Ghana will always be Ghana

I get so provoked everytime I hear people say that "this is not really Ghana" when they come over something modern, "western", something they can find back home, in the middle of exotic Africa.

If you are in an Irish pub in Osu, in a Chinese restaurant in Kumasi, if you drink a caffe latte or enjoy an air-conditioned tro-tro (donated by stanbic bank), does that mean it's not really Ghana? Should Ghana stay behind, being "african", have bumpy roads, slow internet, only local foods to offer visitors, and do things only the "traditional" way? Will we then be satisfied, we stupid westerners who think of Africa still as that myth of strange people in the jungle dancing rain dances and bang on their drums?

So when you go out in your hometown drinking a cappuchino and eating at the Mongolian restaurant.... is that not really your home either?

Pic is from Frankies Salad Lounge in Osu, Accra, Ghana....the world, the universe etc.

(Too) close encounter

Now, I am not one of those city girls who have never been to the country side and never seen animals before. I spent huge parts of my childhood in my mom's previously mentioned village, and there were cows, horses, sheep and what not, and I always knew where the milk and the eggs came from.
But today, strolling down the road towards community 22 inside, a huge flock of cows and their male counterparts, oxen?.. (I seem to have trouble with the animal kingdom in the English language), just threw themselves into the road in front of me, making my passing seem impossible. Unfortunately for me, on the other side of the road, a young guy was walking briskly through the flock without fear or hesitation, and I couldnt make a fool of myself standing there till the animals where far enough ahead for me to safely continue my journey. So... I waited for a particularly huge ox to pass (or is it bull maybe??) and jumped in between him and his lady and I was free.

Had to turn back though, to check whether any of them were chasing me, raving mad, seeing red.. (though i was wearing black..).

The pic is me finding out where the eggs really really come from, in my village.

Hard to please them all

One day at work, one of my colleagues said to me: Ama! You are toooo happy. So I asked: what is wrong with that? Can one be too happy? Would you rather I'd be angry?

The guy answered: You shouldn't be too angry or too happy.

Enye easy koraa..

good morning..

So how come I'm sitting here at 8 in the morning, and I have already had breakfast, watched Al-Jazeera for a reasonable amount of time, bought vegetables, and started preparing the groundnutsoup I'm making for one lucky man later? I dont have any plans for the day apart from making soup and rice balls (Or maybe neat fufu...?). So if this was Norway, I'd be sleeping for a good amount of hours more.

I hope I can bring this early bird trait with me home, I will get so much done!

Unfortunately its much easier to sleep in in a chilly, dark room with no crickets (is that how its spelled) that sing morning serenades outside my window...

Can a Ghanaian be happy with Obroni?

Just came over this article this evening... Some "truths" about black/white relationship just got thrown in my face, though some has real truth in it. I dont know if Im supposed to feel insulted, sad or enlightened.
Read and share your opinion...

http://www.modernghana.com/news/166921/1/black-and-white-marriages.html

I especially like the advice to the Ghanaian man on what he has to learn if he is gonna be married to an obroni:

"A Ghanaian married to a white must learn to show affection openly. He must be less overbearing and controlling. He must accept to rotate domestic chores and live by strict schedule. He must learn to talk freely about sex, have sex by mutual consent and treat his wife like a queen."

Have sex by mutual consent.. My oh my. What a sacrifice.

Made in Norway

lying on a Made in Ghana, New Page blanket.

My nephew, born 6 days ago.

I'm in love.

Sometimes great things follow you.

Usually, as a white person in Ghana, you are used to being ripped off, paying obroni price and generally being "cheated" in the name of the "you people colonized us, sold us as slaves and still exploit us in trade so you deserve to pay more"-notion. And your guilt makes you accept it.

But sometimes, like yesterday, you are given Ghanaman price for your taxi, discount of 4 cedis in a shop and a free gift from a football shirt seller who hasn't forgotten about you and the customers you directed to HIS shop (and he used to give good discounts on his stuff). It makes you feel good that people see you for who you are, and not your skin colour and your ancestors crimes.

When I was in High School in Kumasi, my fellow students hassled me every day for 10 months:
"give me your food, buy me toffee".. They weren't my friends. Joana Asante was my friend. You know why?

She bought toffee for ME!

And that meant EVERYTHING.