By Ke’ali McCarter

A woman carries her child through a street market in Accra, Ghana

Here in Accra a majority of vending happens in large street markets found throughout the city. Here locals set up stands and canopies to sell a variety of goods ranging from produce to spare parts to jewelry. Others walk around holding pans on their heads to advertise their goods to the swarms of cars and people weaving their way through the market. The hectic bustle, bargaining and honking horns creates a chaotic atmosphere that upstages even the busiest American cities. In this chaos I spotted a woman traversing the traffic with a child on her back. She spotted me as well.

A young man rests against a van window in Accra, Ghana

Driving in Accra is madness, lanes and right of way rarely exist. Weaving their way through the disarray are Trotros, Accra’s form of public transportation. Trotros are normally sprinter vans that are white, green or black with a yellow stripe around the whole car. It has a driver and then a maid whose job it is to yell out for passengers and handle ticket transactions. These vans are hot and cramped but they are cheap, costing around 20 American cents. In one of these vans I spotted a young boy sleeping against the window. I love this photo because it is unedited and yet the tint and dirt of the window creates a natural grainy film aesthetic.

A women slices mango on the campus of University of Ghana in Accra

We had the incredible opportunity to attend two lectures at the University of Ghana here in Accra and explore the campus a little. The campus is beautiful with rolling hells, big trees and overlooking views of Accra. One of the most interesting features are giant ant hills (some close to 10 feet high) scattered throughout the campus. Near the bookstore we came across a woman selling mangoes and bananas, they were delicious.