ONE Year Down, ??? to Go

Well hello all,
Sorry its been such a long time, i dont know why but writing a post has become a most daunting task. Maybe it's because i've now, since June 4th, been in Ghana a whole YEAR and nothing feels that new to me anymore... YAHOOO!!!! Actually, it sounds insane to me, time really flies here for whatever reason.
Yep, a year. Let's have a brief review:
- left home june 2nd. staged in philly. met all the volunteers, thought to myself, am i really doing this?
- arrived in ghana june 4th, felt the heat, and thought to myself, am i really doing this?
- a few months of training, living with a family, learning a new language, seeing obama, daily diarrhea, and finally...
- aug 13th, swore in as an OFFICIAL peace corps volunteer, adopted Nala, and moved to my own city by the sea, Takoradi
- the next few months involved very intense personal issues- adjusting to loneliness, the culture shock, adjusting to a city, finding my 'job', making friends, figuring out what foods to eat, facing the daily onslaught of attention for the mere reason being that i'm white
- overall, a feeling of complete confusion EVERYDAY, along with sickness
- then, the climax of the drama- a trip back home and a return to a new job in ghana
- now it's sunshine and butterflies-- no just kidding, but seriously it's better.
- let's review my 'exotic' sicknesses-

• there was, and still is, daily diarrhea. but it can come in a vicious form accompanied with vomiting. that happened alot.
• the staph infection on my leg which became quite serious, to the point that i could barely walk. now i have a nice scar next to my tattoo
• tumbu fly- i had a sore with a maggot inside, which i had to pop out. i had 2- one on my hip and one on my back
• random unknown unidentifiable allergy which results in facial deformation from the massive swelling. but ONLY on the right side of my face...
• laryngitis
• severely swollen lymph node on my neck... that one's gettin looked at right now.

- i'm sure there's been more but i can't remember right now.
- but on a more serious note, i've managed in a year, to make takoradi, ghana my home.

through relationships, hard work, and blatant stubbornness i'm still here, and i'm looking forward to my next year.

love you all and miss you.