Little Sister Claire

I am sorry my updates have been infrequent lately. I have just been spending so much time at the orphanage it is hard to get away and go to the Internet cafe. I spent all weekend at the orphanage for the most part even though I didn't have to. I had promised some of the older boys that me and John (another volunteer) would take them out for sodas on Saturday night because I had a monthly volunteer party to go to on Friday. So I went to the orphanage at about 1 in the afternoon on Saturday and didn't end up coming home until around 10:30pm. During the day I helped some of the boys with their homework and taught long division and multiplication (haven't done that in awhile).
I just feel so at home in the orphanage. All the boys treat me with respect and are comfortable enough to joke around with me. They all call me either: Little sister Claire, small girl, or acoco (means chicken). I find it funny that they call me Little sister Claire considering that I am older than most of them. Small girl- well that is self-explanatory. But Acoco comes from the way I dance. They wanted to see how I dance and so I was joking around and just started waving my arms around and they thought that I looked like a chicken so now they call me acoco which is the twi (local language) word for chicken.
Every night when I have to come home they will all walk me out of the compound and wave down a taxi. Then they will get the cheapest price possible for me to get home and tell the driver to get me there safe. I love spending time there and love learning about all the cultural differences. Then yesterday, Sunday, I went to the pool with a bunch of volunteers for the day. NO SUNBURN!!! yay! Then last night I went back over to the orphanage and hung out there until around 11pm.
One of the boys last night asked me if I liked Ghana and I told him I loved it. When he asked me why I was surprised I wasn't able to give a response. I fall in love with this country more and more each day and I can't put my finger on why. There are no blue skies, beautiful sunsets, or decent toilets. It smells bad constantly and there is trash all over the ground. So why am I falling in love with this place? I guess it is just something about the people and the atmosphere.
Funny story, I am actually starting to connect Akon with Ghana because that is all they listen to here. I know that when I get home and am missing Ghana all I will have to do is turn on some Akon and close my eyes. I know this e-mail is probably not what some of you were wanting but it is what I have to offer right now. There are moments when I just sit here and want to cry because I am overwhelmed but it is all good. I am in good spirits even when I feel helpless. What else are you interested to hear about so that I can write it in my next e-mail. I am going to try and put up pictures later this week, hopefully. I wish that everyone at home could come here and experience what I am feeling so that you would understand why my e-mails are all over the place. Oh yeah one more thing, it is getting hotter each day and we are working our way up to the hottest month of the year. I can feel the sun sizzle on my skin as soon as I walk out of the house. That is all for now. :) bye.