During my month-long stay here in Ghana, there are a lot of things that I have learned. Here is a list of 50 of them.
1. Awkwaaba means Welcome
2. Cars
can drive over almost anything, so long as they are driven slowly. Broken concrete bricks, deep potholes, open
gutters, and curbs.
3. Pedestrians
do not have the right of way in Ghana.
Cars can and will hit you if you are not careful.
4. Taxi
drivers and craftsmen charge Obrunis lots of money because they are Obrunis.
5. Ghanaians
love their food spicy.
6. Ghanaians
also love chicken and rice.
7. You
can get a sunburn in Ghana, even if you don’t see your shadow and it is
completely overcast.
8. Red
red is made with beans and rice and fried plantains. If there are no plantains, it is not red red.
9. “To
flash someone” in Ghana means something entirely different than in the
U.S. To flash someone means you call their
phone just long enough for your number to appear on your phone, and then hang
up. As Henry put it, “we flash a lot,
especially the women.” Once the woman
flashes a man, the man will usually call them back so that the woman doesn’t
have to pay for the phone call. As
Daniel put it, “flash me na me were frɛ” or “flash me
and I will call.” We told them
that if they were to say this in the U.S., they may get some interesting
looks.
10. Ghanaians
like to barter for their prices.
11. Do
not eat with your left hand.
12. Lizards
can climb up through bathroom drains and enter your room.
13. Ghanaians
like Coca-Cola as much as the next
American.
14. Power
will often go out in Ghana for no reason, and for several hours.
15. There
are church services on Sundays all throughout the day.
16. Ghanaians
don’t really like to plan a time to hangout.
Setting up a date to do something outside of work is a bit tricky.
17. Ghanaians
love Facebook.
18. Ghanaians
also love having their picture taken.
19.
“Bra” means “come,” and “bra ha” means “come here”
20. Littering
is, unfortunately, common.
21. Little
kids will try and pickpocket you with their tiny little hands. They almost always ask for money. Some little kids are just happy to hold an
obruni’s hand for a minute.
23. Beef
is uncommon and difficult to find.
24. There
is no hot water, unless it is boiled.
25. Do
not drink from the taps. Only buy
bottled water.
26. It
is not uncommon for most Ghanaians to eat all of their food with just their
hands.
27. If
you approach any Ghanaian, it is always proper to greet them with their name,
and exchange a few courtesies such as how you are and how is your day, before
discussing business.
28. Obruni is an affectionate term for white person or foreigner. Ghanaians love
obrunis, especially the little kids.
29. A
lot of small businesses (or individually owned market shops) almost always have
names such as God’s Time is the Best
General Goods or Jesus Saves Fruit
Market. It is also common for taxis
to have God’s love or other such
proclamations on the rear-window.
30. A
lot of time there is no toilet paper in restrooms (or washrooms or loos).
31. Ghanaians
are not afraid to ask any question. They
will ask questions that most Americans may find improper to ask on a first
meeting, such as “Do you believe in God?” or “Why aren’t you married?” or any question relating to politics and
ethics and your view and stance on them.
It is almost refreshing in a way, but for the first couple times it will
catch you off-guard. They also respect
your opinions and do not get mad if viewpoints differ from their own.
32. 80-90◦ F
and 89% humidity? No sweat. It grows on you after a while.
33. Chickens
and goats roam through Ghana on their own.
No one knows whose chicken that is.
34. Cow
skin is the best part of eating beef….supposedly.
35. Traffic
in Accra Central is worse than traffic probably anywhere in the U.S., because
it is so hot, and there is no air conditioning in cars.
36. Meetings
never start on time in Ghana.
37. The
people who stand in the streets and swarm your car when the light turns red
because they want you to buy something they are trying to sell are called
Hawkers.
38. Keep in the right lane except to pass= Inner lane for overtaking.
39. Lizards
are like little magicians; you don’t know how they get into your bathroom, and
you can watch them all you want, but the second you look away, they seem to
vanish. It’s gross.
40. People
can relieve themselves almost anywhere outside.
41. Ghanaians
are very nice and welcoming to foreigners.
42. Tro-tros
are scary van rides crammed full of people.
But they are cheap.
43. When
Ghanaian’s propose to someone to get married, usually the engagement is on
Friday, and the wedding on Saturday. The
ring isn’t exchanged until the wedding.
44. You
do not chew fufu or banku.
45. The
red clay dust gets into everything, no matter how hard you try to seal things
up.
46. They
like to keep their keys in the door locks.
47. Car
horns get used here a lot. People like to
honk their horns at everything, and at nothing.
48. Saturday
is market day and tro-tros are used to transport food from one part of the
country to another.
49. Mah
krow means goodbye.
50. No
matter how much you like visiting another country, there really is no place
like home.
