When I spent a semester studying in Ghana as an undergrad, it changed my life. I knew I would be back, but I had no idea it would take me 14 years to get here again. Now, as a graduate student in journalism, it’s incredible to return to the familiar sights, sounds and people that I fell in love with, but it’s also fascinating to see all the things that have changed.
hasn’t changed much since I was last here, or since the British
colonizers built it as a retreat from the city in 1890.
Fittingly for a Media in Ghana program, some of the most obvious changes I can see are in the realm of communications technology. When I was here in 2002, hardly anyone I met owned a cell phone. Today, nearly everyone seems to have a basic cell phone (which they call “yams”) and many people are using high-end smartphones made by Samsung or Apple. In the marketplaces, dozens of vendors sell phone credits and mobile devices right next to the cassava and plantains. Yesterday, I was amazed when I got into a trotro (the minibuses used for public transportation) to find that it was outfitted with a flat screen TV showing the latest Ghanaian music videos. The speed with which new technologies spread across the world never ceases to astound me.
buildings were here when I came in 2002, but the very convenient
streetside vendors certainly were.
There have also been some impressive improvements to the infrastructure in Accra. Many roads have transformed from two bumpy lanes into large highways with elevated overpasses, and dozens of modern new buildings dot the skyline. But many things remain the same, including inconsistent electrical power and open sewers along the
roadside.
More importantly, the warm and welcoming attitudes of every Ghanaian I meet remain just how I remember them, and that’s exactly what brought me back.