Hey everyone and Leslie, I am now sitting down to write my fourth blog post about a couple things I have noticed about Ghana after being here for a month now.

The people: So for the most part, everyone is extremely welcoming and friendly. Everyday I will get at least 20 offers to share food off someone’s plate, 10 high fives just because I’m an obroni and 3 to 4 whats app messages from people I don’t know but decided to give my number to anyways. Ghanaians love to stay in touch with all of their people, so it’s not rare for someone to message you good morning, good afternoon, and good evening everyday; I find this flattering, as it makes me feel extra popular. And anyone will go out of his or her way to help you with directions-even if you don’t ask.

The City (Accra): The city has an interesting layout as a result of the rapid development and urbanization that Ghana has experienced in recent history. There were originally city plans that designated certain neighborhoods as parks and called for carefully designed infrastructure. The problem is people moved in at such an alarming rate that Accra didn’t have time to keep up with all of the original infrastructure plans, instead they needed to build fast to provide living spaces for all of the people migrating to the city. Despite all of that, the city is breathtaking if you can take a step back from all of the chaos to see the beauty and the character in the buildings and streets. There is a lot of color contrast, which allows for taking great photographs. It takes a bit of time to get used to the traffic and poverty, but once you get comfortable and learn your way around, it’s a hard city not to love. Each neighborhood has a different vibe than the next, and no matter what you are looking for, whether it is a traditional Ghanaian dining experience or Pinkberry, Accra has something for everybody. That is why I love this city.