A lot of Accra and a little reggae

My roommate is in the kitchen cutting up fruit....  (Think: the biggest mango you have ever seen.  Add some pieces of pineapple) ....SCORE! Out comes a full bowl for me!  Yesssss.....Even the watermelon is good (and I don't like melons.)  So join me for five glorious minutes while I eat this bowl of tropical goodness and fill you in on a few of my favorite cultural tidbits from two weeks in Accra.

I wasn't sure what to expect from big city life in West Africa.  My past experience in Africa was in RURAL areas.  Living in Accra (pronounced uh-CRAW), the capital city of Ghana, has been a pretty easy adjustment in comparison.  Nonetheless, there has been a lot to take in!

The city of Accra is 67 square miles and home to 2.3 million people.  Originally centered on British, Danish, and Dutch forts, the city now sprawls with many neighborhoods-- from sections of high-priced high rises and fancy suburban homes to the recently bulldozed slums of Sodom and Gomorrah (no, really, that was the name.)  It's a city of jarring juxtapositions and constant action.

Every commute is a full experience, full of fascinating sights, smells, sounds and even tastes to take in.  Without fail these days, one person in our carpool will pay a cedi for plantain chips while we are stopped at a light and men and women walk amongst the cars. (So yummy, p.s!)  This past week, I sprung for a towel.  Yes, that's right.  I bought a towel from a guy for 2 cedis.  (That's approx. 50 cents).  Toilet paper, sim cards, groundnuts (way better than peanuts), gum, and windshield wipers are also usually available. 

Groundnuts

June and July are the rainy season here, which means it has cooled off considerably in recent weeks.  The breezes off the ocean are to die for, and while the sky often threatens rain, we haven't had any monsoon-status rains in weeks.

I live in Labone (see above right).


Okay, so here are a few "city life" cultural things that I find pretty interesting:

Lesson #1. Obrunis (white people) get honked at A LOT. Don't think it's a cat call or a warning or simply because you're cool.  Honking at you is a taxi driver's way of saying, "Pick me! Don't walk. STOP WALKING. You neeed me to drive you!!" (Most drivers honk once or twice.  The record so far though, 8 times. Oh yeah, hissing is a thing too-- it's not mean, just a "hey, you!")

Lesson #2.  When you are eating in the presence of others, one should invite them to eat your food with you.  "You're invited," is all you gotta say.  Kind of love this one-- it's reflective of the communal, "my resources are your resources" way of life.

Lesson #3.  Addresses and street names are irrelevant pieces of information when trying to get from place to place. It's all about landmarks and neighborhoods. That's ALL. 
Having good friends who are also drivers can keep you on the "cutting edge" when it comes to directing other taxi drivers to your destination.  By the way, get your barter on.
   

While living in Accra has its own set of norms, some things about city living remind me of life in my Tanzanian village-- namely, the friendly, beautiful people, the high value placed on respect for your elders, and the love of bright colors, music and dancing.  This kid was willing to show us his moves:

Speaking of dancing, last weekend some friends and I spent a couple days at a beach about an hour outside of Accra called Kokrobite.  The highlight was a surfing competition with surfers coming from the local village, the Ivory Coast, and Togo. There were even some Obrunis from Down Under.

Every Friday night in Kokrobite, one of the resorts, Big Millie's Backyard, hosts a crew of dancers who show off mind-boggling Ghanaian dances.  It's captivating, loud, spirited, and everyone seems to have the rhythm in their bones.  

On Saturday nights, even after a torrential downpour, a reggae band shows up and brings down the house.... err...raises the thatch?  Anyway, dancing in the mud with a bunch of people who love Bob Marley and are out-and-out naturals cuttin' the rug was an unforgettable moment.  Kind of surreal actually. And beyond fun. 


On that note, I'm off to bed.  Long, full, awesome week.  More on that later.  

grateful.
alayna.