Eight Months

The weather is turning cooler after March being very hot and humid. I guess the rainy season in indeed upon us. Making plans for my last couple of weeks to get in various sights and things that I want to do. I'm getting really excited about going to Ethiopia. Today, I am eager for the days to go by. I have so many plans and goals to accomplish when I return to the Bay Area. Feel like I have finally found my calling and I am eager to start the next chapter of my life.

Some female students and I were discussing a sexual assault that occurred recently on campus. The young woman, who is not a student, allegedly was stealing some items from one of the dorms. When caught, she was beaten, sexually assaulted and demeaned in the worst way by a mob of mostly male students. The whole disgusting ordeal was filmed by several students and is being circulated on the internet. Most people are disgusted and the school authorities and police are working to bring these boys to justice. There is alot of outrage about the situation and many are wondering how University students could act in such a sadistic and depraved manner. This is the typical fashion in which theft is dealt with on this campus. The perpetrator is usually beaten to a bloody pulp by a mob with one young man being killed last year. What is so sad is that some people are blaming this young lady stating that she should not have been stealing or that this was her second or third time being caught stealing from the dorms at the University of Ghana. The news coverage of this incident has been equally disturbing, with the victim's face and name being rountinely shown. The question so many of us have to these young boys: What if it was your sister, your mother, a female friend. Would such treatment ever be acceptable no matter what her crime was?

The young ladies and I felt like we all wanted to be away from this campus and Ghana. We also talked briefly about how in Ghanaian society men are # 1 and how sad it makes us to realize that many women here are subjugated in so many ways. We talked about a possible protest to bring attention to this matter

Some of the classes are ending instruction soon. I like that here at the University, formal teaching ends a couple of weeks before the exams so it gives you plenty of time to study and catch up if you need to. I have felt as if I have been dreaming for the past eight months and it has been the most amazing dream of my life!!!!