Despite sharing with all I have learnt about Ghana in my travels, I think what is more important is the things you learn about yourself and here are a few reflections I have decided to share with you...
1. Kids
The first thing I learnt about myself related to children. In London, I am never drawn to kids and if I have to be honest I never bother with them because I always said I didn't want to have kids. However, when I went to Ghana I discovered a maternal side to me that I never knew I had. I found myself whenever I had spare time going out talking to and playing with kids. I absolutely loved it. The lady I worked with when she introduced me to locals would say 'This is Komilla, she is from London, she loves children'. This is quite a shock to those who are close to me just because it is so unlike me but I guess Africa changes you because now I want kids!
2. Animals
However, bizarre this may sound for many years I was scared of animal particularly dogs. Some years ago I decided this needed to change and I managed to overcome my fears and I have been asking my parents in the last year or so to buy me to dog. When I went to Ghana, I was constantly surrounded by animals, as I mentioned before I lived with them and it occurred to me that I always wanted a dog because I wanted to prove to myself that I really have overcome my fear. And it was then I realised I don't need a dog to do that because I have already proved by being here in Ghana that I am a changed person and this was quite a revelation for me.
3. Flexible
Similar to the previous reflection, I learnt that I am quite a flexible person. Having to live with power cuts in dirt, cooking with ants even showering with ants I realised that I am quite a flexible person. I never thought I was because I just don't ever do things that I don't particularly like e.g. being a vegetarian. So it was nice for me to see that I do have this positive quality in me and if I want to continue my African studies in Africa its not an impossibility anymore.
4. Don't judge a book by its cover
I met loads of people in Ghana and established many relationships. The biggest thing I learnt is the age old saying about don't judge a book by its cover is true. Even after a week of knowing someone it is not sufficient to make a judgement because you can entirely and absolutely incorrect so I have learnt to have more patience and refrain from making judgements too soon about the people I want to be associated with and those I don't.
5. Privilege
I thought I knew what poverty was, as an economics student and having been to India. However, I was wrong, I believe it is one thing to see poverty and another to SEE it. When you live in 'poverty' you really understand it, just seeing a photo, video or a beggar really is ineffective. So coming back home has made realise how privileged I am, just the mere fact that there is hot water in the taps and that electricity never runs out has really made me appreciate the privileged life that I have.
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Ghanian Weekend III : End of the trilogy
My final weekend in Ghana wasn't too adventurous as the other volunteer was flying out on Sunday and I was on the Monday.
I decided to go exploring the city as that was something I had not done yet and I always love cities, and that probably has to do with me from birth being a city girl.
I paid local person to show me around Accra and I guess the advantage with that is that I wouldn't have to go to Jamestown myself which is a slum and so crime is high. So where did I go on this tour and what did I do?
Before I start, just to set the scene a bit I thought i would tell you that the day before I had my hair braided into Cornrows!! So I looked like a true Obruni attempting to fit in.
We started by going to the National Museum where I learnt all kinds of wonderful things which I will share with you when I upload photos as I can't remember them at the top of my head. An example is that in ancient tradition when a woman could not conceived the chief mother would give the women a wooden doll which she had to treat as a child and prove that she had potential to be a loving mother and this would be followed by a pregnancy.
From the National Museum we walked to the National theatre, the walk was lovely because although we were in the city, we were in the government district called Ministry (our version of Westminster) so it was extremely quiet and clean. There were still red and black fabrics wrapped around everything in order to commiserate the late President Mills who everybody loved (I did not meet a single Ghanaian who didn't like him and Ghanaian are very political!).
I saw the National Museum from the outside it was a beautiful structure, very modern. It reminded of the Opera House in Sydney (although I haven't been there), it had a similar feel to its aesthetics. From there we walked to the independence square where I saw the wall of independence and the area where very year people congregate when the president makes a public address. When I went I also saw the ending of this Christian meeting that happens every third Sunday when people congregate there in the mornings to sing hymns and pray.
From there, we walked onto the beach of the city which isn't beautiful when you've been to the Volta region but regardless it is a beach! And as ever I got another few marriage proposals! We ended up leaving there quite quickly just to get on with the tour and also apparently according to the local person I was with it wasn't safe to be there too long with my big camera with the kinds of people that were around.
We then took a taxi to go to the infamous fishing town, Jamestown. Jamestown is a slum where all the people who live there are basically fishermen and women sell the fish. Over there, however, there is an ancient lighthouse which is pretty tall and allows you to get a beautiful view. On the one side you have the beach where all the fishing takes place and on the other the slum settlement. The lighthouse has an open balcony at the top however in order to go there you need to use the stairs to get to the top and then take a ladder which is half broken (you can see where they tried to fix it) and given I was wearing a skirt it wasn't exactly possible for me to climb. So I took pictures from the windows from where I standing and the local guide took photos for me from the balcony with my camera so I can't wait to show them with you all!
Following this we went to the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, he was the man who made Ghana get their independence from the Brits. It is located in a central part in the certain on a busy road. However, once you enter it is so peaceful. It has a beautiful layout of plants, trees and water fountains. I absolutely loved it! Also the structure in which his and his wife's tomb lays is so beautifully made. You can tell it is made with love.
I also went inside the museum where I got to learn about his life and see photos of the celebrations that took place when Ghana became independent. As usual I had another proposal and I also saw an absolutely stunning peacock just roaming about in the park.
Finally, we ended the day by going to Osu and going to one of Ghana's top restaurants called 'Mamma Mia'. It is run by an Italian couple and is full of Obrunis given the fact that it has European prices. The food is so tasty! I had a ham and mushroom pizza and sat in the cool AC, it was a good way to the day and the Ghanaian trip.
On Sunday, I went to the Arts Market - the Arts market is open on Sundays but not all the stalls so its the best day to go as you won't be grabbed by that many people trying to sell you things you don't want to buy. I bought a pair of African trousers and waistband which is said to give you a good body and an even better husband! Lets see if that actually works! I spent a good hour talking to the stall owners as they were telling their dreams of making it to Europe and America and how hard it is because of the average pay.
I couldn't resist so following this I made a quick trip to Accra Mall where I had a nice lunch at the Chinese restaurant again and bought expensive Mannos (owned by Paatchi) chocolates for the family. I went home and had to bid farewell to the fellow volunteer.
It was quite a sad time because (a) I was all alone in the house getting ready to leave for London the next morning and (b) it was my 20th birthday on the Monday and waking up on your birthday all alone is not a particularly nice experience!
And this brings me to the end of my Ghanaian adventure, can't wait to share with you stories from where I go next year!
I decided to go exploring the city as that was something I had not done yet and I always love cities, and that probably has to do with me from birth being a city girl.
I paid local person to show me around Accra and I guess the advantage with that is that I wouldn't have to go to Jamestown myself which is a slum and so crime is high. So where did I go on this tour and what did I do?
Before I start, just to set the scene a bit I thought i would tell you that the day before I had my hair braided into Cornrows!! So I looked like a true Obruni attempting to fit in.
We started by going to the National Museum where I learnt all kinds of wonderful things which I will share with you when I upload photos as I can't remember them at the top of my head. An example is that in ancient tradition when a woman could not conceived the chief mother would give the women a wooden doll which she had to treat as a child and prove that she had potential to be a loving mother and this would be followed by a pregnancy.
From the National Museum we walked to the National theatre, the walk was lovely because although we were in the city, we were in the government district called Ministry (our version of Westminster) so it was extremely quiet and clean. There were still red and black fabrics wrapped around everything in order to commiserate the late President Mills who everybody loved (I did not meet a single Ghanaian who didn't like him and Ghanaian are very political!).
I saw the National Museum from the outside it was a beautiful structure, very modern. It reminded of the Opera House in Sydney (although I haven't been there), it had a similar feel to its aesthetics. From there we walked to the independence square where I saw the wall of independence and the area where very year people congregate when the president makes a public address. When I went I also saw the ending of this Christian meeting that happens every third Sunday when people congregate there in the mornings to sing hymns and pray.
From there, we walked onto the beach of the city which isn't beautiful when you've been to the Volta region but regardless it is a beach! And as ever I got another few marriage proposals! We ended up leaving there quite quickly just to get on with the tour and also apparently according to the local person I was with it wasn't safe to be there too long with my big camera with the kinds of people that were around.
We then took a taxi to go to the infamous fishing town, Jamestown. Jamestown is a slum where all the people who live there are basically fishermen and women sell the fish. Over there, however, there is an ancient lighthouse which is pretty tall and allows you to get a beautiful view. On the one side you have the beach where all the fishing takes place and on the other the slum settlement. The lighthouse has an open balcony at the top however in order to go there you need to use the stairs to get to the top and then take a ladder which is half broken (you can see where they tried to fix it) and given I was wearing a skirt it wasn't exactly possible for me to climb. So I took pictures from the windows from where I standing and the local guide took photos for me from the balcony with my camera so I can't wait to show them with you all!
Following this we went to the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, he was the man who made Ghana get their independence from the Brits. It is located in a central part in the certain on a busy road. However, once you enter it is so peaceful. It has a beautiful layout of plants, trees and water fountains. I absolutely loved it! Also the structure in which his and his wife's tomb lays is so beautifully made. You can tell it is made with love.
I also went inside the museum where I got to learn about his life and see photos of the celebrations that took place when Ghana became independent. As usual I had another proposal and I also saw an absolutely stunning peacock just roaming about in the park.
Finally, we ended the day by going to Osu and going to one of Ghana's top restaurants called 'Mamma Mia'. It is run by an Italian couple and is full of Obrunis given the fact that it has European prices. The food is so tasty! I had a ham and mushroom pizza and sat in the cool AC, it was a good way to the day and the Ghanaian trip.
On Sunday, I went to the Arts Market - the Arts market is open on Sundays but not all the stalls so its the best day to go as you won't be grabbed by that many people trying to sell you things you don't want to buy. I bought a pair of African trousers and waistband which is said to give you a good body and an even better husband! Lets see if that actually works! I spent a good hour talking to the stall owners as they were telling their dreams of making it to Europe and America and how hard it is because of the average pay.
I couldn't resist so following this I made a quick trip to Accra Mall where I had a nice lunch at the Chinese restaurant again and bought expensive Mannos (owned by Paatchi) chocolates for the family. I went home and had to bid farewell to the fellow volunteer.
It was quite a sad time because (a) I was all alone in the house getting ready to leave for London the next morning and (b) it was my 20th birthday on the Monday and waking up on your birthday all alone is not a particularly nice experience!
And this brings me to the end of my Ghanaian adventure, can't wait to share with you stories from where I go next year!
Cure for Homesickness: Accra Mall
For those of you that know Ghana might find it a bit weird that I am writing a post on Accra Mall as it is an attraction it is just a shopping mall in Accra which has maybe 25 stores and largely Obruni customers. If they are locals then they are mainly land-developers and the elite societies in Ghana.
However, in my last week I became extremely homesick on Tuesday so much so I left work a few hours early and was given Wednesday off. I had to do something because being depressed is just not something I do. At Krokrobite I was described as sunshine by the Dutch guy as I am just always happy.
I read in some Accra Time Out magazine left behind by a volunteer that if you are home sick and fancy retail therapy make your way to Accra Mall. That is exactly what I did. I took a taxi there (I was in full spending mode) and almost burst into tears when I arrived. The mall was clean!!!! There was AC!! More Obrunis!! There was shops I had forgotten what it was like to go in a shop!! And this is what set me off into tears I found a Chinese restaurant, food!
I spent the day walking around; going into a every shop twice. There was a supermarket, I bought sweetcorn and oranges I missed Western fruit and veg. I bought a box of Kinder chocolates, I found wafers that they sell in Costa and cheese&onion crisps!
I ate a meal for two at the Chinese restaurant (however piggish that may sound) but it really cheered me up. I had delicious jasmin rice with vegetarian Manchurian with a glass of Savignon Blanc! This was followed by desert at a cafe where I had the most delicious black forest cake and green tea. I love my herbal teas so it felt so good to have that after such a long time.
Before, I left I indulged in one last but not least bit of pampering which seriously made me feel on top of the world for some obscure reason: I had a manicure! Living in a village, it is not exactly easy to stay clean so to have manicure really felt so good.
I really recommend when you are feeling homesick to go to mall even if you don't buy anything or indulge in self-pampering just being in a place which you can relate to home, it lifts your spirits. Following that my week went fast and before I knew it I was home.
It was also interesting being in that mall because again it gives you that comparison that not everybody in Ghana is poor. It is easy to go in as a volunteer and forget that not everybody life's without wifi, shops, restaurants etc.
However, in my last week I became extremely homesick on Tuesday so much so I left work a few hours early and was given Wednesday off. I had to do something because being depressed is just not something I do. At Krokrobite I was described as sunshine by the Dutch guy as I am just always happy.
I read in some Accra Time Out magazine left behind by a volunteer that if you are home sick and fancy retail therapy make your way to Accra Mall. That is exactly what I did. I took a taxi there (I was in full spending mode) and almost burst into tears when I arrived. The mall was clean!!!! There was AC!! More Obrunis!! There was shops I had forgotten what it was like to go in a shop!! And this is what set me off into tears I found a Chinese restaurant, food!
I spent the day walking around; going into a every shop twice. There was a supermarket, I bought sweetcorn and oranges I missed Western fruit and veg. I bought a box of Kinder chocolates, I found wafers that they sell in Costa and cheese&onion crisps!
I ate a meal for two at the Chinese restaurant (however piggish that may sound) but it really cheered me up. I had delicious jasmin rice with vegetarian Manchurian with a glass of Savignon Blanc! This was followed by desert at a cafe where I had the most delicious black forest cake and green tea. I love my herbal teas so it felt so good to have that after such a long time.
Before, I left I indulged in one last but not least bit of pampering which seriously made me feel on top of the world for some obscure reason: I had a manicure! Living in a village, it is not exactly easy to stay clean so to have manicure really felt so good.
I really recommend when you are feeling homesick to go to mall even if you don't buy anything or indulge in self-pampering just being in a place which you can relate to home, it lifts your spirits. Following that my week went fast and before I knew it I was home.
It was also interesting being in that mall because again it gives you that comparison that not everybody in Ghana is poor. It is easy to go in as a volunteer and forget that not everybody life's without wifi, shops, restaurants etc.
Ghanian Weekend Takes Two: Krokrobite
So our second Ghanian weekend took us to Big Millie's in Krokrobite beach. A beach which is about half an hour from Accra and is a known tourist destination.
Travelling there unlike travelling to the Volta Region was fairly swift we didn't have any problems. The interesting part about the journey there is when the tro-tro drops you off you have cross a slum in order to get to this over-priced tourist beach resort. You see two sides of life in the space of a quarter of a mile if not shorter. That for me was quite interesting because you see in London when there are council housing near expensive areas of land, the people in council hate the rich because why should they get to have all these things and the rich hate the council housed people because they don't understand why they are there in the first place.In Ghana however, there is mutual love and I would say appreciation for the two sides of life. The poor get on with there life and happy to talk to rich and the rich have no problem with the poor roaming about near them. There is a certain air of acceptance and I don't know yet if I think this is god or bad, are we too ambitious? I haven't figured out an answer yet.
Nevertheless, moving onto the weekend away in Krokrobite. I don't know if you've gathered with the tone of the post yet but the beach was not really for me. In terms of natural beauty after seeing the volta region I was disappointed. The sand wasn't as pure and the water was not glistening as much. But the main problem was that I was not comfortable. We spent Saturday sunbathing and reading on the beach. Apprantely a lot of crimes happen here by people dressed up as Rastas (which became clear in the night) and these men for some reason just stand around the beach staring at you and its not a nice stare like the kids in Pokuase give you! Furthermore, because of the crime levels I was not able to take many photos as on many occasions I was approached and warned about my camera getting stolen!
That night we went to Krokrobite Garden Restaurant which I have to say had absolutely delicious Italian food, I have never had ham and mushroom ravioli so fresh and yum (this is making me hungry!). Big Millie's is famous for its bar and Reggae parties which we as guests of Big Millie's were invited too. So we went to this party which had Reggae music which if I have to be honest I knew nothing about. I tried the West Africa's best Pina Colada, which I didn't like either (sorry this is so negative). They put fresh coconut and pineapple juice and mix it with African dark rum but it tasted too much like an alcoholic smoothie for me to like. At the top of this bar we had a pretty clear view of people stoned out of their heads dancing in the waterfront of the beach. Again, for someone who doesn't do drugs and can't relate to these people its not particularly comforting.
Then the party started and it became clear who were the real Rastas and who like the warning we were given were just dressed up to attract tourists. The real Rastas got into some kind of trance, saying basically Bob Marley was their God which is fair enough and the fakes stood there asking us Obrunis to sleep with them. It was actually really vulgar because one girl who has a serious relationship said no and the man kept on persisting and coming back and saying things like 'I hope your boyfriend is cheating on you, that's what you are worth' etc. Lucky for me I made sure this guy we met from Holland would not stop talking to me that way nobody would bother me! (I am a bit crafty)
I didn't stay too long at the party and at 12.30/1 left for bed. The following morning we lounged about on the beach a bit more but left pretty early as it got a bit boring and we wanted to go home and have some friend noodles, after paying so much for breakfast, lunch , dinner we decided it was time to hit home.
Wasn't such a great place but you'll find every guide book and website encouraging you to go to this beach but it wasn't for me to be honest. However, I did learn a lot including how to man up when essentially your all alone surrounded by men who want sleep with you or steel from you.
Travelling there unlike travelling to the Volta Region was fairly swift we didn't have any problems. The interesting part about the journey there is when the tro-tro drops you off you have cross a slum in order to get to this over-priced tourist beach resort. You see two sides of life in the space of a quarter of a mile if not shorter. That for me was quite interesting because you see in London when there are council housing near expensive areas of land, the people in council hate the rich because why should they get to have all these things and the rich hate the council housed people because they don't understand why they are there in the first place.In Ghana however, there is mutual love and I would say appreciation for the two sides of life. The poor get on with there life and happy to talk to rich and the rich have no problem with the poor roaming about near them. There is a certain air of acceptance and I don't know yet if I think this is god or bad, are we too ambitious? I haven't figured out an answer yet.
Nevertheless, moving onto the weekend away in Krokrobite. I don't know if you've gathered with the tone of the post yet but the beach was not really for me. In terms of natural beauty after seeing the volta region I was disappointed. The sand wasn't as pure and the water was not glistening as much. But the main problem was that I was not comfortable. We spent Saturday sunbathing and reading on the beach. Apprantely a lot of crimes happen here by people dressed up as Rastas (which became clear in the night) and these men for some reason just stand around the beach staring at you and its not a nice stare like the kids in Pokuase give you! Furthermore, because of the crime levels I was not able to take many photos as on many occasions I was approached and warned about my camera getting stolen!
That night we went to Krokrobite Garden Restaurant which I have to say had absolutely delicious Italian food, I have never had ham and mushroom ravioli so fresh and yum (this is making me hungry!). Big Millie's is famous for its bar and Reggae parties which we as guests of Big Millie's were invited too. So we went to this party which had Reggae music which if I have to be honest I knew nothing about. I tried the West Africa's best Pina Colada, which I didn't like either (sorry this is so negative). They put fresh coconut and pineapple juice and mix it with African dark rum but it tasted too much like an alcoholic smoothie for me to like. At the top of this bar we had a pretty clear view of people stoned out of their heads dancing in the waterfront of the beach. Again, for someone who doesn't do drugs and can't relate to these people its not particularly comforting.
Then the party started and it became clear who were the real Rastas and who like the warning we were given were just dressed up to attract tourists. The real Rastas got into some kind of trance, saying basically Bob Marley was their God which is fair enough and the fakes stood there asking us Obrunis to sleep with them. It was actually really vulgar because one girl who has a serious relationship said no and the man kept on persisting and coming back and saying things like 'I hope your boyfriend is cheating on you, that's what you are worth' etc. Lucky for me I made sure this guy we met from Holland would not stop talking to me that way nobody would bother me! (I am a bit crafty)
I didn't stay too long at the party and at 12.30/1 left for bed. The following morning we lounged about on the beach a bit more but left pretty early as it got a bit boring and we wanted to go home and have some friend noodles, after paying so much for breakfast, lunch , dinner we decided it was time to hit home.
Wasn't such a great place but you'll find every guide book and website encouraging you to go to this beach but it wasn't for me to be honest. However, I did learn a lot including how to man up when essentially your all alone surrounded by men who want sleep with you or steel from you.
Microfinance in Ghana
If you had asked me three years ago, when I first learnt about microfinance, whether it was something for me, I would have given you an absolute no. I thought microfinance was impractical and didn't have much potential in eradicating poverty.
How wrong I was.
In this last year, I joined Microfinance Club UK all by chance and I had really started to question my opinions and understandings. So I thought what better way to find out if it does work then to go and do some ground work. Really by just sitting in some fancy lectures in Canary Wharf, my opinion on this was never going to be justified.
That was my rationale behind going to Ghana and doing microfinance work. What did I actually do then? My responsibilities included taking in repayments, and recording the transactions. This would include providing a receipt, logging it in the personal spreadsheet of the beneficiary and the organisations account book. Every week, I would go visit the beneficiaries in a nearby town called Fise where I would collect money, ask them question and just generally check to see that they are not having any business issues. Also, as VPWA is planning to launch a micro-leasing scheme so I was involved in many discussions regarding micro leasing.
The Ghanian way of working is different and I was actually surprised by this because I thought when comes down to work they would be very Western in their manner.
The first different was as a mentioned in the other post, timings. The office hours say 8.30-3.30, my real timings were 9.15-3pm simply because at 3 you start shutting down!
Secondly, in Ghana life is public, privacy doesn't exist and why should it because you live in a community and everybody is out to help and support everybody. So when a beneficiary came in she didn't just hand the payment, she might stay there for 40mins just chatting about her personal life and things happening in the community to the lady I work with. I remember these occasions vividly because when they came in they would usually bring their baby and I would just play with the baby for ages while she discussed in Twi things to other lady I worked with. I was fortunate enough to work with a truly lovely girl she would translate and explain me everything being said.
No loans were given out while I was there as VPWA wants to launch the micro-leasing scheme with those funds as soon as all the repayments were finished. This meant I met a lot of ladies who had nearly, if not completely, finished the repayment were happy to reflect on how the loans approx £80 impacted their lives. One story which particularly touched me was a lady who bought a sewing machine with the loan and runs her living on being a seamstress. This has allowed not only to bring three school-going kids but including the fact that one had Down's syndrome. It is interesting because you actually don't see disability in Africa because it is often misunderstood so to see a woman like that it is really inspiring.
I was also able to interview a lady on my last day who wants a loan to start a business which will allow houses in Fise to have water in their house. Currently, families in this area travel to a nearby well every time they have to go toilet, have a bath or wash pots/pans. So I was ale to be involved in that. She wants a large loan about £300 and is an ex-beneficiary it will be interesting to see what happens. As when discussing with the owner a business like that has a social justification. It is bring development and water to houses, maybe it is better to fund this through private funding than a loan?
All this is not to say that this experience did not show me the cons related to microfinance, I saw that a lot of the time the loans is simply too small for women to kick start from scratch say catering/ food businesses. This is actually the reason why VPWA wants to do a trial run of microleasing as we postulate that this will have more impact as it encourage people to have their own business not just offering support for those who already want to. Another issue is given that on Fridays we go to see the women, a lot of the women just wait till Friday to make their repayment so that they can work Mon-Thurs. Thus leaves the microfinance office bare of work.
Overall, I can put faces and cases to microfinance and believe it is a great aid to development and such an experience has given me the authority to make an opinion like that so I am grateful to VPWA. However, I have to endorse the VPWA philosophy is using multiple methods not just one is going to eradicate poverty and boost development.
How wrong I was.
In this last year, I joined Microfinance Club UK all by chance and I had really started to question my opinions and understandings. So I thought what better way to find out if it does work then to go and do some ground work. Really by just sitting in some fancy lectures in Canary Wharf, my opinion on this was never going to be justified.
That was my rationale behind going to Ghana and doing microfinance work. What did I actually do then? My responsibilities included taking in repayments, and recording the transactions. This would include providing a receipt, logging it in the personal spreadsheet of the beneficiary and the organisations account book. Every week, I would go visit the beneficiaries in a nearby town called Fise where I would collect money, ask them question and just generally check to see that they are not having any business issues. Also, as VPWA is planning to launch a micro-leasing scheme so I was involved in many discussions regarding micro leasing.
The Ghanian way of working is different and I was actually surprised by this because I thought when comes down to work they would be very Western in their manner.
The first different was as a mentioned in the other post, timings. The office hours say 8.30-3.30, my real timings were 9.15-3pm simply because at 3 you start shutting down!
Secondly, in Ghana life is public, privacy doesn't exist and why should it because you live in a community and everybody is out to help and support everybody. So when a beneficiary came in she didn't just hand the payment, she might stay there for 40mins just chatting about her personal life and things happening in the community to the lady I work with. I remember these occasions vividly because when they came in they would usually bring their baby and I would just play with the baby for ages while she discussed in Twi things to other lady I worked with. I was fortunate enough to work with a truly lovely girl she would translate and explain me everything being said.
No loans were given out while I was there as VPWA wants to launch the micro-leasing scheme with those funds as soon as all the repayments were finished. This meant I met a lot of ladies who had nearly, if not completely, finished the repayment were happy to reflect on how the loans approx £80 impacted their lives. One story which particularly touched me was a lady who bought a sewing machine with the loan and runs her living on being a seamstress. This has allowed not only to bring three school-going kids but including the fact that one had Down's syndrome. It is interesting because you actually don't see disability in Africa because it is often misunderstood so to see a woman like that it is really inspiring.
I was also able to interview a lady on my last day who wants a loan to start a business which will allow houses in Fise to have water in their house. Currently, families in this area travel to a nearby well every time they have to go toilet, have a bath or wash pots/pans. So I was ale to be involved in that. She wants a large loan about £300 and is an ex-beneficiary it will be interesting to see what happens. As when discussing with the owner a business like that has a social justification. It is bring development and water to houses, maybe it is better to fund this through private funding than a loan?
All this is not to say that this experience did not show me the cons related to microfinance, I saw that a lot of the time the loans is simply too small for women to kick start from scratch say catering/ food businesses. This is actually the reason why VPWA wants to do a trial run of microleasing as we postulate that this will have more impact as it encourage people to have their own business not just offering support for those who already want to. Another issue is given that on Fridays we go to see the women, a lot of the women just wait till Friday to make their repayment so that they can work Mon-Thurs. Thus leaves the microfinance office bare of work.
Overall, I can put faces and cases to microfinance and believe it is a great aid to development and such an experience has given me the authority to make an opinion like that so I am grateful to VPWA. However, I have to endorse the VPWA philosophy is using multiple methods not just one is going to eradicate poverty and boost development.
Adapting to the Ghanaian way: 10 pointers
Having returned from Ghana last week, I can say that I absolutely loved it there! However, while in Ghana I didn't always feel like this especially at the beginning when one has to get accustomed to a different kind of life. In this post I want to discuss ten things I had to get used too; so if any of you are planning to go there you can mentally prepare yourself to be engulfed by whole new lifestyle, culture and attitude.
1. GMT = Ghanian Maybe Time
This was something I read about in the guide book but didn't pay much attention as being an Indian I thought I knew all about late timings (Indian Standard Time for all of you that know what I am talking about). However, Ghanian Maybe Time is lateness on a whole new level. My flight landed at 5am in Accra airport and I didn't receive my luggage till 6.30am. This meant unlike some of the other volunteers when I got out my driver was waiting for my with a VPWA sign. That morning I was given an induction presentation by the founder of the organisation and was informed that a 'Richard' would come to the house at 10am and show me around the area, where to have money changed etc. I waited till noon and he had not showed up and ended up falling asleep. When I woke up at 2pm, he just walked in and that is when I quickly understood the concept of time was different not just to the Western meaning of time but to the Indian too. Timing does not exist in Ghana so do not be upset if nothing arrives or is done on time. Actually, I embraced this and I lived with the GMT attitude myself because that is the best way or you'll spend most of your time furious at something which for the locals is the norm.
2. No Wifi?
This is probably due my own ignorance but I think it is important to point out as for any city dweller like myself, internet is so readily available. I was told before I go that when I arrive if I pay the organisation $40 then I would be able to have access to internet. I understood this as wi-fi availability so all I took with my was a Kindle (which confused every single local as they did not understand the concept of electronic reading) and iPhone. In my induction presentation I was given a blank sim and told top it up at any near by station and then make a payment of $40 and you can have access to a modem and the organisations computers. This really shocked and worried me. It meant no tweeting or Instagramming, what was I supposed to do rely on a sim? In general, wi-fi isn't readily available like it is when walking around in London. Personally, I found the first week went so fast that I didn't need the internet and in the last fortnight I found myself using an internet cafe near where I worked. It is cheaper and you can do what you need too.
3. Rice, Beans, Rice, Beans, Rice, Beans....okay you get it
Food. It was shocking to find out that Ghanian cuisine basically consisted of rice, beans, meat and chilli. That was one thing that even in the third week that used to annoy me but I did find a way around it. I guess I come from a privileged household where a different cuisine of food is served every day so eating such similar, if not the same, things everyday really took some getting used too. Another thing is that locals understand the term 'vegetarian' to mean you would like to have salad with your meat and rice so do not be shocked if you are vegetarian. Personally, I am not a vegetarian but found myself being on in Ghana simply because (a) living with chickens, goats, sheep etc and seeing that they are not clean, I mean even me it was hard to stay clean just because of the physical environment, so I could not and (b) the first dinner I was given was goat and it really smelt strong so it put me off meat. How did I deal with this? So one solution was not eating the fish and meat, but also I brought lots of food from London so I lived off that and I would have lots of Coke and 'Fan Milk' which is soft ice cream to give me energy. Also, for vegetarians, fried rice and noodles are delicious. 'Red-Red' is there only vegetarian dish but it gave me indigestion, I really liked Jollof rice but that has some meat essence. Fried Yams and Plantains are basically the vegetables eaten there and are available but I found them bland so I didn't eat much of them either.
4. Arctic Showers
As a Westerner I am used to power showers that can provide large amounts of hot water for on average 30mins. I associate such showers with cleanliness so going to Pokuase was quite something. There was no hot water and the water power was bare minimal. I spent the first week struggling to clean myself, literally putting one arm at a time in hot water and back! Oh that was just so painful even when it is hot climate. Furthermore, Pokuase is basically a village, most roads you are walking on are dirt roads and the office and tro-tros are not sparkling clean. So be prepared to have cold showers or like what I learnt to do from the second week is heat water in a stove and use a mug to clean yourself with that hot water.
5. Marriage/God
It is important to understand before you go that marriage and God is the foundation for life in Ghana. It wasn't too bad for me to get my head around this given my Indian ethnicity but for others this might seem bizarre. Ghanians believe that in the end its all going to be okay because if you pray to God with a true heart, He will help you. So any issues you discuss with locals this is the answer you will get. This religious side seeps into every aspect of life. Ghana is notorious for having religious named shops such as 'Jesus the Son of God Forex' and religious messages on billboards, taxis and tro-tros, e.g. one taxi I went in had 'Love thy neighbour' written across it. Radio stations and TVs will have Hymns and discuss things like how God created Adam and Eve and we should live in twos side by side. Marriage then is the second pillar stone. There is no point to your life is you are not married. So brace yourself to be time and time again asked about your marriage plans. Personally, I lied because the marriage lecture gets boring after a while so I would say that I am married and I showed photos of Russell Brand to prove it!
6. No make up?
Just like a Ghanian does not question going to Church on Sundays or getting married, I don't question my daily getting dressed ritual which has been altered since I have returned. Before I went, I would wake up every morning and without thinking I would change my clothes, do my hair and wear some light make up. In Ghana, this was not the case. First, we did not have a proper mirror so on our weekend trips away when I found a mirror I was always shocked to look at myself and my growing tan. Second I did do my daily routine the first two days I was there but quickly learnt that (A) make up just melts in the humidity and (B) people thinks you are absolutely weird for wearing make up. Moreover, being an Obruni (non-black person) I got a lot of attention so I didn't want t draw more unnecessary intention. Having not worn make up for three weeks or left my hair out even in a pony has in a weird way made me feel more comfortable with myself. When I first started wearing it, it was because my skin had got a bit of acne was not particularly nice and now the acne has gone but the habit has not. So not wearing make-up enhanced with the fact that I was getting marriage proposals on a daily basis has given me quite a self-esteem boost! So my advice is don't take make up it won't be used.
8. No evenings
I felt like the concept of an evening did not exist in Ghana which is something you have to get used too. At around 6pm the sun goes in the space of 20mins I think and you are left with darkness. There was no elongated evening time like in London. It probably doesn't help that you never see the night in London as there are always street lights, building etc and unlike in Pokuase we have no such thing as a electricity power cut! This takes some adapting because if you want to go for evening walks you need to take a flashlight as likely hood is you won't return while its still light and if you do thats a day walk not evening! A lot of your plans when you are there will be factoring in the fact that there is no evening light and thats something you'll notice while there.
9. Natural Alarm Clocks
I guess power cuts are not a big deal as locals have ways of dealing with things which don't require electricity. One example is alarm clocks. Now I didn't have to leave for work till 8.45am and given my getting dressed only included breakfast, change of clothes and plaiting my hair I didn't need to wake up till 8 but I did every single morning even on weekends wake up at 5am. The reason being two natural alarm clocks exist. One is fairly obvious the morning sun is extremely bright and despite curtains it manages to seep through and the second involves animals. I lived near a family who owned every single type of animal that existed and my room was at the front of the house which made sound extremely loud. Every morning at 5, 5.3.0, 6, 6:30, 7 and 7:30, the roosters/cockerels/chickens/hen (I am not sure which one) would go off, the chicks would follow suit. The goats, dogs, cats and even children would respond back and this went on the whole morning. Morning sleep did not exist. I would lie in bed for literally three hours unable to sleep, just chilling because of noise. Not sure I ever adapted or got used to it but be warned!
10. Danielle Steel or the Bible
In Ghana I found I had a lot of spare time, probably because of the lack of internet. As a result you find yourself reading more, so I recommend you bring enough books too last you including spares as books are not something you can readily buy. And when you get lucky and go into the city and find a book stall or shop there exists only two types of books (a) Danielle Steel which was fine as I love her books and (b) Christianity related teachings book. I even went to a book shop which was written in the guide book (there are only two) and this was in Accra Mall. The book store was largely based on religious book and books about Obama and a small book shelf dedicated to fiction where Danielle Steel did exist but there were a few other authors. Do not expect a large selection and say thriller is your type of book, bring enough to last you!
1. GMT = Ghanian Maybe Time
This was something I read about in the guide book but didn't pay much attention as being an Indian I thought I knew all about late timings (Indian Standard Time for all of you that know what I am talking about). However, Ghanian Maybe Time is lateness on a whole new level. My flight landed at 5am in Accra airport and I didn't receive my luggage till 6.30am. This meant unlike some of the other volunteers when I got out my driver was waiting for my with a VPWA sign. That morning I was given an induction presentation by the founder of the organisation and was informed that a 'Richard' would come to the house at 10am and show me around the area, where to have money changed etc. I waited till noon and he had not showed up and ended up falling asleep. When I woke up at 2pm, he just walked in and that is when I quickly understood the concept of time was different not just to the Western meaning of time but to the Indian too. Timing does not exist in Ghana so do not be upset if nothing arrives or is done on time. Actually, I embraced this and I lived with the GMT attitude myself because that is the best way or you'll spend most of your time furious at something which for the locals is the norm.
2. No Wifi?
This is probably due my own ignorance but I think it is important to point out as for any city dweller like myself, internet is so readily available. I was told before I go that when I arrive if I pay the organisation $40 then I would be able to have access to internet. I understood this as wi-fi availability so all I took with my was a Kindle (which confused every single local as they did not understand the concept of electronic reading) and iPhone. In my induction presentation I was given a blank sim and told top it up at any near by station and then make a payment of $40 and you can have access to a modem and the organisations computers. This really shocked and worried me. It meant no tweeting or Instagramming, what was I supposed to do rely on a sim? In general, wi-fi isn't readily available like it is when walking around in London. Personally, I found the first week went so fast that I didn't need the internet and in the last fortnight I found myself using an internet cafe near where I worked. It is cheaper and you can do what you need too.
3. Rice, Beans, Rice, Beans, Rice, Beans....okay you get it
Food. It was shocking to find out that Ghanian cuisine basically consisted of rice, beans, meat and chilli. That was one thing that even in the third week that used to annoy me but I did find a way around it. I guess I come from a privileged household where a different cuisine of food is served every day so eating such similar, if not the same, things everyday really took some getting used too. Another thing is that locals understand the term 'vegetarian' to mean you would like to have salad with your meat and rice so do not be shocked if you are vegetarian. Personally, I am not a vegetarian but found myself being on in Ghana simply because (a) living with chickens, goats, sheep etc and seeing that they are not clean, I mean even me it was hard to stay clean just because of the physical environment, so I could not and (b) the first dinner I was given was goat and it really smelt strong so it put me off meat. How did I deal with this? So one solution was not eating the fish and meat, but also I brought lots of food from London so I lived off that and I would have lots of Coke and 'Fan Milk' which is soft ice cream to give me energy. Also, for vegetarians, fried rice and noodles are delicious. 'Red-Red' is there only vegetarian dish but it gave me indigestion, I really liked Jollof rice but that has some meat essence. Fried Yams and Plantains are basically the vegetables eaten there and are available but I found them bland so I didn't eat much of them either.
4. Arctic Showers
As a Westerner I am used to power showers that can provide large amounts of hot water for on average 30mins. I associate such showers with cleanliness so going to Pokuase was quite something. There was no hot water and the water power was bare minimal. I spent the first week struggling to clean myself, literally putting one arm at a time in hot water and back! Oh that was just so painful even when it is hot climate. Furthermore, Pokuase is basically a village, most roads you are walking on are dirt roads and the office and tro-tros are not sparkling clean. So be prepared to have cold showers or like what I learnt to do from the second week is heat water in a stove and use a mug to clean yourself with that hot water.
5. Marriage/God
It is important to understand before you go that marriage and God is the foundation for life in Ghana. It wasn't too bad for me to get my head around this given my Indian ethnicity but for others this might seem bizarre. Ghanians believe that in the end its all going to be okay because if you pray to God with a true heart, He will help you. So any issues you discuss with locals this is the answer you will get. This religious side seeps into every aspect of life. Ghana is notorious for having religious named shops such as 'Jesus the Son of God Forex' and religious messages on billboards, taxis and tro-tros, e.g. one taxi I went in had 'Love thy neighbour' written across it. Radio stations and TVs will have Hymns and discuss things like how God created Adam and Eve and we should live in twos side by side. Marriage then is the second pillar stone. There is no point to your life is you are not married. So brace yourself to be time and time again asked about your marriage plans. Personally, I lied because the marriage lecture gets boring after a while so I would say that I am married and I showed photos of Russell Brand to prove it!
6. No make up?
Just like a Ghanian does not question going to Church on Sundays or getting married, I don't question my daily getting dressed ritual which has been altered since I have returned. Before I went, I would wake up every morning and without thinking I would change my clothes, do my hair and wear some light make up. In Ghana, this was not the case. First, we did not have a proper mirror so on our weekend trips away when I found a mirror I was always shocked to look at myself and my growing tan. Second I did do my daily routine the first two days I was there but quickly learnt that (A) make up just melts in the humidity and (B) people thinks you are absolutely weird for wearing make up. Moreover, being an Obruni (non-black person) I got a lot of attention so I didn't want t draw more unnecessary intention. Having not worn make up for three weeks or left my hair out even in a pony has in a weird way made me feel more comfortable with myself. When I first started wearing it, it was because my skin had got a bit of acne was not particularly nice and now the acne has gone but the habit has not. So not wearing make-up enhanced with the fact that I was getting marriage proposals on a daily basis has given me quite a self-esteem boost! So my advice is don't take make up it won't be used.
8. No evenings
I felt like the concept of an evening did not exist in Ghana which is something you have to get used too. At around 6pm the sun goes in the space of 20mins I think and you are left with darkness. There was no elongated evening time like in London. It probably doesn't help that you never see the night in London as there are always street lights, building etc and unlike in Pokuase we have no such thing as a electricity power cut! This takes some adapting because if you want to go for evening walks you need to take a flashlight as likely hood is you won't return while its still light and if you do thats a day walk not evening! A lot of your plans when you are there will be factoring in the fact that there is no evening light and thats something you'll notice while there.
9. Natural Alarm Clocks
I guess power cuts are not a big deal as locals have ways of dealing with things which don't require electricity. One example is alarm clocks. Now I didn't have to leave for work till 8.45am and given my getting dressed only included breakfast, change of clothes and plaiting my hair I didn't need to wake up till 8 but I did every single morning even on weekends wake up at 5am. The reason being two natural alarm clocks exist. One is fairly obvious the morning sun is extremely bright and despite curtains it manages to seep through and the second involves animals. I lived near a family who owned every single type of animal that existed and my room was at the front of the house which made sound extremely loud. Every morning at 5, 5.3.0, 6, 6:30, 7 and 7:30, the roosters/cockerels/chickens/hen (I am not sure which one) would go off, the chicks would follow suit. The goats, dogs, cats and even children would respond back and this went on the whole morning. Morning sleep did not exist. I would lie in bed for literally three hours unable to sleep, just chilling because of noise. Not sure I ever adapted or got used to it but be warned!
10. Danielle Steel or the Bible
In Ghana I found I had a lot of spare time, probably because of the lack of internet. As a result you find yourself reading more, so I recommend you bring enough books too last you including spares as books are not something you can readily buy. And when you get lucky and go into the city and find a book stall or shop there exists only two types of books (a) Danielle Steel which was fine as I love her books and (b) Christianity related teachings book. I even went to a book shop which was written in the guide book (there are only two) and this was in Accra Mall. The book store was largely based on religious book and books about Obama and a small book shelf dedicated to fiction where Danielle Steel did exist but there were a few other authors. Do not expect a large selection and say thriller is your type of book, bring enough to last you!
Monday, 3 September 2012
Ghanian Weekend Une
So here I am again at an Internet cafe excited to share details of my first weekend in Ghana with you all!
It begins on Friday where I sent much of the day walking around the neighbouring town to Amasama which is called 'Feces' in my broken shoes to collect money from debtors! Friday night I couldn't get myself to travel to the local pub with the other volunteers as my legs were killing from the traipsing around on dirt roads! This and the addition of power cut led to me sleeping at around 6pmwhich for the record is the norm around here!
The next morning a fellow volunteer and I commence our journey to the Volta region, the most beautiful part of Ghana where we booked into an environmental lodge for the weekend. Things did not begin smoothly at all! We had the journey from hell! It took us 7hrs without any food, drink, toilet or merely stretching breaks! At one stage we ended up at this ethical enclave kind of place called 'Tudu' which absolutely scared the life out of me. Masses and Masses of people all grabbing you, talking to you and begging you! Anyway 7hrs later we finally arrived at the environmental lodge next to Keta and it is the most beautiful place ever, can't wait to share the photos! This lodge had its own lagoon and a Private white sand beach on the opposite side absolutely gorgeous! We spent Saturday walking along the beach, playing with the hotels pet dogs and meeting the other guests! I will tell you about two of the people I met I think it is worth sharing it! I met a lady whom I vaguely recognised and it turns out she was on the same plane as me and cain as me! Can you believe in the whole of Ghana I bump into her on her last weekend and we actually remember seeing each other as we were the only two obrunis! Then I met a fellow local called Seth he is a musician and is circa 70 years old! There was a point at which I was left sitting with him and having spent a week in Ghana I knew what was coming next - The marriage question! So I slyly managed to put my ring on the marriage finger and quickly close the conversation by saying I am married. However, he was determined to keep at this topic. I was asked when I got married ? - last year What he does ? - doctor and what he looks like and this is probably the most funniest part I showed a photo of Russell Brand on my phone and said this my husband! I still got lecture though not a very long one about how I need to start having kids because otherwise I will only be left with 4 kids !! Oh what a tradegy!!! I cant help but lol!
Sunday gets better! First off I got a natural blow dry because it is soo windy by the water so I was surprised when my hair was dry in like 1hr!! (still getting used to showering in cold water though!) We took a boat trip on the volta river which is so vast and sooo clean - it is freshwater which I don't know why still shocks me! The boat rise was quite scary for someone who cant swim because you are on a low wooden boat which has an engine so goes pretty fats and you have water spraying you and at times because it is so windy feels like you are about to tip over! It was quite nice though the African drum band came along the boat and playedmsuic which added to the vibe of the place!
The boat ride was followed by lunch at a deserted beach which was so beautiful! I held a living translucent crab, had to pee in a small isolated part of the land and saw fish being caught just to name a few things. This was followed by a swift 4hr journey home. The most entertaining part of the whole day was that I was proposed to not once but twice! One guy called 'Bright' was so sure I would marry him that he went around introducing me as his wife! It was funny because the other volunteer had quite a thing for him! Also,it meant that I never had to carry my heavy bag or anything as he would. (I will be sure to upload my phohoto with him). It doesn't help that I am born on a Wednesday because that is the best day for a women to be born as it Wednesday people are rich, like to cook and are strong meaning they have potential to have loads of kids!!! It was sweet because as I got off the boat on the way out to go back to Pokuase he got the whole African musical band to sing 'Oh Komilla dont gokomilla' which further infurigated the other volunteer lol!!
The second proposal I got came more as a shock to be honest. At Ada, the town we were dropped off at in the volta region we found ourselves having to take plunge and go on this broken 'tro-tro' just to get out of the volta region. Basically as we wrere leaving turns out the guys charged us 10 pesos less and drove us to actually a really good location for getting back to Pokuase and negotiated with another tro-tro a cheaper price(although we disdn't actually travel on that tro-tro!) because he wanted to marry me. What happened is as we were approaching our stop he gives me his number and name - Richard - and says call me when you reach home I will be soo worried so I said yes yes as you do in Ghana and then he in the middle of the tro-tro which was filled with people asks me to marry him!!! It was truly bizarre. Its quite funny and you have take these things with humour when you are here I know past volunteers have got offended but I think you have to just enjoy it!
So I am absolutely exhausted today! recovering from the weekend. Hopefully I will be going to another beach destination this weekend Krokrobite and will have more stories to share. I am feeling a bit homes sick today but that is because the whole day in the office we were listening to BBC World Radio!!! Otherwise I am still really enjoying it and learning more and more about the culture everyday. I am still unable to eat meat or fish here just because I feel like I'm living with the chickens goats dogs cats cows and all kinds of animals so I just cant get myself to eat them! Don't think Ive been vegetarian this long before and I am actually quite enjoying it! See you tomorrow!
It begins on Friday where I sent much of the day walking around the neighbouring town to Amasama which is called 'Feces' in my broken shoes to collect money from debtors! Friday night I couldn't get myself to travel to the local pub with the other volunteers as my legs were killing from the traipsing around on dirt roads! This and the addition of power cut led to me sleeping at around 6pmwhich for the record is the norm around here!
The next morning a fellow volunteer and I commence our journey to the Volta region, the most beautiful part of Ghana where we booked into an environmental lodge for the weekend. Things did not begin smoothly at all! We had the journey from hell! It took us 7hrs without any food, drink, toilet or merely stretching breaks! At one stage we ended up at this ethical enclave kind of place called 'Tudu' which absolutely scared the life out of me. Masses and Masses of people all grabbing you, talking to you and begging you! Anyway 7hrs later we finally arrived at the environmental lodge next to Keta and it is the most beautiful place ever, can't wait to share the photos! This lodge had its own lagoon and a Private white sand beach on the opposite side absolutely gorgeous! We spent Saturday walking along the beach, playing with the hotels pet dogs and meeting the other guests! I will tell you about two of the people I met I think it is worth sharing it! I met a lady whom I vaguely recognised and it turns out she was on the same plane as me and cain as me! Can you believe in the whole of Ghana I bump into her on her last weekend and we actually remember seeing each other as we were the only two obrunis! Then I met a fellow local called Seth he is a musician and is circa 70 years old! There was a point at which I was left sitting with him and having spent a week in Ghana I knew what was coming next - The marriage question! So I slyly managed to put my ring on the marriage finger and quickly close the conversation by saying I am married. However, he was determined to keep at this topic. I was asked when I got married ? - last year What he does ? - doctor and what he looks like and this is probably the most funniest part I showed a photo of Russell Brand on my phone and said this my husband! I still got lecture though not a very long one about how I need to start having kids because otherwise I will only be left with 4 kids !! Oh what a tradegy!!! I cant help but lol!
Sunday gets better! First off I got a natural blow dry because it is soo windy by the water so I was surprised when my hair was dry in like 1hr!! (still getting used to showering in cold water though!) We took a boat trip on the volta river which is so vast and sooo clean - it is freshwater which I don't know why still shocks me! The boat rise was quite scary for someone who cant swim because you are on a low wooden boat which has an engine so goes pretty fats and you have water spraying you and at times because it is so windy feels like you are about to tip over! It was quite nice though the African drum band came along the boat and playedmsuic which added to the vibe of the place!
The boat ride was followed by lunch at a deserted beach which was so beautiful! I held a living translucent crab, had to pee in a small isolated part of the land and saw fish being caught just to name a few things. This was followed by a swift 4hr journey home. The most entertaining part of the whole day was that I was proposed to not once but twice! One guy called 'Bright' was so sure I would marry him that he went around introducing me as his wife! It was funny because the other volunteer had quite a thing for him! Also,it meant that I never had to carry my heavy bag or anything as he would. (I will be sure to upload my phohoto with him). It doesn't help that I am born on a Wednesday because that is the best day for a women to be born as it Wednesday people are rich, like to cook and are strong meaning they have potential to have loads of kids!!! It was sweet because as I got off the boat on the way out to go back to Pokuase he got the whole African musical band to sing 'Oh Komilla dont gokomilla' which further infurigated the other volunteer lol!!
The second proposal I got came more as a shock to be honest. At Ada, the town we were dropped off at in the volta region we found ourselves having to take plunge and go on this broken 'tro-tro' just to get out of the volta region. Basically as we wrere leaving turns out the guys charged us 10 pesos less and drove us to actually a really good location for getting back to Pokuase and negotiated with another tro-tro a cheaper price(although we disdn't actually travel on that tro-tro!) because he wanted to marry me. What happened is as we were approaching our stop he gives me his number and name - Richard - and says call me when you reach home I will be soo worried so I said yes yes as you do in Ghana and then he in the middle of the tro-tro which was filled with people asks me to marry him!!! It was truly bizarre. Its quite funny and you have take these things with humour when you are here I know past volunteers have got offended but I think you have to just enjoy it!
So I am absolutely exhausted today! recovering from the weekend. Hopefully I will be going to another beach destination this weekend Krokrobite and will have more stories to share. I am feeling a bit homes sick today but that is because the whole day in the office we were listening to BBC World Radio!!! Otherwise I am still really enjoying it and learning more and more about the culture everyday. I am still unable to eat meat or fish here just because I feel like I'm living with the chickens goats dogs cats cows and all kinds of animals so I just cant get myself to eat them! Don't think Ive been vegetarian this long before and I am actually quite enjoying it! See you tomorrow!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)