I am sitting in the Mediterranean lounge, better known as the "med lounge", it's one of the popular hang out spots on the ship. It's a great place to play games, and chat. On special occasions its the venue for concerts. It is one of the few places on the ship that has comfy couches, and it's the location of the "Sala Victoria", the crew cafe. One of these days I will take pictures of different places around the ship and post them so you can have a bit of a tour. It is also the only place we can get wireless on the ship, another reason it is a popular place to congregate in the evenings. It has been deserted for some time, the only other person sitting up here left an hour ago. It is now nearly 2 AM. I am listening to Selah's hymm CD--"Great is Thy Faithfulness", "Be Thou My Vision", "It is Well With my Soul"...these songs never cease to stir my heart.

I was sitting reflecting on my week. I know I have been in Africa a long time when certain things become normal to me. It doesn't startle me anymore to be standing at the railing on promenade deck enjoying the evening breeze and notice a man swimming beside the ship in the nude pushing a bag of rice which he has just stolen from a neighboring ship. Some of them are a little more discreet, and wear underwear but most of them strip down so they don't get their clothes wet as they swim across the harbour to collect rice that has leaked from sacks as it was being unloaded from a cargo ship. The harbour is supposedly secure...and I guess it is because the port officials know about the "swimmers" but choose not to do anything about them. Or I know I have been in Africa a long time when someone mentions needing to buy jeans and I direct them to a large tree on a street corner. This particular tree is covered with jeans, almost to the top (25ft up). It kinda looks like a decorated Christmas tree. Or I know I have been in Ghana a long time when:

• A Roasted Plantain off the street and a handful of peanuts (or groundnuts as they are called here) is what I consider fast food.
• I get excited about seeing a fire truck...the only other emergency vehicle I have seen was an ambulance that was being pushed down the middle of the road by four well- built Ghanian men.
• It doesn't phase me to see 6-7 year old kids with their 2 year old siblings strapped to their backs.
• I fantasize about cold skim milk. The milk we have on the ship was probably invented by NASA to endure twelve monthes in space without spoiling. It expires in Dec 2007, and sometimes resembles yogurt more than it does milk
• I get offered a live chicken as a Christmas gift
• Malaria medicine is taken with breakfast
• 30 people packed into a public bus the size of a church van looks normal
• I stick my hand out the window to signal changing lanes when driving

Have I mentioned that I love living in Africa ?? ...with all its quirks...