As my time in Ghana comes to an end, I begin to look forward to things I miss the most about America. Clean clothes, Starbucks, vegetables, Starbucks, and my cat are just a few things that come to mind. But as I come closer to leaving, I’m also reminded of the things I will miss the most about living in Ghana. This experience has taught me so much and allowed me to experience a culture foreign from my own. It definitely has been a step outside of my comfort zone, but I am grateful for it. On this trip there has been some high highs and some low lows, but overall it has been amazing.
Although my list of my favorite parts about Ghana is way longer than 10, here are a few main points:
10. The tro tro. I have a love-hate relationship with this form of transportation. I hate it when I am at the stop and have to leap frog over the other dozen individuals waiting to board the car. I also hate it when it starts to rain and the only tro tros driving by are going to LA Paz and not Circle or Accra. (No one ever gets on La Paz, yet they are the dominant location for tro tros.)
The tro tro isn’t completely awful, though, and I am glad I take it to work each morning. Every day is a new surprise. I have met some unique individuals on the tro tro, and I’ve had a few marriage proposals. It’s also super cheap and saves me from bargaining for a taxi so it is a win-win situation even with the troubles I sometimes face.
9. Pineapples. I know we have pineapples in America, but Ghanaian pineapples are sweeter and a little less sour. Also, on the street they come pre-cut and are super cheap. Every morning I can count on my bag of pineapple from the fruit lady at the station.
8. The unexpected. Walking down the street on any given day, I can pass by a fire, some chickens and about ten goats, all at the same time. This is normal. In America, there would be about three fire trucks, animal control and a major news story about this scene. I like that things don’t always make sense here and some of the weirdest occurrences are normal and acceptable. I feel like America is more black and white, minus a few locations. Everything is expected and lined up perfectly. That is not the case in Ghana; nothing really makes sense.
7. Bargaining. Again, this is a love-hate relationship. You can either get a really good deal or be totally ripped off, but I like that prices aren’t always constant. I bargained a painting down from 150 cedis to 50 cedis, so essentially I paid $15 for the painting.
6. Being able to literally buy anything on the street. Hawkers dominate the streets and you can find anything from paper towels to bufrots atop their heads. I can sit in the tro tro in the morning and buy a whole breakfast without leaving my seat. This is highly beneficial with the heavy traffic in Accra.
5. Being Tan. I don’t tan in California, let alone Oregon, like I do in Ghana. I will miss being this dark without having to visit a tanning salon.
4. My coworkers at Emerge. I lucked out with my internship placement. I work at Emerge, which is an advertisement agency. Currently, they are going through a change of staff so I was able to take on a client basically by myself. The staff at Emerge may be limited, but they make me laugh until I am in tears and make coming to work worthwhile. My boss, Michelle Attoh, scares the daylights out of me but I respect her leadership skills and hope to be her one day. Soriya, who I share a desk with, is probably the funniest person I have ever met. She works with a leading rapper in Ghana, E.L., so I was able to hang out with him a few times. She also always invites me to go out with her and makes it her goal to ensure my time in Ghana is positive. Lastly, there is Ahmed, and it has been an interesting relationship between us. In the beginning our level of sass clashed with one another, but after some time I have come to enjoy his presence.
3. Goats. The goats in Ghana are like the squirrels in America. They are everywhere. The only difference is that goats are actually cute. Walking down the street is more fun when there are herds of goats running around. There is also an abundance of chickens and roosters running around, but I am not as fond of them as I am of the goats.
2. The color. The abundance of fabrics and prints are amazing here. Clothing and buildings are not as neutral as they are America. There is a bright teal house across the street from where we live. Ghana uses more color and it creates a happier vibe. My wardrobe consists of black, black, some grey and maybe a few neutral colors. That is very different from a Ghanaian woman’s wardrobe.
1. Ghana. I will definitely miss Ghana in general. After the first week, I was a little uneasy about spending six weeks here. I couldn’t get used to the humidity. I have barely ever shared a room, let alone a house with 14 other people, and the lack of order agitated my OCD. But after a week or two I began to let go of these problems and embrace Ghana. I will miss the people I have met and the things I have experienced. I never thought I would feed a monkey a banana or pet a crocodile. When people ask if I will come back to Ghana, my response is a confident, “Definitely.”