May 17, 2011
The Day I Burned My Feet
I am sure many of you must be wondering “Where in the world is Curtis
right now? I have not heard from him in some time!” Specifically, right now I am in a small, hot room in a compound in the old royal city of Agbomey (Benin) learning (or re-learning should I say) some sweet traditional music.
Before I came here I was in Ghana (since April 6th) ) where I welcomed 7 adventurous souls to come and stay with me and some Ghanaian friends in the village of Dzogadze and tour around Ghana for a bit as part of
the Live & Learn tour that I started last year. It was a great experience for everyone involved and lives were changed indeed. A varied group, including a magician, an ethnomusicologist, a nurse, music teacher, a professional musician and two alternative healers. The magician in particular went over quite well, with kids and adults, everywhere he went and made some interesting friends along the way. All learned very well (and beyond what I had expected) and enjoyed and embraced all that we threw at them. And no one got sick in the least! I am sure some of them will return. In fact, one person joined the tour last year.
Overall, it wasn’t too stressful on me (I don’t rest until all are back in Canada safely) and I quite enjoyed having them around…everyone did actually. Now the village is a little dull with them gone. The flocks of kids who used to come and visit each day came by the day after they left and waited, but then left in sadness when they realized their new friends were gone!
Anyhow, I’m in the region until early June. After Benin I’ll head back to Ghana for a couple of weeks, spend some time in Northern Ghana and then back to Vancouver.
As some of you may remember, myself and Anu are still getting married on December 11, 2011 in India (not December 2010 as many people erroneously have thought). More on that occasion to come. But before December, there will a Canadian version of the wedding in St. John’s on July 11!! Sadly, I can’t invite the whole world so a list of invitees will be sent out very soon. It is mainly for our family/friends who cannot come to India, esp those based in NL as well as for legal purposes. But if you happen to be visiting NL for some reason in July, drop me a line and we’ll see what happens. Not all who are invited will be able to come so there may be room for others who we wanted to invite but space did not allow. Basically, there will be wedding ceremony at the local Hindu temple for invited guests, a family dinner afterwards and a reception/party in the evening. And obviously, each of these things can only accommodate so many people…hence the RSVP list.
Well…my teacher is back now so we’ll begin the morning lesson.
Drop me a line wherever you are!
Regards,
Curtis
PS…attached are a couple of photos….some young Atsiagbekor dancers, the Canadian students during a performance of Borborbor for the village, and me in a wheelchair with my freshly bandaged wounds. That is a longer story which you will have to ask me about. Probably some
(Sent May 24, 2011)
Ok,
About the feet....
I had just arrived in Ghana on a Thursday, with very soft and pampered North American feet.
Saturday the cultural group from the village of Dzogadze were invited to perform for the anniversary celebrations of a major chief in another village. Since I learned the dance/drumming (it is called Atsiagbekor...very vigorous and fast) back in 2002 they always ask me to join them and naturally I agree. So we arrive, middle of the day, no shade for the dancing area, scorching hot African sun beating down...almost rippling your vision. Our time comes, we walk out from under our shaded sitting area and immediatley we all cry to each other about the heat. After about 3 mins we have to stop, hide under a nearby parasol like goats hiding from rain and get people to throw some water on the area, which just made it kind of less dry, but still scorching. We start in again and forget about the heat as much as we can, though for me it is a bit more intense than the locals....naturally, but I endure the pain as best I can. Then I notice something kind of sticking to my feet, thinking it is some wet sand I look down and to my surprise (and horror I must admit) large patches of skin were hanging from my two feet, right on the ball area!!
Then the pain started.
Long story short, I was whisked away on a motorcyle to the nearest clinic where they cleaned it up, poured iodine/disinfectant on both for what felt like an eternity (and gave me as much pain as I had ever felt) and sent me home like you saw in the picture.
2nd degree heat/friction burns I guess. Heels also got it but endurted better and skin stayed on.
If anyone wants pics, I got em.
Couldn't really walk for 2-3 days (kind of on the sides of my feet like a duck) but after 5 days or so it had pretty much healed completely!
So there you go....
of the most intense pain I have ever felt (despite my smiling face).
The Day I Burned My Feet
I am sure many of you must be wondering “Where in the world is Curtis
right now? I have not heard from him in some time!” Specifically, right now I am in a small, hot room in a compound in the old royal city of Agbomey (Benin) learning (or re-learning should I say) some sweet traditional music.
Before I came here I was in Ghana (since April 6th) ) where I welcomed 7 adventurous souls to come and stay with me and some Ghanaian friends in the village of Dzogadze and tour around Ghana for a bit as part of
the Live & Learn tour that I started last year. It was a great experience for everyone involved and lives were changed indeed. A varied group, including a magician, an ethnomusicologist, a nurse, music teacher, a professional musician and two alternative healers. The magician in particular went over quite well, with kids and adults, everywhere he went and made some interesting friends along the way. All learned very well (and beyond what I had expected) and enjoyed and embraced all that we threw at them. And no one got sick in the least! I am sure some of them will return. In fact, one person joined the tour last year.
Overall, it wasn’t too stressful on me (I don’t rest until all are back in Canada safely) and I quite enjoyed having them around…everyone did actually. Now the village is a little dull with them gone. The flocks of kids who used to come and visit each day came by the day after they left and waited, but then left in sadness when they realized their new friends were gone!
Anyhow, I’m in the region until early June. After Benin I’ll head back to Ghana for a couple of weeks, spend some time in Northern Ghana and then back to Vancouver.
As some of you may remember, myself and Anu are still getting married on December 11, 2011 in India (not December 2010 as many people erroneously have thought). More on that occasion to come. But before December, there will a Canadian version of the wedding in St. John’s on July 11!! Sadly, I can’t invite the whole world so a list of invitees will be sent out very soon. It is mainly for our family/friends who cannot come to India, esp those based in NL as well as for legal purposes. But if you happen to be visiting NL for some reason in July, drop me a line and we’ll see what happens. Not all who are invited will be able to come so there may be room for others who we wanted to invite but space did not allow. Basically, there will be wedding ceremony at the local Hindu temple for invited guests, a family dinner afterwards and a reception/party in the evening. And obviously, each of these things can only accommodate so many people…hence the RSVP list.
Well…my teacher is back now so we’ll begin the morning lesson.
Drop me a line wherever you are!
Regards,
Curtis
PS…attached are a couple of photos….some young Atsiagbekor dancers, the Canadian students during a performance of Borborbor for the village, and me in a wheelchair with my freshly bandaged wounds. That is a longer story which you will have to ask me about. Probably some
(Sent May 24, 2011)
Ok,
About the feet....
I had just arrived in Ghana on a Thursday, with very soft and pampered North American feet.
Saturday the cultural group from the village of Dzogadze were invited to perform for the anniversary celebrations of a major chief in another village. Since I learned the dance/drumming (it is called Atsiagbekor...very vigorous and fast) back in 2002 they always ask me to join them and naturally I agree. So we arrive, middle of the day, no shade for the dancing area, scorching hot African sun beating down...almost rippling your vision. Our time comes, we walk out from under our shaded sitting area and immediatley we all cry to each other about the heat. After about 3 mins we have to stop, hide under a nearby parasol like goats hiding from rain and get people to throw some water on the area, which just made it kind of less dry, but still scorching. We start in again and forget about the heat as much as we can, though for me it is a bit more intense than the locals....naturally, but I endure the pain as best I can. Then I notice something kind of sticking to my feet, thinking it is some wet sand I look down and to my surprise (and horror I must admit) large patches of skin were hanging from my two feet, right on the ball area!!
Then the pain started.
Long story short, I was whisked away on a motorcyle to the nearest clinic where they cleaned it up, poured iodine/disinfectant on both for what felt like an eternity (and gave me as much pain as I had ever felt) and sent me home like you saw in the picture.
2nd degree heat/friction burns I guess. Heels also got it but endurted better and skin stayed on.
If anyone wants pics, I got em.
Couldn't really walk for 2-3 days (kind of on the sides of my feet like a duck) but after 5 days or so it had pretty much healed completely!
So there you go....
of the most intense pain I have ever felt (despite my smiling face).