In a place I am not at.

You know how you can close your eyes and imagine a different place you are at. How the music, people, interior can easily transfer you to a different dimension. Lately my daily realization 'I LIVE IN AFRICA' has switched to 'THIS FEELS LIKE PARIS' or 'THIS MOMENT REMINDS ME OF USA'. Maybe it is a way my mind is trying to make Ghana to feel more like my home that it already is, by providing these 'pockets' and moments that remind of past.

...they say, that only when you come to your terms with the past, only then you can truly be in peace.


Three times a week, I teach this American lady Spanish. I go over to her house, and we sit by this big family dinning table, speak about life and also learn Spanish. She reminds me of my American hostmom, her home and life back in USA, as she describes it, makes me miss USA more and more each day. It has been 10 years now!

And there is something about the music. Just like smells, music reminds me of places... Bob Sinclair 'Love Generation' will always be my song for Australia, driving along the coast in a car with Maikle and his sons.

Alanis Morrison will always remind me of downtown Cleveland, the train rides between Shaker Heights and the city. Meeting Dominik and other exchange students in town for ice - cream...

Right now, Coldplay, inspired me for action to act upon the changes I want in my life! The kind of change, where I am here, but I am not!

Patience and CS meeting in Ghana

Over the many years I have been a CSer and have organised CS meetings around the world, depending on where I land am, it was one of the most challenging ones to organize.

Normally to organize a CS meeting, similarly like you would do it with FB events, you just set the place, date and send out the invitations to people. So it does not take a genius to make a meeting, but I guess it takes some guts, experience and basic knowledge of what is CS and why does it exist.

So about 2 days ago I posted a CS meeting for the day after, included the info, the idea of the meeting [aka simple drinks after work, where we rewind from the day and meet other ppl], time, place and directions... and my phone nr, in case people cant find us at the spot!!!

Mistake Nr 1: assumption that people actually read the invitation! Starting from 30min after it was sent, till about an h after the meeting [in total about 37hours], I got like 50 phone calls, mainly asking WHERE IS THE PLACE! And it is ok to ask, it is great they call.. etc. but when the 30est person calls with the same question, my answer turned simply into  CLICK ON THE LINK!!! They just scan the invite, find a nr and call!!! The use of phones v common sense! lol

Mistake Nr 2: The concept of the meeting. We had set aside an area of the bar for u, where to gather, with basic idea being- see you around after work for few drinks, meet and chat! One gentleman asked for a floor at one point and asked who is the chairman of the meeting and what is the reachable outcome of this meeting! I love the sudden efficiency among Ghanaians, but not at 8pm, with beers in our hands, when everyone is already having a great time. Bottom line - I had to give a speech! :)

Mistake Nr 3: By signing my name, people felt obligated to report to me, their ability to attend or when they come, with whom they would come, and even, when they wanna leave... I had like 3 ppl walking up to me after a few hours saying in clear English 'Mamm, I need [or want to] go home, may I!?' I felt like being a teacher again!!! heheh


RESULT: we had like 40 people in the span of 3h to pass by the meeting place, those who were in true CS spirit, met each other easily, exchanged experiences and chatted the eve away! The turn up was amazing, people chatted, saw happy faces, made 2 new friends... And am happy to do it again! [this time different thou]

Boy friends

There are all types of friendships in this world, but deep down I still believe that those shared by gentlemen are the most true ones. They always have each other's back, no matter what. They will give up their lives for each and kill for each other. For a brother. I have been lucky to witness such friendships and I have never gotten jealous, I am happy for those lucky guys that have them.

In Latvian we say 'Virs un vards', which means 'Man's promise' in other words, an unbreakable promise. And this is what I also often receive from my male friends -  much more respect and guys much more often keep their promises, than girls. Do not get me wrong, I have amazing girl friends all over the world, in every walk of my life... but another woman might not always put her friends first, she might have a husband, home, family to take care off... but man's promise is REAL.

Here in Ghana too, I have got amazing male friends. Yes, sometimes it is too much guys' talk, once I spend too much time with them, but there at least I know they will have my back no matter what! When we make plans, they will actually happen, unless I pull out. :) And it is often so much more easier with guys, much more simple. They need less for happiness. Simplicity = beer+mates  hehehe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61Vc46RbVOs

This entry goes to my Indian tribe, my Lebanese team and Egyptian back up here in Ghana! Thank you, guys!

Much love,
 your mate

Dzive Gana pec 10 menesiem seit!

[Jau ieprieks atvainojos par rakstibas stilu, bet garumzimes seit nav pieejamas]. 

Sobrid Gana ir lietus sezona, kas vienkarsi nozime to, ka laika apstakli ir lidzigi ka Latvija Junija. Ir dienas, kad list ka pa Janiem, tacu citreiz vienkarsi mazliet pasmidzina. Lielako laika dala vienkarsi ir apmacies un lidz ar to gaisa t ir noslidejusi lidz +26, kas cilvekiem, kas pieradusi dzivot konstanta +33 temperatura, sad un tad skiet auksti. Ari man ir mazliet vesi un biezak nesaju dzinsus un vakaros pat pakeru lidzi jacinu... Un vel lietus sezona izcelas ar savu skanu - daba ir tads klusums pirms vetras, tad ir vetra un tad atkal klusums... zeme ir padzerusies un var reproducet auglus. Un vardes, vardes, vardes! Vardem ir rieta laiks un ja sanak dzivot pirmaja stava, tiesam ir sajuta, ka tev pie gultas visu laiku kads skali kveeksht! Nereti ir naktis gruti aizmigt, klausoties ka vardes sasaucas pirms seksa! :) 

Gana nu jau esmu 10 menesus un pec savas pirmas vizites, kad pirmajas dienas pilnigi necietu so vietu un lidz asaram meginaju saprast, kas un kaa notiek, tacu pedeja nedela iemilejos saja valsti un pec 5 menesiem parvacos dzivot seit. Ar vienu somu, mazliet iekrajumiem un aptuvenu ideju, ka paliksu te vismaz uz 18 menesiem. Teoretiski tas ir pietiekami ilgs laiks, lai kaut ko jedzigu te izdaritu un ari pieklajigs laiks spridis, lai varetu atsaukties uz so pieredzi ari CV. 

Sobrid jau ir mazliet grutak rakstit par Ganu, jo viss nupat ir tik pierasts, kaut jateic, ka atgriezoties Eiropa kaut uz paris nedelam, kontrasts ir milzigs un atgriezoties Gana pec 2 nedelam Eiropa, si vieta joprojam spej mani parsteigt! Regulari, vismaz reizi diena, ir REALITY CHECK, kas apjedzu, ka es dzivoju Afrika!!! Lietas, kas mums skiet saprotamas, vietejiem skiet nelogiskas. Ganiesi nedrikst teikt 'NE' vai Tev sliktas zinas teikt, tadel, piemeram, kad darbinieki ir slimi un nevar ierasties darba, LOTI RETI KAD, darba devejs sanems zvanu no rita. Vini vienkarsi neatnak uz darbu un pec paris dienam atkal paradas. Te ta isti nevar ne uz ko palauties... 

Un tomer - cilveki ir super draudzigi, atliek vien iziet no majas un paiet 100m, lidz busi sanemis 4 LABRIITUS un Ka tev iet, 5 komplimentus, 2 piedavajums aizvest tevi lidz krustojumam un nereti ari vienu vai divus precibu piedavajumus [ja esi balta sieviete]! Tas ta liek pasmaidit, ka atlikusi dienas deva, kad stundu vai divas sedi sastreguma, jo atkal kads super parladets busins ir nospradzis pilsetas galvenaja krustojuma un klatesosas 10 masinas ir apstajusas, un soferi izkapusi pablaustities un saprast, kas par problemu... Vai kad darba ierodoties, saproti, ka visi interneta vadi ir parsprausti...jo apkopeja netisam tirot izrava visus stepselu, lai varetu kartigak iztirit. Un rezultata visi vadi ir salikti...ka nu pagadas, kas rezultejas ar to, ka ir jasauc tehnikis un jamaksaa atkal. Tacu ta jau vairs nav apkopejas problema - vina gribeeja ka labak! :) 

Ir daudz un dikti sadi mirkli, kad gribas kliegt un bregt no izmisuma, jo nekas neiet attieci ka esam pieradusi Rietumos... un taja pasa laika, pec darba iedzert alinu vieteja krodzina, kur kads ir izvilcis savu mobilo un visi viri pie blakus galda, kabatas lakatinus virs galvas vicinot, dejo. Vai piektdienas vakara, aiziet uz restoranu ar grillu un dzivo muziku, un kartigi izdejoties ar vietejiem, saviem draugiem un jauniem draugiem. Un dejo visi - sievas un viri, veci un jauni. Un dejo aktivi, dejo no sirds. Un tad pec dejas, aizelsusies uz mirkli apsedies, lai, lidzigi ka musu zalumballes, jau kavalieris atkal rautu uz deju. 

Un daba... ZALA, lekna daba. Koki, kalni, plavas, mezi, upes un udens kritumi, okeans... ik reizi, kad sadusojos izbraukt no pilsetas, aizsitas elpa no sejienes dabas skaistuma! 

Ir tomer verts sad un tad izkapt no savas komforta zonas un padzivot savadak. Izbaudit saules starus un tumsu ap 6 vakara katru dienu, 365 dienas gada... klausities varzu kori no sava dzivokla balkona un est gardas tilapias zivis, kas tikko no okeana izzvejotas! Un lauties but... jo seit laika izjuta pazud. Te nekad neko nevar nokavet! [ja nu vienigi lidmasinu uz Eiropu, kas nesaprot Afrikas laiku! :)]

Back to Accra Village

After some time in Europe [even thou that mainly consisted of lying on the beach or terrace at the beach house in Latvia], it is nice to be back in Accra and experience this cool weather. I had never experienced +24 in Ghana, a weather where I even feel ok wearing a cardigan. It's such a relief and different Ghana, all fresh, also a bit more quite and it feels that just like the earth is drinking the rain water, so are the people rebooting for new harvest season and yet another 10 months of endless sun.

Tawala by day

I got in Ghana right on my Name Day and following my own traditions, that July 5 ought to be something special, I put on my new, long, flowery dress and head out to have couple of drinks with my friends at the beach bar Tawala. Just some closer friends, plenty of MADINGO [local Campari] shots with orange juice and some juicy chicken, ocean breeze and chill! Its not quite like eating mom's made strawberry cake, but its the best you can get here!

Mural at the Tawala Beach Bar

Getting back to work has been a bit...slow. Since my car is still in garage and I am dependent on taxis, which I am not very happy about. On top of that, having been in Latvia for 2 weeks, despite the fact that had 2 power cuts there too, it is really annoying when the local electricity company ppl, who are working right in front of my office cant tell that they are about to cut of our wire for the rest of the day... so annoying! So pretty much most of my working time, I have been spending battling with internet people and switching all my electrical devices in the office from one phase to another, that runs on generator! Messy! Oh, and client service! Still, even those two weeks I was in Europe, Ghana has not improved! LOL 

But overall, it is great to be back and receiving endless welcome back msg and calls from people and I didnt even know I was gone! Off to my 1st night out since I am back, thou might change that into a BBQ party with my friends at home! :) And sleeping in tomorrow... 

ps. I brought radio from Latvia, and having music in my bedroom makes SUCH a BIG difference!