thanks!

I'm sure I've said it before, but one of the things I most gained from being in Ghana, which I never imagined, was meeting people from all over the world. I now have both acquaintances and people I consider friends all around the world. It gave me a chance to learn about other ways of doing things, other traditions, sayings and cultures, and learn that the British way of doing things isn't necessarily the only way (Pancake Day...!)

One of those things was when an American friend came to stay with me exactly two years ago in Kumasi on the way to or from doing some research. It had barely registered with me, but before we ate our very un-thanksgiving-y dinner (it certainly wasn't turkey, although we may have treated ourselves to a take away!) she explained that we had to say what we were thankful for.

As our friends across the pond start to wake up and facebook statuses declare thankful messages and wishes of goodwill to each other, I was reminded of this time!
I'm being a bit of a grump at the moment, nothing seems to be going my way, but I guess it's even more important when I'm feeling melodramatic and hard done by and sorry for myself to count my blessings! I'm not going to list them as I think it gets a bit trite and I bet there are a million bloggers doing the same. But I have resolved to be a bit chirpier.

And I'll read this again in 24hours when that resolve dissolves.