Just to recap

For those who are joining our blog in midstream, maybe I'll give a bit of a background and update...

June 06 - we left Toronto and went to Nova Scotia. From there we went to Copenhagen, then by train to Sweden, by boat to Finland.

Summer 06 - spent in Finland as Chris writes book, Miia teaches English, we live in a cottage in the woods and Chris gets to know Miia's extended family.

Sept/Oct 06 - by boat to Estonia, then by bus to St Petersburg. Then train eastbound to Moscow, through Russia, through Siberia to Lake Baikal, then down to Mongolia. Bus trip round Mongolia down to Gobi, back up to Ulaan Baatar and then train to Beijing. Some days seeing the sights in Beijing and then train to Shanghai.

Nov 06 - boat from Shanghai to Osaka and then some two weeks in Iwakuni, Japan with Chris' brother Kevin. Visit to Hiroshima and off to Tokyo, flight to London, UK. Some time with friends in London and the fly to Accra, Ghana.

late Nov 06 - arrival in Ghana, car accident, our friend David's mother's funeral.

Dec 06 - Chris starts as Development Correspondent at a Ghanaian national daily newspaper The Statesman. Miia volunteers at NGO working in slums while trying to arrange for work... so beginning a many month search.

Christmas 06 spent on the shores of Lake Volta with a box of red wine, drumming lessons and a tent. Too sweet.

Jan 07 - reunion with Chris' extended relatives from Nigeria living in Accra, trip to the northern town of Tamale, Chris continues at newspaper and Miia starts volunteer job with NGO doing an assessment of educational supports program for needy kids.

Feb 07 - move in to new digs in central Accra, Miia quits first NGO after many weeks of non activity, gets malaria, starts paid work with UNDP on prison reform, and steps up work with NGO on educational assessment. Chris continues at newspaper covering countless interesting stories. Month ends with a four day trip to eastern part of Ghana and in Togo.

Upcoming...
March 07 - friend Conor arrives from Canada, celebration of Ghana's 50th anniversary of independence, 10 days spent travelling all round Ghana, UNDP work and NGO work for Miia and newspaper work for Chris.

In the process, lots of new friends, lots of new learnings, and a slow but steady adjustment to life in Ghana. We came with the hope of shifting gears to another way of life and, well, that's what's happened.

Coming home?
The dates wax and wane depending on what good offers come our way. I was offered a one year contract this morning with good pay but am thinking I won't accept because, well, maybe it's time to come home... No shame in that, is there?

So for those just tuning in to this blog, there's the recap. The pictures posted here are mostly in order with the Africa ones interspersed as we had an Asia backlog. So though the most recent ones are of Japan, obviously we were there many months ago.

Much love to everyone!
Miia