Patience
It's now Thursday.....and I've been sitting at the internet cafe for the past 2 1/2 hours...and in the duration of that time, I was only able to send THREE e-mails!!!!!! So you may be wondering why the title of this posting is PATIENCE.
Without patience, one could not survive in such a place as Ghana. And that's what makes Ghanaians such special people. However, my patience is running thin, extremely thin! I decided to begin an internet project, where my students in Ghana would be communicating with about a dozen students back in NYC. Since they will all have read the same book, I thought it would be a great way for them to express their thoughts, ideas, comments about the book and share them with one another. What I thought would be somewhat of a small task has turned into about 6 hours worth of work, and is still yet to be finished. Since my students don't have the internet at their school, their letters to my students in NYC were handwritten, which I then typed into Microsoft Word. I figured all I had to do is cut and paste their letters in an e-mail to each student in NY, send it off...and I'd be on my merry way. Well, I was quickly reminded that I'm not sitting in front of my computer in NY...with a cable-modem and all! I'm in AFRICA...and in Africa...well...you wait...and wait and wait! Wait for your friends to get ready for an outing.....you wait to get a tro-tro home.......you wait in plenty of traffic...and most of all ...you wait for the internet! 6 hours...and a total of 8 messages sent........when I think about it makes me want to scream! Even the internet here is on African time! :)
I tried explaining to my friends here how we use the internet in America...and for someone like me who has a cable -modem...as soon as you click a link, it's there. They were a bit perplexed......but wanted to know more. I tried to have them imagine how much MORE time they would have if their internet was a bit faster. They laughed......but at the same time.......their patience is endless.....which is what makes them the people they truly are! They have been nothing but hospitable.....as if I met them 3 years ago...and not 3 days ago. There is much to be learned in this beautiful country....and I'm blessed to be here and have the opportunity to experience and learn new things with each day that comes my way!
Until next time.....I'm about to see if can send 3 e-mails in less than 60 minutes! :)
Without patience, one could not survive in such a place as Ghana. And that's what makes Ghanaians such special people. However, my patience is running thin, extremely thin! I decided to begin an internet project, where my students in Ghana would be communicating with about a dozen students back in NYC. Since they will all have read the same book, I thought it would be a great way for them to express their thoughts, ideas, comments about the book and share them with one another. What I thought would be somewhat of a small task has turned into about 6 hours worth of work, and is still yet to be finished. Since my students don't have the internet at their school, their letters to my students in NYC were handwritten, which I then typed into Microsoft Word. I figured all I had to do is cut and paste their letters in an e-mail to each student in NY, send it off...and I'd be on my merry way. Well, I was quickly reminded that I'm not sitting in front of my computer in NY...with a cable-modem and all! I'm in AFRICA...and in Africa...well...you wait...and wait and wait! Wait for your friends to get ready for an outing.....you wait to get a tro-tro home.......you wait in plenty of traffic...and most of all ...you wait for the internet! 6 hours...and a total of 8 messages sent........when I think about it makes me want to scream! Even the internet here is on African time! :)
I tried explaining to my friends here how we use the internet in America...and for someone like me who has a cable -modem...as soon as you click a link, it's there. They were a bit perplexed......but wanted to know more. I tried to have them imagine how much MORE time they would have if their internet was a bit faster. They laughed......but at the same time.......their patience is endless.....which is what makes them the people they truly are! They have been nothing but hospitable.....as if I met them 3 years ago...and not 3 days ago. There is much to be learned in this beautiful country....and I'm blessed to be here and have the opportunity to experience and learn new things with each day that comes my way!
Until next time.....I'm about to see if can send 3 e-mails in less than 60 minutes! :)
posted by Cari G. @ 7:07 AM
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