You know you're in Ghana when...

Hello Everyone!
I hope you all are healthy and anticipating the holidays. Christmas in +35 degree heat will be unique, but I am thrilled to experience a Ghanaian Christmas. You know, you learn so much when you live in another part of the world. Language, culture, food, but more importantly, I am living the life – day in and day out! I firmly believe that if you want to experience another way of life, you take it on whole heartedly. If you “half ass” it, you miss out on the essentials of how the people live. I hopped on a tro-tro the other day, and this elderly man was so shocked that a white lady was riding as a third-class citizen. Many whites like to live the high life in Ghana, never stepping foot in the trenches, never getting their hands dirty, and never taking the time to stop and talk to everyday Ghanaians. For me, this is the best part – and WOW, I am learning enough to write a book! And I will! I am also learning “Ewe” – one of Ghana’s 250 dialects! It’s amazing how much you pick up just from listening to the locals speak!
I thought I would educate you a bit more – so here are some more facts about my adopted homeland!!

• It’s not “assume”, it’s “azzoom”!
• To get one’s attention, you hiss! “SSSSSSSSSSS”! There’s no “excuse me” here. In fact, they would laugh you out of the joint!
• Getting around Accra is all about hand gestures. For example, you want to go to “Circle”, you watch for the “mate” (tro-tro’s all have a driver and a mate) who rotates his index finger. Kaneshi, Post Office, Tema, Arena, all have their recognized hand signals. When the mate wants to collect your cash, he snaps! You want to hail a cab, it’s all in the hand!
• If you’re white, you are automatically considered German! And if you’re a woman, you’re either “Sarah” or “Cecilia”. Go Figure!!
• Ghana has the fastest growing cocaine industry in the world. Cocaine trafficking has become a national crisis, and tell me if this is hard to believe – governmental leaders are some of the biggest culprits!!
• The cane is in every classroom in Ghana. Beating a child is as regular and as common as telling a child “no” in Canada. One of those stone-aged cultural norms that this country can’t seem to turn over!
• The price for petrol has become so ridiculously high under Kufour’s leadership that gas stations are forced to shut down at 10:00PM for fear of being robbed by gun-toting thieves!
• You know a taxi driver wants your money when he honks twice! This means, “hey obruni, where ya want to go?”
• You pay 500 Pesewa to use a public latrine! That’s right, you have to pay to sh*t! And you use good old fashion newspaper! You don’t mind the raw rear end after a while!
• The Night Club is an experience in its own! You arrive at 11:00PM and dance and drink the night away until 5:00 in the morning. Once again, you don’t dare venture out late at night for fear of being robbed by those gun-toting thieves. So you jam the packed dance floor until day breaks!
• Ghanaian music is fantastic!!
• It’s not Santa Claus, it’s “Father Christmas”. And unfortunately, he only makes a stop-over to those families who can afford it. But this is Africa, and gifts are not important here – it’s all about family, food and drink!
• Forget all the shopping frenzy on Boxing Day. In Ghana, everyone heads to the beach!

I hope you have enjoyed! Don't let the negative points cloud the beauty of Ghana! This is a wonderful country, but TIA - THIS IS AFRICA!!

Peace,
Heather