Half Time in Ghana

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It’s half time in Ghana, four weeks in to my trip, and to be perfectly honest, if I was to have to describe Ghana I would struggle to pin point the answer.

During my stay I often say: “I hate every second but loving every minuet.” A statement that to somebody who hasn’t experienced such a journey can sound unsettling and may need some sort of explanation.

Ghana is defiantly a test of endurance, the costrophobic tro-tro journeys, humid weather, crowded streets and the stench of open sewers can be sometimes over bearing. However it is not solely a physical battle but more a test of mental endurance. In order to survive in Ghana it is essential to be able to be content with the constant stares, every time you leave the house, it is you that draws the attention.

One of the major morale crushing moments is dealing with the constant attention you draw, and having to come to terms with the fact that the only reason is skin colour and the connotations of wealth that brings.

By no means am I stating Ghana is a racist country. That is far from the truth, the shout of “Obroni” (White boy) or my personal favourite “Mr White” is not a term of racism, but one thing I love about Ghana and is such a contrast from the UK. Everyday I am reminded I am white, but here it is a colour and a fact, I am white, just as the colour black is solely a colour, a term that I wish back home could adapt.

At home we are surrounded with political Correctness gone mad, but here in a country consisting of people proud to be Black, they celebrate the fact, so why can’t we celebrate our heritage as the people of Ghana do. The word “racism” has taken on a different meaning whilst I have been here, my stay has proved that racism is a two way thing, but the way our country defines racist remarks are ridiculous. Here a spade is a spade, I am white, he is black, that is not racist but a fact and a fact that should and is celebrated. The major problem people have is actually being scared of offending others by celebrating who you are.

After coming to terms with the fact that you are the minority and do attract attention, I have finally and in four weeks found a way to deal with the unwanted attention. “Roll with it.” The people here can be the most demanding of people, forcing you in their taxi, the inability to take a hint or wanting to sell you the weirdest of items. At times I have had “I hate Ghana days” often frustrated with “Obroni” prices, either arguing with a taxi driver that wants to charge you triple the amount or a street hawker that wants £3 for a piece of fruit. Yes at times you are angered at the situation, but I have found fighting it makes it worse, and “obroni price wars” can now become a highlight of a day. Bargaining and bantering with the street sellers can get you far and often ends in light hearted fun that again attracts the attention of other stalls.

As I come onto the final stretch of my journey and the odd moment of home sickness starts to creep in, I know that the times I detest at the moment, I will miss tremendously when I am gone. Walking down the street waving to people making small talk with strangers can be at times a chore. However at home walking down the street with our ears buried into our ipods or our heads in self absorption, it is certainly something that will be hard to swallow.

Many people said to me before I travelled, the cultural difference will be something that I will struggle with, but after four weeks here, I can say that it is not the adapting here I had a problem with, but the fact of going back to a life in England and the difference in attitude I will find at times a frustrating task.

It was obvious Ghana was going to be a learning curve for myself, but Ghana in just four weeks has certainly made a huge impact on my life, it has made me realise our tendency to get be angered at the littlest of thing. The only way to try and explain a Ghanaian attitude to life is a tale of one experience I witnessed on my way to work, a story that epitomizes Ghanaian culture.

It was 9am and I was stuck in a traffic jam, a traffic jam that is all too often here in Ghana. With the heat to hot to bear many drivers find it hard to keep full attention, as one driver did on this particular morning. Stuck in traffic with the heat, this driver obviously drifted off to sleep at the wheel, without his handbrake on he slowly started to roll back into the car behind him. After a second the car rolled into the behind car to the sound of an almighty horn. Expecting a road war, which would have most definitely happen back in the UK. The driver stuck his head out of the window, and frantically laughed, leaving the sleepy driver embarrassed and anxious to drive of at the first possible opportunity.

Ghana is a life of simplicity, although Ghanaians often do things a hard way without realising, their attitude of a simply fun loving life is something I will take with me, I have realised that as a nation we tend to worry about the smallest of detail, or get angered at the most trouble-free task.

So half way in, and thoughts of home that once seemed distant, are steadily becoming a reality, I will not say I am looking forward to leaving Ghana, as I am having the time of my life, however small creature comforts are becoming a distant memory. Comforts not like technology, television or elaborate meaningless objects, but hot water, organisation and a sense of time.

With me reaching my half way point here in Ghana, I am grateful for the extra month, a month to progress at work and explore even more of this weird but wonderful country.

So to answer the above statement, there are times that Ghana can be frustrating, hard and at times upsetting, (the seconds.) However all these experiences and hard times, not only make the great times I am having better but the hard times and most frustrating of times will certainly be the times that I miss the most. Ghana has many beautiful destinations, but destinations are found and seen all over the world, its quirky charms and cultural differences are the things that will stay with me forever.

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