Now that it appears we will be relocating back to the US at the end of June, Alan and I are really trying to treasure our last few weeks with our good friends we've made in Ghana. Even though we're always complaining about how there is very little to do for fun on the weekends here, one thing we can always count on is good times with our close friends. We've kept our circle of friends fairly small but these friendships will definitely last way beyond our parting of paths. Alan's boss, Rob, and his wife Julie have been amazing friends and really like family to us. We braai (South African BBQ) with them almost 2 times a month and every Friday we go out to dinner with them. They are headed to Kenya sometime in July and took off on their "look-see" visit to Nairobi this week to see what life will be like there. So we had a farewell sushi dinner with them last Friday night and I gave them the quilt I had posted about in a previous entry. They loved it!
Then on Sunday, we joined our very good Colombian friends, Uxoa and Carlos, and some of their Italian friends for a delicious BBQ. Alan has generally been an observer at our braai's and BBQ's since we've been here. If you ask him, he's just been mentally preparing for the task. So this time, he was determined to marinate and make the meat himself. So he got Rob, his boss, to give him his secret South African marinade recipe. It was delicious (well, partly because I added a few things when Alan wasn't looking and partly because we shelled out the big bucks for South African meat imported fresh, not frozen, weekly to a shop here in Accra).
Carlos bought Alan this shirt, not made in Ghana but somehow a typical Ghanaian shirt, so they decided to sport matching looks for the BBQ.
As the days draw near to departing and saying goodbye, we're busy trying to fit in as many social gatherings as we can because ultimately, all of our friends will be scattered around the world and as much as we would like to see them often, the chances are slim that we can make that happen.
Then on Sunday, we joined our very good Colombian friends, Uxoa and Carlos, and some of their Italian friends for a delicious BBQ. Alan has generally been an observer at our braai's and BBQ's since we've been here. If you ask him, he's just been mentally preparing for the task. So this time, he was determined to marinate and make the meat himself. So he got Rob, his boss, to give him his secret South African marinade recipe. It was delicious (well, partly because I added a few things when Alan wasn't looking and partly because we shelled out the big bucks for South African meat imported fresh, not frozen, weekly to a shop here in Accra).
Carlos bought Alan this shirt, not made in Ghana but somehow a typical Ghanaian shirt, so they decided to sport matching looks for the BBQ.
As the days draw near to departing and saying goodbye, we're busy trying to fit in as many social gatherings as we can because ultimately, all of our friends will be scattered around the world and as much as we would like to see them often, the chances are slim that we can make that happen.
Treasure these folks for having been in your lives at a very special time. I know it's bittersweet as you move on and they do too. Promise to stay in touch. I am so happy that you had them all in your lives. And NOW we're looking forward to having you all back in ours! Love, mom
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