guttermouth

---

Culture shock is incredibly intense and impossible to describe. I wave in and out of moments of feeling comfortabe and extremely uncomfortable. Before coming here I had tons of preconcieved notions of what things would be like. It is as if I thought that the moment I stepped of the plane I would instantly feel different simply because I was in Africa. Instead I was just in a new place which did not feel too different than any other time I stepped off a plane. I had thought that everything would be dirt roads and mud huts. It has been a huge eye opener for me to realize how wrong I was.
One of the biggest adjustments has been sticking how so much. Obviously I knew I was going to be a minority but nothing could have prepared me for what that actually means. I see at least a few hundred faces a day and rarelly do I ever see more than a hand full that are white (excluding my group members.) One of my first times in town I was buying earrings from a woman who had a little girlwho was probably one year old. The man holding her tried to pass her to me saying "go to auntie" (i love that they call everyone auntie) but the baby clung on to him for dear life and shook with terror. The man laughed as he explained "she is afraid of white people." This was the only time that I got such a reaction of fear but other people in my group have had similar experiences of toddlers screaming their heads off. It is a particularly strange space for me to be in because in the US I do not even identify as white, but here there is no question of my personal identity. My identity is determined for me by everyone around me. When walking down the street the most common thing I hear are chants of "obroni." This means white person or outsider. It is not a term of malice but it still feels really bizarre. I have never had to constantly be aware of my skin color. It is a very uncomfortable position, but at the same time I know it will allow growth and insites that would be impossible with out ever feeling this way.
For the past five days i have been living with a family, and while they are extremely welcoming i am very confused by them. My conceptions of wealth and poverty have been challenged in ways I had not predicted. The head of the family is a fashion designer named Victoria. The other people who sleep in the home are two women who are Victoria's apprentices, Rose and Lizbeth. Besides learning how toi make clothes from her they also do all of the cooking and cleaning, not to mention helping with Victoria's grand children. The other constant member of the house hold is Kiki, Lizbeth's five year old daughter. Kiki is by far my favorite member of the family. She teaches me songs nad clapping games. Victoria helps raise her. Right now Barbra, Victoria's daughter, is also staying with us because she just had a baby boy three months ago and it is Ghanaian tradition to leave your husband and live with your mother for three months when you have a baby. With them comes Cherri, a three year old with a huge personality.
These are the people who actually sleep in the house but there are many more who are there every day. I have not even catched the name of all of them. Some of them work making dresses and others help with the children and house work. It is a very loud enviroment to say the least. The most bizarre fixture in the home is our watchman. First off it is so strange to live in a home with any help at all, not to mention a watch man. He sleeps on a mat in the front yard. For the first few days I was under the impression that he lived in the shack in the back yard, I was happy when I learned that he has a home and just comes in the evening. He comes at night and walks around in his underwear for awhile then eats and puts on clothes. so strange. and i cant understand a word he says. my time is up.

---