Jan 4 - Ghana High Commission – Ottawa

I read on a few Facebook status entries today that” it was hard to go back to reality”… and reality in that context meant: getting up early to return to work. Reality may suck but every day is reality. The truth is that we have to get up in the morning no matter what… even if it is to face unemployment, to care for one’s children or to enjoy a longer holiday. Getting up this morning wasn’t so bad… it felt almost like that first day of a new school year (I was even wearing a brand new sweater).

In the afternoon, I welcomed a pleasant surprise. I got my visa to Ghana from the High Commission! If all goes well, I should be in Accra in early February attending an educational fair promoted by the Canadian Trade Commission. I have to admit that I don’t know much about Ghana. From recent current affairs I know it is the homeland to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and that it served as a stop point for President Obama during his first African tour. I could Wikipedia it for more tips but I’d rather discover facts on my own soon… those that can only be experienced in situ. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana

Today’s book: Divisadero by Sri-Lankan/Canadian Michael Ondaatje. My chosen movie: Broken Embraces (“Abrazos Rotos”) by Spanish director and scriptwriter Pedro Almodóvar. I watched it in April 09 along with my friends P&B in Palma de Mallorca. That night we lost our only house keys. Did not find out until a few drinks later and upon driving for several km into Alaró where P&B live. One thing was clear, their windows are theft-prove. Back in Palma and overflowing frustration, we ended up spending the night at the house of P’s mom. But happy endings happen and ours took place at lunch time the next day when the administrators of the movie theatre confirmed the janitor had found our beloved keychain. Lost & Found stories are way more fun when the latter precedes the loss. Despite its drama, Broken Embraces also leaves a happy scent in the air… a la Almodóvar: filled with colour, irony and dark humour (Stephanie Meyer could gather some ideas from Harry and Diego’s vampire story: Dona Sangre/Give Blood). It was inspiring to watch it once more, this time at the Bytowne theatre … Ottawa’s pride and only alternative cinema (http://www.bytowne.ca)/...

Tip of the day: If you like Almodóvar’s work, you can rent Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and compare it to Broken Embraces. If you do, please let me know what the key is to a great Gazpacho!

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