and travellers would find water sources... they would follow the animals. Kobs, for example, stay within 5 miles of water.

Mole also had some exquisite flowers. They were on bushes and I don't know what they are called, but one of you might. I especially loved the little pink one below. I saw it everywhere and it always made me smile.

And, of course, the African sky never ceased to amaze me.

So, instead of seeing animals, we really just went on a nice long walk in Africa. The trip was worth it though even if only to swim in the pool. It was the dirtiest pool I have ever seen, but it was still amazing. I don't know if I have ever enjoyed swimming more.

and exhale

I wrote the last exam of my undergrad today. Boy it felt good walking out of those gym doors. I feel as though I can finally exhale.

Only 14 shifts at the hospital and my CRNE stand between me and my career. Scary!

We're Moving (still renting and still kelowna)

We're moving!! To a teeny tiny itty bitty house just down the road. It's about 150 meters away from where we live now and it's a bit more expensive than what we are currently paying, but it's above ground! And it is self-contained! And it is above ground!

I'm a little bit nervous about the increase in rent, but it's the perfect location for us (we can both walk to work) and Erik really hates living in dingy basements. The house is about the size of our current basement suite, but the lay-out is much more conducive to having friends over. It has a little basement with tons of storage and a room that I can use for all my crafting and as a "guestroom" when family comes over. The upstairs is a kitchen and a living room that are the size of our current living room, but they are open to each other and the kitchen has windows!!!! It's going to be wonderful! It also has two tiny bedrooms and a mini yard, and we are so excited!!

our little house

Moving right after exams and during my practicum is probably not the best idea, but we had to take it. We hadn't even thought about moving until Sunday when friends of ours told us about the place. We checked the place out on Monday and then on Tuesday we called our landlords to make sure they were fine with it and they were. So we gave our notice and started the paperwork for our new lease and we are moving May 1.

Rains Down in Africa

I love thunderstorms. I love love love them!!! Especially when it is warm enough for you to play in them. In Africa it is always warm enough.

On our first real day in Enchi there was a huge rainstorm. We were walking around town when we saw some foreboding clouds rolling on in so we decided to turn around and head home. It was a good thing we did too because it started pouring!!! It was awesome! Each person we passed tried to convince us to come under their shelter, but we graciously declined. We must of looked nuts because we were giddy with delight over the rain. We were dancing and laughing.

The dirt roads soon turned into a muddy mess so we slipped our way down the hill on our way home.  I have never seen a rain storm like that... it was wild!!

The rain drops were enormous! And it was so wonderful to finally be cool-ish after four weeks of constant sweating. We laughed the whole way home!

We decided to go puddle jumping and we even managed to convince some kids to come along with us.  All the Ghanaians were huddled beneath their shelters laughing hysterically at us. We must have looked absolutely ridiculous to them, but the kids seemed to love it.

Rivers of orange/red ran through town. It was beautiful! Did I mention that it was warm and that we had so much fun??

We had our first day at the clinic the next day and everybody had heard about us puddle jumping with the kids even though no one had met us yet. News travels fast in a small town like Enchi... and we were the only four white people in town so it was pretty obvious it was us.

More of Africa will slowly come. Final school exam on Tuesday!! Then all I have is marking for the statistics course I'm a T.A. for and finishing off practicum. I'm so close!! Oh. And my Canadian RN Exam in June... but that isn't till June.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a studious weekend (at least that's what I'm wishing myself)!

*** *** ***

My very last first day of free labour.

Tomorrow marks the first day of my last practicum as a nursing student. There are only 16 more shifts in which I can use the excuse that I am "just a student". After that I'm the real thing... granted I pass my CRNE in June.

I'm not going to lie, I am terrified. A little sick, even. This final practicum terrifies me, let alone being a bonafide RN. I best learn as much as I can. After all, this is it.

***

In other news, I handed in my last paper today and I have my last exam at UBC-O on Tuesday. I just started studying yesterday. Bad move. It encompasses all four years and I must admit that I am stressed out about it. Especially because I have a full set of shifts at the hospital to get through and not much time to study. I wish it was pass/fail. I could destroy my GPA in my last exam of the year.

I hope you're not squeamish...

I have decided to share my skin infection with all of you. Don't worry it's not contagious (woah, took me a minute to decide whether to use "it's not" or "it isn't" there). I am aware that many of you will find this disgusting as even the girls with me in Africa were grossed out, but I wanted to share it anyway because I think it is interesting. And I love strange stuff like this. 

Day 1

I came home from clinical in Enchi and asked Kelsey what was on my neck. It was a little bit itchy and a little bit painful. I thought it was scratched, but I couldn't see. K said it was red and there were some small white dots. I went to bed hoping it would just go away...

Day 2

 Well it didn't go away. It got worse. Day 2 brought more raised, white, painful, pustules. And it felt a little bit more raw. I tried not to worry about it, but i must admit I was the slightest bit concerned. After all, I was in Africa and you never really know what you're going to get.

Day 3

On day three it felt like a raw, painful, sunburnish, sore. I felt the urge to scratch, but scratching it was painful. Touching it was painful. I decided to go see the medical assistant (smartest man in the clinic). He looked at it and said it was an infection of some sort (thanks!) and gave me a prescription for an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal cream. Three times a day. The girls didn't like looking at my infection (let alone touching it) so I had to apply the cream myself. It's pretty difficult when you can't see what you're doing and you really don't want to miss anything.

Day 4

Raw and painful. It stung a lot actually. It felt soothing to have my "cool" hands on it. I wet my sweat rag and tied it around my neck for a while. I really wanted to pop those pustules this day, but I resisted the urge. Everybody knows it is better not to pop things. I wore my hair in a low bun because I was embarrassed of my gross neck.

Day 5

I think it may have started improving on day 5 (day three of my topical combo). It was no longer as painful and didn't appear to be getting worse anymore.

shoulder sore before it opened.

Oh! I haven't talked about this yet. I also had infection rearing it's ugly face on my shoulder and on a small spot on my back. The infection looked completely different at each of the three locations. My shoulder had what appeared to be an open sore (no pustules or raised bumps of any kind). And the spot on my back appeared to have deflated blisters. I thought this was strange, but the medical assistant didn't seem to be bothered.

Day 6

This picture looks disgusting because the cream was still partially on my neck... and in my hair. My infection appeared to have begun climbing up into my scalp. I pretty much washed my hair with the anti-everything cream and hoped it didn't all fall out. You can see that more pustule-y things have developed at the bottom of my neck. They ended up conglomerating into one large raised crusty bit.

Day 7

Got my hair braided today! And the poor ladies go to look at this. It's starting to look better though and it is now crusting over, big time!

Day 8

 And it began peeling off on day 8. Bye bye infection!!

Day 12

Day 12. Gone??? Lizard skin. My skin was dry and reptile-esque, but not flaky. It felt like it needed to peel, but it wouldn't.

Day 18

Definitely moving up into my hair. I forgot about it for a couple days and it got a little out of hand. I was so thankful for my braids because they allowed me to put my cream all throughout my scalp. Itchy, itchy, itchy! Not lice though (praise the Lord!). The thought did cross my mind. I remember praying that the infection didn't migrate to my face. Could you imagine??? Those ugly, painful, zitty, pustules all over my face??? No thanks.

Day 19

This is my hair with cream throughout it. You can see my skin finally did peel, but it left the same kind of leathery, reptile skin underneath. I hope it isn't a large ugly scar. My shoulder and the spot on my back look the same.

So now on day 30 something I still have leathery, reptile skin that makes it look like I have a huge scar across my neck and I sometimes think I feel infection bumps in my hair, but I am hoping it's just psychological. Praying my infection is gone for good and that I will soon turn back into a human.

Oh Mother

My mother called Erik on March 2 to wish him a happy birthday. 

She does this every year even though I gently remind her that his birthday is actually on April 2.

This should be easy to remember as it's the day before her anniversary. 

Every year she promises to change it in her calender. 

When I call my mom for her anniversary I tease her for missing Erik's birthday.

And every year she bashfully remembers that she forgot to change her calender.

I hope it never changes.

4 down, 149 to go

I have sadly started the process of unbraiding my hair. It is going to take forever so I am starting in the middle. That way I can put my hair up in a pony-tail and no one will know. I'd keep the braids forever if I could. I have loved having them! I love that they are dark. I love that they are thick. I love that they are so easy to take care of. And let's be honest, I kind of look bad ass.

4 down.

Only 149 to go.

back to being all about babies.

this picture of little miss from earlier this week reminded me of another time I had a little baby fall asleep by me. 

March 2011

only this time, unlike last time, my shawl is completed. it's eight months later. and it's a different baby. either way, both make me so happy.  

August 2010

cause you've been asking.

I have had a few people ask me to write more about my time in Africa. I am definitely planning on doing so, but I don't have the time to dedicate to reflecting on it just yet as school and my impending practicum are about all I can focus on for now. School will be done in a few weeks time and then I will be able to focus on Ghana and spend some time thinking and writing about it. I will say that it was wonderful and amazing and I would go back in a second if I could.

It Finally Fits!

Remember this adorable dress I made my niece?

Well it finally fits her! I used the three month pattern, but Hailey Jade is skinny so it didn't fit her until now (she's 9 months). 

The pattern is intended to be used as a dress first and then as a shirt/vest as the baby grows... but Hailey is almost skipping the dress phase and moving directly into the long shirt phase. Thank goodness tights are in style.

My Girls.

I should have been doing homework, but I decided to play with my little girls instead! The best part was that their mama's came along too -- my four favourite ladies. They (the girls, not their mothers) have gotten so big and they have learned all sorts of new tricks. Sawyer even decided to do things today that her mama had never seen.

They make me so happy. And they were mostly happy... at least when they were eating. They don't really play together, but they do play beside each other and they "share" food and toys.

Maelle refused to nap when her mother was trying to put her down, but she passed out on my lap later in the afternoon. 

Sawy giggled so much when she was over. I am so glad she isn't afraid of me -- I thought she might be after two months apart. She doesn't crawl or walk yet, but she is more and more interested in moving and she is getting more daring. 

 Maelle is still much bigger than Sawyer even though she is 3.5 months younger than her. Bean happens to be in the 10th percentile while Little Miss is in the 90th. Or something like that. 

And Bean's little lion bum. You may recognize it from here when Maelle wore it back in December. She was kind enough to pass it on to her older smaller friend.

Warshington

Erik and I had a lovely time in Washington. Today was a bit overwhelming with the amount of work I needed to catch up on, but I am so thankful I went down when I sneak a peak at the photos we have from the weekend. It was so wonderful!

 I'm told Diego picked out this snazzy outfit for himself. Grandma's glasses finish it off nicely. And I love how he is smiling so nicely for the camera. Presh.

 Nothing better than snuggling with a sleeping babe -- especially when it is cool enough to appreciate the warmth the little peanut provides you. 

Uncle Erik with Mister J. I love seeing my hubby delight in babies. 

Seriously, he feels SO good. I love all his chubbiness.

Saying goodbye to the boys.

With Shawnaron and the boys. 

Erik and Truen. Look at his grin!!! So cute!!

Surprise!

Erik's sister is in Washington visiting his family for a few weeks. We haven't seen her since August 2009 and little Jamie was just born in January. I was so disappointed that she chose to come now just days after I came home from Africa and in the busiest month of my academic career. I really couldn't take the time off to go visit her.

Erik picked me up at the airport on Saturday night and then he went down to his parent's house on Tuesday to visit with Shawna and the family. I spent the week at my sister's house regretting that I didn't go with him, but I had a lab to attend and CRNE study books to purchase (and study). Erik had his nephews ask me when I was coming down every time I called and he eventually wore me down.

After trying every possible avenue to get down there, I made a last ditch effort and went to the bus depot at 10:30pm in hopes of catching the 11:30 bus to Abbotsford. This plan was only hatched at 9:30pm so it was a bit of a surprise to myself. Erik drove from his parent's house to Abbotsford and picked me up at 3:30am! We snuck into his parent's house at 5:30am and managed to catch a couple hours of sleep before we heard little voices chatting and little bodies making their way downstairs.

Erik hadn't told his sister that I was coming so he was very excited to march me into the kitchen to say good morning. When we got to the bottom of the stairs our nephew came around the corner, pointed at me, asked "how did you get here?", and then jumped into my arms. When Shawna saw me she did a little happy dance and said something or other in disbelief and then she came and gave me a great big hug! I'm a sucker for surprises. I just love 'em.

So even though it was absolutely ridiculous to travel in the middle of the night, for Erik to pick me up in Abbotsford and drive back to his parent's (he left at 1:20 and didn't get back until 5:30), and to make the trip just for a day and a half -- it was worth it. Absolutely worth it.

Especially after I had these three little boys in my arms.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a refreshing weekend!

*** *** ***

{this moment} updates.

I have decided to add some more {this moment}'s from my weeks in Ghana. I have posted them to their appropriate dates, but feel free to sneak a peak.

February 4

February 11

February 18

February 25

March 4

March 11

March 18

Same Same

Canadian and Ghanaian babies really aren't that different.

Home Safe

I finally arrived home in Surrey after 52 hours of traveling. I am very tired, but so happy to see my husband and my family.  I am planning on posting some pictures and more blogs about the last month of my time in Africa, but those will have to wait until later. Erik is going to Stanwood for a week on Tuesday so I will be spending all my time with him until then. You can expect something later this week though... I hope.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

*** *** ***

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

*** *** ***

Enchi - Quick Overview

We are back in Kumasi for a night after spending a week and a half in Enchi and we're heading up north to Bolgatanga tomorrow. I had no desire to come to the internet tonight, but I know my dear husband would be happy to hear from me so here I am. I am so glad I have been keeping a journal during my time here because I really don't feel like posting much -- there is just too much to say.

I absolutely adored Enchi. The town was small and beautiful. It was very dusty, but there were also some incredible thunderstorms while we were there. We even managed to go running in the mornings because it was nice and cool (only 30 degrees!). Enchi was so lush and green and humid. The people were lovely and they made us feel so welcome. I loved that we saw the same people daily so we were able to develop relationships with them. We got to know so many wonderful people and I was sad to leave this morning.

I did get a skin infection which the medical assistant kindly diagnosed for me. He gave me a prescription for some topical antibiotic/antifungal/anti-inflammatory and it appears to be doing the trick. I hopefully won't be bringing this little infection home with me.

And that is all the energy I have right now. I promise I will write more about Enchi later -- it was so amazing to be there. For now, know that I am safe, I am happy, and I am mostly healthy.

Much Love.

Ashley

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

*** *** ***

A short phone conversation

Hello everyone. Ashley's husband Erik here.  I thought I'd give an update about the team since its been a week since their last post and it will be another week since their next one.

Ashley called me last night at 11pm which is 7am over there.  She let me know that they are all safe and that she is enjoying Enchi.  Apparently the nurses in Enchi are a little more welcoming and easier to work with than the nurses in Tamale which is good because of this quote from Ashley regarding the nurses in Tamale:  "They really didn't like me."  Hah!  That's my girl.


Ashley let me know that they are working in a small clinic in Enchi and I believe that they were going out from the clinic today to do some outreach work.


One interesting and almost unrelated side note, as I was speaking to Ashley she was walking to the clinic which was about 300 yards away from where they were staying.  In that short walk I could barely hear her over the crowing of Roosters.  I asked if she walked into a chicken coop and she said that there were chickens everywhere in Enchi.  I got the impression that she had a rooster sitting on either shoulder.


Unfortunately that's all we had time to talk about.  I thought people might be interested to hear about it.