- Alvaro – First introduced to Africa in 2007 by the Coca Cola Company, this malt based non-alcoholic soft drink is outstanding. It’s available in three flavors: pear, pineapple, and passionfruit – with my favorite being the latter. It’s light and refreshing; at $1 per bottle it is my favorite Ghanaian soft drink (although coconuts still win overall).
- Local Brown Rice – By far, this is my favorite thing to eat in Ghana. It takes hours to remove all the stones and cook it well, but it is well worth the time spent. The rice is perfectly plump, tender, and has a unique earthy taste. I definitely need to figure out how to ship some rice home to America…
- Free Time – This is a novelty for me. My last two years of high school I was so pressed on maintaining straight A’s that I hardly had any time for myself. Now, I have so much spare time that I almost don’t know what to do with myself. This is a blessing and a curse – I’ve had plenty of time to go out, and write on my blog/journal, but it’s become boring due to a lack of host siblings. Luckily, next week I’ll begin catering school (more on that later). I will also be taking intensive Mandarin language lessons.And did I mention my novel now has 11 chapters completed?
- Public Transport – Getting around town without owning a car in the U.S. can be difficult (especially in Naples). Ghana has a great setup with its Metro Mass buses and trotros. The buses cost anywhere from $4 to $12 to go between cities, and are fast and efficient. Our 5 hour bus ride from Takoradi to Accra cost us only $4 each. Each bus seats over 50, and usually takes under half an hour to fill up. Trotros can be used to travel both short and long distance, but tend to be expensive for long distances. Short distances – they’re great. It usually takes under five minutes to get a trotro from the roadside, and trotro stations hold hundreds of cars going nearly to every destination (you just wait for the car to fill up). With trotros, I can get anywhere in Accra for under $2.
- Conversations with Strangers – While some people in the U.S. chat with strangers in the supermarket or while waiting on lines (HI MOM!), it’s nowhere near the extent of how much I talk with strangers in Ghana. When I go out, I say, “Good morning/afternoon/evening (maakye/maaha, maadwo) to everyone I see along the road. People will always respond by asking how I am, and I usually wind up having lengthy conversations. These conversations often repeat, and I have many good acquaintances that I talk to whenever I go out (Mr. Kebab Man, Wood Shop Guys, Mrs. Yam Seller, and Ms. Cute Old Toothless Woman).
- The Clothing – Ghana has some of the best fashion in the world. Even though young Ghanaians often look towards the Western world for the latest fashion trends, in my mind the traditional prints are far superior. Just take a look at the following photos for proof:
- ‘Obruni’ Calls– No matter where I go, I receive endless calls of ‘Obruni’. It’s endearing to hear from children, although it gets old quickly. I attract attention wherever I go; it’s strange to think that when I return home, it’s back to being ‘one in 300,000,000.I have mixed feelings about being called ‘obruni’ -I realize that I may be the only white person for miles around, but does it really need to be expressed out loud? Ghanaians love it when I call them ‘Obibinis’; but is it morally correct to take part in referring to people by the color of their skin? I realize it’s tradition, but it still feels awkward and clumsy. Am I being an oversensitive American? Is this whole discussion a non-issue? Regardless of my personal answer (which is a subject of a future blog post), it’s acceptable here. But I know if I did it in the United States, I’d be jumped.
EDIT (6:20 P.M.) : A final note – this and the previous blog post are non-exhaustive. There are many things I miss that I don’t intend on sharing publicly on the internet, and I’m sure there’s plenty I will miss that I haven’t thought of yet. These lists are only a beginning.
Referring to your nickname as “Obruni,” I think that political correct-ness is relative in this case. If they are used to that, and it seems natural and inoffensive to them, then I say no harm no foul. Although I wouldn’t recommend bringing the habit back to America, I don’t think that it reflects badly on you if you use their slang while you are there.
I am sooooooooo looking forward to the clothes in Ghana!!!!!
Thanks Avery for appreciating our local rice and traditional prints.
You are getting the opportunity of a life time and it looks like it is not going to waste. Love ya-Cathy
I was in Ghana in 2002 as a 16 year old white girl on an AFS exchange. I was an Obroni-co-co, blond and white. Still it make me laugh. I miss Ghana and hold the country dear to my heart. In no other country have I felt so welcome, even in northern Europe where blond white girls are not so novel. Akwabaa, they say. Still my heart laughs. And to all my friends there, you are obibini-chum-chum (super black, if I spelled it right).
Haha, I love this comment so much Rebekah! It’s unbelievable how welcoming the people are, how above all they just want to have a conversation with you.
I never learned ‘chum-chum’, interesting! That would’ve been awesome to reply to the whole ‘obruni-co-co’ dialogue!
Local Brown Rice – what!! I only ever saw white rice! This is fantastic and has made my day!
Free Time – Mandarin lessons in Ghana? Haha why not Twi or Ga?
Public Transport – in the US, this all depends on how much the city you are in was developed for public transportation. When policy makers opt for transit-oriented development, they encourage maximum access to public transport, encouraging transit ridership, as opposed to cars. A good read related to this topic is “The Social Consequences of Hypermobility”, by John Adams (not exactly about transit-oriented transportation, though haha)
‘Obroni’ Calls: it is far more novel at the beginning. After returning a few times, I go to the point of ignoring it now.
http://obibinibruni.org/