A week's worth of work

When I was student teaching 4th grade in Bellingham, at the end of the week each student would get a stapled packet of all the work they had completed that week. It was graded and compiled by their teacher (or me) and there was a pretty little cover sheet that said, "A Week's Worth of Work" on top. As I look back on the past week in Ghana, let me see if I can compile and staple all of my "work" into a neat little packet for you.

Our friend Aminu was traveling this past week to Koforidua to visit his family. Instead of closing his shop for the week, I offered to run it for him. I was finished with my volunteer work, so my days were fairly free…and it would give me a great excuse to make more jewelry. =) So, Monday through Friday, I was the primary employee at Nana Yesman African Crafts shop. Here’s a rundown of the week.

Each morning at 8:30, his friend Atu would stop by the house to pick me up. (Atu owns the shop next to Aminu’s and they always walk to work together). Atu and I would stop by the Shell Gas station on our way, to buy apple juice and get change for my 10 cedi bill. Then we would stop by the fast food joint and pick up some watchie…which is rice and beans, some plain spaghetti noodles, a hard boiled egg, some sliced up cabbage, and some red pepper sauce (all mixed together) for breakfast. We’d get it take-out in a plastic bag, so we could eat it at the shop. A big bowl-full cost 70 cents. We continued our walk to the shop.
Once there, we’d each open and set up our shop. (The shops are actually wooden sheds along the side of the road). I hung about 30 cloth bags using a stick with a nail in the end (whoo! My neck hurt)! I set out the jimbe and palongo drums, and set out the giant wood carvings to welcome any potential customers. I hung up cloth pants and shorts with the nailed stick, too. Once I was finished, then I dumped my watchie into a bowl and sat and ate it, and drank my apple juice.

After breakfast, the jewelry-making began. I drug out all the containers of beds and clasps and odds and ends and sat at the table and made jewelry to my heart’s content. Then, around 2:00 each day, my little friend, Echo, would stop by with his fried plantain chips, and I’d buy a couple bags and we’d sit and chat.
Five o’clock was closing time, so I did the set-up routine in reverse (and my neck hurt again). By 5:30, Atu and I would walk back to the town center, where we parted ways and I headed home.

Each day followed the same routine, with little variation. Notice that I didn’t mention anything about customers. That’s because there weren’t really any customers. This is Africa. The shops used to be located in front of the Cape Coast Castle, a huge tourist attraction, and business was better. But, because the castle needed more room for cars and taxis to park, they relocated the shops about a quarter mile down the street. Now, all the buses and buses of tourists drive right on past the shops going to and from the castle. The buses never stop there, and because there are actually shops inside the castle, people get their shopping done while they are at the castle. Somewhat discouraging.

Another interesting fact about Ghanaian retail: all prices are agreed upon by bartering. Unless you go to a supermarket, where the prices are set and marked, you can negotiate pretty much anything, which in itself is highly annoying. It can be fun at first, and sometimes even a little like a game. But, most of the time, I hate it. I hate arguing over taxi fares and seamstress fees and the prices of anything I’d like to buy. The other thing that makes it not fun is the attitude (however accurate) that white people (a majority of the tourists and volunteers) in Ghana have a lot of money. I can’t argue with that at all, as in comparison, I think all white people in Ghana have relatively more money than most Ghanaians. And, not that I blame the Ghanaians for doing what they can to make an extra buck, and not that I wouldn’t do it either…but it still gets old.

So, as much as I hate bartering as a buyer, I hate it even more as a seller. Aminu left me a nice list of prices of most items, but the list was rather difficult to understand in two ways. Number one: his English and my English have many words that are apparently spelled differently. Number two: the prices he wrote were the “last” prices…so that meant I was supposed to add an amount that I thought was appropriate and then tell the buyer the price, to ensure some type of profit. For example, a long bead necklace was listed at seven cedis, but I should add one or two cedi to the price, and then tell the buyer. So I should say it cost nine cedi. If they don’t want to pay nine cedi, they can barter, but I shouldn’t sell it for less than seven cedi. Get it? Sounds easy, but he didn’t tell me how much I should add to each item. I was just supposed to use my best judgment.

Well, the first day, I was really nervous, and while Atu and I were setting up, a man approached the shop to look at the jimbe drums. He was from a culture group called, “African Footprint,” so that made me more nervous, as he obviously knew a lot about drums and I knew nothing. I motioned for Atu to come over and help me. I showed him the price book and asked if he could help the customer. The drum was listed at 30 cedi. So Atu told the man the drum cost 30 cedi. Oops. I assumed he knew about the “adding” part…but he was confused and I was confused, and the customer got a great bargain. He even bought a bag for his drum, too.

On Tuesday, Katy stopped by and bought some beads. She was the only customer that day.

On Wednesday, I sold a necklace for one cedi.

On Thursday, Aminu’s “cousin” (not really) stopped by and bought a necklace, but he was really aggressive and knew about the whole “last price” thing…so I gave it to him at last price.

On Friday, Katy came back and bought some more beads.

Can you imagine selling one dollar worth of merchandise in a day? That happens a lot. I don’t know how these guys make it. I guess the drums, when sold at the right price, help.

I was so happy when Aminu returned from his traveling. I am so happy I am not working at the shop this week. I am so happy to have a salaried job in America. I am so happy I don’t have to put up or take down those cloth bags with a nail-on-a-stick again!

In other news, Katy and I attended the funeral for the man who died at the house. It was a three-day extravaganza held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We didn’t go to all of the events. There was a wake on Friday night, which we skipped. We did attend the funeral service on Saturday. It was very similar to a traditional American funeral. Most people wore black, they read the obituary and dedications from family members, songs were sung, etc. Then we skipped the cemetery ceremony and refreshments. On Sunday there was a Thanksgiving service at church, but we didn’t make it to that, either, because we were told a car would come and pick us up and it never did. We did make it to the refreshments on that day, though. We wore our special white dresses that day. It was cool, as everyone from the house and I think his family members and close friends all had clothes made from the same cloth. We sat in plastic lawnchairs underneath tent canopies and had rice and meat and Fanta. There was really loud music and some dancing. We didn’t stay too long, as it was hot that day and we were getting sunburned. But, it was nice to experience a funeral here. I have to admit I was a little disappointed. It was fairly mellow. I expected more of a party -as that’s what I thought would happen. However, I didn’t attend all the events, so perhaps I missed it.

On Tuesday I traveled to Kumasi and back, which sucked, because it’s a four-hour trip each way. I picked up my passport from the visa office. I’m starting to do my “lasts.” My last trip to Kumasi. My last meal at Sanbra’s. I was buying my ticket for the trip back to Cape Coast and a man at the ticket booth was wearing a Seattle Sonics hat. Of course, I made a big deal about it! I was wearing one of my shirts I’ve had made here and he told me I was wearing his native cloth. I grabbed his hat and told him he was wearing my native cloth!

Thanks again to all who donated money. I’ve now got just under 400 dollars - one hundred dollars to each person will really make a difference! Thanks for your kind generosity!!!

Hope you are all well. I know many of you are on spring break this week. Hope you are enjoying and relaxing.

I leave here in 20 days!

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