Getting there!

It has been an interesting first week of term and in many ways more positive for me. I think I have found my job!!! Working in the office is a touch more comfortable since new furniture appeared over Easter. We now have padded chairs and tables with a flat writing surface. The government paid for them, apparently.

I have had more fruitful meetings with headteachers too. One proudly showed me William and Kate's vows on his mobile! I learned that the whole day was televised live on Ghana TV and many Ghanaians were enthralled and desperate to talk about it all. I had seen a few clips on the BBC website having no TV. The network was slow and the clips needed to re-load every 15 seconds. By the time I saw the kiss on the balcony, in real time they were on the third course of lunch!!

The headteachers here have a very difficult job with precious little support and no training or resources. I sat and listened to 3 in turn in their offices this morning and soon realised that they really did need some help and guidance from me at a very basic level. It is so challenging trying to put yourself in their position and not taking anything for granted. A new head still had only 2 teachers out of 7 in school today, the 4th day of term. Lessons start on Monday.

I met some lovely children as I cycled through the school site. They are so polite and greeted me with "Good Morning Madam, how are you?" in beautifully clear English.

When I returned to the office, I was directed towards a bright, almost fluorescent  green shape in the middle of the car park. It was a gorgeous chameleon who was visible from 100 metres against the red soil and showed no evidence of camouflage at all!!

We watched him walk towards and up a tree very slowly & cautiously. It was like a "Hokey Kokey". He put his feet forwards and backwards a few times before he actually took each step. He was just over a foot long, head to tail tip. By the time he reached the tree branches he was perfectly camouflaged!

Still no significant rain, just a few, isolated, heavy showers. The locals are getting concerned. Maybe it is global, eh???