Less than a week ago, I traveled from Malawi to Ghana. It was a sudden move. It caught everyone (myself included) by surprise. But I’m here now and thought I’d share some of my initial thoughts.
They drive on the wrong side of the road!!
I got out of the airport at the lovely hour of 6am. I got my bags, met the driver, got into the car… on the wrong side!
In Ghana, unlike the UK and Malawi where I’ve spent the last few years, they drive on the right! Which to a Canadian should be just fine, but to a Canadian who spent the past few years in British influenced countries and had to learn to adapt to survive traffic, is just plain confusing.
There is TRAFFIC!
I got over the shock of the wrong side of the road, only to turn into the morning traffic of Accra. It’s intense. Think of the 401 in Toronto at 7am. There is everything and anything on the road at that time… mini-buses, big buses, taxis, private cars, motorbikes, mopeds, bicycles, people walking, people carrying baskets on their heads… all headed around town. Hit traffic at the wrong time here and what should take 15 minutes with no cars takes you 2 hours.
It is HOT!!
I knew this coming here. I deliberately took everyone’s advice, went against my instincts and didn’t bring anything warm. It really is HOT! I now understand the need for 2 showers a day (one in the morning, one at night) in deliciously cool water. Sounds unpleasant but after a day of being in the heat, in buses, on dusty roads, a cold shower is the best thing. Almost as good as my warm bucket shower in Dedza was. I plan to adopt the Spanish way of life and avoid being out in the day between 12 and 4pm if at all possible.
Culture
Ghanaians are proud people; they are proud of their country and their culture and are happy to show it. The Ghanaian flag is everywhere. Women wear beautifully tailored national wear. Ghanaian football jerseys are prolific (as they should be). There is lots of Ghanaian and west African music.
Flags are key
Flags are everywhere! All sorts of flags – big ones, small ones, Ghanaian flags, Canadian flags, flags from all around the world, flags of football (soccer) teams, flags of people and presidents. Flags flutter above buildings. Flags are painted ON the buildings and bus stops and telephone stands and little shops.
The food is diverse, delicious and spicy!
The staple food in Malawi is nsima. It’s a filling, comforting meal based on maize, served with a variety of relishes (side vegetables, soups, meat).
Food in Ghana is VERY different. It’s far more diverse and it’s spicy! Plantains, cassava, yams, maize, millet… and any combination of the above. Even the morning porridge is spicy. I’ve become addicted to plantains… roasted, fried, boiled, chopped, whole… doesn’t matter, I love them. (Videos of me eating fufu, a popular local dish are soon to come.)
Things are happening…at all hours of the day (and night)
Stuff is happening here… at all hours. In Malawi, shops closed at 5pm… maybe 8 or 9pm if you were in a busy part of the capitals. In Accra, things are going at all hours of the day and night. Vendors are open late selling plantains, sausage rolls, phone units, drinks, etc. It’s easy to pop out at 10pm in search of units and wander half a block away to the family finishing up their evening and the lady sitting under the MTN (telephone service provider) umbrella.
People are really helpful and really friendly
I have an aversion to asking for help. I have a serious stubborn and independent streak in me that I come by quite naturally from a whole line of independent stubborn women. That’s not very helpful here. I’m in a new place, a city of roughly 2-3 million people where I don’t speak the local language, where I don’t know the areas, how to get around, where to go, what to ask for. Being help-averse just gets you lost.
Luckily, Ghanaians are immensely helpful and kind people. Looking lost and a bit confused (and amused) lets you meet a whole range of people happy to make sure you get the right bus fare and get off at the right stop. The school girl beside me on the tro-tro (public transit like a big, square mini-bus) helped me get my papaya, picked the right change out of my hand and picked the good looking papaya. The guy at the bus stop made sure I got on the right bus (and his friend snuck in a marriage proposal on his behalf which got turned down with laughter).
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This is only some of what I have noticed. Some of it is surprising, some refreshing, some strange. I can’t help comparing Ghana and Accra to other cities and places I’ve been, but everywhere I go has it’s own beauty and wonder. Ghana, like Malawi or Cambridge or Canada, is full of its own challenges and excitement. The comparison will fade as I get accustomed and settled to life here, at which point the subtleties of the place and the people will emerge. To me, it is finding those subtleties that makes a place home. These are the obvious impressions; expect to hear more about the subtleties soon.
Photo: driving on the wrong (right) side, stuck in traffic, I looked up and was struck by the array of flags… only the most important ones for this driver. If you look closely, you can catch a glimpse of Thulasy (my colleague from EWB) with me in the back seat.
Hey, welcome to Ghana. Thanks for the post. Interesting, I’ve been here for a while now, even when I had arrived I never noticed the flags, and a few other things you’ve pointed out. So yeah, thanks for the refresher and welcome!
- Hasan
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Colleen Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
The flags were the first thing that struck me. Swiftly followed by the rising heat. It’s always interesting to go to new places and to get struck by the differences and fall in love with it.
What did you notice?
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Colleen Reply:
November 18th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Incidentally, I flew up to Tamale on a Ghanaian airline this morning, and two giant flags were proudly displayed at the front of the plane, where you might have expected a tv screen. It made me wonder if Canadians would ever plaster our national flag to the front of an airline cabin. I doubt it. Our pride is not so strong or flamboyant.
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Your web site is splendid I will have to read it all, thank you for the diversion from my professors!
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I searched for something completely different, but found your website! And have to say thanks. Nice read. Will come back.
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Kudos from one brainiac to another.
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LOVE this article! Came accross it by accident, but thouroughly enjoyed reading it! I spent all of last summer in Ghana and can completely relate… Accra’s beautiful, but if you can, head north! It get cleaner and less hectic, but you can still come across huge towns like Kumasi!
Love the observations that I found, coming from someone else.
Keep it up!
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Hi, thanks so much for these tips! My blogs usually do bring readers and responses. One thing I do is engage with the readers. Answer questions in responses and make clarifications where needed. I think they appreciate that I take the time to talk to them.
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Actually, I’m very fortunate in that I get to travel all around Ghana while I’m here. My work and interests take me to almost all the regions. The North is beautiful, but so far, I’ve fallen in love with Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region for it’s cooler weather and mountains, and the Volta region for its lush growth and waterfall. What were you doing while you were here?
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