Ashanti country

We've been to Kumasi, to the heart of the Ashanti kingdom. The oldest and richest of Ghana.
9 hours there and 9 hours back on a tro tro was not my idea of jolly jaunts! Still, very very cheap. And it's importnat to travel cheaply like everybody else. The more sanitised STC buses are no faster and you miss all the action.Much better to try to be a local, thought the Obroni price for things is pretty inflated.
To do them credit...there is a volunteer price which lands somewhere between local and white. They really do appreciate the effort, even if sometimes it feels like the voluunteers are a bunch of rich white kids on gap year, grizziling that they can't get fed/bathed/served...whatever. And basically just wiping themselves out every weekend. (Reminds me a bit of me after escaping boarding school!)
I'm stating to spend more of the money that was collected at home.
Very quickly after i suggested that the kids needed a library where they could get the books themselves from the shelves and put them back (under supervison) ...they love to OWN the books..little buggers. Doors have been made for 3 of the rooms and bookcases constructed for the rooms. They have to be locked at night or everything will disappear.
Stools for them to have lunch on and a new blackboard for year 5. Money goes a long way in ghana!
Also...I discovered that the way they blacken the boards is to crack open old batteries and rub the black acid on the board...which subsequently floats around every time you clean the it. i have discovered the cause of always withme lung infection. Imagine what it's doingto little...non abused lungs!
So there is currently a Ghana wide search on for blackboard paint something that is not quit so toxic.
The owner, mt anthony...is a progressive guy. His attiude is 'if the wset doesit better...we should do it too@. That's all very well, but the west also does some things very badly...we have long talks about all of this. they ar not a flippant people. if they eneter into discussion with you..it's all formal language and hours of talk. Quit nice really and I always learn something amazing on the way. Attitudes are formed so differently, for historical and religious reasons. Quite complicated.
You may have noticed that the computer has started to do some very weird stuff! I cannot edit and so have to be careful. Sorry about that paragraph!!
I am also going to send back position things for the netball uniform. They don't seem to have them here and i can't get people to understand what we need. Also...no maps of the world...lots of Ghana though. So i will get them laminated and sent them back. Can't send heavy stuff though...too expensive.