Ali's visit here reaffirmed my complete unconditional love for this country and its people. I have never been so convinced in my life of why I am here and how much this place has become a part of who I am and without it, I wouldn't be the same person. It has become like another organ that I can't function without.
Even with all the frustrations and difficulties that exist I wouldn't have it any other way.
I was reminded of how much I love:
1) That the temperature drops 10 degrees instantly right before it starts to downpour- its Ghana's little warning to find a place to hide.
2) That friendly faces are sitting everywhere you go, while the sad part of this is that it is caused by unemployment, I am thankful that there is always someone there to wish me "good morning" "good afternoon" "good evening" and "good night"
3) That one small country has desert, beach, rain forest, and mountains...maybe I don't get the four seasons but I still have variety when I need it.
4) That fresh air is more rewarding than air conditioning
5) That even though there are potholes, there are drivers who know how to perfectly maneuver around them...well almost perfectly
6) That you can buy giant bread muffins made out of sweet bread off the top of a womans head for 50 pesewas (approx. 36 cents)
7) that there is no such thing as a muffin in Ghana...rather they are called rock buns
8) that they have grammar lessons on the TV during commercial breaks. Some speak of the correct usage of the word brouhaha; explaining that the words fence and wall are not interchangeable; explaining that you can't pick someone's thoughts, only their brain; and the proper usage of the word deluge
9) that Ghanaian women have beads for their waist...why hadn't we thought of that?
10) that everyone shares their food. you are constantly "invited" to eat their meal with them
11) that everything you eat can be squeezed out of a plastic sachet (even a snickers bar--Saviola taught me this)
12) that when you yawn Ghanaians ask you not to accidentally swallow them
13) that Ghanaians can tell when I am thinking and warn me that I shouldn't do it so often
14) that Ghanaians never give directions straight but rather point you to a location with a person closer to the destination so that they can do the same thing until eventually you get close enough where a person will just walk you there themselves.
15) that they can sense my love for this place and call me African woman
16) that you make friends everywhere you go and even if it has been two years and they can't remember your name they will call out to you and admit that their mind isn't working
17) that everyone is praying for you--Christian or Muslim they are praying to their God that you are safe
18) that they control Ghanaians driving speed with speed bumps because they don't trust they will follow signs.
19) that anything can be bought at the window of your car...even a box of kleenex
20) that Ghanians want to know us- they want to sit and talk with us- for us to be completely submerged into their culture
21) that they have bamboo goal posts
22) that some of the terms of endearment include: sweet potato and sugar banana
23) that hotels don't need to be expensive and extravagant to be enjoyable and relaxing
24) that they do things even though they are counterproductive: bathe before going to football training and sweep the dirt away from the other dirt outside?
25) that they create recipe books that don't actually tell you how to make the food start to finish; it assumes you already know how to prepare the basics such as stew and corn dough
26) that if the holiday falls on a Sat. they will take of the following Monday
27) that cats serve a purpose---they eat cockroaches
I could go on forever: there are a million things I have listed in past blog such as bucket showers, and getting a dirt tan etc but I won't go all the way back.
It was such a good week for me to be able to show off why I love this place so much and remind myself that it is all worth it. The occasional frustrations, sadness, anger, homesickness...it is all worth it.
Me and Ali the day she arrived:
Ali relaxing at Big Millys in Kokrobite (a beach an hour outside Accra)
Me and Ali after a day at the beach in Kokrobite:
Me and Ali at the Wli falls in the Volta Region:
Ali hanging at the breakfast table before heading to the falls:
Hotel at Wli Falls:
Ali and Tracy (Okos' niece):
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