Nearly one year ago, Nick and I were saying goodbye to Ghana. I remember it vividly. The AgriCorps crew was bunked up in the Sleepy Hippo Hotel in Accra, a musty haven for foreigners where the beer was cold and company exotic. Nick and I were spoiled with our own room, complete with a […]
Continue Reading
“Welcome! Welcome to Liberia!” This is a greeting that I heard many times during my five-day stay in Liberia to visit my son, Nathan, and his wife Anna. This was inevitably followed by a Liberian handshake; which involves a normal handshake, followed by a thumb grip, and ending with our two hands clasping with fingers […]
Continue Reading
A familiar face emerges from the dark, striding into the warm embrace of a flickering orange street lamp on the edge of town. He carries a white box and a toothy grin, “Erik, you have to see. They are here.” Peeling back the tattered cardboard flap, a flutter of red and white feathers leap forward […]
Continue Reading
Beautiful flower petals adorned all around us as drumbeats reverberated through the air. A joyful celebration was about to ensue filled with champagne spraying through the hall, cake being cut, and crazy dance moves all around. I had no idea what to expect yet was so excited to be celebrating the wedding of one of […]
Continue Reading
Much of my efforts this past couple of months have gone to planning a speaking competition for the students of Ghana’s Northern Region. Time is spent contacting sponsors, seeking out judges, reserving venues and helping students prepare to compete. Unfortunately, public speaking is a completely foreign subject to most kids here. School systems in Ghana […]
Continue Reading
I was sitting in the soil science lab grading papers when one of my Liberian colleagues struck up a conversation with me. It started out with him noticing that I was once again wearing a lappa outfit (lappa is the African fabric) and him teasing me and saying how much of a Liberian I have […]
Continue Reading