Our House and a Tour of Tumu

It took a few months, but we finally found a house to rent and a town to call home. We live on Bolgatanga Road in the town of Tumu and here's what the place looks like...

When the road widens & the wash-outs disappear, you're close to Tumu... Our backyard, 8AM: Fulani cattle- men herd the chief's cows past our house... ... and we do mean "past our house." Our home is in the background. If the place looks good, it's thanks to Nishaw. He takes care of the yard... ... while Florence helps Sally with cleaning and clothes washing. This is Jongi, our 2nd language teacher. We meet with him at 10AM every day. Azumi, standing here at the entrance to her home, helps Sally with Sisaali. Here's where we buy diesel. Our price: About 80¢per liter. Donkey carts compete with trucks and cars for the road. This is in downtown Tumu This is "main street" in Tumu looking north. There's never a traffic-jam! Tumu's biggest bank. Ghana Telecom is one of the country's success stories. Phone service is good. St. Augustine's is a favorite watering hole. Would the saint approve? Our version of fast-food: A town is known by its restaurants, right? Hungry for more than peanuts? How about some freshly roasted meat? Your choice: Goat or beef to-go. Or, if you prefer, you can buy a roasted chicken just down the street! Roasted corn is the fast-food of choice. One ear lasts a couple of hours. Looking for a little dessert? How about a fresh coconut? One of a few "communication centers" in town. Cell-phones are hurting business. Kiosks are a cottage-industry in Ghana. There's one on every corner. Every day is "bring your child to work" day for this kiosk operator. This road runs through the center of downtown Tumu. The distinction between "urban" and "rural" is a blurry one in Tumu Town. A typical backyard; this woman was preparing dinner -- for a very large family. It's not Home-Depot, but it's all we've got. This is where we buy hardware. The majority of Tumu's citizens are Muslim. This mosque is in the town-center. Turn left at the end of the paved road and go 2 kms to reach our house...