For gods sake, never write on Ghanaian money!

---

So the whole point of me going in to Accra was to catch up on some much needed relaxation time. I'm going in to visit my CAC friends Kayla and Maria and enjoy the luxury of A/C and running water and soft beds and all such stuff. I wasn't expecting to be so shocked walking into Kayla's house, but after just a week and a half in the camp western animities (yeah yeah i know my spelling is not even close!) seemed so unbelievable! It was amazing to be able to flush the toilet, to turn the taps and have water come out, to not be constantly drenched in sweat! It was probably a stupid thing though, I had just gotten used to the camp and I haven't been minding it or even noticing it so much anymore (i know it probably dosn't seem that way from all my complaining!)

We went out on the town last night to this Irish pub were we met some South African's throwing a house party to which we were invited. Kayla and Maria wanted to go home so left me direrction back to her house in the morning on a 2000 cedi note (about 20 US cents) since we didnt have any paper and i wasnt really going to miss the 20 cents. Well the next morning when I busted the money out to read the directions home while i was at a space to space ( like a pay phone, guys sit on little tables and rent out cell phones you can use by the minute) on the street all hell broke lose. This big guy stormed up to me with a look that i knew ment trouble on his face and spittle flying from his lips. Now usually i tried to avoid confontations at all cost in strange contries cause i am usually the one who is screwing up and doing something wrong, but i was so tired and hung over that i just snaped. The conversation went something like this (sorry for the gratuitous explicitives, but this is how it happend!):

-"Ey, fuck you man, what the fuck are you doing!"
me looking bewlidered and truely wondering what the fuck i was doing
-"Why the fuck did your write on this what the FUCK is your problem!"
me still wondering what the hell is going on
-"Hey obruni ( derogitory name for forgiener) I'm talking to you, whats your fucking problem man, i'll fucking punch you in your face obruni"
"shut up man, im just trying to get home, leave me alone" (I dont remember exactly what is said as i was too busy trying not to crap my pants)
"You dont fucking write on our money man, your disrespecting Ghana man; I write on your face! You don't write on American money"
"yes i do" (i actually dont think i have but i might someday)
"no you dont, don't fucking lie to me man, fucking obruni!

Looking around at the other people watching i realised that this wasn't just some crazy drugged out, drunk guy on the street, everyone was one HIS side. At this point a Rasta (rastafarian or something like that) stepped in a took me aside to explain that since i wrote on the money, no one would accept it making the note worthless. Since it costs the bank money to print money i was actually making ghana poorer. Now i really didnt explain to him that since it cost less than 20 US cents to print this bill that by me taking it out of circulation i was actaully making the rest of the money in Ghana worth slightly more (by an obserdly small amount, but still...)

Seeing that everyone was on his side i made a quick apology (which i REALLY should have done to begin with but i thought that might make it worse) and everyone returned to being the wonderfully friendly Ghanaian people that i know and acted like nothing happend (thats not sarcasim, the people are generally really friendly here. The Rasta guy, with his arm around my shoulder, then took out about 10 joints and wanted to know if i wanted to buy some pot off him (This is all taking place in the middle of the street). As visions of Ghanaian jails danced in my head I bid a hasty retreat with some lame excuse of needing a bathroom or something and made my way to Kayla's house a bit shaken but otherwise no worse for the ware and a little bit wiser to the ways of the Ghanaians.

Now I've got to make my way back to Little Liberia, hopefully i'll be able to get that other post with stuff about camp life up soon, but who knows here....

---