My peepers have had a welcome break from the screen recently as I've been playing tourguide for my girlfriend's parents over the past week. We managed to visit the Kwame Nkrumah (Independence leader) Memorial park and museum; Cape Coast and Elmina castles, both of which were used by Ghana's former slave traders (Dutch and Brits mainly) with their sinister 'Doors of No Return' leading out to the Gulf Of Guinea whereupon countless millions over decades crossed perilous waters and conditions to become slaves in the Americas and beyond. We also managed to get to the fishing and tourism villages of Akwidaa, Butre and Busua where the local people's hospitality was great and the refreshing swim in the sea a welcome change to city life.
When I get a chance I will upload photos to give you a sense of how seeped in history Ghana is and hoe beautiful and diverse is the natural environment here. We spent a beautiful day in Kakum national park where I learned that one biologist discovered more species of ant living on one tree than can be found in the whole of Ireland and Britain. This has been my first chance to see Ghana in a bit more depth as for the first four months Dorota and I decided to base ourselves solely in Kumasi and concentrate on our work.
So it has been interesting exploring the coastline, meeting Ga, Ahante, Fante, Ewe peoples and trying to bend our Ashanti Twi dialect to encompass other Akan languages. I was surprised to find out that a lot of people understood our quests at communicating. I also learned a lot from Kobina Sekyi's parody 'The Blinkards' which is written in Fante and English. It is successful piss-pulling comedy play on the elite of Cape Coast attempting to become more English than the English themselves, at the turn of the 20th century.
So as Bug's Bunny would, that's all folks! We haead to the Northern region tomorrow to see Tamale and Larabanga. We were pleasantly surprised to see the staff had already started making to wheelchair ramps at our school from the Christmas project money. Before we left for Accra last week we bought a good range of Ghanaian educational books for the library we hope to start building in 2 weeks. The plumbing has also been fixed in the school from the xmas cards funds. Lots done and looking forward to seeing the students again next week.
Until then, nante yie (goodbye)!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
3 important rules when living in Ghana
Would you go to a place called 'Mama Farty Fast Food'? I think not. Well the locals of Kwadaso don't care about the ironic branding of one of their favourite joints. Mama Farty's business is near by our local internet cafe. When I first saw the name inscribed on her small roadside food cabin, I scratched my bald patch in awe as to what meaning there could be in Twi that I was missing. Unfortunately the mystery continues. I haven't yet plucked up the courage to ask for fear that I will be asked what I think it means. Maybe it's just her name, although it doesn't sound so native, does it?
Then again, neither did the surname of the honeymooning couple whom I first gave a boat driving demonstration to in banagher when I worked as a teen on the river Shannon. The newly wedded German woman seemed to have absolutely no problem becoming Mrs Wanker. I kid you not.
The other night I went to get bread from a lovely old woman who lives in the locality. En route I passed by the trader who I sometimes buy eggs from and opposite her an orange and banana seller. The latter had her baby girl strapped to her back, as is the way of life here for most young kids whose mums work for a living. The local creche ends up being observing your mum's interactions with scores of neighbours and buyers from the area. As a kid your every need is attended to by your mum who is as close to you as physically possible. There's no Barbie, Ken or any other Disney figure to brainwash you. just real people going about their daily business all the time. But there's gotta to be a catch, huh! Well there is, given the subject matter I am addressing is somewhat related to names, you'll never guess what the kid's name is? I won't even bother wasting your breath.
Me: „Oh, and this is your beautiful daughter. Efre no sen (What is her name)?”
Trader: „Lady.”
Me: „Sorry.”
Trader: „Her name is Lady, like Lady Diana.”
Me: „Oh, well, wo ho te sen (how are you) Lady?”
End of conversation as Lady can't speak yet.
Rule No. 1- Never judge a fast food joint nor a person by their cover. Mama Farty's serves good food, Mr and Mrs Wanker were a lovely couple and Lady was the cutest baby I've seen since I came here.
Would you pray in a ramshackle chapel called 'Kingdom of Fire' above a bar with blaring music? I didn't think so. It may seem an odd place to go in order to get in touch with your Creator, but no divinity is beckoned in quietude here. Heaven is a long way away, so you oughtta scream out loud and get good amps if you want to be heard. Afterall, a lot of people are out there trying to get God's attention.
Maximise the noise till your ear drums have popped and your head is spinning with the rythmn of drumbeats, keyboards, trumpets and any other musical instrument lying around. For me, raised an Irish Catholic, the fact that people dance, wave handkerchiefs and voluntarily remain active participants in a religious service for 3+ hours is hard enough to fathom. And all of it is done, believe it or not, without the consumption of alcohol! Song, dance and a whole load of preaching is the protestant sect recipe of the day. Catholics do the same but with a lot more attention to sacramentalism. Just add candles, incense, altar servers, proclamation of faith through the creed, general confession and absolution, eucharist and you get your main differences.
A House of Rhema pastor comes down the steps while my friends and I are waiting for the Ghana Book Trust to open. He seems younger than me, but maybe that's just cause he shaves more regularly. „Hello friends, how are you all today?” Focussing his attention on me he stresses that it is God's plan that we met. He wants my phone number, to know where I live, what I am doing in Ghana, when will I visit his church. All within the first minute of our encounter. I was quite proud of the fact that I refused to give out my number, stating that I only pass on my details to people I know. I take his 'business card' to be respectful but as soon as he is gone I leave it on top of a shelf nearby. Why pretend a guy I met for 1 minute is a friend and God predestined us to meet when in actual fact he just happened to be coming down the stairs going somewhere while I was waiting to look as some books for our school library. That's it Pastor, there ain't nothing divine about it.
Fast forward two weeks – I am going towards the local porridge seller at 7.30am to get my daily fill. I meet my former neighbour (before he got kicked out for overstaying his welcome and here he had us conned that he was best friends with the director!) and local hairdresser. He makes another attempt at me to go to his church.
D: „I want you to come to my church, when are you going to come and worship with me?”
Note – He belongs to the protestant sect 'Assemblies of God' that are quite popular in this part of Ghana.
Me: „Well, we don't believe in the same thing so thanks but I'd rather not”
D: „Oh, why? Lots of white people come to my church. There is English translation on a screen for you to read if you don't understand the Twi.”
Me: „Ok, but it doesn't really matter what if white people go or not. You worship the way you want to and that's fine, but I come from a different background.”
D: „You are Christian, aren't you?”
Me: I was raised Catholic but......... (I don't need to fill in theg gaps here. Suffice to say I am a doubting Thomas).
D: „But you can still come and read the bible.”
Me: „Well, I don't believe the bible is the literal truth like your church does.”
D: You don't believe in the bible”
Me: ”I think it has interesting moral messages to teach us but I don;t believe it is literally all true. For example, take the two creation stories in Genesis.”
D: „But there is only one creaton story, God made everything in 7 days.”
Me: „Hmmm, I have my doubts. Isn't there the creation story of human's that Eve came from Adam's rib but also that man and woman were made simultaneously?”
D: „Where is that?”
Me: In Genesis, read the early chapters. If the bible is the literal truth how can you have two creation stories. One of them must be wrong. And if one is wrong, then the bible can't be the literal truth. Listen I should go got my porridge, I'll talk to you later.”
Rule No. 2 – Beware of constant church invitations. The fundamental reason is to get you to become a member of the church; the second so the inviter can look good bringing a white heathen to worship; the third, however, may just be out of common courtesy from a nice person who bids you no ill. Judge which invitation you have received carefully and don't be duped into saying yes cause you think it's bad manners to say no.
******
„My friend's tell me that Irish people are cute and short”. So says the cashier at the electrical goods store where I have just bought another voltage protector. She remembers me from a previous visit with Dorota and inquires where is the lady you were with last time. I sense a subtle marriage proposal coming! But then I'm a bit slow when it comes to flirting rituals.
Rule No. 3 – Go along with flirting from natives but if you are already tied to someone, draw the line so they can see it clearly. It can be good fun but you don’t want them stalking you over the phone, which men have a tendency to do if you give them your phone number.
Then again, neither did the surname of the honeymooning couple whom I first gave a boat driving demonstration to in banagher when I worked as a teen on the river Shannon. The newly wedded German woman seemed to have absolutely no problem becoming Mrs Wanker. I kid you not.
The other night I went to get bread from a lovely old woman who lives in the locality. En route I passed by the trader who I sometimes buy eggs from and opposite her an orange and banana seller. The latter had her baby girl strapped to her back, as is the way of life here for most young kids whose mums work for a living. The local creche ends up being observing your mum's interactions with scores of neighbours and buyers from the area. As a kid your every need is attended to by your mum who is as close to you as physically possible. There's no Barbie, Ken or any other Disney figure to brainwash you. just real people going about their daily business all the time. But there's gotta to be a catch, huh! Well there is, given the subject matter I am addressing is somewhat related to names, you'll never guess what the kid's name is? I won't even bother wasting your breath.
Me: „Oh, and this is your beautiful daughter. Efre no sen (What is her name)?”
Trader: „Lady.”
Me: „Sorry.”
Trader: „Her name is Lady, like Lady Diana.”
Me: „Oh, well, wo ho te sen (how are you) Lady?”
End of conversation as Lady can't speak yet.
Rule No. 1- Never judge a fast food joint nor a person by their cover. Mama Farty's serves good food, Mr and Mrs Wanker were a lovely couple and Lady was the cutest baby I've seen since I came here.
Would you pray in a ramshackle chapel called 'Kingdom of Fire' above a bar with blaring music? I didn't think so. It may seem an odd place to go in order to get in touch with your Creator, but no divinity is beckoned in quietude here. Heaven is a long way away, so you oughtta scream out loud and get good amps if you want to be heard. Afterall, a lot of people are out there trying to get God's attention.
Maximise the noise till your ear drums have popped and your head is spinning with the rythmn of drumbeats, keyboards, trumpets and any other musical instrument lying around. For me, raised an Irish Catholic, the fact that people dance, wave handkerchiefs and voluntarily remain active participants in a religious service for 3+ hours is hard enough to fathom. And all of it is done, believe it or not, without the consumption of alcohol! Song, dance and a whole load of preaching is the protestant sect recipe of the day. Catholics do the same but with a lot more attention to sacramentalism. Just add candles, incense, altar servers, proclamation of faith through the creed, general confession and absolution, eucharist and you get your main differences.
A House of Rhema pastor comes down the steps while my friends and I are waiting for the Ghana Book Trust to open. He seems younger than me, but maybe that's just cause he shaves more regularly. „Hello friends, how are you all today?” Focussing his attention on me he stresses that it is God's plan that we met. He wants my phone number, to know where I live, what I am doing in Ghana, when will I visit his church. All within the first minute of our encounter. I was quite proud of the fact that I refused to give out my number, stating that I only pass on my details to people I know. I take his 'business card' to be respectful but as soon as he is gone I leave it on top of a shelf nearby. Why pretend a guy I met for 1 minute is a friend and God predestined us to meet when in actual fact he just happened to be coming down the stairs going somewhere while I was waiting to look as some books for our school library. That's it Pastor, there ain't nothing divine about it.
Fast forward two weeks – I am going towards the local porridge seller at 7.30am to get my daily fill. I meet my former neighbour (before he got kicked out for overstaying his welcome and here he had us conned that he was best friends with the director!) and local hairdresser. He makes another attempt at me to go to his church.
D: „I want you to come to my church, when are you going to come and worship with me?”
Note – He belongs to the protestant sect 'Assemblies of God' that are quite popular in this part of Ghana.
Me: „Well, we don't believe in the same thing so thanks but I'd rather not”
D: „Oh, why? Lots of white people come to my church. There is English translation on a screen for you to read if you don't understand the Twi.”
Me: „Ok, but it doesn't really matter what if white people go or not. You worship the way you want to and that's fine, but I come from a different background.”
D: „You are Christian, aren't you?”
Me: I was raised Catholic but......... (I don't need to fill in theg gaps here. Suffice to say I am a doubting Thomas).
D: „But you can still come and read the bible.”
Me: „Well, I don't believe the bible is the literal truth like your church does.”
D: You don't believe in the bible”
Me: ”I think it has interesting moral messages to teach us but I don;t believe it is literally all true. For example, take the two creation stories in Genesis.”
D: „But there is only one creaton story, God made everything in 7 days.”
Me: „Hmmm, I have my doubts. Isn't there the creation story of human's that Eve came from Adam's rib but also that man and woman were made simultaneously?”
D: „Where is that?”
Me: In Genesis, read the early chapters. If the bible is the literal truth how can you have two creation stories. One of them must be wrong. And if one is wrong, then the bible can't be the literal truth. Listen I should go got my porridge, I'll talk to you later.”
Rule No. 2 – Beware of constant church invitations. The fundamental reason is to get you to become a member of the church; the second so the inviter can look good bringing a white heathen to worship; the third, however, may just be out of common courtesy from a nice person who bids you no ill. Judge which invitation you have received carefully and don't be duped into saying yes cause you think it's bad manners to say no.
******
„My friend's tell me that Irish people are cute and short”. So says the cashier at the electrical goods store where I have just bought another voltage protector. She remembers me from a previous visit with Dorota and inquires where is the lady you were with last time. I sense a subtle marriage proposal coming! But then I'm a bit slow when it comes to flirting rituals.
Rule No. 3 – Go along with flirting from natives but if you are already tied to someone, draw the line so they can see it clearly. It can be good fun but you don’t want them stalking you over the phone, which men have a tendency to do if you give them your phone number.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Being ready to live as a volunteer in Ghana
A sponge
The amount of dust one accumulates in their lungs, nose, ears, on their skin and pretty much everywhere is very hard to estimate. But by 3pm, if you rub a finger against the bare skin of your neck layers of dirt will start to show. If you have access to a shower, use it daily. If you have to use a bucket of water, then do so daily by washing yourself thoroughly. You will feel better, look cleaner and are less likely to get skin rashes, fungi, etc.
A radio
Note: Banana is just to give you an idea of the scale and is not a necessary accessory for tuning in to the airwaves.
It's important to keep tuned into local and national FM stations so you have a clue about matters that interest the general public, your neighbours, etc. and keep in touch with the news from bordering countries. Especially in Ghana, people like to and can openly speak about politics. In other countries you may want to keep a tighter lip – use your two ears and one mouth in that proportion. A lot of the radio stations, as with newpapers, are partisan and openly so. Listen and read from both or indeed all sides of the fence so you get a feel for the type of language they use to condemn each other.
Furthermore, with short wave you can keep a track on the BBC's Network Africa and Focus on Africa as well as general international news.
Sunday is reserved for God in Ghana and I suspect the same can be said for many countries in west Africa, so you can use the 7th day to recharge the batteries.
Toilet roll
When you are on a journey in the sweltering heat, your water bottle or sachet is empty, and your stomach is feeling queasy, toilet roll can come in very handy. Keep in mind there will be no stop offs at roadside garages that have electric flushes and scented roll from Kleenex. Plaintain, banana leaves are an alternative, as is your neighbour's newspaper (use the page with advertisements on it and he/she won't mind). In addition, the dust you accumulate in your ears and nose over one day of daily business here is equal to 2 weeks in the moderate climate of Europe. Unless you work in a dusty concrete factory. So blow and clean regularly. Try to get your hands on locally produced recycled paper. In Ghana it is called Rose and a pack of 10 cost between GHC2.50-2.70 or 1.50 euro.
An adaptor, intelligent voltage protector (and maybe a stabiliser)
To prevent your head being wrecked when your 2 pin round head plug does not fit the socket, make sure you come fully equipped or purchase the above once you get here. It may save you a lot of headaches and financial cost as the voltage fluctuates terribly at times and your chargers, equipment may be damaged in the process.
A brush
Not the one for your hair - guys, you are better off without any in this heat and dust. Girls, remember long, flowing (and especially blonde, fair) hair drives men crazy here. Tie it up, cut it off or let it become scraggy! Back to topic- I'm talking about a clothes brush. A scrubber to get all the dirt on your clothes is a must purchase. Then, as Tom Cruise famously said in a brutal Irish accent in the film Far and Away - "Plunge and scrub".
As regards hair brushes, I know little to the extent of their necessity as I have been in recession for quite some time. One thing is for certain though ladies, you will lose hair here due to the dryness and water quality. So get mammy to send you over some replenishing shampoo or shop till you drop in the local market – unfortunately, you may not find what you are looking for as hair materials tend to be mostly focussed on hair straightening. The majority of women in Ghana, at least, wear wigs and extensions. Afros are out sadly. The politics of African women europeanising their hair was recently covered by the Pan-Africanist publication New African in their December 2008 edition and is well worth a read.
A bucket
For washing your clothes in, splashing your face, flushing the toilet, to fill your kettle with water so you can sterilise and clean your utensils properly, to put on your head and pretend you are New Kelly, etc. etc. It's uses are endless. Turn it upside down and you have an extra seat. If you drink too much beer or get malaria you can puke in it. I think you get the idea. It really is a must as running tap water may not be in such a convenient place for you. You may be living some distance from running water if you are a volunteer on an under-resourced project or in a rural area, so be prepared. Barter hard and you'll get a gallon capacity bucket for GHC 3 or less than 2 euro.
A mosquito net
To avoid contracting malaria or more likely nasty, itchy bites that will keep you up all night. You can get them easily here and they don't cost much. Mend holes as soon as they appear and regularly spray with anti-mosq. permethrin or just ensure you have a Permanet.
Bowl, spoon, cup
A lot of food is eaten by the right hand (the left is reserved post-food digestion purposed) but every now and again your stomach will not be feeling the best so it's wise to have the basics in stock. You probably won't have access to a fridge so you gotta eat all you prepare and don't forget to be a disciplined washer or cockroaches and ants will become your best friend. You can also impress locals with your sponn playing musical talents.
Games
So you can interact with local kids. It's the best way to break ice with their family at large and also to learn the native language. A football costs little but you would be amazed at the emount of kids playing with flat balls as regular hand pumps are not so accessible nor cheap. On sale rather are the larger pumps which cost at least 5 euro, hence the flat balls will you find everywhere. Valves are also hard to get at times so buy one when you come across and mind it. Table tennis is also popular amongst both genders, as is pool, though this is somewhat more a male in the bar scene.
Brush (local reeds tied together) & dustpan (cardboard)
To brush your floor daily. The dust that builds on window shutters, floor, everywhere you can possibly imagine is surprising. So brush and dump regularly for your own health. You can get them for very cheap in the local market or else just make one for yourself from your natural surroundings. Brush your floor regularly to ward off creatures from thinking your territory is part of the wild. And when you come across cardboard remember it can be used to make all sorts of things apart from dustpans - think boxes, bedside locker, educational posters, twister, etc.
Pee bottles
Snakes in the bush should be enough to remind you that peeing under the cover of darkness in he wilderness is not always the bravest or brightest thing to do. Relieve yourself inside, putting it safely aside for disposal the next morning. It also means you're less likely to get mosquito bites as you won't need to venture out unnecessarily while it is their dinner time. If you do, put on lots of repellent or wear long clothing. One bite from that anepholes mosquito can cause a hell of a lot of pain.
The amount of dust one accumulates in their lungs, nose, ears, on their skin and pretty much everywhere is very hard to estimate. But by 3pm, if you rub a finger against the bare skin of your neck layers of dirt will start to show. If you have access to a shower, use it daily. If you have to use a bucket of water, then do so daily by washing yourself thoroughly. You will feel better, look cleaner and are less likely to get skin rashes, fungi, etc.
A radio
Note: Banana is just to give you an idea of the scale and is not a necessary accessory for tuning in to the airwaves.
It's important to keep tuned into local and national FM stations so you have a clue about matters that interest the general public, your neighbours, etc. and keep in touch with the news from bordering countries. Especially in Ghana, people like to and can openly speak about politics. In other countries you may want to keep a tighter lip – use your two ears and one mouth in that proportion. A lot of the radio stations, as with newpapers, are partisan and openly so. Listen and read from both or indeed all sides of the fence so you get a feel for the type of language they use to condemn each other.
Furthermore, with short wave you can keep a track on the BBC's Network Africa and Focus on Africa as well as general international news.
Sunday is reserved for God in Ghana and I suspect the same can be said for many countries in west Africa, so you can use the 7th day to recharge the batteries.
Toilet roll
When you are on a journey in the sweltering heat, your water bottle or sachet is empty, and your stomach is feeling queasy, toilet roll can come in very handy. Keep in mind there will be no stop offs at roadside garages that have electric flushes and scented roll from Kleenex. Plaintain, banana leaves are an alternative, as is your neighbour's newspaper (use the page with advertisements on it and he/she won't mind). In addition, the dust you accumulate in your ears and nose over one day of daily business here is equal to 2 weeks in the moderate climate of Europe. Unless you work in a dusty concrete factory. So blow and clean regularly. Try to get your hands on locally produced recycled paper. In Ghana it is called Rose and a pack of 10 cost between GHC2.50-2.70 or 1.50 euro.
An adaptor, intelligent voltage protector (and maybe a stabiliser)
To prevent your head being wrecked when your 2 pin round head plug does not fit the socket, make sure you come fully equipped or purchase the above once you get here. It may save you a lot of headaches and financial cost as the voltage fluctuates terribly at times and your chargers, equipment may be damaged in the process.
A brush
Not the one for your hair - guys, you are better off without any in this heat and dust. Girls, remember long, flowing (and especially blonde, fair) hair drives men crazy here. Tie it up, cut it off or let it become scraggy! Back to topic- I'm talking about a clothes brush. A scrubber to get all the dirt on your clothes is a must purchase. Then, as Tom Cruise famously said in a brutal Irish accent in the film Far and Away - "Plunge and scrub".
As regards hair brushes, I know little to the extent of their necessity as I have been in recession for quite some time. One thing is for certain though ladies, you will lose hair here due to the dryness and water quality. So get mammy to send you over some replenishing shampoo or shop till you drop in the local market – unfortunately, you may not find what you are looking for as hair materials tend to be mostly focussed on hair straightening. The majority of women in Ghana, at least, wear wigs and extensions. Afros are out sadly. The politics of African women europeanising their hair was recently covered by the Pan-Africanist publication New African in their December 2008 edition and is well worth a read.
A bucket
For washing your clothes in, splashing your face, flushing the toilet, to fill your kettle with water so you can sterilise and clean your utensils properly, to put on your head and pretend you are New Kelly, etc. etc. It's uses are endless. Turn it upside down and you have an extra seat. If you drink too much beer or get malaria you can puke in it. I think you get the idea. It really is a must as running tap water may not be in such a convenient place for you. You may be living some distance from running water if you are a volunteer on an under-resourced project or in a rural area, so be prepared. Barter hard and you'll get a gallon capacity bucket for GHC 3 or less than 2 euro.
A mosquito net
To avoid contracting malaria or more likely nasty, itchy bites that will keep you up all night. You can get them easily here and they don't cost much. Mend holes as soon as they appear and regularly spray with anti-mosq. permethrin or just ensure you have a Permanet.
Bowl, spoon, cup
A lot of food is eaten by the right hand (the left is reserved post-food digestion purposed) but every now and again your stomach will not be feeling the best so it's wise to have the basics in stock. You probably won't have access to a fridge so you gotta eat all you prepare and don't forget to be a disciplined washer or cockroaches and ants will become your best friend. You can also impress locals with your sponn playing musical talents.
Games
So you can interact with local kids. It's the best way to break ice with their family at large and also to learn the native language. A football costs little but you would be amazed at the emount of kids playing with flat balls as regular hand pumps are not so accessible nor cheap. On sale rather are the larger pumps which cost at least 5 euro, hence the flat balls will you find everywhere. Valves are also hard to get at times so buy one when you come across and mind it. Table tennis is also popular amongst both genders, as is pool, though this is somewhat more a male in the bar scene.
Brush (local reeds tied together) & dustpan (cardboard)
To brush your floor daily. The dust that builds on window shutters, floor, everywhere you can possibly imagine is surprising. So brush and dump regularly for your own health. You can get them for very cheap in the local market or else just make one for yourself from your natural surroundings. Brush your floor regularly to ward off creatures from thinking your territory is part of the wild. And when you come across cardboard remember it can be used to make all sorts of things apart from dustpans - think boxes, bedside locker, educational posters, twister, etc.
Pee bottles
Snakes in the bush should be enough to remind you that peeing under the cover of darkness in he wilderness is not always the bravest or brightest thing to do. Relieve yourself inside, putting it safely aside for disposal the next morning. It also means you're less likely to get mosquito bites as you won't need to venture out unnecessarily while it is their dinner time. If you do, put on lots of repellent or wear long clothing. One bite from that anepholes mosquito can cause a hell of a lot of pain.
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