Advertisement
Published: August 29th 2008
So after a long 2 days of travelling, I have arrived in Accra. I was greeted at the airport by my "Aunt" Agnes, the mother of all who has a national womb (she takes in foreigners and distant relatives who are from the country and wish to attend school) and her one of her natural born sons, Daniel, who's real name I have since learned is Kweku. Comfort lives in the house with us (she is Agnes' niece) and Emanuel who is Agnes' "grandchild" but Agnes is technically his great aunt. Agnes is a retired nurse whose husband passed away several years ago.
I have made many "friends" who I have met passing by or asking a question in my neighbourhood....you make "friends" fast but they are likely not people I will call up to hang out with on a regular occasion. Yaw (pronounced Yao, as in Yao Ming) is Agnes nephew has been unbelievably kind towards me. He drove me to work for my first day (it is a great distance from where I am living) and picked me up. We have been planning on taking the tro-tro (I had told some of you in Canada about these...they are vans, smaller than econoline vehicles) that sit many people in them as public transport). Unfortunately (or fortunately I am not sure yet) I have not yet travelled in one of these. Yaw has been planning on taking me because as he says, a pretty girl like me cannot go alone my first time. Yaw had a 2 day seminar nearby so yesterday we ended up taking a taxi with their friend Francis. Today I came alone in a taxi with Francis and asked him his favorite song....apparently he does not have one.
On Wednesday after work, Yao took me to buy a cell phone. You need three things for a cell phone here: 1) SIM card, 2) Credits (very cheap) and 3) the phone. There were sooo many phones to choose from, we were definitely at cell phone central. Yao had shown me Kweku's phone the night before and asked if I wanted one like that (he insisted it have radio on it). Anyways, we searched until we found that exact one, which I insisted wasn't necessary!) He appologized because it is all silver and does not have a blue or green border...clearly not an important fact, but it just goes to show how kind these people really are.
Yesterday I was supposed to go to the High Commission of Canada, followed by drinks in another part of the city with Fiona (a friend of Carolyn's from high school), but apparently no one goes when it rains, which leads me to my next experience: the African rain season....picture the craziest downpour in Halifax/Vancouver but with dirt roads and zillions of cars trying to get home on exceptionally uneven/mini pond roads with pedestrians everywhere!!! I have to say, that drive home was an experience and a half. When we arrived to the house it was pitch black, the power was out--I have now experienced my first Ghanaian power outtage and showered this morning with buckets of rainwater...I am pretty sure I will have dread locks in 2 days. The power and rain may stop people from going out, but it does not stop them from getting things done. When I arrived home to darkness, there was a lantern lit as Comfort and Kweku pounded the Fou Fou (dough for a stew) in a big barrell with a thin tree trunk at a constant beat--it was impressive.
Aunt Agnes is so kind, and is always worried that I am not eating enough, but she doesn't see that I eat all day long here at work as there is a little food vendor that sells cookies and fresh fruit all day, they even deliver right in our offices. Anyways she bought me margarine because it is "vegetarian" among other things. She truly such a kind, thoughful, sweet soul.
So far I am enjoying my time here in Ghana, but I cannot wait to actually venture out and walk around to really "learn the city." In my next blog I will be sure to tell you about the many things people carry and sell on top of their heads....Ghana is known as the land of business--that really can't be any more true, everyone is an entreprenuer!!!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.07s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 5; qc: 45; dbt: 0.0384s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Cathy
non-member comment
Great to hear from you!
What a great first entry, Jody! I can 100% relate to what you are describing. It sounds like you have connected with wonderful people and are soaking up (literally!) the culture: is it a complete culture "shock"? In a few weeks, you will be a tro tro pro! Craccra!! Craccra!! :0) I look forward to reading more and hope that the job is off to a good start as well!