While being in school and taking classes is all fine and dandy, I crave extra-curricular activities. I've had many grandiose plans for this semester, making it a George Costanza-esque "Semester of Mr. Obruni". Here's the game plan:
1. Take drumming lessons.
After seeing how much fun the kids last semester had in drumming classes (and seeing how I couldn't get credit for it), I decided that this semester I would take some private lessons with some American friends. Being that I have no natural rhythm, this seems to be an opportune time to work on it. Besides, if I came back from Africa and had no rhythm, then did I ever really go there in the first place?
2. Start up a trade justice group on campus.
This has been a pet project of Joe's and mine for a long while. After seeing the Road to Hong Kong protest, we thought that it would be a great idea to help facilitate the start of a trade justice advocacy group. Clearly we couldn't run it - that would have to be done by Ghanaian students who are passionate about the issues. But, if we can create the favourable conditions for such an organization and people take advantage of it, then perhaps we will have done a good deed in helping to improve the welfare of Africans. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Of course. It always does on paper...
3. Start exercising to prepare for work.
This summer, I'll be back to the landscaping grind. Considering my muscles have probably turned to mush over the last six months, I'll have to start getting back in shape at the gym. Lisa has agreed to be my personal trainer for the two months that I'll spend at the gym. I've already started running regularly. Soon I will no longer be a little girly man, but an Olympic ideal. (ha!)
4. Read lots and lots of fun books.
So eloquently put, no? I've already gotten to work on this one. I finished "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" and am currently on "A History of Ghana", which is filling in some of the cracks in my historical knowledge. I also started up a book swap in the hostel, which is paying off already. (Basic idea: list your name, room number and books owned on a big list and people trade books. Neat, eh?) This week I will purchase Kwame Nkrumah's classic "Africa Must Unite". Sweet!
5. Travel lots and lots and somehow do it thriftily.
Last summer, I put off seeing a lot of places, thinking "I'll do it next semester". Now that it is upon me, I've got to get out on weekends to see places like the beaches on the Western Coast, Lake Bosumtwi and such. Also on the agenda: a 10-day tour of the North (seeing elephants, hippos and the like), taking the Lake Volta ferry and hopefully an excursion out of the country (Niger and a fairtrade conference in Benin have been discussed). I won't have this opportunity for a long, long time, so why not jump on it?
So that's the game plan for the next few months. Believe it or not, the original list was even longer. So, in the words of the immortal Ramones:
Hey, ho, let's go!
No comments:
Post a Comment