Happy Election Day!!

It's funny. I was in Argentina when they elected Cristina Kirchner, and I'll be in Ghana for their presidential election on December 7th, but I am not in the US (let alone at home in Washington) to experience this historic date in American history. What is wrong with me?! Nevertheless, the girls and I are hoping to catch some coverage of the big day on CNN. There's a satellite dish at the Guest House, so hopefully we'll be able to watch...but we'll have to take the five hour time difference into consideration.

I thought I'd post on the blog because it's been a while. I'm FINALLY knee deep in my research project. According to my CV, I am currently "drafting and implementing a micro-longitudinal study to assess the content of in-patient information received at the War Memorial Hospital in Navrongo, Ghana." All that means is I have been going to the hospital for the past week and stalking patients to get two interviews from them, one when they're on admission, the other once they are discharged. I have to run around to the male, female, and pediatric wards making sure no one leaves before the second interview. Yes, I have had to chase a few people while yelling, "Sista, sista!! Please!!". It's an awfully embarrassing situation, but I designed the study so I can't really complain. I'm working with a translator, Patricia, who is 7 and a half months pregnant and wants nothing more for these interviews to be over. Luckily, I only have to collect 5 more to get the 50 I set out to complete. Then, I'll have to spend a week or so analyzing the data and trying to make sense of the information I collected. The results aren't incredibly important; our preceptors and dean have been emphasizing that we go through the motions and come to understand how research is conducted, but after having invested so much time in the project, I really want to come out with some important findings.

Aside from the project, life is pretty quiet here in Ghana. I have only six more weeks left (or 47 days as my malaria medication indicates), and only now am I really starting to feel settled. At this point, I really only wish that a washing machine would magically appear at the Center so I wouldn't have to scrub my clothes by hand, but that's asking for a little much, I know. I hope everything is going well back home, wherever home may be. I miss America, especially on Election Day, but 6 weeks will fly...I'll have to finally admit to myself that I'm a graduating senior!! Ouch.