Ghana Tidbits!

Hello Friends!

* I figured I should make a note on my last post… I am doing fine! I didn’t mean for it to sound like I was having a terrible time in Ghana or that I couldn't handle it- because that isn’t the case at all. In fact, I love it here! And hopefully this blog will explain some reasons why! So I am doing perfectly fine, I just wanted to keep in touch and let you know of some mixed-but totally normal- feelings I was having! *

So about Ghana… Ghana is one of the most beautiful countries I have been to and a really big part of that is because of the people. Ghanaians are incredibly friendly people. They greet one another every day and always ask how your day is or where you are from. They love to chat and are very interested in my life. They are also very helpful people! If you are lost or need directions, they will help you in a second. This has definitely helped me to feel more accepted and less like a foreigner.

Rooftops in Ghana!

Side note but super interesting fact: everything you buy in Ghana is given to you in a black plastic bag; this is so nobody can see what you bought which also promotes equality. Since you cannot see what goods the other person bought, you cannot make general assumptions about the type of money they have. Pretty interesting right?

Another interesting fact about Ghanaians- they are SO fashionable. In Accra, the men almost always wear dress shirts tucked in and a tie. And the ladies are so stylish. Some wear suits while others wear beautiful African patterned dresses.

Ferris Wheel, why not?

I found Accra to be a lot more developed than I expected. There were some absolutely gorgeous houses with beautiful brick and most places were fenced in with security. There were banks everywhere and they even had a mall, which was small but nicer than the Bayshore Mall in Ottawa. It was very nice and the food court had a mini rollercoaster and bouncy castle for kids! It was unexpected but interesting- especially compared to northern Ghana!

Transportation in Accra is pretty much insane. There are taxis everywhere, literally everywhere. Other than taxis there are TroTros and buses. Julian, another intern, and I took our first TroTro ride and had an interesting experience to say the least. We got on and were traveling (with a Ghanaian guide) to another station and halfway through our ride, a man stands up and says “its time for prayer.” Which is fine- pray all you want… 30 minutes later he stopped preaching about safety and transportation. I looked around to see the Ghanaians reactions and a lot of them were fully engaged in what he was saying, replying with Amen and donating money. It was interesting to see just how big religion is in Ghana.

Julian and I on our first TroTro!

Religion is literally everywhere in Accra (and many other parts of Ghana I am sure). You look on the back of every taxi and there is some sort of sticker saying, “Forgive him” or something else pertaining to God. Another thing I noticed is that so many store names are related to religion. There was one called “God is Good catering service” and “God’s Will Electronic Store.” I found it quite humorous because they aren’t related in any way and it kind of reads funny but I love how it is present in their every day lives. They have such strong beliefs and it is so visible within the community. Many of them go to church with their families on Sundays and put on their best clothes to participate. Another thing that I found really amazing is that the two religions, Christianity and Muslim, do not clash at all. They get along, they work together, they live in the same communities, and they are seen as the same, people are just people. I think that is something really beautiful to see.

So far my experience in Ghana has been amazing and it has only been a week!! I will be posting about my comparisons between the north and south very shortly as well!

Lots of love,

Bianca