Goodbye Taiwan

Yesterday my closest friends here in Ghana left to return to Taiwan. I took them to the airport and though I'm mostly ready to go, I'm not quite there.  I still have some unfinished to-do's in this amazing, frustrating and incredible place.  I am enjoying my time here, but I know that in 2 weeks I will be ready to return home to some sense of normal. While at the airport I weighed myself, pretending to be a piece of luggage, and found out I've lost 8 lbs. in the past 8 weeks. That's most likely bad.

I'm starting to wonder if I have changed and if people at home will think I'm different. Or will everyone at home be different and I will feel like a stranger? While I'm here it's like life at home is frozen and I assume nothing changes. But 3 months later I'll walk back into my own life and it's scary to not know what to expect. Reverse cultural shock is very real and I am not looking forward to facing that...

Something is malfunctioning with my camera today so it's the perfect excuse to go on campus and check it out. I'm sure they sell USB drives so I can back-up my photos and then I want to walk around the school and see what it's like. One thing I don't understand is that my program is run from students who go to CUC (Central University College). What is a "university college?" Aren't they the same thing?

Tomorrow will be round 2 of the school competition. I will be cheering for my school to win! Which reminds me about my teaching experience last Tuesday....

Each child is supposed to pay 5 Ghana Cedis each month for the computer class. Some kids have paid in full and most paid, 1, 2, 3 or 4. Well, I guess the teacher didn't want to track them down any more so he went and got the headmistress. She shows up with her bamboo cane and a scoul. She called upon the people who had paid in full. They were sent aside. Next were those who paid 4. If they didn't have the 1 cedi on them, then they got 3 lashes and were yelled at to bring the money the next day. Next were the kids who paid just 3 Cedis. More yelling, and stronger lashes. As I watched each kids' face tighten as each lash came across their back I felt something inside me just fall. Completely helpless to save them from what I view as torture. The kids are 13 years old -- they should not know pain like that.

According to one kid: "the butt is OK, but my back... it's doing some work right now." The one's who had not paid at all got the worst beating. I could feel the sting that they must have felt. It just seems wrong. And I know it happened in the US not too long ago, but we got rid of that. How does it help a child learn if you beat him? I think it just teaches them to lie and avoid getting lashed.

What's worse is I talked to one girl later and she explained that (just like at home) the kids ask their parents at money. In her words, "it's not our money, it's our parents money. If they don't have the money, why should I get beaten?? It's not right."

The teacher explained to me that he will not cane the children because a parent could take him to court and win should the child get hurt. Yet, for some reason, headmasters have immunity. It doesn't make any sense, but then again I'm trying to use logic.