"You have bicycles in the United States?!?"

The above title is a direct quote from a Ghanaian after I pulled out my new bicycle for a test drive. The guy was SHOCKED that I knew how to ride one, he apparently thought we had no use for them in the US. I guess it's a fair assumption... why would you ride a bike if everyone has cars? :)

I'm in the process of uploading a few more pictures to Facebook right now, so check them out. There are some pics of my new place and just village life in general. 

Also, I've decided to start a "care package list," so if you ever feel so inclined to send me a package (small ones are just a good as big ones!), I will be forever indebted to you! If you really feel ambitious, the Flat-Rate boxes at the post office are a great deal-you can stuff them as full as you want and pay the same price! Also, if you're going to send a package, you better include a letter. I LOVE letters. In fact, don't even bother spending money on a package if you don't feel especially inclined, just send a letter and I'll write you back (I have A LOT of free time. Trust me, I'll write).

Care Package List:
*Salty snacks (Nothing here quite quenches my desire for crunchy, salty foods. Combos and Pringles are wonderful, but don't bother with peanuts-we have them in ABUNDANCE)
 *Almost anything with the moniker "Just add water!" (I've been craving Chinese-style food, Fajitas, or any sort of sauce packets that allow you to add water and veggies and create a dish)
*Magazines (I am dying for news, so newspapers, Time Magazines, etc... are great. I would also love some fashion magazines. I have an excellent tailor in Tamale who can copy things from magazines, so I'm always looking for inspiration since I get a lot of clothes made)
*Cake/brownie box mixes (bring on the sweets!)
*Candy (Skittles, M&Ms, and Starburst are my favorites!)
*Chocolate (doesn't matter if it melts, it will still be delicious. Any kind, any amount. All is welcome.)
*Coloring books (I "babysit" a 4 yr old who lives in my compound quite often and she's quickly running out of pages in the one coloring book I have-I have plenty of crayons, but she needs things to color on!)
*Raisins (not sure if you can send these, but I REALLY want lots of them!)
*Body sprays, perfume, anything to make me smell less like sweat
*BOOKS (I'll take any kind, but I'm currently working my way through some American classics, so those are top priority-John Steinbeck, William Faulkner, Jack London, and Kurt Vonnegut are my current wishes)
*Puzzle books (I love crosswords, Sudoku, and any other type of "puzzle" books-there's a lot of free time at night to kill, so these are great!)
*Pictures (of you, of your family, of your house, of your dog.... It doesn't matter to me, I love getting pictures!)
*Letters (I know I've said this already, but you must include a letter if you send a package!)
*Battery-powered games like yahtzee (now I'm just getting greedy...)
*Popcorn kernels (my mouth is watering at the thought)
*A bread loaf pan (I swear they don't exist in Ghana, and I just want to bake some bread!)

So that is all I can think of right now. I'm sure as soon as I leave here, I'll think of 10 more things, but I'll update this list as my needs change. Of course, anything else that you send will be GREATLY appreciated, but those are some of the things I've been wishing I had!