I am so frustrated. As we speak, CNN is showing African Voices, in an episode that will feature a person near and dear to me, Herman Chinery-Hesse. I don't have CNN at home, but was fairly confident I'd be able to catch it online, so imagine my surprise when it's posted on the website as coming up next week, argh!
On a funny note though, a family friend in Sweden, called my mum in Ghana to tell her to tell us (my brothers and I in Sweden) to watch the program. She assumed my mum wouldn't have access to CNN in Ghana and was just using her as a messenger (extra funny: she's Ghanaian herself)!
So here I am in the advanced West, waiting probably another week to watch this show, whilst "third world" Africans are catching it on their up-to-date cable channels. Well, wherever you are, if you've got the CNN TV-channel, I hope you manage to catch it - African Voices is always inspirational and with H on it, I know it'll be a fantastic episode.
Saturday, 21 January 2012
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Beautiful Ghana
My friend posted a link on Facebook which I wanted to share. For those of you who love Ghana, those of you who are proud of Ghana, those who'd like to catch a glimpse of Ghana...and those of you who are just tired of seeing starving children surrounded by flies, as the image of Africa.
It's so lovely to see the Ghana I know and love, roads I normally drive on, buildings I pass and even domestic houses I recognise.
Now what I'd really like to see is Nana Kofi present a similar slide show of Ghana, adding his usual artistic genius, and perhaps with a bit more focus on people and foods too? Then again, I guess that's what his blog does for us on a regular basis.
It's so lovely to see the Ghana I know and love, roads I normally drive on, buildings I pass and even domestic houses I recognise.
Now what I'd really like to see is Nana Kofi present a similar slide show of Ghana, adding his usual artistic genius, and perhaps with a bit more focus on people and foods too? Then again, I guess that's what his blog does for us on a regular basis.
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
New beginnings
New Job,
New Apartment,
New Friends,
New Projects,
New Routine,
New Laptop (woohoo!).
All I need now is new phone and I am all set for this brand spanking new year.
What's new for you in 2012? Is the year looking promising?
New Apartment,
New Friends,
New Projects,
New Routine,
New Laptop (woohoo!).
All I need now is new phone and I am all set for this brand spanking new year.
What's new for you in 2012? Is the year looking promising?
Sunday, 1 January 2012
Happy New Year!!!
What a lovely New Year's Eve!
Started the evening with a lovely turkey dinner at my sister's house. Then a game of monopoly, after which Virgo and I left the group to meet other friends at the Wheel of Gothenburg (it's like a small scale London Eye).
(Picture borrowed from the Wheel of Gothenburg website)
Thanks to perfect planning, we were at the top of the wheel when the clocks turned 0:00. As we toasted in the new year, with our complimentary bottle of (non-alcoholic) champagne and a 360 degree view of all the fireworks going off in the whole of Gothenburg, I thought, what a wonderful way to start the year.
2012 seems so exciting and promising for me, I wish you all the best for this exciting new year!
Started the evening with a lovely turkey dinner at my sister's house. Then a game of monopoly, after which Virgo and I left the group to meet other friends at the Wheel of Gothenburg (it's like a small scale London Eye).
Thanks to perfect planning, we were at the top of the wheel when the clocks turned 0:00. As we toasted in the new year, with our complimentary bottle of (non-alcoholic) champagne and a 360 degree view of all the fireworks going off in the whole of Gothenburg, I thought, what a wonderful way to start the year.
2012 seems so exciting and promising for me, I wish you all the best for this exciting new year!
Friday, 30 December 2011
Half full
I have had an absolutely lovely Christmas, I hope you have too. Unfortunately, I'm not at the computer where I stored my pictures so a full account will come later.
I have always known I am a positive person. Despite my sometimes cynic nature, I have a "glass half full" mentality and often repeat the mantra "PMA", or "positive mental attitude".
Nowhere was that more clear than yesterday, in the kitchen. After a marathon cleaning, I had just gotten the mop ready when Em's horrid cough lead to her throwing up, all over the kitchen floor. My thought? "I'm so lucky she did it before I mopped the floor".
Then, forty minutes later, when I had finished all my mopping, she came back, to the same spot and threw up two more times. Whilst I wiped up the worst of it, all I was thinking was: "Aren't I lucky that I still have the mop and bucket standing there all ready to go".
Now how's that for positive mental attitude! (And an insight into parenthood for those of you who are not there yet...)
I have always known I am a positive person. Despite my sometimes cynic nature, I have a "glass half full" mentality and often repeat the mantra "PMA", or "positive mental attitude".
Nowhere was that more clear than yesterday, in the kitchen. After a marathon cleaning, I had just gotten the mop ready when Em's horrid cough lead to her throwing up, all over the kitchen floor. My thought? "I'm so lucky she did it before I mopped the floor".
Then, forty minutes later, when I had finished all my mopping, she came back, to the same spot and threw up two more times. Whilst I wiped up the worst of it, all I was thinking was: "Aren't I lucky that I still have the mop and bucket standing there all ready to go".
Now how's that for positive mental attitude! (And an insight into parenthood for those of you who are not there yet...)
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Friday, 23 December 2011
Santa Baby
I am exhausted after the Santa Clausian task of wrapping Christmas gifts for my one child, five nephews and nieces, two brothers and a father, AND the same amount of gifts on behalf of my mum. What on earth was I thinking when I thought it would be a cosy thing to do on the night before Christmas??? Still, it seems Christmas this year will be great (fingers crossed).
Today's song, Santa Baby by Macy Gray, calmed me down during the busiest time in the central mall, Nordstan.
Now, an episode of The Good Wife, whilst I wash the last of the pre-Christmas dishes.
Goodnight!
Today's song, Santa Baby by Macy Gray, calmed me down during the busiest time in the central mall, Nordstan.
Now, an episode of The Good Wife, whilst I wash the last of the pre-Christmas dishes.
Goodnight!
Den här bloggposten innehåller nötkräm
”Det pågår en tyst katastrof. En katastrof som varje dag dödar 21 000 barn under fem års ålder. De flesta barnen dör av näringsbrist, diarré eller andra sjukdomar. De dör av orsaker som med enkla medel skulle kunna förebyggas. Det som saknas är vaccin, medicin, rent vatten och näringsriktig mat. Saker som UNICEF kan leverera. Saker som vi tillsammans kan leverera.
Den här bloggposten är mitt sätt bidra. För i och med att jag publicerar den här bloggposten blir inte bara fler uppmärksammade på den tysta katastrofen utan dessutom innebär det att re:member skänker sex påsar av den nötkräm som UNICEF använder vid behandling av undernärda barn. Tre påsar nötkräm om dagen är allt som krävs för att ett barn som lider av undernäring ska kunna överleva.
Har du också en blogg och vill göra något viktigt i jul? Hämta bloggmaterial här! Tillsammans räddar vi barns liv.
Ps. Vill du köpa fältprodukterna som räddar barns liv, besök UNICEFs gåvoshop. Du kan välja ett snyggt gåvobevis designat av bland annat Tove Styrke eller Elsa Billgren att ge bort i julklapp.
And here's an explanation in English:
Every year, 21.000 children under the age of five die, mainly because of malnutrition, diarrhea or other diseases. The Swedish division of UNICEF has launched a blog campaign aiming at raising awareness about this silent disaster and providing help to those who really need it.
If you have a blog and would like to support this cause, UNICEF asks you to publish a post about it, including some text snippets, photos and videos that they provide here (this campaign is targeted at bloggers writing in Swedish).
It’s the most important blog post you could write this year. And in addition to that you help raising awareness about this misery, re:member has partnered up with UNICEF and agreed to donate 6 bags Nutriset per published blog post. Nutriset is an oil-based paste of peanuts which is used to treat children with severe acute malnutrition (you can read more about it here).
After you have published your blog posts and included the text and media provided on this site, it is important that you ping Twingly about your blog posts (here is an explanation how to do that). By doing so, your post will appear in the blog feed on UNICEF’s campaign blog and become part of the campaign.
Let’s make sure that as many people as possible join the campaign and help the children around the world!
Den här bloggposten är mitt sätt bidra. För i och med att jag publicerar den här bloggposten blir inte bara fler uppmärksammade på den tysta katastrofen utan dessutom innebär det att re:member skänker sex påsar av den nötkräm som UNICEF använder vid behandling av undernärda barn. Tre påsar nötkräm om dagen är allt som krävs för att ett barn som lider av undernäring ska kunna överleva.
Har du också en blogg och vill göra något viktigt i jul? Hämta bloggmaterial här! Tillsammans räddar vi barns liv.
Ps. Vill du köpa fältprodukterna som räddar barns liv, besök UNICEFs gåvoshop. Du kan välja ett snyggt gåvobevis designat av bland annat Tove Styrke eller Elsa Billgren att ge bort i julklapp.
And here's an explanation in English:
Every year, 21.000 children under the age of five die, mainly because of malnutrition, diarrhea or other diseases. The Swedish division of UNICEF has launched a blog campaign aiming at raising awareness about this silent disaster and providing help to those who really need it.
If you have a blog and would like to support this cause, UNICEF asks you to publish a post about it, including some text snippets, photos and videos that they provide here (this campaign is targeted at bloggers writing in Swedish).
It’s the most important blog post you could write this year. And in addition to that you help raising awareness about this misery, re:member has partnered up with UNICEF and agreed to donate 6 bags Nutriset per published blog post. Nutriset is an oil-based paste of peanuts which is used to treat children with severe acute malnutrition (you can read more about it here).
After you have published your blog posts and included the text and media provided on this site, it is important that you ping Twingly about your blog posts (here is an explanation how to do that). By doing so, your post will appear in the blog feed on UNICEF’s campaign blog and become part of the campaign.
Let’s make sure that as many people as possible join the campaign and help the children around the world!
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Pressure
I know, I missed a day, but I am sure you'll forgive me once you hear what I have been up to. It seems technology and I will never be friends, despite all the effort I make. So in addition to my motherboard going into a coma, my work-email moved to a new server and all my emails were lost.
All my legal documents and communication that I was hoping to use as a backup, now I no longer have my laptop, gone! Luckily we got our IT guys to revert to the old server temporarily. After spending h o u r s researching whether I could forward a bunch of emails at once, it seemed there was an obstacle at every corner.
In the end I had to give up and go through, select and forward as much as I thought I needed of my thousand emails. Annoyingly, actually forwarding the emails manually took less time than I spent researching mass forwarding.
This morning, I dropped my phone and when I turned it on, message after message popped up in my inbox. Suddenly I got all those messages that friends and contacts had told me they had sent since last Saturday. Imagine the added wahala of having to deal with each issue that was in the text (still not done!).
Today's Christmas song is a twi Christmas song by Kaakyire Kwame Appiah. To be honest, I hadn't heard it until today, but I am hoping others will recognise it. Why this song? I recall that the last or second last Thursday Before Christmas is usually carols' night at the Ghana School of Law and the best songs are without a doubt the Twi songs. Come to think of it, for me, carols' night there, or at Ridge Church is when the Christmas spirit really sets in for me. I hope those of you in Ghana have had the chance to attend some this year!
Also, I'm in the Ghana mood as I made some omotuo and nkatiekwan (rice balls and groundnut soup) for dinner this evening and it was lush! It may also have helped upgrade my Christmas present from the hubby...
All my legal documents and communication that I was hoping to use as a backup, now I no longer have my laptop, gone! Luckily we got our IT guys to revert to the old server temporarily. After spending h o u r s researching whether I could forward a bunch of emails at once, it seemed there was an obstacle at every corner.
In the end I had to give up and go through, select and forward as much as I thought I needed of my thousand emails. Annoyingly, actually forwarding the emails manually took less time than I spent researching mass forwarding.
This morning, I dropped my phone and when I turned it on, message after message popped up in my inbox. Suddenly I got all those messages that friends and contacts had told me they had sent since last Saturday. Imagine the added wahala of having to deal with each issue that was in the text (still not done!).
Today's Christmas song is a twi Christmas song by Kaakyire Kwame Appiah. To be honest, I hadn't heard it until today, but I am hoping others will recognise it. Why this song? I recall that the last or second last Thursday Before Christmas is usually carols' night at the Ghana School of Law and the best songs are without a doubt the Twi songs. Come to think of it, for me, carols' night there, or at Ridge Church is when the Christmas spirit really sets in for me. I hope those of you in Ghana have had the chance to attend some this year!
Also, I'm in the Ghana mood as I made some omotuo and nkatiekwan (rice balls and groundnut soup) for dinner this evening and it was lush! It may also have helped upgrade my Christmas present from the hubby...
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Midnight melancholy
I promised Raine I'd post a mulled wine recipe. Right now I am getting a slight déjà vu feeling as I know I have posted one either last year or the year before. Unfortunately I am to lazy to search my own blogg, so here's a recipe I've tried before:
1 litre red wine
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of cloves
1 teaspoon of cardemom
3 tablespoons of sugar
Pour everything into a pot and heat. If you want to retain the alcohol content, heat to 75 degrees (Celsius), then leave to stand for 15 minutes before straining the spices. The amount of spices and sugar can be varied to suit taste.
I usually use this recipe for non-alcoholic mulled wine. For that I use a dark red juice, e.g. red grape juice or cranberry & rasperry juice. Whether I use juice or wine, I actually allow the mixture to boil for a few minutes, as I am not interested in retaining the alcohol.
Serve warm, in small cups with a sprinkling of raisins and almonds in each cup.
Today's Christmas song is one of my favourite remakes of a classic. I first heard it on an episode of Grey's Anatomy, and since I'm seriously missing my show (how long a Christmas break do those actors need??), I've had it on my mind. The eerie melancholy of the song really depicts the TV-show and is just...beautiful. So enjoy, It came upon a Midnight Clear by Sixpence None the Richer.
1 litre red wine
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of cloves
1 teaspoon of cardemom
3 tablespoons of sugar
Pour everything into a pot and heat. If you want to retain the alcohol content, heat to 75 degrees (Celsius), then leave to stand for 15 minutes before straining the spices. The amount of spices and sugar can be varied to suit taste.
I usually use this recipe for non-alcoholic mulled wine. For that I use a dark red juice, e.g. red grape juice or cranberry & rasperry juice. Whether I use juice or wine, I actually allow the mixture to boil for a few minutes, as I am not interested in retaining the alcohol.
Serve warm, in small cups with a sprinkling of raisins and almonds in each cup.
Today's Christmas song is one of my favourite remakes of a classic. I first heard it on an episode of Grey's Anatomy, and since I'm seriously missing my show (how long a Christmas break do those actors need??), I've had it on my mind. The eerie melancholy of the song really depicts the TV-show and is just...beautiful. So enjoy, It came upon a Midnight Clear by Sixpence None the Richer.
Monday, 19 December 2011
Libraries in Ghana
Em and I head to the library at least once a week, either to the local library or the main city library. Sometimes we read a book, other times there are scheduled children's events, like Mama Africa sharing songs and tales from Africa. For me, the library has been a place to visit on and off since I was a child.
These recent, regular library visits make me think of Ghana. I have never heard of anyone going to the library in Ghana. Actually, I hardly hear of people reading at all! There is a saying that: "if you want to hide something from Ghanaians, put it in a book"
Awful saying, but somewhat true. It seems although our people love learning, reading for the enjoyment of reading is not as popular.
Earlier this year, I took part in a church-organised cleanup of the Tema Library grounds. I didn't even know I had been driving past a library almost everyday, at the end of Hospital road. The grounds were overgrown and the library building looked as though nobody had entered for years. So imagine my surprise when I googled it and found that it is actively running and there was even a relatively new wanted ad, for internet librarians!
Have you been to a library in Ghana?
Today's song: Gläns över sjö och strand by the Real Group.
These recent, regular library visits make me think of Ghana. I have never heard of anyone going to the library in Ghana. Actually, I hardly hear of people reading at all! There is a saying that: "if you want to hide something from Ghanaians, put it in a book"
Awful saying, but somewhat true. It seems although our people love learning, reading for the enjoyment of reading is not as popular.
Earlier this year, I took part in a church-organised cleanup of the Tema Library grounds. I didn't even know I had been driving past a library almost everyday, at the end of Hospital road. The grounds were overgrown and the library building looked as though nobody had entered for years. So imagine my surprise when I googled it and found that it is actively running and there was even a relatively new wanted ad, for internet librarians!
Have you been to a library in Ghana?
Today's song: Gläns över sjö och strand by the Real Group.
Sunday, 18 December 2011
Mulled wine and Saffron cupcakes
The day has been as perfect as a December day could be in Sweden. We woke up to snow-covered streets and buildings. I started off my day with a gym-class, then I spent the next 2-3 hours baking for Christmas. Lussekatter, gingerbread, saffron cupcakes, you name it, but photographic evidence will have to come later, when I sort out my many technological issues.
After baking and a bit of cleaning, we all headed to meet my friend MJ at Liseberg, Northern Europe's largest amusement park, which has gone all out, turning itself into Sweden's largest Christmas market.
We warmed our cold handds and faces over the charcoal grills that were found at every corner. A necessary stop was made at one of Liseberg's cafés for hot chocolate and mulled wine, before we headed home.
Now, within ten minutes of getting home, Em is fast asleep and I am just about to collapse into bed myself.
Can't think of any better way to sum up this day than with Nat King Cole's idyllic Christmas tune.
After baking and a bit of cleaning, we all headed to meet my friend MJ at Liseberg, Northern Europe's largest amusement park, which has gone all out, turning itself into Sweden's largest Christmas market.
We warmed our cold handds and faces over the charcoal grills that were found at every corner. A necessary stop was made at one of Liseberg's cafés for hot chocolate and mulled wine, before we headed home.
Now, within ten minutes of getting home, Em is fast asleep and I am just about to collapse into bed myself.
Can't think of any better way to sum up this day than with Nat King Cole's idyllic Christmas tune.
Saturday, 17 December 2011
Computers, Comas and the Caribbean
My laptop is dead. Well, actually, it's in a coma. Or how else would you describe a situation where the light switch comes on when the laptop is turned on, but nothing else happens? Brain dead?
Well, yes, according to the little bit of googling I did, it seems my motherboard is dead. I don't know much about computers, all I remember is the episode of Sex and the City where Carrie had a problem with her motherboard and lost all the information on her computer. Needless to say, I am little scared, especially as I have been a bad, bad, girl who's omitted to backup.
After a call from my brothers who are chilling in the Caribbean (sense the jealousy!), I am happy to know that the programmer brother will soon be home again, and yes, he knows how to sort out a motherboard. Phew, the future may just be bright, after all.
Today's song is Mariah Carey's wailorama, All I want for Christmas. Not because I like it, but because it's been running through my head all day. (And I will retroactively post two Christmas songs, since the non-posting was caused by technical difficulties).
Well, yes, according to the little bit of googling I did, it seems my motherboard is dead. I don't know much about computers, all I remember is the episode of Sex and the City where Carrie had a problem with her motherboard and lost all the information on her computer. Needless to say, I am little scared, especially as I have been a bad, bad, girl who's omitted to backup.
After a call from my brothers who are chilling in the Caribbean (sense the jealousy!), I am happy to know that the programmer brother will soon be home again, and yes, he knows how to sort out a motherboard. Phew, the future may just be bright, after all.
Today's song is Mariah Carey's wailorama, All I want for Christmas. Not because I like it, but because it's been running through my head all day. (And I will retroactively post two Christmas songs, since the non-posting was caused by technical difficulties).
Friday, 16 December 2011
Happy day.
Today I got some good news. I mean really good news. I mean jump-up-and-down-squealing-with-joy kind of news.
Then, not long after, I had the nice surprise of randomly bumping into my kind of sister-in-law and on our way to the centre of town we caught an old fashioned tram where a Santa Clause was serving complimentary mulled wine and gingerbread to all passengers!
I couldn't think of a better way to get us all in the Christmas spirit. I think Boney M best represents the bouncy, up beat mood I've been in.
Then, not long after, I had the nice surprise of randomly bumping into my kind of sister-in-law and on our way to the centre of town we caught an old fashioned tram where a Santa Clause was serving complimentary mulled wine and gingerbread to all passengers!
I couldn't think of a better way to get us all in the Christmas spirit. I think Boney M best represents the bouncy, up beat mood I've been in.
Thursday, 15 December 2011
No fufu on this table
I know at the moment this blog may be Christmas overkill, but when you've spent the last seven years celebrating in Ghana, being offered fufu and light soup for Christmas Day dinner (I don't usually swear, but WTF?) and wiping sweat away from your face when opening presents, every second of a wintery Christmas needs to be celebrated.
Sometimes with a classic:
Sometimes with a classic:
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