music

in ghana, when people play music, they play it loudly.  

at one peace corps training event, we had a cross-cultural session where ghanaians could ask us about some of our cultural quirks, and vice versa.  one of our questions was why the music is always so loud.  their answer was that each individual tries to share his music with all his neighbors, because he recognizes he is fortunate to have the technology and means to play it, so he tries to let all around him enjoy it.  

that's a nice thought, i guess.

but a new drinking spot just opened about a hundred feet from my house, just on the other side of the wall surrounding my school.  they have the technology and means to play music.  loud loud music.  anything ranging from local dagaare chants to gospel songs by a choir to a song whose only words i catch are SEX MACHINE to of course, bob marley and celine dion.

and they are so generous that they play the music from 6am to at least midnight or 1am every day.

i am eagerly awaiting the day they pay their first power bill and realize they cannot or should not continue.

goats in the garden

i have this garden.  it is really wonderful.  

or rather, i had this garden.  it was really wonderful.  

my garden was great until some unidentified neighbors refused to tie up their very hungry goats.  those goats came, and they ate.  and they ate.  and they ate.  i used to have huge vines of green beans overtaking the whole plot, but now i just have some dried withered stems.  

well, we arrested the goats.  the goats remained tied up for two days outside my house, but no one claimed them.  at last we had to release them, because we weren't up to the task of adopting strangers' goats, and it seemed a little bold just to kill them and eat them without even finding the owners.

so they went free.  

and came back and ate some more.

ugh.

but, before my beans were destroyed, i picked FIVE green beans.  and they were delicious.

long vac

the students have now all left for their long vacation.
peace and quiet in wa.