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.