Categories: uncategorized
Date: 05 September 2007 12:49:13
Taking my regular daily trip to the local village last week, the children told me that they were filming a Ghanian movie there. We tracked them down pretty quickly (being that you can walk the whole village in about 5 minutes) and I was ushered by the director into his office. Even after turning down his marriage proposal, he gave me two scenes in the movie. The children were so excited because there were apparently some big name (Ghanian) actors in it. My first scene: I had to go into the village and try and find the elder because I wanted to buy a piece of land that I thought had gold. Comedy ensued because the person I asked for directions is a big Ghanian comedian. Second scene: Talking with the elder about buying the land. I have been told that the movie will come out in about 2 months. I'm quite glad I studied acting at school and a bit at university because there was no script, you were told what the scene was about and you had to improvise. Was an interesting experience.
The rest of the week was taken up by taking kids to the various filming locations around the village so that they could watch.
We have had no running water now for about a week. I am getting very good at bucket showers (or at least I hope I am!). Even the tank has run out of water. I am as yet not sure why they don't have rain water tanks because it has been pouring down every day for the last week.
On Sunday I went to church in Kumasi with the director's son. Here, there was a TV crew filming some gospel song. I think by the time I leave Ghana, I might be quite famous ;)
Monday night there was a big concert party in the village where the actors did some comedy sketches, there was a dancing competition and alot of dancing (about 5 hours). I took about 10 of the older kids. We didn't get home till 3am. I really enjoyed myself. I was a bit of a spectacle, being the only white person there (and dancing!) but it was all good fun.
In the morning I realised that my wallet had been stolen. I had put it in the bottom of my bag which I left under my seat (and against the wall) which had one of the older boys from my orphanage sitting on it. I couldn't dance with it so it seemed the most logical place to leave it. Anyway, I was very lucky that I had taken my camera out of my bag earlier in the day just for that reason. I didn't have any bankcards or creditcards in there just money but it's still annoying. I was also quite upset because my boyfriend's mother had given me the wallet. I reported it at the police station and we got the 'gong-gong beater' (the local announcer for the village who goes around yelling and banging a bell) to tell people but as yet, nothing has showed up. I'm desperately trying to rack my brain to remember what else was in there. I think just money and receipts.
Besides the whole wallet fiasco, things are going really well. We have a new German volunteer and I am getting to be known around the village so people are really friendly and often use my name rather than calling out the word for white person.