Once you arrive in Ghana you automatically have a new name: Obroni. A lot of the times it is directed towards white people but is generally used for foreigners. The term is not necessarily considered derogatory, but in a sense it is a form of othering based on skin color. Despite all of my coworkers knowing my name I am often referred to as obroni in the office. The term went from a funny joke to a not so funny joke, but I’m sure they don’t mean any offense by it.
A curious thing that happens in Ghana is, when you see other “obronis” you have this automatic urge to say “hi” even though you have no idea who they are. If I smiled and waved at every white person that passed me in Eugene my mouth would be numb within five minutes, and they would wonder why the heck I’m waving at them. So, I guess being in a place with very few white individuals, race or skin color is something we heavily rely on as a commonality between people.
These interactions with other “obronis” make me think of living in Eugene as a minority. When I moved to school from San Diego, which I would considered a diverse city, something I noticed immediately was the lack of diversity, and in many cases feeling out of place. That feeling not only comes from identity but from background and upbringing as well. I think all of us are getting that experience in Ghana, what it’s like living in a place where no one looks like you.
As we go back to the states, it’s important to notice these types of differences, and critically think about these experiences. Everyone got a little taste of being the minority, and what it’s like to live in a place where people constantly stare and call you names that are not your own. Few people like us get to experience othering, and having this knowledge is powerful, we can use it to understand how people with varied backgrounds experience the world differently.