12/22

Another breakfast on the side of the street across from the teachers hall. Thick bread with fried eggs & tea. Just the thing. Then over to KTI to have class.

Salihou brought Linux disks and since we were early we built a system for the institute's Internet cafe where we were teaching. Salihou continued talking about networking, and I talked about using search engines and building web pages, and also a bit about Excel. We were given another lunch, and then to the pricipal Joe Mensa-Eshun's office to review and close our time with them. Gameli is very interested in job opportunities, and Mr. Mensa-Eshun offfered some contacts. Then we ruhed to the bank before it closed to convert some traveler's checkes. Just in time. Not a great rate but oh well.

Salihou, Adu Kumi, Frank and myself

Meeting with the principal of Kumasi Technical Institute

I promised my Ghanian friend in Seattle, Joe Appiah to try to get a DVD "Asantehene, Installation of the king" so we headed off in the Christmas season traffic to find the Cultural Center. It turns out they don't have them there, but one guy offered to ride with us to the Manhyia Palace where they have them.

Dr Joe's neice Theresa, her husband Max and Salihou

Part of Kumasi seen from the Teachers Hall

Then it was back to Joe Appia's niece's house to look at a combo printer/fax device that she didn't know how to connect. There were missing parts, so we couldn't get far with that. She invited us for banku, and I got another lesson in proper finger technique. Near the time we left, there was a pretty good rain, so we left after that stopped.

Update 2006: I am very honored that I was able to meet Abena's mother, Peggy Appiah. An accomplished author of English origin who loved Ghana very much. She was so loved by the Ghanaians too. Her story is an impressive one. Her family published a book for her memorial service. In it are newspaper clippings from her life, and her life with her husband Joe, who was very active in Ghanaian politics and the early democracy. It includes tributes from H.E. John Kufour, the president of Ghana, and H.E. Kofi Annan, the secretary of the U.N. A pdf file version of the book is available here.

We returned to the hostel to find water on the floor and the things we were drying on racks outside on the balcony, soaked. A big puddle on the floor under my bed too. Electricity has been funky since we've returned too it seems like we're on half voltage or something. The fan doesn't turn at full speed, and the compact flourescent lights take much longer to come on. Better not risk trying a recharge on the laptop.