United in Nima!!!

After months of intense editing we have an amazing exhibition (if I do say so myself, and I will) up on the walls of SF Camerawork.  The show is called United in Nima and it opened last week on January 8, 2009 with over 300 attendees!!!  I just want to thank everyone who made it out and add that if you haven't seen the show yet, there are many events that are going on at SF Camerawork during the duration of the show that you can learn about at www.sfcamerawork.org, but the big one to look for is our closing party/fundraiser/silent auction and premiere of the Adobe Youth Voices multi-media piece we are working on that will incorporate imagery from both Ghana and San Francisco.  That happens on March 25, 2009 from 6-9pm.  Stay tuned for more details.

Big thanks and congratulations to my collaborators on this project Jamie Lloyd and Vivian Chan, and of course, the five students that made it happen; Bethany and Naomi Castro, Marcio Ramirez, Jontonnette "Star" Clark, and Karen Gochez.

college student home sick

I finally figured out my password . Well for those who do not know I'm in college now. I attend South Carolina State University. I am SO home sick. I miss seeing tall buildings, I miss getting on stinky public transportation, I miss San Francisco Hills,I miss exploring down town San Francisco, and I really miss my nephew. South Carolina is a very laid back state,time seems to go by slow except during test lol. My school is not that bad, I am just get really homesick. When I think about San Francisco,especially when I think about first exposures. I hate that I can't be there to help create the show. I hate that I cant sit there and share my ideas, I hate that I cant reminisce with the group about Africa, I hate that Im missing out on all that fun. I hate that I'm missing everyone back home. Missing something or someone is one of the worst feelings in the world. having something but not being able to use , or missing someone and not being able to see them. I know will see everyone soon but it sucks having to wait for so long. I know every one is working very hard on the show, and i just want to say keep up the good work.

Jamie is BACK!

Jamie I've missed you! We needed you at our Ghana meetings, but I understand that you were just recovering from---what was it that you caught again? But now that your better, we can get down to some serious business! I can't wait for the exhibit to open!!! I am sooo J-U-I-C-E-D! I just wanted to say welcome back!

HI!!!

HI TO EVERYONE...
I WILL BE AT THE NEXT MEETING, AND MUST I SAY THAT THE END OF THIS SUMMER HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT COMPLICATED AND FULL OF SURPRISES FOR ME... I HAVE WANTED TO GO TO THE MEETINGS BUT SO MUCH HAS COME UP AND NOT ONLY THAT IT SEEMS LIKE THE FLU IS GOING AROUND AND I GOT SICK UP TIL NOW. I AM SAD TO HEAR THAT JONTONNETTE IS LEAVING OR IF NOT ALREADY LEFT =(
I AM HAPPY TO READ THAT THE PICTURES ARE COMING ALONG AND DEVELOPED!! I CANT WAIT TO SEE THEM AND REMEMBER ALL OF WHAT I SAW AND THE PICTURES I TOOK OF PLACES AND PEOPLE... I ALWAYS REMEMBER GHANA AND WHAT A NICE EXPERIENCE IT WAS...11
P.S. SORRY I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT YOU ERIK. THANKS FOR CARING!!

Feel Better Jamie!

This is just a note from me on behalf of your fellow travelers that I hope you feel better and that this unpleasant souvenir from Africa goes away soon!  Your strength will get you through this and know that there are many people thinking about you and wishing you a speedy recovery.

Erik

first exposures ghana group reunion=memories of ghana.

since we've been back from ghana, our group that went has met up three and it's felt so good to see everyone. the first time karen, jamie and vivian couldn't make it; the second time, jamie made it and the third time, vivian made it. so karen, if you're reading this, please make it to the next meeting because i miss you roomie.! plus jontonette's leaving for college soon so we've all got to get together.! anyway, getting back together has brought back all the many wonderful memories we've shared in ghana. eric started developing our film and uploading photos and too see them brought tears back to my eyes because that whole experience just touched my life in a way i'll never forget. so many of our students and friends have been calling my sister and i. i couldn't stand when they called between midnight and four in the morning at first but it's whatever because i miss them all so much. you know, it's going on a month that i've been away from ghana, and i'm still not totally adjusted. i really want to go back and i wish i could already; i'm sure a lot of us in our group feel that way. also the other day my sister discovered a song that we heard often in ghana and that just made so many memories rush back. the song is called love is wicked by brick and lace--one of fedawus' favorite songs. i remember her always singing this to us along with true love by 2face. i remember hearing this song blasting out of trotros passing. i remember this song playing out of people's houses or shops. i remember all the children singing along to it when it came on. so hearing this song quite a lot holds lots of memories--all of the music we listened to in ghana. that's one thing i miss a lot, the music. they don't sing or rap about the same things we do; their songs actually have meaning. i'm not referring to the two songs i mentioned but just in general.

now that we're back, it's basically 'full speed ahead' and no playing around with putting our show together. we have hundreds of rolls of film and thousands of digital photos to start looking at and editing down. it's gonna be quite a job, but i think we're all excited to get going on it. i'm excited to show people what we've been blessed to be able to do and share our experiences through photography. not only am i excited to show our work, but to show the student's work. i just really want to represent them right and show people that this trip was not in vain. i think we all want that; and also we aren't another group trying to send the same message of 'feed the children' or 'aids epidemic!' but we are trying to show a positive side of ghana and all the great things we had a chance to experience. because FYI, the people of ghana are very healthy--beautiful skin, nice bodies and all.! :)

so ghana youth photo project coming soon...

JANUARY 8th @ SF CAMERAWORKS.! mark your calenders, you won't wanna miss this.

BACK AT HOME, IT FEELS LIKE FOREVER THAT WE CAME BACK

HI PEOPLE!!! ITS BEEN A WHILE SINCE I HAVE LOGGED ON...
IM MISSING GHANA LIKE CRAZY!!! IT WAS SO HARD GETTING TO SAY GOOD BYE TO THE KIDS AND THERE ISN'T A DAY THAT I DON'T THINK ABOUT WHAT IS BACK IN GHANA... THE PLANE RIDES WERE SO LONG, BUT IT WAS WORST HAVING TO SIT IN THE AIRPORT. IT GAVE ME ALOT OF TIME TO THINK. I ALSO MISS MY ROOMMATE NAOMI!!! I MISS EVERYONE!!! I WAS SO HAPPY TO BE BACK THOUGH... I MISSED MY MOM REALLY BADLY AND WAS SO HAPPY TO TAKE A HOT SHOWER AND SLEEP IN MY BED!!! I WAS SICK THE FIRST FEW DAYS BACK. I HAD REALLY BAD STOMACH PROBLEMS AND NAUSEA FOLLOWED BY HEADACHES, BUT NOW I AM MY NORMAL SELF AGAIN. AS I THINK ABOUT WHAT IS BACK IN GHANA, I ANTICIPATE THE DAY THAT I WILL GO BACK (HOPEFULLY) AND THINK ABOUT HOW TO ME, GHANA IS LIKE A SECOND HOME.
I DEFINITLY SEE HOW MY VALUES CHANGED AND THIS EXPERIENCE BROUGHT ME AND MY FAMILY CLOSER!!
I MISS EVERYONE THAT WENT ON THAT TRIP.... I LOVE YOU GUYS AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING OUR RELATIONSHIP GROW BIGGER!!
GHANA IS THE BEST, MISS YOU!!

Memories.

YEAH, NO SHOWER CURTAIN, JONTONETTE!

THE COOLEST ROOM IN THE HOUSE (when the AC worked)

RICHARD, Morgan's little brother.

MORGAN!

KOJO!

ALASKA. This man right here is STRONG.

JAMES arrived EARLY the day we left for the airport. Go James!

MY CRAZY JEMILA. I MISS HER.

LEFT: MANNAN AND HIS LITTLE BROTHER HANNAN. MY SWEETHEARTS!

Abby, Mama Joanna, and Bobby. (Joanna's laughing)

I love this family. Mama Joanna and Abby made sure we were fed!

Some of the local boys in Nima. They love the camera and the camera loves them.

I MISS:

::WAKING UP IN GHANA

::MY ROOMIE KAREN

::MAMMA JOANA'S HOME COOKING

::GOING TO THE INTERNET CAFE

::GOING TO OSU AND ALWAYS RUNNING INTO RAEGAN, BISMARK&THE OTHER VENDORS

::NIMA.ST KIZITOS.THE KIDS (EXCEPT FOR THE ONES WHO'VE BEEN CALLING BTWN. 12 A.M&3.!)

::JAMES&HIS TRO TRO

::MORGAN, KOJO&RICHARD.CULTURAL DANCE&DRUM CLASSES

::THE ANTICIPATION OF GOING TO A NEW PLACE OR DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT EVERYDAY

::OUR FAMILY WE MADE: ERIC, JAMIE, VIVIAN, JONTONETTE, BETHANY, KAREN, MARCIO AND I

i really miss GHANA.

nice intention but sounds a little misplaced....

My friend Mike sent me this from the BBC News website when we returned. After all the poverty we saw in Ghana this seems like another case of misguided government spending. I'll get off my soapbox now, but please read on...

Erik

Ghana spends $1.4m on gold medals

By Will Ross BBC News, Accra

The Ghanaian government spent more than $1.4m (£704,000) buying 515 gold medals from a company based in the Channel Islands, officials have confirmed.

Almost half the medals were given out last week to prominent citizens at a colourful national awards ceremony.

The government says the rest will be presented over the next four years.

The medals are intended to reward outstanding contributions to Ghana. But critics say the money would have been better spent alleviating poverty.

Eighteen-carat gold

Recipients included politicians, chiefs, business leaders and even the country's President, John Kufuor, who will step down at the end of the year.

We are suffering. As of now, some of us cannot even pay our school fees Accra businessman

He was given the highest award, the Grand Order of the Star and Eagles of Ghana.

Set in 18-carat gold, it was also the most expensive.

At $65,000 (£32,700), President Kufuor's award cost many times more than an Olympic gold medal.

This prompted one journalist to make a joke comparing Mr Kufuor to the medallion-wearing American rapper, 50 Cent.

Medals 'not extravagant'

As people woke up in Ghana to learn the cost of the medals from newspapers and radios, many were shocked and disappointed.

"We are suffering," one Accra businessman told the BBC. "As of now, some of us cannot even pay our school fees," he said.

How can the president decorate himself with such expensive jewellery when people are in dire need of basic amenities? Dr Tony Aidoo National Democratic Congress (NDC)

"The medals will not bring anything to the country," said another.

"They are just for individuals so the money has just gone to waste," he added.

The Deputy Information Minister, Frank Agyekum, disagreed.

"You can't put a price tag on an award which is meant to encourage, motivate and congratulate people for making a great contribution to the country," he said. "This was not extravagant."

"The remaining medals will be used for the next three to four years," he added, before noting that even beauty pageant winners are given a whole house these days.

Parliamentary enquiry

In recent years, the awarding of national honours has been a low key affair, but this year the government said it was keen to help unite the politically divided country.

Politicians from rival parties were offered medals, but the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), boycotted the event.

Not surprisingly, the NDC is now making a noise about the cost of the awards

"This was a severe misplacement of priority and an insult to the intelligence of Ghanaians," said Tony Aidoo, a senior member of the party.

"How can the president decorate himself with such expensive jewellery when people are in dire need of basic amenities?" he asked, calling for a parliamentary enquiry, and for evidence that the remaining medals really exist.

Stability 'priceless'

The fact that the head of the Ashanti Kingdom, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, could not collect his award because he was mediating a chieftaincy dispute, shows the need for nation building in Ghana.

Peace and stability are priceless on the African continent Bright Simons, Imani Centre for Policy and Education

"Peace and stability are priceless on the African continent," said Bright Simons, of the Ghanaian think tank, the Imani Centre for Policy and Education.

"If the process had succeeded in building a lot of reconciliation across the political spectrum, it would have been worth it," he added.

Mr Simons said the intention was honourable, but suggested the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), could have managed the event better - by including members from across the political divide in an independent awards committee.

Ghanaians are also waiting to learn how the proceeds are spent from recently discovered oil in the country, estimated to total 2 billion barrels.

Those worried that Ghana may follow the lead of Angola and Nigeria will seek little comfort from news of how $1.4m has been spent on the medals. Some Ghanaians are also asking why the medals could not have been produced locally - especially as their country is Africa's second largest producer of gold.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7502716.stm

Published: 2008/07/11 19:09:12 GMT

© BBC MMVIII