living the dream

peace out

2010-11-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

this is officially my last day as a peace corps volunteer in ghana! my fellow pcv kelli and i will be going on a tour through asia as our COS (close of service) trip. vince, kelli and i will fly out tomorrow and spend a few days in egypt. then it's thailand > laos > vietnam > cambodia > singapore > indonesia > taiwan > japan > hawaii > los angeles > las vegas > atlanta. i'm ecstatic!!!

today has been a day full of warm fuzzies from chats with my apcd, beza dor, to my exit interview with the country director, mike koffman. the highlight has definitely been the program and training officer, robert moler, presenting me with a drum that has the peace corps logo carved into it. it's pretty PIMP!!! i just thave to figure out how to get it home...

i'll keep everyone posted on my travels!! keep us in your prayers!!! thank you all and i love you!

i aspired to change the world

2010-11-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

I was blinded by the lights and all the pretty, shiny things. The truth is I came here to escape from myself, my life. It’s not that my life was some sort of train wreck. Quite the opposite, really. But wanting to be everything to everybody else prohibits you from being the person you need to be for yourself.

My COS (Close of Service) date from the Peace Corps is on November 15, 2010. I left home for this journey on September 27, 2008, and I cannot believe that my time is up. My friend Sam asked me the other day what I felt my biggest contribution was during my service. You often think about these things. On those days that the sun is beating down on you, when you can’t sleep because of the impossible heat, when your water is out for days, when homesickness is as painful as a breakup, when you feel that the people you work with aren’t listening to a word you’re saying…it’s on those days that we all ask ourselves, “Why am I here?” In my trimester reports, the numbers are all there. How many men, women, and children were taught? What activities were done? What did they learn? So on and so forth. But as I thought about it, those numbers were just that: statistics. I told Sam I felt that my biggest accomplishments, by far, were the relationships I have built with the people that I’ve met here in Ghana.

There are no words to express the amount of gratitude I have for this experience. I feel enormously blessed in so many ways. We go through all these experiences in life and we don’t fully understand the affect that they have on us until much later. The biggest lesson I can say that I’ve learned is that everything matters. This small developing country in Africa that is seemingly the antithesis of the U.S., I have discovered, is actually quite similar. There is a direct correlation between everything that is happening here right now and what is going on at home. The economy, race relations, gender roles, business, fashion…it’s all interrelated. I am much more conscious of my experiences. This has truly been humbling.

I aspired to change the world. I succeeded in at least changing my world.

"Julie Falls Into a Pit of Urine" by Tanya Chung

2010-10-11T05:04:00.001-07:00

My worst Ghana nightmare was realized last Friday night. T. Chung was there to witness. The following is her chilling recount of the events of that evening.

"Julie Falls Into a Pit of Urine" by Tanya Chung

This was roughly the size of the pit. Imagine a thin layer of sheet metal covering it. That's how Julie was fooled.

Julie falling into the pit. She was screaming "OHMYGOOOODDDDD" the entire way down.

What Julie kinda looked like immediately after falling into the pit of urine. She was still yelling "OHMYGOOOODDDDD" while flailing her little arms.

i'm doing well PAAAAAAAAA

2010-09-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

PC Ghana Swearing-In Video from The Truth on Vimeo.

what is "paaaaaaaa" you ask? well, in twi it roughly translates into "very" or is used to emphasize something. when asked how you are doing, you would answer "me ho yε paaaa." wikipedia states that there are about 79 languages spoken in ghana, and throughout our 10 weeks of training, each volunteer learns the language that they will be speaking in their respective communities. in southern volta (where i reside), people speak ewe. last year's peace corps training group made this entertaining video for their swearing-in ceremony about the many different languages they were learning to speak.

what's so good paaaaa in my life, you ask? well, for one, peace corps ghana decided to go with my logo for the 50th anniversary celebration (albeit a really basic and extremely boring version of it), and the Director of the Peace Corps (yes, ALL of peace corps worldwide), Mr. Aaron S. Williams, will be coming to visit my site on friday. i'm honored and terrified at the same time. i just hope all goes well!

friend peace corps ghana on facebook and follow us on twitter!!

master weaver! and i'm not talking about hair!

2010-09-05T10:32:00.001-07:00

my dear friend daniel vainner was made a master weaver this past week. he has been learning the art of kente weaving since he got to site two years ago, and now has achieved master weaver status! there was a huge ceremony to commemorate the opening of the visitor's center for tourists and to celebrate dan's master weaver-dom in kpetoe, volta region. dan has been working with the kente weavers, tourism management team, district assembly and countless other community members on promoting eco-tourism in kpetoe. you know those stoles people wear at graduation? my fellow divine 9 greeks know what i'm talking about. well, ghana is where they originated! ghana, specifically the volta region, is where kente began. to this day, the ewe kente woven in dan's area is known for superior quality. anywho, the ceremony was awesome. our apcd (associate peace corps director) for sed (small enterprise development) also attended and gave a speech. kind of a big deal.

the queen mothers of kpetoe

our apcd, beza, me, steve, chrissa (dan's replacement pcv) and dan

he actually wove this men's cloth himself!! now that's talent!

at my graduation w/ my parentals. little did i know the kente stole i had on was made in ghana!

fr. john's medical mission

2010-09-05T09:54:00.001-07:00

as mentioned previously, my former priest, fr. john appiah, from notre dame high school (who is now at knoxville catholic) is from ghana. the catholic churches at home have been raising money for a medical mission in his home town of nkonya wurupong in the volta region (which is about 3 hours from my site). this is the second year that they have had the medical mission here with doctors, nurses and students coming all the way from tennessee (we're the only 10's you see) to offer their skills. i invited my fellow pcv amber to join in on the medical mission fun! we were able to help register people and take temperatures. a future in the medical field for julie and amber? not likely. but it was great to be a part of the action!

Peace Corps Ghana 50th Anniversary!!

2010-08-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo!!! 2011 will mark the 50 year anniversary of the partnership between the United States Peace Corps and the Government of Ghana. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy and the U.S. Congress passed the Peace Corps Act. As Ghana is the first country that Peace Corps Volunteers served in, Ghana PCVs have the unique experience of working in a country that has been so positively influenced by Peace Corps. Anywho...I'll write more about this at a later date. The point of this post is to show off the logo I designed for the occasion! A few other volunteers submitted logo ideas as well, but I hope they choose mine!! Here are a few of the other ideas that people have submitted:

Dan's submission

Sonya's submissions

Friendship Letter

2010-08-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

the friendship letter:

Dear Friend, Heleven.

I am so glad to write this letter to you. How are you? I hope everything is moving on well.

By the way, I am very kind to write you this my letter into your understanding Heleven. But before I start to express my self to you I will like to give my full detail to you. Because as a normal human being you must have detail for your self and that detail are my full name and contact number. The full name is Amadu Jamaldeen and 21 years of age. I am fair and complextion. The reason why I am writing this letter to you is that the word friendship is not a small thing for that matter we have to be vigilant on both of as because the world is a learn place. I want our friendship to be good and fantastic. And one thing about me is that is not about money thing is about humanity and physical appearance. Heleven,, I want you to be my best friend be kind to me. I hope you are kind honest and faithfully to me? Take care your is important to me. This is just provisional information to you. I will like to end my few word to you here.

Yours faithfully,

Amadu Jamaldeen

background info:

my friend kevin (which he heard as heleven) was eating an egg sandwich on the side of the road when a young man approached him and asked to be his friend. as this is a very common occurrence in ghana, kevin politely agreed. the young man, amadu, was taken aback by his rash response and informed kevin that friendship was a serious matter. he was going to write kevin a friendship letter, then, upon acceptance of the friendship letter, kevin could then decide whether or not he wanted to be friends with amadu. this is equal parts heart-warming and hilarious.

I'm a Celebrity, B*tches!!

2010-07-20T03:22:00.000-07:00

During my Peace Corps interview, the lady asked me whether I would be able to deal with all of the unwanted attention. “You will be living in a fish bowl. People will constantly be yelling at you and trying to get your attention” she said. Judging from the pictures I’d seen of Peace Corps volunteers, they probably aren’t used to getting ANY type of attention at all, hence the difficulty adjusting. “No problem,” I thought. I’d perfected the art of selective hearing/ignoring men from going out in the States. So just multiply that feeling a few times over…couldn’t be that difficult to deal with, right? Wrong.

Fast forward to today: I’m giving myself the daily “leaving the house” pep talk again. “You can do it. It’ll be fine. Just ignore it. It’s not that big of a deal. Seriously, you’ll be okay. Get up. Walk outside. You’ll be fine.” I put on my best “Don’t eff with me” face in order to confront the outside world.

I step out. My landlord, Joe Pepper, greeted me with a cheery “Fine morning!” This isn’t so bad. “Sister Julie! Sister Julie!” The kids are chanting my name. People are smiling and waving. “Ma Chi (good morning in Twi),” called my old neighbor, Prince, as I passed him on the road. Rejoyce, my pineapple lady, called out “Auntie, pineapple?” I continue walking, lots of greetings and smiles coming my way. The taxi driver kicked someone out of his cab so that he could take me to the bank. We have a nice conversation about the economy and government in Ghana. I finally make it to work. No one grabbed me. No one harassed me. This is what it would’ve been like had Mr. Rogers lived in an African village. It was a wonderful day in the neighborhood.

FYI: earthquakes can't be predicted

2010-07-20T03:15:00.000-07:00

“Dear PCVs, Concerning earthquakes: to date, earthquakes CANNOT be accurately predicted. In case you learn of a predicted earthquake or earthquake warning in your area, please use common sense and remain calm. The recent rumors of a predicted earthquake in Ghana proved to be false.”

I forgot to post this when it happened, but back when Haiti’s earthquake hit, people here started freaking out. A rumor began to spread that an earthquake would occur in Ghana on a specific day, so everyone woke up at 3am (people usually sleep in until at least 4am) to go outside of their homes and shelter themselves from the impending earthquake. Many of my fellow PCVs were awoken by frantic neighbors urging them to exit their homes because an earthquake was coming. Peace Corps Ghana sent out a mass text message in response to the earthquake scare. I found the text incredibly humorous.

"i'm kind of a big deal" -ron burgundy

2010-06-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

while i was home, my favorite local news station, News Channel 9 and anchorman Don Welch, interviewed me about life in the peace corps for his "This N That" segment entitled "sideroads." pretty cool...although i hate the sound of my own voice. a big thank you to Barbara Murnan and Don Welch for making it happen! i want to spread the word! peace corps is pretty much amazing and something that most people should experience! live an adventure! life is calling, how far will you go?

Ghana beat U.S.A.?! yessir!!!

2010-06-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

Ghana beat the U.S. last night 2-1 in the World Cup match. Pow.

my BFF got married

2010-06-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

"When you are in love, you can't fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams."

-Dr. Seuss

my bff got married. i was the maid of honor. my mom flew me home. i'm thankful. more than you could imagine. i love you. i thank you.

while home, i was able to witness two very special women in my life marry their soul mates. on june 12, 2010, my linesister ms. charis driver married her high school sweetheart, mr. lyndon baskin. coleman love! and they are both 5's. can we say adorable?!

Mr. and Mrs. Baskin

on june 19, 2010, my best friend forever ever, ms. bettina o'neal wed mr. michael benson. she was one of the most beautiful brides i've ever seen. i can only hope to look half as beautiful as she did on my own wedding day.

Mr. and Mrs. Benson

thank you

2010-05-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

last week we had our peace corps all-volunteer conference. it really made me realize what little time i have left here in ghana. seriously, where has all the time gone?!?! one of my closest friends here, andrea (whose video can be seen in the below post), is leaving to go back to the states next week. my closest (not to be confused with closet) neighbor & friend, dan, may also be leaving earlier than anticipated. goodbye for now JAD. *tear*

it's also made me realize how lucky i am. really and truly. i have met some of the most incredible people during my time here. seriously...incredible! [jenna, you will always be the best veg volunteer. alon, not as cool, but you're trying-oh]. and that's a huge deal considering my friends at home are also quite incredible. having the chance to experience a completely different culture, a different way of life, has just proven to me how similar we all are.

i just wanted to take this time to thank you all: everyone at home who has supported me in fulfilling this dream, my family, my bffs, my friends, my sorors, my fellow peace corps volunteers around the world, my colleagues, all the special people i've met on this adventure...thank you. this is a journey that i could not have survived without you. i'm working on becoming the best me. thank you for making that possible.

HILARIOUS!!!

2010-05-04T04:11:00.000-07:00

if you missed it the first time, my video submission for failblog.org:

Paragliding FAIL! from The Truth on Vimeo.

Inspiration: Dr. Dorothy Irene Height

2010-04-20T09:31:00.000-07:00

“Without community service, we would not have a strong quality of life. It’s important to the person who serves as well as the recipient. It’s the way in which we ourselves grow and develop.”
-Dr. Dorothy Irene Height

My condolences and prayers go out to the family of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, my esteemed Soror. Dr. Height passed this morning at the age of 98.

Growing up in the South, the significance of the Civil Rights Movement was an everyday reality. Soror Height is the reason I pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority…the reason I have such an interest in human rights…the reason I serve my community…the reason I joined the Peace Corps…the reason I am sitting here writing at this very moment. On April 16, 2005, my ’99 prophyte Marisa Slack gave me Open Wide the Freedom Gates: A Memoir. I was inspired. There is no such thing as impossible. In the midst of violence, staring HATRED in the eye, with all odds against you, you can win. Y O U C A N W I N. So what of ignorance? What of laziness? What of bigotry? What of poverty? What of sorrow? What of addiction? What of self? Y O U C A N W I N. In spite of the opposition, I know I will succeed. Check the birth certificate…I was born a winner.

“Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.”

-Dr. Dorothy Irene Height

INSPIRATION: more old school pics

Soror Florence Letcher Toms, Founder
Soror Eliza Pearl Shippen, Founder
1924 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority National Convention
Sigma Chapter Charter Members
Alpha Upsilon Chapter, 1927
Soror Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, Delta's 1st National President
Beta Chi Chapter, 1948
Talladega, Alabama 1950
Delta Sigma Theta Bookmobile
Sorors 1960's

drunken monkey

2010-04-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

they tied a monkey to the fence at this spot (a spot is a bar)

we gave the monkey beer

andrea bonded with it...they're friends now

The Court That Dan Built

2010-04-19T06:32:00.000-07:00

My closest neighbor, Dan, raised money through the Peace Corps Partnership Program (click the link to search & donate to volunteer projects around the world! it's really cool!) to build a basketball court. He likes sports. It took about 6-7 months to complete. Once construction was finished, Dan, Andrea and myself got to paint a lovely piece of concrete and transformed it into a basketball court!!

the plot of land

can you dig it?

we're against child labor...kind of

the court is named after dan's aunt who was the biggest donor

great aunt ann acker athletic arena

alliteration is hilarious!

J(ulie) A(ndrea) D(an) forever!! :)

the finished court!!!

i'm 5

2010-04-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

dear sands,

happy 5th deltaversary to the 30 epic legends of the DynaSTy. 5 years in...a lifetime to go. love & miss you all.

YID,

deuce

ROOTS! some old school pics for your viewing pleasure:

A paragliding = EPIC FAIL!

2010-04-06T03:13:00.000-07:00

i live life on the edge…then jump off of it. the 5th Annual Easter Paragliding Festival in Kwahu, Eastern Region. it was my first time doing this...i think the heat in ghana has made me delirious. the best part of this post is seeing andrea falling while running down the hill. her pilot, a large frenchman, actually fell on top of her and broke her camera. her second attempt was aborted due to the parachute being on wrong. however, her third attempt was successful (besides the fact that she lost a shoe). had he been my pilot i would've said "you clearly have no idea what you're doing. thank you and good day, sir." but she made it! it was a an amazing weekend! oh, and we did make it to church on sunday :) amen. hallelujah.

random guys that wanted to take a picture w/ us. they were taking shots...it was 7am.

p.s. my Sorority sister, Brittany, is in ghana volunteering w/ VEG's microfinance program!

dan, andrea, alison, me, marcus

in case something happened, i wore my parachute shirt!

me and A

alison was terrified

dan ain't never scared

getting my gear on. there were 8 pilots from all over...mine was from norway. he is working with a project called arctic acro.

dan's flight

dan in the air

my flight

andrea's failure. i've watched this like 15 times...HILARIOUS!!!!

but she finally made it. we heart A!

RIP Alexander McQueen

2010-02-11T10:38:00.000-08:00

http://eyecandybuycandy.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/alexander-mcqueen-we-mourn/

hope for the ugly

2010-02-09T02:06:00.000-08:00

i wrote this back in 2006:

“Beauty is a Curse on the World"
-The Carver, “Nip/Tuck"

True or False?

Beauty is created…it’s an illusion. We can alter our appearance however we please. So should external beauty be held in such high esteem? An industry grossing millions of dollars every year based on people’s insecurities…it’s incredible. Having some corporation telling you how you should look and what you should be wearing, only to tell you next season that you’re outdated and unattractive yet again. They sell you their burgers and fried foods so they can turn around and sell you their diet pills and slim fast shakes. Fantasy…reality…the truth…a lie…it all becomes blurry after a while. With all this money we spend to fix our outer image, how much do you think it’s going to cost us to fix our soul?

i thought about this after someone asked me if i would date a "precious" type of guy.

one of my friends once said that there is no "universal beauty," in that every person you ask will have a different idea of what is beautiful based on personal preferences, society, etc. valentine's day is fast approaching; a day that is the bane of existence for so many single people.the cycle of v-day self pity usually goes like this àdenial, false feelings of self-confidence, independence and enthusiasm, confusion, anger, insecurity and loneliness. it usually ends with drunk texting an ex and crying oneself to sleep.

but for all those women who think that they are too fat and/or ugly for anyone to love them…there is hope! i’m here to tell you that not only are you beautiful on the inside, but your physical inadequacies elsewhere instantly turn into assets here in ghana! it’s true. in ghana, women that are heavy-set and have an excessive amount of facial hair are considered more beautiful than the rest. yes, beards, mustaches (<- a pet peeve of mine) and rolls are considered attractive features on a woman. whowouldathunkit?! so this valentine’s day, if you find yourself all alone and falling into that cycle of self-pity, please remember that true love is out there waiting for you! but you might have to hop on a delta direct flight to accra to find it!

The American Dream

2010-01-28T02:33:00.000-08:00

I woke up in a bed of clouds to a breakfast of fresh berries and mimosas, afraid to move for fear of waking up. But this isn’t a dream, is it? This is my life. Beautiful. Blissful. Euphoric even. I am consciously remembering to savor every bit of happiness; trying to experience it in moderation as if there were some sort of limit. Then I realize that it’s not my bliss that is limited, but rather my time. Upon that realization I reach for my glass. No! Don’t use your left hand! How offensive!!!! Wait…no one cares, do they?...

I knew re-integrating into society was going to be a task. Luckily, I was a bit awkward to start with so perhaps people wouldn’t notice too much. It started on the plane. I found my friends and me unconsciously hoarding mustard packets. “Wait guys, we’re going back to America. There’s plenty of mustard there.” I chuckle slightly uncomfortably hoping not to embarrass myself too much.

Joe comes to pick me up for dinner. I’m ecstatic. “Jules, what’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing! I’m just so excited to be in a car! With a friend! Going to a place that isn’t a spot!”

He looks confused. “Oh okay. Well, try to calm your ass down.”

We sit down to order. I try to make small talk with the server. After he walks off, Joe turns to me and says, “You have to stop smiling so much and touching stuff! You’re embarrassing me! I think you’re making the waiter uncomfortable.” Really?! I don’t even know what I said to him.This is going to be harder than I thought. Maybe I should just be quiet. “See, you’re doing great! Keep it up!”

“But I haven’t said anything.”

“Exactly!”

I drift off into a deep slumber. Fantastical worlds of laughter and friendship, of fashion and the cool, of crushes and kisses, all dance through my dreams. I wake up sweating. I’m back in Ghana.

just a few shots of from home: family, welcome back shindig, etc.

Re: Meanie

2009-12-11T03:13:00.001-08:00

below is an email i received from adam's mom regarding an earlier post:

dear adam's mama,

i do apologize for any offense. unfortunately i lack a common human emotion: empathy. my parents were unable to afford therapy for me as a child. luckily, with the help of WebMD.com and HealthyPlace.com, i have performed a self diagnosis which leads me to conclude that i may suffer from one or more of the following:

-sociopathy

-psychopathy

-autism

-schizophrenia

the bright side: you mentioned that adam was fat, ugly and stupid as a child and that he tried to erase all the sad and horrible memories from his mind. at least those years of being a junkie helped him to drop a few pounds and erase his memory. unfortunately, there is still no cure for ugly...or eye herpes. love ya, mean it!

XoXo,

julie

side note: countdown!! 5 more days until america!!! i only have about 3 weeks at home, so let's make it amazing!!

latest fashion trend: Designer Diamond Babies!

2009-12-01T06:45:00.000-08:00

the hottest trend in hollywood is spreading like the virus! men and women alike have all been seen sporting the latest african baby trend from the red carpet to the streets of l.a.! i found a site that only deals in designer african babies. according to the latest trend reports, malawian babies are now a fashion faux pas. what is the new trend in african baby, you ask? enter the Sierra Leonean Diamond Baby!

obviously that was a joke

but on a serious note, today (dec. 1st) is

World AIDS Day: Respect & Protect

By respecting and protecting ourselves and others we can stop the spread of HIV and end HIV prejudice.

check yourself before you wreck yourself

learn more about World AIDS Day at www.worldaidsday.org

i'm off to go empower the youth with education :)

you know you love it!

FML

2009-11-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

texting w/ dan:

j: there’s a goat competing with me for leg room on the tro. the goat’s winning.

dan: that happened to me going to rachel’s! they tickle

j: lol…so true. fyi, this convo is making the blog.

dan: gail would be so proud!

scene: in a tro early morning waiting to go to accra (3 hr trip) for a u.s. embassy holiday bazaar. the tro is taking forever to fill (so i’ll probably be late to set up), it’s hot (so i’ll probably be sweaty and dirty looking in front of clean, fancy embassy people), and then i feel something brush against my leg. i ignore it. it happens again. i look down and, of course, it’s a goat….there was a goat under my seat for 45 minutes before i even noticed it. it makes its way out from under the seat and just roams about freely in my personal floor space. i spend the duration of the trip with my legs elevated on the rear wheel well trying to avoid dirty goat wind flying in my face. FML

conversations w/ my mom:

mom: i saw the pictures of you from fr. john. your hair has grown a lot! do you wear those flip flops every day? there was that picture of you in the black dress and you had them on, then that picture of you in jeans and you were wearing the same ones.

j: i was at an hiv/aids conference like 8 hours away from my site for a week. i had to leave straight from there to fr. john’s village so i was already traveling with a big, heavy bag.

mom: oh okay, i see. well, it doesn’t look like you’ve lost much weight.

[a separate convo]

j: hi! how are you? i’m so excited to come home!

mom: yes, we are all excited!

j: *sees someone she knows* hi, martin! how’s it going? okay, i’ll see you later!

mom: who were you talking to? someone that lives there?

j: yea, one of the peace corps trainers that lives here.

mom: oh, they speak english?

j: they were colonized by the british.

mom: so have you lost any weight?

in summary: i’ve been here for a year and my mother knows nothing about where i live or what i do. her only concern is how i look. at least now i know that my superficiality is hereditary. FML

buy jewelry = empower women. it's that simple.

2009-11-20T09:01:00.000-08:00

i just finished the new Lady Volta 2010 Catalog (the project i'm working with)!! i am now working on the online store (www.villageexchangeghana.org), but the Swank Collection can be purchased online at www.swankjewellery.co.uk or through etsy.com. give a gift that keeps on giving!! by supporting me, you are supporting the women i work with, so that they can support their families. that much support would make victoria's secret jealous!

"This authentic Ghanaian jewelry is produced by young women in Ghana, West Africa.

With restricted access to gainful employment, young women often find themselves in difficult situations, with limited access to income.

Village Exchange Ghana strives to offer skills training in innovative income generating activities and access to new markets so as to provide fair & decent wages to young women.

By purchasing Lady Volta Beads, you are ensuring that these young women are able to access basic necessities for themselves and their families."

click to view the pdf catalog online: Lady Volta 2010 Catalog

check us out. tell your friends. buy a necklace. change a life.

purchase lady volta products on: swankjewellery.co.uk or etsy.com

we shall lose the war after we have won it

2009-11-19T07:19:00.000-08:00

“The U.S. can destroy Iraq’s highways, but not build its own; create the conditions for epidemic in Iraq, but not offer health care to millions of Americans. It can excoriate Iraqi treatment of the Kurdish minority, but not deal with domestic race relations; create homelessness abroad but not solve it here; keep a half million troops drug free as part of a war, but refuse to fund the treatment of millions of drug addicts at home….We shall lose the war after we have won it.”

-Marilyn Young, Historian

in reference to the war on iraq under the FIRST bush. looks like things are just as they were over a decade ago. is this what we call "progress"?...

a must read!!!: A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

when animals attack: west africa edition

2009-11-03T11:26:00.000-08:00

my posts as of late have been less than insightful. upon this realization, i began to write down all of my thoughts on society, class division, government, etc. but then it happened: kevin, a fellow ghana pcv, got bit in the derriere by a hippopotamus. tragic. we are now referring to him as "hippobottomus." FACT: despite being a vegetarian, the hippo is responsible for more human fatalities in africa than any other animal, making it africa's most dangerous beast. i would be pretty freaked if it were me. can you imagine a giant hippo coming after you?! amazingly, someone had a camera and we were able to capture this incident on film. this photo will serve as a warning to future travelers: beware the hippo.

pcv kevin (pictured right) before the heinous attack

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, that's creepy!!

2009-10-29T03:10:00.000-07:00

i've been stressed lately...work, weather, and life in general has been less than spectacular. dry season means that water and/or electricity goes out often...sometimes for hours, sometimes for days. no water for days means that i have to bathe in a big ol' bucket and use that water to flush the toilet with. gross & cumbersome, i know. however, not nearly as disgusting as not flushing the toilet. so i decided to skip work yesterday & take a field trip to kpando w/ damber to visit the creepy Jesus/Mary grotto i've heard so much about. it was a much needed mini-break. God and nature mixed with a little weirdness...just the way i like it! but seriously, i'm almost certain that if Jesus and Mary saw this, they'd be just as creeped out as i was!

a shot of the giant Mary statue from the road

damber skipping off into the woods towards God's divine light

a statue of the archangel Michael kicking some lucifer tail...creepy!

dan & i looking saintly next to a really big tree

the GIGANTIC statue of the Virgin Mary

the statue i'm standing next to is of a woman kneeling & praying to Mary

seriously...that was the biggest, creepiest statue i've ever seen

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus, creepy version:

here, it looks as if she wiped his face completely off

and there's just a person's head on the cloth

the resurrection of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ

check out those graceful hand gestures!

part divine, part ballerina! seriously...what CAN'T he do?!

pretty much amazing!

"today was a good day" -ice cube

2009-10-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

what comes before part b?! partaaaayyyyy!! well...kind of. andrea & dan are celebrating the turn of the century (a.k.a. my bday). other notable people that share this day of birth: Barbara Murnan, Thuy Le, Hannah F., Megan L. and most importantly...Snoop Dog!

this day has been amazing for so many reasons. however...perhaps one of the best things that has happened today is finding proof of the amazing work and cultural understanding i have been able to promote in my time here in ghana. the following is a VACANCY flyer i found this morning that my counterpart typed up. this is how she views her job:

if the pic is too small, read below:

VACANCY, VACANCY, VACANCY

are you a qualified seamstress or a batiker?

can you sew quality items for export?

can you produce quality batik for export?

can you speak good english?

are you comfortable working with whites?

can you work under pressure?

are you ready to work for long hours?

are you ready to work under someone?

are you between the ages of 18-26?

then this is an opportunity for you to get a permanent job to make a good living.

testimonial of my good work:

"If not for her hard work there would be nothing crossed off, though she does need to work on their speaking good English" -Dan Vainner, PCV

the return of the nguyen: get ready!!

2009-10-13T05:29:00.000-07:00

are you excited?!?! i know i am! tammy finally booked my flight home for the holidays!! on friday december 18, i will touch down in that gorgeous place known as america!!! i am so beyond ready for a break (because this is what i have 2 deal with most days: http://kellipoop.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-case-you-were-wondering.html)!!! i think knowing that i will be going home soon has been the only thing keeping me going. this year's holidays have 2 be better than last: http://thetruthinafrica.blogspot.com/2008/12/nye-09.html

3 weeks of clean american julie goodness!! i don't even care that i'll probably be ridiculously out of style, very socially awkward and the like...i'm just excited about coming home! seeing family & friends! being clean! taking hot showers! getting pretty! and dates!! i want to go on lots and lots of dates!!!! with steak and wine!! ha ha!! so fellas back home, get your wallets ready! i'm joking. being in ghana has me feeling like a place with walls and a toilet is fancy. just don't let me get fat gorging on all the deliciousness!!

WWJD?

2009-09-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

what have i realized since i've been here? i've realized that i lack compassion. and not in a “i wish i could be more compassionate & empathetic towards people” kind of way, but literally in a “i have no feelings for you whatsoever” kind of way. have i always been like this? perhaps, but maybe it just wasn’t as apparent. yes, i want to help you, but what are you doing to help yourself?

i guess spending a weekend with a priest in a village will make you realize some things. father john appiah was the chaplain at notre dame high school when i was a student there. we have kept in touch over the years, and he was one of the first persons i called when i found out that i was coming to ghana. he came back recently to prep for a medical mission they will be conducting next year in his hometown of nkonya wurupong, volta region. the experience really got me thinking...why am i so heartless?! so i've been working on my compassion skills...you know, trying to be more understanding and what not.

my progress thus far:

child: yevu! yevu!!
the old julie: you will call me madam julie or sister julie. if you call me yevu again i will beat you. do you understand me?
the new more compassionate julie: what is your name? well hello there stephen. my name is sister julie. can you remember that? good job! high five!

random man: please, i have no money. please give me money.
old julie: excuse me? what do i look like?! maybe you should go to farm like everyone else or stop drinking as much crazy man.
new julie: you are invited to share my meal. would you like to talk about how to budget your money or learn about alternative livelihood projects to generate income?

old julie: you can’t just hand out money all willy nilly. fr. john, you are an enabler! (but i was joking!)
fr. john: to be truthful, america is the biggest enabler.
old julie: fact.
fr. john: so you can just consider me a proud american.
new julie: i think that it’s awesome that you can come back after all these years to give back and play an instrumental role in the development of your community.

so i guess i will strive that much harder to be a better person. i shouldn't dislike someone just b/c they're ugly...it's not their fault. and instead of laughing at the mentally retarded, i should lend a helping hand and wipe that drool off their chin. that's what jesus would do...

kente fest '09

2009-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

9.5.09

the chiefs and people of 3 traditional areas came together to celebrate the annual kente festival in kpetoe. kente is a hand woven fabric that is used to make cloth, stoles, etc. there are
arguments as to which tribe, the ewe or the akan, originated the art of kente weaving. maybe it's because i live in the volta region & because kpetoe/dan is only 30km away from me, but i find
the ewe kente to be of superior quality and beauty.

some hightlights of the fest: speed weaving, miss kente pageant & street jamboree

the cheifs & their small girls were jammin' like a biscuit on sunday

obama immortalized in kente...amazing!!

dan proudly displaying his malibu from meg hub

l to r: dan hiding behind beer, j, an australian that will never be as cool as jenna, andrea, masayo

that's what she SED

2009-09-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

my SED APCD (PC supervisor for small enterprise development, mr. beza dor, asked me to write an article about the work i've been doing at site for the september peace corps ghana newsletter. since i'm doing so many different things (and have a very short attention span), i decided to narrow it down to networking. in true julie fashion, it was short and to the point...with stupid jokes included!

It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know: Networking in PC Ghana

What exactly is “sustainable development”? To me, it means money. I am working as a business advisor for the income generating projects at an NGO, Village Exchange Ghana. As a way to earn income, VEG started the Lady Volta Beads Project in 2007 and the Lady Volta Batik Project in 2008. Currently, VEG receives funding for the VEG Youth Resource Center through United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The center aims to educate local communities through giving comprehensive and accurate information about reproductive and sexual health (RSH). The organization would like to eventually make enough money from the income generating projects to sustain the RSH Center. So therein lies the question: how will we generate enough money to sustain all of the VEG projects?

Answer: Make like a Fulani and milk that cow! VEG moved into a new office building in February of this year and decided to create a point of sale in the available space. There are a number of short-term volunteers in and around Ho that are always looking for gifts for friends and family back home. With this opportunity, I thought to myself, “Self, how can I support my fellow PCV’s projects and support the business at the same time?” Many of the other SED volunteers in my group are working with various businesses throughout Ghana: Daniel Vainner is working with kente weavers in Kpetoe, Amber Voight is working with a women’s pottery group in Kpando, Adam Martyn is working with a clinic that produces moringa soap (that apparently cures all types of skin diseases), and Joyous Young is working with a women’s organization that produces beautiful woven cloth and stationary. With the pottery group, I was able to coordinate with them to regulate sizes and prices on their products as well as set a standard for acceptable quality. Next to each display, I have information about the producers and where the products are made so that the customers can share in the artisans’ stories.

Through identifying my resources and networking, I was able to strengthen business skills, generate income, and build relationships between Village Exchange Ghana and other artisans and organizations throughout Ghana. By building capacity, making connections, and creating fruitful relationships, we can effectively put sustainable development into action. That’s what she SED.

Julie Nguyen (SED 2008-2010)
Peace Corps Ghana September 2009 Newsletter

**the Fulani people of West Africa are the largest nomadic group in the world-they are generally known for herding cattle

1-way ticket to heaven

2009-08-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

you may wonder, "what is there to do in ghana?" or "what does julie do in her spare time?" to answer your burning question, i change lives! i think bruno said it best, "a fireman may only save 2 people from a burning building, but a supermodel [in this case a peace corps volunteer] can inspire millions." example: i played with sick orphans today and it's not even lunch time! what is more impressive?...i don't even like kids all that much...at least not dirty ones (or stupid ones). kelli thinks i'm being a b*tch, but it's not like it's just here in ghana...i don't like dirty kids in america. and if you gave me a dirty child to play with in any other country, i probably wouldn't like that either. regardless, i set aside my own personal feelings for the happiness of others. can we say, 'modern day mother teresa'?! dear pope benedict, candidate for the next saint right here! :D

if you have ever seen arrested development, you'll appreciate this

kwame suffers from TB of the bones while adam suffers from incurable ugly. sad.

playing w/ the kiddies on the see-saw

daniel = soooo adorable! and smart!

kelli loves the kids!

beef cooked in old cement bags. really. health concern?...

donkey = gross

saved the best for last!! in this area, triplets are a bad omen. as a result, this lady's husband left her and the kids...so they came to stay at the orphanage. she puts 2 of the babies in a pan and carries them on her head while the other one is tied to her back. can we say, "AMAAAAZZZIIINNGGG!!"?!

inappropriate? slightly. hilarious? very.

2009-07-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

fighting over a woman and a .50 cent loan...smh...

Julie, Barack, Michelle, Ghana. Yes, it happened.

2009-07-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

In a later post, I will try to eloquently express my experience of meeting the President and First Lady. But for now...I'll just say that it was amazing. I was right in the front! He flew in on a helicopter coming from Cape Coast directly to Kotoka Int'l Airport, and flew off on Air Force One...how MacGyver is that?!?! Check out the love Peace Corps got from the Pres (Ghana was the 1st country to receive Peace Corps volunteers...we're kind of a big deal)!! Enjoy!

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2009/07/11/obama.ghana.goodbye.cnn?iref=videosearch

"I want to recognize our Peace Corps Volunteers who are here.....(cheering from you & your friends for at least 25 seconds) You know Ghana, Ghana was the very first nation to host young people from the Peace Corps and for decades our two nations have formed vital partnerships & lasting friendships because of this program. So all of you in the Peace Corps you are doing an outstanding job & we're proud of you." -Barack Obama, July 11, 2009

"Young people of Africa ...... serve like these Peace Corps people, serve in communities, and harvest your energy & education to renew & build connections between the world.' -Barack Obama, July 11, 2009

"...we have, in this country, an immense reservoir of such men and women--anxious to sacrifice their energies and time and toil to the cause of world peace and human progress." -John F. Kennedy, March 1, 1961.

(thank you dan's mom, gail vainner, for the quotes!)

an article on the PC website:

http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.wherepc.africa.ghana.obama

yay ticket!!

dan & i were voted BEST DRESSED! tru story!

adam luck got honorable mention

me & k.poop on the private bus

there were billboards and signs all over accra similar to this one

sinae, myself, k.poop & vince

RANDOM: so my bff, bettina just got engaged (& i'm MOH...yay!!)

it turns out that her fiance's bff, alan (pictured), works for the pres

so the maid of honor & best man meet for the 1st time in ghana

coming in on the helicopter...dun dun dunnn!!

the first family making their debut
how adorable are malia & sasha?!...VERY!!
president barack obama & president john atta mills michelle was shaaaarrrp as always! FASHION ICON! jackie o. who?!... he shook my hand! ::swoon::
i told michelle she was an inspiration...
farewell mr. president & first lady! until next time!

help me help myself: OBAMA in GHANA!!

2009-07-08T03:26:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama will be in Ghana July 10-11. This is his first official trip to Sub-Saharan Africa since he was elected President. I wrote our Peace Corps Ghana Country Director, Mike Koffman, an email outlining why I would be the ideal candidate to meet the President; highlighting my work on the campaign, my current role in serving my country, and my involvement in grassroots development. His response? A message in the June Peace Corps Newsletter asking that people do not send requests to meet the president. But whatevs…I’m still HOPEful!! So all of you out there with contacts: Julie Nguyen wants to meet President Barack Obama!! Let’s make it happen people!!!!

kind of like this...but real

i do it for brangelina

2009-07-08T03:11:00.000-07:00

6.18.09

some of the other volunteers i’ve met in country are uber cheesy. they pay all this money to some corrupt NGO to go volunteer at some sad orphanage. after a month or so, they go back to their respective homes feeling all mother teresa & leave the kids with an all too familiar friend, old mr. abandonment. what’s the silver lining to this story, you ask? well, according to the latest celebrity gossip mag (latest to me is anything within the last year or so. send me new mags! please & thank u), adopting an african child is the new black…so, in essence, black is the new black. that is actually the real reason i came to africa…a vietnamese girl in ghana?! brad & angelina so need to adopt me!! silver lining: me & shiloh, rooftop, poolside, bellinis. loves it!

homecoming

2009-06-12T15:44:00.002-07:00

imagine leaving everything and everyone you knew behind. picture yourself living in abject poverty, doing everything you could to help raise your five younger siblings. would you risk your life for even the slightest chance at a better future for yourself and your family? my mother was 20 when she, along with my uncle, escaped from vietnam. with nothing but the clothes on her back, she set forth on a perilous journey to a world unknown to her. understanding the consequences of her actions, she sacrificed her own well being for an opportunity to improve the quality of life of those she loved. working determinedly, my mother was able to sponsor the rest of her family to come to america as well as providing my brother and i with opportunities that she never had. growing up, she made sure that i was always well aware of my culture, my family and my roots. my mother chose to relinquish her immediate security, knowing that through diligence and perseverance she would succeed.

now imagine not having a choice. imagine being taken away from your home, imprisoned, raped, beaten, taken to a foreign land and forced to work tirelessly with no hope of reprieve. imagine having your family murdered, your heritage destroyed, your language forgotten and your traditions erased. now stop imagining, because this is reality.

“do you think about me now and then, ‘cause i’m coming home again. maybe we can start again”
–kanye west, homecoming

african diaspora

word vomit

2009-05-07T01:49:00.000-07:00

yevu! yevu! yevu!

i swear it's like word vomit. yevu is the ewe word for "white person," which i thought was less obnoxious than the twi equivalent, "obruni." but alas, i was wrong...it's just as annoying. it's like they can't help themselves...they have to say it. adults...children...it doesn't matter. it's like a form of tourettes.

i find it irritating for a number of reasons: 1. i'm not white 2. i don't care what you're yelling at me...you could be yelling "bumblebeetuna." it's annoying having anything repeatedly yelled at you for no d*mn reason 3. it's disrespectful culturally...especially coming from someone younger than you, and it's just plain rude/ignorant coming from an adult. needless to say, i spend a lot of time telling people that my name is not yevu, it's julie, telling children that i will beat them if they call me something other than my name, and ignoring people shouting at me in the streets.

christiane (who is french, and by french i mean white) was trying to explain to me that it's not rude, that it's normal in ghanaian culture, and that they even call african americans "yevu." yeah, slavery was the norm at one point, too, but that doesn't mean it's okay.

my colleague, makafui, asked why i didn't like people calling me yevu. i told her that it would be like me shouting "negro, negro!" at her every time i saw her. i think she understood.

*i dedicate this post to jameria, b/c she deals with this pain everyday in america! lol!

malnutrition? aids? malaria?

no, these children suffer from word vomit...

a haiku

2009-04-28T03:46:00.000-07:00

f*ing mosquito
disease carrying bastard
malaria sucks

http://www.rollbackmalaria.org/worldmalariaday/

ho's on my mind

2009-04-20T02:34:00.000-07:00

i screamed in horror as my friend ran up to a table of live crows and devoured them, blood dripping from his mouth. it was the most disturbing thing i had ever witnessed. startled, i opened my eyes...

the malaria prophylaxis in conjunction w/ stress united to bring me the latest installment of "julie's wacked out dreams." i fumble around looking for the phone; it says it's 3:38am.

i've had a lot on my mind lately. yours truly hosted nearly 30 peace corps volunteers (and o.h.'s little sis, bevelyn) for ho easter. dan, SoVo (southern volta) social engineer, and i coordinated the livest shindig this side of the volta river/lake. after the weekend, some of us took a trip down to accra to go to the mall (gasp) and the movie theater (double gasp) to see slumdog millionaire. it was almost like being at home until we stepped outside and a man started begging for money...wait...that actually IS just like home.

the newly elected president of ghana, john atta mills, is in ho this weekend. yesterday there was a big procession of cars, and i expected major security measures to be in place. but along comes atta's car with him hanging out of the sunroof waving his louis rag (j/k): picture high schoolers going to senior prom hanging out of the limo. hilarious. i'm guessing mr. mills hasn't seen the zapruder film...

marriage, parties & a bad coke habit

2009-04-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

i spent the better part of my morning commute trying to explain to the cab driver in the local language that, no, he could not be my husband because 1. i already have 3, and that would make him the 4th (and having 4 husbands was so 1997) and 2. that my bride price is 80 cows, 50 pigs and 100 chickens (which he informed me he did not have). christiane went back to europe for a few weeks and i have temporarily moved into the VEG house (b/c it's so much nicer than my own place). so what does all of this mean? what comes before part B? PART AYYYYYYYYYYY!!! (christiane, if you're reading this...i'm joking. i'm being very responsible at the house!) however, i have picked up this horrible coke habit (and fanta). i think it's the fact that they use real sugar as opposed to high fructose corn syrup...or maybe it's because it reminds me of home. either way, i'll have to go into detox before i return.

*hi jenna!*

random thoughts

2009-03-31T02:59:00.000-07:00

she couldn't sleep. the sound of rolling thunder and her own thoughts gnawing away at any hope of a peaceful slumber. peace. serenity. she opened her bible.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."
-Romans 8:28

it was then that the rain started to fall. lightly at first, then furiously the drops came down...as if mother nature was crying all the tears she, herself, couldn't. am i to blame? were my own misguided actions what have eventually led to this?...was all of my effort in vain?...was it actually for the greater good or just one person's distorted view of the truth?

if only she could stretch out her arms across the ocean...console you. hold you until the pain disappeared. promise to you that you will never hurt like this again. but that is a wish she has no authority to grant. so the rain continues to cry her tears, her heart continues to carry your pain, and her mind continues to send prayers up to heaven on your behalf...

808's & Heartbreak

2009-03-25T02:04:00.000-07:00

of course i believe in love, but why does it have to be so immediate? you can't be happy w/ someone else unless you're happy with yourself first, right? sometimes on those lonely nights i think about the guy i left back home. i think about what great fun we had, how i miss him. i want to believe that he thinks about me often because i think about him. then i realize that it's a fantasy. this perfect little relationship i've conjured up in my head, to help me cope w/ my feelings of loneliness, that actually didn't exist. not to say that we don't adore each other or that he doesn't miss me, but rather that the fantasy of our perfect euphoric relationship is just not the reality. i talk to him every so often and wonder if he thinks about me, too. his tone is much to vague to discern.

i realize that i will be gone for 2 years and that it's unrealistic to think that we'll pick up where we left off. things happen, people change. but for now, ignorance is bliss. i want to frolic in the best of all imaginary tomorrows. call me naïve...call me delusional. i don't want to hear about who he's dating. i don't want my friends to text me about it. i don't want to see it on my FB mini-feed. i don't want him to tell me about it. i just don't want to know.

reality is how you perceive it.

brASS

2009-03-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

This post is Rated R. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
May contain very strong language or strong sexual emphasis, strong explicit nudity, strong violence and gore, or strong drug content.

visiting one of our brass producer's in the village of krofrom, outside of kumasi. i liked the little brass elephants. kelli, however, enjoyed the more interactive pieces.

so did i mention i was bald?...

2009-03-17T10:35:00.000-07:00

i know you've heard the rumors. if you're lucky, you were there for the action. but, yes, it's true. i shaved my head on dec. 5th. i figured when else in my life would i be able to be bald?...pretty much never. so for your viewing pleasure, i present a timeline of julie's hair. enjoy!

my luscious locks pre-ghana

on our way to the u.s. ambassador's house in accra
(i cut my hair before i left)

maria did the major snipping w/ swiss army knife scissors (impressive!)
kelli: "nooo! don't do it!! you still have time to stop!"

sinae & jon finished up w/ the clippers

kat & i = bald & beautiful

(another girl in our group, hannah, shaved hers the following week)

perhaps 1 too many beers, but you can really

see how gorgeous the shape of my head is in this pic!

thanks to ben's hair seeds and doubling

up on my vitamins...the hair is growing in nicely!

and in case i miss having hair...

donte sent me a wig!

condolences

2009-03-17T09:50:00.000-07:00

my condolences to kate putzey's loved ones.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/northfulton/stories/2009/03/15/kate_0316.html

how to be good

2009-02-11T13:59:00.000-08:00

it's like old school mario brothers; as soon as you land on a brick, you have to leap to the next before you sink. always trying to make it to the next level, make it to the end, rescue the princess...trying to reach this transcendental level of consciousness. trying to do good in hopes that we can 1 up all the mistakes we've made. but isn't being all self righteous and pious just as bad as being, well, bad? i've heard, "that is so noble of you" or "i'm so proud of what you're doing" etc. but is it deserved? aren't i here as much for myself as i am for those i came to help? is it all one big ego trip? all these questions were nagging at me relentlessly. but then i looked around at this group of women working tirelessly just to be given a chance at succeeding. i see all the jobs that have been created, the livelihoods being sustained. and suddenly, it's like that negative little voice saw it too & shut up. they are what this is all about. mario captured the flag, and now it's on to the next level...

@ kathryn's site: a women's group in the village of edumafa making paper from pineapple fibers for fair trade retailer, global mamas

update

2009-01-23T15:29:00.000-08:00

january 23, 2009

i've been down these past few days. out of wack hormones. the internet was down for 3 days (and the water for 2). but on a lighter note:

my ngo's founder, christiane, came back after being away for 6 months. she is a french woman that worked for the u.n. before establishing the organization (village exchange international). she has much more patience and compassion than i could ever have. things are moving along nicely with VEG. we are moving into a new building that houses all of our offices and projects: micro-finance, lady volta resource center, lady volta batik and lady volta beads. a new website to retail our jewelry line is launching soon. i'm working on the fair trade federation application. and w/ the executive director just coming in from europe...you know what that means...pinot noir and delicious swiss chocolate! amaaaaaaaaaaazing!

random thoughts

2009-01-23T15:07:00.001-08:00

january 20, 2009

saw part of the inauguration speech...incredible. wish i could've been in d.c. but what was up w/ the poet?...

a man grabbed me the other day. i get yelled at and touched almost on a daily basis, but this man took it too far. i would have punched him in the face if not for my fear of contracting hiv/aids. i shoved him instead.

happy birthday, chu!

chief meat stick

2009-01-23T15:02:00.001-08:00

january 18, 2009 there was some hilarious ghana going on today. my fellow pcv, steve (aka chief meat stick), invited us up to his village, tafi abuipe, for a big welcoming ceremony in his honor. apparently, chief meat stick is kind of a big deal. there was a parade, pouring of libations, speeches, drumming, dancing, and draping of kente. we ended w/ a procession to the chief's palace for more jubilation and, you guessed it, drinking! but as i was already drunk off of life...i opted for the coca-cola...

being in africa isn't an excuse for being yucky...

2009-01-23T14:55:00.000-08:00

january 16, 2009

i'm kicking myself for not bringing a wax pot to ghana. why oh why did i think that tweezers and razors were going to carry me through the next 2 years?! had i known what i do now, i would have drastically re-vamped my packing list. more sundresses and exfoliating scrub, for sure. i've heard talk of people wanting the "real peace corps/africa experience," but i'll pass. i'm sacrificing enough already by being here...why sacrifice good skin and pretty pictures, too? i think some people just want an excuse to be slobs and not wear deodorant (gross). julie is in africa...that pretty much sounds like a real africa experience to me.

96 Years of Scholarship, Service and SISTERHOOD!

2009-01-13T01:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Founder's Day to all of the phenomenal women of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.!

Oo-oop my Sorors!!!

-Monday January 13, 1913
-22 visionary women
-greatest sorority on earth
-Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
-1st public service activity: women's suffrage march 1913

NYE '09

2008-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:00

most of my friends in the eastern time zone are still out partying and ringing in the new year. me? i’m awake, it’s the morning, and i’m trying to figure out why i’m in africa. honestly, the holidays have been depressing*. i’m sure the out of wack hormones aren’t helping either. we’re on lock down due to the elections…you know, just in case ghana tries to pull a kenya or zimbabwe. they had their initial presidential election a few weeks ago. according to the constitution, the winner has to get more than 50% of the vote (which no one did). so then there was a run-off this past friday w/ the two leading parties, npp (national political party, the incumbent) and ndc (national democratic congress). however, the run off still failed to produce a president. one constituency had some discrepancies w/ the voting, and they are voting again on friday. confusing? yes. necessary? i’m not quite sure….seems excessive to me. consequently, our lock down has extended until the 6th of january. 2008 was certainly a year of change…i guess 2009 will be a year of new experiences…and dirt…

*khaleel politely informed me that this is what i signed up for, and he's right...so i guess i should cut the self pitying act and suck it up.

funny pics

2008-12-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

there are so many funny things in going on in ghana...

here's a sneak peak...enjoy!!

"i am afraid of my friends even you"

almost every store is named after God or Jesus...

i had always imagined the land of God paved in gold,
but alas...it's just a bunch of dirt, goats and chickens...

this is a coffin made in the shape of a cocoa pod, ghana's leading export!

mailing address and wish list!

2008-12-12T11:43:00.000-08:00

12/12/08

it's official!!! we had our swearing in ceremony today, and after 10 weeks of training, i am officially a peace corps volunteer!!! hip hip hooray!! so in light of this wonderful news...i decided to supply the public (by public i mean my nearest and dearest) with an updated wish list!! aren't you excited?!

updated wish list 2008:
-letters! (i think people feel obligated to send me a package, but you don't know how much just a letter can really brighten up my day!)
-fashion and gossip mags (vogue, w, instyle, harper's bazaar, life & style, people, ok!, etc.)
-cheddar jack cheez-its/ flaming hot cheetos
-mix cd's of current music/ oldies but goodies
-trail mix/nuts/dried fruits
-face wash/ exfoliating scrub
-shampoo & conditioner
-dvds of bravo reality shows, gossip girl, nip/tuck, the wire or any other good show!

Mailing Address:

Julie Nguyen, PCV
Peace Corps Ghana
P.O. Box 5796
Accra North
Ghana, West Africa

dance party 2008

2008-12-12T11:12:00.000-08:00

December 11, 2008

i woke up to a group of people barging into my room in the middle of the night dancing to "everybody dance now". it was complete and utter ridiculousness! so as the game goes, you have to wake up and join the group as they barge into the next room with the most outlandish dances you know. like the sport i am, i followed suit. our peace corps training group is staying at 3 different hotels for a few days before the swearing in ceremony tomorrow. after we conquered all of our rooms, we thought it only right to grace the other 2 hotels w/ our presence. we spent about 2 and a half hours walking, and waking people up w/ luck's ipod, speakers, and the best ghanaian dance party ever!!! it was one of the funniest nights of my life! this is a video of vince's surprise dance party...he didn't find it as amusing as i did...

no roo, dog, no roo!

2008-12-03T03:41:00.000-08:00

november 2, 2008
i was helping my homestay sister prepare dinner (contomire stew). the animals always crowd around when food is in the vicinity, so i threw the ducklings scraps every now and then. while i was having dinner, the cat came begging for food. i repeatedly tried to throw it food, but the ducklings always snatched it up first, and the cat was too scared to do anything about it (even though it is much larger than the little ducklings). moral of the story: don't be cat!

oo-oop my sorors!

omg...i just went back outside and the dog killed one of the ducklings trying to eat it!!!! wtf?!?!?!! poor ducky! 2nd moral of the story: no roo, dog, no roo!!!!

*i dedicate this post to O.H.!

pubic transportation

2008-11-26T06:06:00.000-08:00

november 26, 2008

she stared out of the window at the political flag hanging lifeless from the pole. it was as if even the wind thought it too hot to be outside. the tro tro is one of the most common means of public transportation in ghana. it is a small van with 3 narrow rows in the back that tightly seats 4, more if the driver is feeling greedy. it bears a slight resemblance to the mystery machine scooby and his pals used to catch villains in their plots. but julie was not a mission to fight crime, but rather on her way home from site wedged between two men and a woman with her two children (yes, 6 people on a seat that tightly seats 4). her legs were numb from the large backpack in her lap and the bag on the floorboard under her feet. the man to her right kept dozing off, his sweaty head bumping her shoulder periodically. move!! she wanted to cry out...the hot air was suffocating. then, as if the universe heard her thoughts, the driver accelerated and the breeze blew through the windows. relief finally. how one grows to appreciate the small things life has to offer...

speed racer: adam m. vs. the tro

HO, HO, HO!!!!

2008-11-26T05:57:00.000-08:00

november 21, 2008

it's the 2nd day of site visit. we had a 2 day supervisor and counterpart workshop. each pct (peace corps trainee) left early thursday morning w/ their s & c's to their respective sites. out of our entire group, i am in the biggest city. many people have told me that ho is probably the nicest city in ghana to live in. i'm working as a business advisor to an ngo, village exchange ghana (www.villageexchangeghana.org). their goals are to empower young women by improving the sexual and reproductive health & reduce poverty through microfinance and business development, and to provide training and education to support these objectives. i went to see my future home yesterday: electricity + running water = posh! there's plenty of challenging work ahead of me. i don't know when or how i got so lucky, but i really think it's a good look for me! :D

Ho is to the right of the map...near the lake...see it?...

ode to the bathroom

2008-11-26T05:49:00.000-08:00

november 11, 2008

i miss my time in the bathroom. i used to enjoy lighting candles and taking a hot bath. i miss washing my face in a sink, brushing my teeth in a sink, washing my hands in a sink...i never realized how convenient just having a sink was! i haven't sat down on a toilet seat since i've been in ghana...*sigh* oh bathroom...how i miss thee!

*i dedicate this post to omar...'cause you're the sh*t! u will be missed!

YES WE CAN, WE DID & WE WILL!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-11-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

wednesday november 5, 2008

"and it shall come to pass afterward that i will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." -joel 2:28

HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!! i woke up to crowds cheering on the television set...just in time to see President-elect Barack Obama appear on stage to give his speech!! I cannot even describe the feeling i feel at this moment. i hear african children outside of my hotel room singing and cheering. i am so proud of america...so proud to be an AMERICAN!

"and not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disapoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." -romans 5:3-5

understand that HOPE DOES NOT DISAPOINT!!!!!!

field trip day 4

2008-11-07T08:08:00.000-08:00

november 4, 2008

we've visited a women's group that produces palm nut oil, drank palm wine w/ a village chief, met w/ the district assembly, hiked to and swam in a waterfall, danced to african drums around a bonfire, met w/ clay potters, wood carvers, kente cloth weavers, a pineapple/mango processing plant, and we're on our way to visit my site in ho. there, we'll meet w/ an NGO, batik-fabric makers, seamstresses, jewelry makers, and a micro-financing institution. we'll end our 5 day trip visiting the cocoa research institute of ghana and going back to our homestays. i am eager to get to site and get to work!

Leklebi Agbesia Waterfall

Tafi Abuipe Kente Village

Kpando Clay Potters

being white sells!

2008-10-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

oct. 27, 2008

we were reading over a business plan of a local soap manufacturer during class. our portion partly dealt with marketing, to which one of our group members suggested that they put a white person (replacing the current african lady) on the label of this natural, organic and traditional west african soap product so that it would sell more. shauna (an uber cool, punk rock prom queen) and i were both like, "are you serious?!" he was so perplexed that we were so appalled by his statement, arguing that "if they see a white person on it, they'll think it's better quality." and i'm not even arguing that it wouldn't sell more, but rather the whole ethical and social ramifications of it all. however, i guess i can't expect a good ol' white boy from oregan to understand that it is this very same thinking that has caused and perpetuated self hatred among so many...that people in developing countries think that they can't help themselves b/c they feel that they are unable or inferior because they're not white...so they keep depending on the white man to come in and save them. it's that same thinking that is ingrained in people's minds, in society, in the media...not limited to, but including american culture, through colonialism. so we are left with little african girls thinking that they are ugly because their skin is dark, and asian ladies spending a fortune on bleaching cream, and marketing teams worldwide pushing the "white is right" image, while they themselves run out to get tanned and bronzed...

slavery = opportunity???!!!

2008-10-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

oct. 23, 2008

during language class the other day, i asked our trainer how ghanaians felt about them selling their own people into slavery; is there any remorse? is it looked down upon? her answer was that it was not looked down upon...that nobody really thinks anything of it. that, on the contrary, those people were the fortunate ones, because now they are americans. how insane is that??!!! that was deeeeeeepppp!!! so deep that i'm still trying to process it. so i guess it can be argued that slavery in the u.s. gave african americans opportunity?? it was such a horrendous thing...and so many abolitionists, civil rights workers and tons of other people worked tirelessly...many giving their lives...to give everyone equal rights. they don't even know the struggle that people had to (and still) go through; that racism is real, very real.

cape coast slave castle, ghana

happy birthday?...

2008-10-20T04:30:00.000-07:00

how am i celebrating my birthday? well, after 3 1/2 hours of language class, i then walked through the burning heat all the way to the internet cafe. after this, i will walk (again, in the heat) to the peace corps hub office to partake of lunch that my homestay mother packed for me (which is some rice and two oranges), then i will walk again to my sector meeting where i will spend another 4 hours learning. to end my day, i will walk a few more country miles through town, where all the people (children and adults) will yell "obruni" (white person) at me. i will finally make it past the pavement onto the dirt road, turn down another dirt road and arrive at my house! i will then go to fetch water from the well for my luxurious bucket shower, have dinner (which will probably be rice again), then complete my assignments for language and sector just in time to go to bed at 9pm. tomorrow starting at 5am, i will do it all again...and the next day...and every day for the remainder of my training until i get sworn in on december 12th. december 12th cannot come fast enough...

how i would have spent my birthday in atlanta:
i would have had a wonderful weekend going out and looking fabulous (w/ the bff and sorors). the day of, perhaps a massage at the mansion on peachtree, shopping at lenox & phipps, getting some gelato from paolo's in virginia highlands, and enjoying the company of loved ones at dinner (including, but not limited to O.H., Fav & K-Leezy). somewhere air conditioned...and clean...that serves a good steak w/ a glass of pinot noir...
*sigh* a girl can dream, can't she?...

my address

2008-10-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

i know that you all love me dearly and would love to send me letters and packages! so for that reason, here's my address:

Julie Nguyen, PST
Peace Corps Ghana
P.O. Box 5796
Accra-North
Ghana, West Africa

things i would love:
-soap! (liquid soap, bar soap, soap for clothes, facial soap...any kind of soap! lol)
-beef or turkey jerky (my protein consumption has gone down drastically...)
-sweets/candy that won't melt
-paper/pencils/colored pencils/etc.
-dried fruits/nuts, cheez its, chips
-crystal light/kool-aid packets
-seasonings (ranch/spices/bbq/anything)
-fashion mags (vogue/W/harper's bazaar/doesn't matter how old they are!)

roots

2008-10-14T10:29:00.001-07:00

10/13/08

my family keeps insisting that my name is ama nketia, and they introduced me to the whole town as such. i think i lost a little of my identity...i wonder if this is how kunte kinte felt when they kept calling him toby, "no, boy...your name is TOBY!!!!"

but on a different note:
we got our site assignments today and i'm soooooo excited!!!! somehow the peace corps managed to incorporate my 2 very different passions in life into one legitimate project! my primary project will be working as a business advisor w/ people in the textiles and jewelry making business! the fabrics here are gorgeous & i'm all too ecstatic ab my site! i really feel like God is looking out for me! Jesus IS my homeboy! lol! hallelujah!

made in china

2008-10-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

10/11/08

i moved in w/ my homestay family. they have 10 children that don't live with them, but many school boys that they rent to. my 1st bucket shower was just as i had imagined it: uncomfortable. i def need more than 1 bucket of water next time. the unpaved gravel & dirt roads are f*ing up my flats...i'm glad i didn't get those TB's i wanted. my homestay parents gave me a loaf of bread, a tub of margarine and a box of 90 sugar cubes...who eats an entire loaf of bread?! the portions here are ridiculous...and all carbs! i hope i don't get fat.

p.s. i find it so ironic that i get all the way to africa just to find out that everything sold here is made in china...

"hi, my name is joe & i work in a button factory..."

2008-10-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

oct 10, 2008

do you remember those summer nights cooking s'mores around the campfire? singing silly songs and bonding w/ a group of people you just met...that awkward tween phase when you weren't exactly sure of who you were...those adolescent summer loves...well, peace corps ghana is like the funnest summer camp ever! my group is comprised of 42 americans from hawaii to nebraska to ecuador (she is a u.s. citizen...lol). there are 4 married couples; for one 50+ couple, this will be their 3rd time serving in the peace corps (once separately, and twice together)! a collection of incredibly unique individuals from very diverse backgrounds gathered together for the greater good. so as we sit around laughing, drinking, and sharing stories...i can't help but smile and think about how lucky i am...

when nature calls

2008-10-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

oct 9, 2008

"the cockroach poked my package"
-marcus on his experience w/ the latrine

akwaaba

2008-10-10T13:17:00.000-07:00

oct 5, 2008

i made it safely! ghana is beautiful! i thought that the capital, accra, was going to be more developed than it actually is. i haven't gotten to fully explore the city, though...so maybe it is. our first 4 days we stayed on the campus at valley view university & went through long, intense training classes. thursday we attended a reception at the u.s. ambassador's home. friday we got to explore the city. saturday we had to take public transportation by ourselves to different parts of the country to visit a current volunteer... luckily, my volunteer's site was on the beach! but it was far from everything.. .closest internet connection she had was like an hr and a half away...crazy! i'm in kukurantumi now...we'll move in w/ a homestay family for the rest of training. they're having their presidential elections here dec 7th, so they're pulling all the people together in case of political unrest. hopefully no violence will break out. i miss everyone, but i am having a great time!

arrival @ training site

2008-10-09T13:28:00.000-07:00

10/8/08

it only took me 10 hours & 6 busses to get from my first stop to our training site today. a cab driver tried to charge me $4 for a .70 cent ride...i guess "killyourselfguy" doesn't translate in twi. i feel like i'm in the pages of national geographic...everyday. pretty cool, huh?

black people don't swim

2008-10-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

oct 7, 2008

i've heard people joke saying that black people don't swim. i was at the beach for the past 5 days w/ a current volunteer at her site. the ocean was gorgeous! a quiet and seemingly isolated beach (in four and a half hours, we only saw 2 other people walk by)...i felt like i was in another world. and this is where she lived! people in the states would pay big bucks for a beautiful beach to themselves...and there i was...getting it in for free! go u.s. government! lol!

swollen much?

2008-09-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

how i looked after my wisdom teeth extraction...

you are here -->

2008-09-26T22:12:00.000-07:00

quick geography lesson! i will be in ghana, west africa. don't know where that is?...it's okay...neither did i. so let's break out the handy dandy map!

inspiring the masses

2008-08-31T21:02:00.000-07:00

last friday i attended a meeting of buckhead residents that support barack obama. we went around the room to share our personal stories on why we were there that night. what can i say?...the man inspires me. i feel like the youth today aren’t passionate about anything…that we take so much for granted. however, this historic election has grabbed everyone’s attention. i’ve never seen so many people so involved, so enthusiastic, so passionate about politics…ever!

why did i join the peace corps? because i am passionate about helping people. i want to teach…i want to learn…i want to be honored…i want to be humbled…i want to be inspired and, in turn, to inspire the masses. i want the king midas touch...that everything i touch turns to gold! that we might all be completely rich…mind, body and soul.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: volunteers want to make a difference

2008-08-31T20:26:00.001-07:00

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2008/08/04/peacecorps.html shout out to freeway (vincent williams) in the article!

the countdown begins...

2008-08-31T20:25:00.001-07:00

i leave september 27th, 2008 for two years of service in ghana, west africa ...so if you want to see me, spend time with me, bask in my fabulousness, want to profess your undying love for me, etc...you only have 2 months to make it happen!