I pulled a Coke out of the fridge yesterday, expecting it to be not only cool and crisp, but also refreshing. What I wasn't expecting was for it to be was warm. We lose power every two days here in Accra, and yesterday it was day two of a continuous cycle.

Since August of 2006 Ghana has been experiencing an energy crisis. A result of low water levels at Ghana's single hydroelectric plant in Lake Volta, combined with old equipment and faulty electric distribution, the crisis could cause Ghana a loss of $1.4 billion by the end of 2007, according to BBC News.

The man took his Coke and did not question its warmth. Back at our dorm complex, we are lucky enough to have a generator, which are not at all common for most people in Ghana. The generator is not always reliable, and we have spent several evenings sitting in the courtyard under the sky's light enjoying each others company and waiting for the lights to turn back on. Power shuts off for twelve hours at a time.

With no light and no music to keep us entertained, my friends at the shack have reminded me of the beauty of board games and the frivilous yet amusing nature of sensationalist newspapers. After learning that I was quite poor at a game called Ludo, the Ghanaian version of Parcheesi, I took to one of Ghana's finest publications known to the world as P&P. It is clear that they are most certainly an honest publication by their tagline, which states "We Report Nothing But The Truth." Regardless, the article that caught my eye was "Woman Crashlands Man's Home." According to the article, a man found an emaciated and naked old woman sleeping between his two children at 4:30 in the morning. The woman, later revealed to be a witch, claimed she had entered the man's home through a pin hole in a nearby kettle. The doors of the home were locked, just as he had left them the previous evening.

Another good one was "U.S. Scientist Brings Mummy to Life." I'll let you use your imagine for that one.

Sitting it the shack, it is interesting to watch people pass by. Women carry everything from flip flops, to boxes of rolls, to chickens on their heads, which is a skill I think would be useful in the States. I am particularly referring to the chickens. But regardless, being able to effortlessly carry a bundle of anything would be rather useful. The only problem is I am unsure of how people will react to me balancing a pile of books on my head as I walk down University Place on my way to class. Perhaps I will consider it more at a later date. The most incredible head-balancing act I have seen thus far was a bundle of hay. The bundle extended the width of the woman's arms, and sunk nearly to her shoulders, which made me wonder how she could see.

A woman carrying a tin tray of what looked like peanuts came by the shack yesterday. Auntie Mary encouraged me to try one and I learned that they were groundnuts. Upon my approval of the small treat, she purchased a small bundle for the U.S. equivalent of 10 cents. A new sales girl named Doris taught me how to crack them open. We enjoyed them in the quiet shade as we felt the afternoon sun sink behind us, speaking of tomorrow's work and waiting for evening to fall.