First Week!!..Loving Ghana

Hello All, I’ve been in Ghana for about seven days!  For those of you who don’t know, I am studying abroad with the department of state’s program called the YES program.  This program is apart of the AFS International Exchange Programs, which sends high school students from all over the world to different countries and states.  When I, along with four other American girls landed in Ghana after an 11-hour flight, we were met by AFS Ghana staff and transported to the University of Accra to have orientation for five days.  The orientation was very helpful and we were ushered into Ghana’s culture and introduced to the Ghanaian way of life.  We did several activities such as going to the mall, the market, and taking a tro tro (a very crowded mini van which shuttles people to various destinations-if you don’t have a car this is usually your form of transportation).  We also had some Twi language lessons (a common Ghanaian language).

On Tuesday, I was dropped off at my host family’s house.  My host family lives in Accra (the capitol of Ghana), but a quieter region, called Adenta Municipality.  I live in a four-bedroom house.  I have my own room with a bed, a chair, a refrigerator, and a table.  Two of my host siblings live in the house (my host sister and host brother).  The other three host siblings (1 female, 2 male) have kids and live in their own homes, although I see the older host sister and her two kids almost everyday because she’s just down the street.  And then there is my host mom and dad.  My host dad works in the city of Accra and my host mom runs the shop in front of our house, which sells beverages, toiletries, gifts, cards, and several other items.  My host family is very welcoming and loving! 

Ghana is similar to America in some ways and sometimes I forget I’m not in the US.  But there are plenty of differences.  One in particular is GMT.  GMT is “Ghana man time”.  It’s actually quiet funny—many times a Ghanaian can say that we are leaving in 20 minutes or they are coming at 10am and they will show up 2 hours later and not think anything of it.  As opposed to America where everyone is on a schedule and is moving constantly, Ghanaians are relaxed and have no sense of time.  Often if someone wants another person to meet them on time they will say “meet in 1 hour American time”.  Another difference is the sunrise and sunset.  The sun rises and sets at six, so it will be pitch dark at 6pm yet everyone is still up having fun and hanging out.  Furthermore the driving in the city is different from America.  Many times there will not be lane markers and cars, buses, tro tros, and motorcycles will weave in between cars not caring if pedestrians are in the street.  Cars are also constantly beeping.  Beeping can signify several things such as: telling a pedestrian that they are behind them, announcing that they can pick up a pedestrian, telling a car that they are going to cut them off, alerting a car that they are behind them, and also avoiding accidents.

It is interesting to notice some slight differences in things that the younger generation value as opposed to the older generations.  For instance my host family is pretty well off, they own their house, and another house right next to ours (which houses other family members), and a shop along with growing their own plantain trees and cassava plants out back.  They do not have running water, but there are huge tanks in the yard that gets filled with water from a water company and you fetch water from the tanks and can heat it up if needed.  They have electricity and a television and stereo system.  These are things they value and have worked very hard to get.  They pride being able to take care of their family and help out their extended family.  On the other hand, the younger generations sometimes seem to value more materialistic things: having the latest iPhone, or Galaxy, having a nice car (which are very expensive in Ghana) and being able to hang out with their friends after their jobs.  Because of the Internet and social media, a lot of the younger generation watch and follow American shows and celebrities, and dress like Americans too.

Right now school has not started, I will probably start in the middle of next week.  So a typical day for me so far is waking up whenever I want (usually 8am) and then taking a shower and getting ready.  By the time I’m done my host mom has prepared me breakfast (usually an egg sandwich with vegetables and fruit on the side).  I have my choice of tea or Milo (Ghanaian hot chocolate).  Then I go to the shop and sit with a boy in the shop who is 16 and say hello to the customers.  Usually my older host sister will be over and have her little baby boy (he’s 10 months) and I will play with him.  Then there’s lunch and then I might go walk with my older host sister and get her oldest daughter from kindergarten.  In the evening my other host sister and brother come home and we all just sit around outside and talk and hang out.  People will stop by and just sit around the shop and talk about the latest news in Ghana.  Then I will have dinner and then go back out to sit around or relax inside.  Afterwards I help close up the shop.  Then my host dad gets home from work and the socializing is moved indoors while he eats dinner.  Finally I get ready for bed and then go to my room and go to bed.

So far Ghana’s is pretty cool.  I love talking to people and learning about the culture!!