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The Summary:
Stuart finally has blue lips. He is the only one of the Kansas family that has been in the West African coastal waters for two hours or more. Three of the remaining four stayed for an hour or so. The fifth waded in until a man cleaned out his sinuses without forewarning. Ew; she went back to her book.

Bonne Fete

Erika Kraus
2007-01-23 13:22:42

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us through. So much food, so much sodabe.
The best morning was New Years’ Day- we had danced until 2h, talked until 4h, then woke up at 8h to a clogged toilet. Of all toilets, of all possible days, it was mine on New Years’ Day. I was kind of kidding when I said it was the best morning. We found the plumber and were Before going back to Accra, we drank with the mayor and his wife, and on a separate day, visited the village with the tree nursery and garden where I work. Truly, we were royalty. We souvenir-shopped in Abomey, then prepared for the trip to Ghana.

I had to get another Ghana visa, because I am stupid and didn’t do it right he first time. I tried to make a quick trip to Cotonou to pick it up, but it was a normal trip that took most of the day. I returned to a very hungry, very bored, and slightly worried family. Oh, miscommunications- Mom paid 3000 FCFA for a load of laundry, but only gave 1000 FCFA for onions, eggs, and rice for four people. Uh… that was my fault.

But it all worked out. Many people came the night before the depart to say “au revoir.” Only two weeks, and people were emotional to see my family go home again. We also introduced the game of blackjack that night, betting with candy and matchsticks of course.

We made it safely and fairly quickly to Accra. We ate well and danced in millions of cedis, the Ghanain currency, once the ATM card started working. We spent the afternoon at the beach, the first time for Stuart, and said goodbye at the hotel the following morning. The separation was rather unemotional, since we were all concerned about making it back home, but to home we did arrive. My family only missed one flight of three; well, one of six if I include the three flights to arrive.

Most importantly, I realized again and just as profoundly, that my family is wonderful. They are worth any number of visas and changes of currency, especially if I get to make fun of them in their presence using a different language so that they don’t know what I am saying. Yup, it was a good trip.