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Published: June 19th 2014
June 18, 2014
Yesterday Jamal took me and the other 3 new volunteers on orientation. He took us into Accra and started the day at Black Star Square, which is a central part of Accra and where Kwame Nkrumah led the revolution of 1957. Jamal told us about the political history, and said he would invite us all back when he was inaugurated President of Ghana. After that he took us to Jamestown, which is a poor neighborhood that has remained a traditional fishing community. Jamal told us that he’s tried on several occasions to start a school in Jamestown, but he hasn’t been successful due to the parents not receiving education and not understanding the value of their children being educated. Next we went into the Accra markets, where Jamal got us Burkina (a cold soup made of sour milk, sugar, millet, and peanuts). It was really good! It’s a traditional African dish that originated in Burkina Faso. Then we took motor bike taxis back through the markets, and we stopped at a viewpoint near Jamestown. We met back up with Jamal at a place where we were given drumming lessons, which was awesome! The guy who
gave us the lesson had to say my name about 20 times before he could remember how to say it right. (It’s a hard name to pronounce, and Jamal usually calls me Lauren.) Also when I told him that I was from the US he called it “Obamaland,” and later he called me Madam Obama. After our drumming lesson we finally got to see the art market. The crafts were incredible, and the colors were so bright. I didn’t take any pictures because I didn’t buy anything. However, I’m planning to go back this weekend to buy some beautiful colorful fabric. Many of the volunteers found that the best way to get good clothes is to buy the fabric you like and take it to a tailor. That way the clothes fit you perfectly and are in a style you chose. I want some dresses and skirts.
June 19, 2014
I’ve been enjoying getting to know and understand Ghanaian culture. However, there is one bit of culture shock that really threw me off guard. I mentioned before that I’m called a Bernie here, but because I’m also shaped with curves I’m also called an
Black Star Square
Their statue of the unknown soldier.obolo, which is the term for babe or sexy lady with a big back end. Last weekend I went out to a club with my friends and I received the most numbers from guys. I even got my first Ghanaian marriage proposal. Men here move fast. Jamal told me that it’s typical for people to get married after only knowing each other for a couple of months, or as he put it “Ghanaian men cut out the BS.” Everywhere I go I get called obolo. Every day Jamal tells me that more of his friends have been asking for my number. He’s joked that he’ll end up with 50 cows and hundreds of goats and chickens from men asking for my hand in marriage.
All of this attention is quite weird for me. I come from a culture where thinness is the desirable trait and women are obsessed about their weight, which has actually been a huge part of my self-esteem and confidence issues. Now I’m in a culture where it’s the exact opposite. Curves are the trait that are desired by men. At first all of this attention was kind of fun since I never received
this attention from men before. I do feel sexy hot however what this has reminded me is that we all just need to be happy with what we’re born with and make ourselves be the best person that we each can be. Cultures all over the world find different attributes desirable, but we just have to be who we are. I originally thought that my self-esteem and confidence were boosted by the attention I’ve been receiving here, but more than anything I think it’s because I’m finally comfortable in my own skin.
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Cousin Holly
non-member comment
Yaaaay Obolo!
Here Here for being comfortable in our own skin!! You go, Laurel! Brian and I are loving following your adventures...