[By Faria Shaikh]

I stepped off the plane in Accra, the capital of Ghana, on Sunday, July 7, after disruptions in my flight that lasted for over three days. My flight from Brisbane, Australia, to Singapore was delayed multiple times, becoming a long wait and a test of patience. This disruption affected my connecting flights to Ethiopia and then Ghana, and my rerouted flight took me through Istanbul. Being able to travel through Istanbul was very tiring, but, also fun, and I enjoyed my layover. This disrupted flight experience taught me patience, resilience, and a lot more appreciation for planes that take off on their scheduled times! “Medaase!!!” (‘thank you’ in Twi)

From the moment I arrived in Accra, I noticed the warmth and hospitality of the Ghanaian people. I interacted with welcoming and friendly airport staff and tried using “medaase” everywhere, which seemed to work wonders! Professor Leslie Steeves had come to pick me up from the airport, and I was finally able to settle into our apartment. My home away from home.

The next day started early with a homemade breakfast reminding me of home. The sweet tasting mangoes and watermelons were incredibly delicious– especially the mangoes, which reminded me so much of home. Plantains, a popular staple here in Ghana, were also on the breakfast menu and tasted amazing. For someone who doesn’t eat eggs, the plantains, mangoes, and chicken sausage provided plenty of healthy and filling options for breakfast. Not to forget the “instant” coffee. While not a substitute for Starbucks, it provided enough caffeine to start the day after a very long journey.

After breakfast, we headed to the University of Ghana campus. The campus was way bigger than I expected with beautiful greenery everywhere. At the campus, we were welcomed by the faculty at the Communication Studies department and attended lectures on different aspects of media in Ghana. My favorite one was on the history and significance of advertising. The professor talked about how the depiction of women in ads has been constantly evolving along with changing gender norms in the country. It made me think of the ads back home in Pakistan, where similar shifts are happening when it comes to gender and media.

Afterwards, we went for lunch, and I got to try Ghanaian cuisine. I tried “Jollof rice” for the first time, and immediately became a fan! Jollof rice is a West African dish made with rice, onions, tomatoes, spices, and is served with either chicken or fish. Here’s a picture of my plate of jollof rice for those who are wondering:

Stay tuned for more updates on my journey in Ghana!