Connect the dots

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Back to School in Ghana

Looks like this vacation is going to begin with work - or I should say, school. Recently, I received a flyer in the mail from the NYU Occupational Therapy department. I thought to myself - Doesn't NYU have enough of my money??? But upon skimming the specialty courses, I discovered that my former professor, Anita Perr, was offering a course titled: Disability in a Global Context: Ghana. And it was scheduled for January. I took this as a sign that we definitely had to start in West Africa, and that now, there was a purpose, and there was a definite place to start. Shortly after I put this together, I e-mailed Anita with our tentative plans and basically offered free labor for this course. I waited and waited for a response. But nothing. Did she forget who I was? Was she not allowed to take former students who were too cheap to pay for the course? Did she think I was trying to get a plane ticket and lodging? Did the e-mail end up in her spam? After 2 weeks I got this response:
Hi Christine,

I was hoping to have some answers for you but can't wait any longer to email you back. I'm SO excited about this. Karen Buckley and I are co-teaching so I'm copying this to her too. We'll be in Accra Jan 4- 3(ish). I will send you the schedule when I know it. I'd like to figure out a way to get you involved in the class. I think we can figure out some guest lecture/dinner or something at the very least.

Anyway, we'll figure something out. How great!!!

Anita (and Karen)
I suppose this means I can start searching for tickets to Accra. My Lonely Planet Africa guide has named Ghana: Africa for beginners. We surely aren't beginners to Africa, but looks like were going to begin this adventure there. Anyone have contacts in Ghana? Better yet, any Ghanian babysitter recommendations?

2 comments:

  1. I'm so excited for you! I wish I had some contacts in Ghana to offer, but sadly, I don't. Nor do I have a Ghanian babysitter. But I am so psyched for your journey!

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  2. No worries. My back-up plan is to appear as if I've always been a good Catholic girl and plea to some nuns along the way for some reliable child care. They can't possibly be stricter than I am with her already.

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