Tuesday, October 25, 2016

17. Valentine's Day

February 13, 2007

So here is all the art I made today (phew!), I thought I'd post it before I left tomorrow for my next teaching post. Because I'm not sure the next time I'll have internet access...

The first drawing is about my experiences in Tamale. In the compound where I was staying, everyone was constantly watching me. I tried to socialize with them, but no one spoke English very well. I felt under surveillance and a bit frustrated from the lack of any sort of privacy. When pondering this problem two words popped into my head: eyeball nunchucks. Whenever I tried to be independent or get some space, their looks just ensnared me. Hence the eyeball nunchucks. Well, I find it amusing... 

For once I actually wrote the title of this one on the drawing itself: Valentine's Day. Yes, it's another door symbol. And yes, I'm hiding behind the door. Not because I feel lonely or rejected, but because I wish I could hide away from the people who have feelings for me which I don't recipricate. Because I cannot stand it when guys sorta claim me without my consent. I cannot play along, pretend, or act like I'm interested when I'm not. (Hence the door is on a stage) Here in Africa just as back in Virginia I never know how to deal with it, and normally never bring it up...

Here's a little comic strip about travelling around Ghana. Each panel is based on a specfic leg of my trip...the first one is the wave-pool road inbetween Tamale and Larabanga that gave our bus a flat tire. The bumpiest road I've ever been on! The second panel is about my trip out to the monkey sanctuary...the tro-tro just droped me off at this junction in the middle of nowhere and I just prayed I picked the right direction to go. The third panel was the tro-tro ride from hades, inbetween Tamale and Kumasi. For six hours on an sweaty tro-tro I had my sholders pinned back by the two men next to me, so I couldn't move at all. And I had no money for food. And the baby behind us kept throwing up. You get the idea. Anyway, the fourth panel was about my trip out of the bat caves--you literally had to climb straight up these rocks and up tree trunks and stuff. It was wild.

This last drawing here is about when I look out the window of any moving vehicle, passing by the scenery. Because I find myself tracing the outlines of things with my eyes as we pass by, hopping from one interesting shape to the next, trying to almost memorize them with my eyes. This is what it looks like in my head when I do this...

Oh, happy Valentine's Day and stuff! Later! ;)

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