The "Planning" Thing

On July 1st as I headed out the door to leave for Kumasi I briefly entertained the idea of bringing my passport with me "just in case".  My visitor's visa was due to expire on July 16th and I wondered about renewing in Kumasi. I decided against it for three reasons: 1. the other interns and I had plans to cross over to Burkina early in July, 2. if by the 16th I still hadn't made it back to Sandema there would be bigger issues to sort out than my visa, 3. I figured my passport was safer locked away in Sandema than traveling with me to Kumasi.

Fast forward to discovering our surgery date wasn't until July 11th. There were issues bigger than my visa: no panic. I still had every expectation of being back in Sandema with enough time to cross the border before my visa expired.

Fast forward again to July 11th when the surgery was rescheduled to July 15th: minor panic.
And then things came together. I commissioned a fellow intern to fetch my passport (and extra anti-malarials) from my house and drop them off with my boss. He then dropped off my important package at the bus station, and sunday morning a bus employee delivered the package to my hotel (all of which put me out a whopping $12). Relieved, I headed to Ghana Immigration first thing Monday morning (as soon as I could leave the hospital) and begged for my new application to be processed quickly. When they promised to have it done by Wednesday I was relieved: it would be done before Margaret would be released from the hospital.

And then Today (Tuesday) things fell apart. Margaret was released from the hospital (fantastic news!) and my passport couldn't be in hand early. For a mad three hours Katie and I tag-teamed Margaret's discharge, getting a hotel for the night, visiting Immigration, buying bus tickets, feeding the family, and, finally, a pharmacy run. In the end we determined Lydia, Margaret, and Katie (colleague extraordinaire and all-round wonderful friend) will travel to Sandema Wednesday while I wait for my passport. Lydia is so excited to return home and see her husband, and son, it seemed cruel for us all to wait on my passport so we could travel together.

I'm SO excited Margaret has been released and she and Lydia can return home to their family! I am trying to be excited about one more day in Kumasi, although I too can't wait to be back in Sandema. I have purchased a bus ticket for 7am on Thursday in faith that all my paperwork will come together and I will be returning to Sandema before the weekend.  Although (knock on wood) maybe it's better not to plan for it.