We  have arrived. After having been here for 1/2 year in 2005-06, it truly seems like coming home again. We do not have our same accomodations  as before. The Catholic Mission has permitted us to stay on their grounds for at least two months time. Sorry if any of this is reiterated by fellow bloggers David Revell and Lisa Revell; one is my wife, the other, my stepson. I leave it to you to figure out which is which. Boy! Making your self understood while teaching English to 10-13 year olds will be an interesting endeavor of which I am greatly looking forward to. Now, how is that previous sentence, you grammatical aficionados? Please do not be too hard on me! I am really an experienced band and music teacher doing what seems most important here in north Ghana – that is, teaching English. You see, it is the official language of this former British colony, but in reality, where we live, a minority speak it. This means we are struggling to learn the local non-written language, Nab’t.  The ability to speak and write English greatly increases one’s chance to prosper.More on that later. I was just distracted. I am in Bolgatanga, the nearest town to use internet. A brass band on top of a bus just came tooting by. It is election time here. Ghana is a democracy. The current vice-president is in town. With that comes lots of fanfare, speeches and hooplah. Same as home, the speeches tell you how good things will be if they are elected. and then …….. well, let us say there is not much change here since our stay here two years ago. On the positive side, one thing that has improved is the healthcare. Two years ago, healthcare for HIV was pretty much ignored in the Catholic run health center in Kongo. Now, they adminster the appropriate drugs to those in need. Lisa who will be working there, if all plans go into effect, and is very happy to hear this news.

Back to the brass band passing by, I brought a trombone with me. my plan is to give class lessons on it – I have five mouthpieces – then leave it here. I will leave it in Bolga as there is small Brass Society here. I must go now, I am happily going to a student book store to buy one English dictionary and barter over the cost of buying 200 more. I can do this because …MS.KOBES 6TH GRADE CLASS DID FUNDRAISING FOR THIS CAUSE! Bravo to you and all kids at Jackson Middle School School in Portland, Oregon Message to class: Thank you soooooo much. I will give you more news as time passes. Later …David Stone