Just call me Yaw

Since arriving here in Ghana, I’ve been given two new names, Sir Michael “Su” and Obruni. Today, I got my third: Yaw. The story behind this name is that everybody born in Ghana is given a special name (generally used as their middle name) based on what day of the week they were born. Since I was born on Thursday, my name is Yaw. Funnily enough, it’s pronounced exactly like Yao, which is what my friends called me when I played basketball. You know, like Yao Ming.

After school, I usually get home around 3:15 or so and do a bit of reading/studying in my room until dinner. Today, I decided to venture outside onto the balcony of the house instead of being cooped up in my room. I couldn’t have made a better decision. I spent two beautiful hours on my balcony reading. Granted, I was reading about thermodynamics and gas laws in the Physical Chemistry textbook I brought over so it wasn’t necessarily the most fun I’ve ever had reading, but the nice weather out on the balcony definitely helped.

Oh, I almost forgot. You know how I said I’ve been having a hard time dealing with caning? Well, I decided today that I’d better understand what the kids are going through if I have to go through the same thing. So I got Madam Gifty to agree to cane me on my hands tomorrow. Sir Dun thinks I’m crazy. I’m sure some of you think the same thing. I think this will actually be good though. You know, so I can experience what the kids are experiencing and see just how much this piece of wood actually hurts. And I asked Madam Gifty because I feel like if anyone is going to cane me, it only makes sense that my “Ghana Mom” is the one to do it. Feels right, somehow.

I’m off to take a quick shower and then head to bed because I just played a quick pick-up game of soccer… I mean, football, with some kids in the schoolyard. Thank goodness I’m bigger than them – it hides how miserable I am at this game. Apparently they play volleyball sometimes too though. Now, THAT, I’m excited for.

Before I go though, here’s a list of the names for people born on certain days of the week in case anyone is interested. (Yes, this does require you to go back in your calendar to when you were born and figure out what day it was.)

Monday: Kojo (M) and Adjoa (F)

Tuesday: Kwabena (M) and Abena (F)

Wednesday: Kweku (M) and Kukua or Aqua (F)

Thursday: Yaw (M) and Yaa(F)

Friday: Kofi (M) and Effia (F)

Saturday: Kwame (M) and Ama (F)

Sunday: Kwesi (M) and Akos or Akosua (F)

*Tips on pronouncing the names: all the e’s are pronounced like a long A as in “bAseball” or “cAne”. Also, say all of the vowels. So Kukua is literally pronounced kookoo-a, not kookwa like we might say in the U.S.