Picture Commentary

A few days ago (I believe on Friday), I noticed that the computer I am working on had a slot for camera memory cards.  I stuck mine in and because I have a Memory Stick Pro Duo, it kind of got stuck.  It was no big deal as I am the only one who uses this computer, and I had another memory stick. 



Here is my sunburn! 

The plan was for me to bring some tweezers yesterday after some failed attempts at trying to remove the memory stick with a bobby pin, a toothpick, ballpoint pen, and a key.  With my sunburn I had obtained over the weekend, I was quite sore and not even sure I was well enough to make it in to work yesterday.  As a result, the tweezers were forgotten. 

I did, however, remember them today!  Amanda has been much better at taking photographs than I have been (I keep forgetting to bring my camera along), but that will change as of today.  During my time here, I have been able to snap a few pictures, but none worthy enough to warrant a really cool Facebook Photo Album yet.  As a result, I will post a few of the good ones I have been able to take here. 

The first picture above is of my sunburn I obtained on Sunday.  The entire time we were outside was completely overcast.  I remember my dad telling me that you can always get a tan so long as you can see your shadow.  I mentioned this to Amanda, and we looked for shadows, but couldn't see any (and it wasn't even noon yet!).  So we thought we would be okay.  As it turned out, I was not.  After we jumped in  the pool the first time, Amanda said that I was starting to look a little pink.  I then sprayed A LOT of sunscreen on my back and rest of my exposed areas.  Alas, it was too late.  I was looking okay until late Sunday night.  Yesterday on our walk to the library, I wore a cardigan to cover my back, but because it was so hot outside, I developed a few small blisters on my upperback near my right shoulder.  Ibuprofen and aloe are my friends.



Chickens at the pool

I am not sure if I mentioned this earlier or not, but here in Ghana, there are chickens, horses, and goats roaming about freely, and we actually saw some chickens chilling out by the pool on Sunday!  I have seen chickens before (for a few weeks in my neighbor's backyard!) but never just out and about.  If they were my chickens, I would lock them up in my own yard.  Interestingly enough, there may have been a third chicken running about before be got there, because we when arrived at the pool, there was a man definitely grilling some chicken skewers.  We have also seen a gecko or chamelion at the libary, this has yet to be captured on film though. 



Termite mounds

There are these huge mounds of clay that we thought were ant hills, but when we asked Justice what they were, he said they were termite mounds.  They are kind of neat because they are so tall (most that we have seen are taller than me and Amanda!), but it's a little gross to think that there are that many termites in one area....and so close to the dorms here.  This particular photo is on our way to the library from our dorm.  It was a very hot and muggy day and I think it actually rained a little after I took this picture.  But here are two termite mounds quite close to each other.  Just to the left of where this photo ends and on the other side of the path is another termite mound.   Justice said the termites love the clay.

Purple Preston

For those of you who have been to my apartment before, you know that I have 6 plants.  For those of you who haven't been to my apartment before, I have 6 plants.  One of the plants I have is called Purple Preston (because I have no idea what the actual name of the plant is!).   The first day I walked home from the library, I noticed something purple growing out of the ground.  It was a Purple Preston!  I was so excited to see it grow in the wild...and in Africa of all places! that I needed to take a picture.  I actually just looked it up and it is called a Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart' (Purple Wandering Jew) with it's origins in Mexico and North America.  Slightly disappointing, but still very cool.  

For the last picture of the day, here is a photo of me and Amanda from Friday when we went to Chez Afrique with Justice.