All roads lead to home

14 May 2008, 07:48

I’m starting to learn my way around Kumasi, which is to say that I am learning routes more than logics. Kumasi is hilly, and the roads twist and wind due to both social and environmental factors. Over the past few weeks I have realized that there are 4 ways to leave my school: left then right; left then left; right then right, and right then left. And I have realized that to get me home, different cab drivers have taken each of these options. Further more, if you go right then left, you get to a traffic circle from which you can take three of the four feeder roads to get to my house. Yes, that’s right, all roads lead to me.

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Oh, Mavis, you doll

12 May 2008, 10:01

The thing about internet cafes is there often is, let’s say, limited privacy. Today while waiting for my computer to reboot, I couldn’t help poking my nosy anthro nose over to see what the guy with the great big fake gold and diamond ring was doing. He was typing in a really big font! All about sending the pics and being serious about a relationship.

Well, so far that could be anything, but then he signed it Mavis. Then I saw him talking in a chat window to someone with an old white guy for a user picture. The old guy was saying something about being a serious guy, and wanting pics now, and also that he doesn’t give out his home phone to people he doesn’t know. ‘Mavis’ assured him that the pics were on the way, then flipped back to the email screen where I was treated to the picture he was sending. My inner monologue fell off its chair laughing. It was a glam shot of a black model, clearly professional, and in my opinion not the kind of pic that Mavisalone_trust would have of herself if she were actually looking for a relationship on the internet. If the guy fell for that, then I’m tempted to say he deserves what he gets. Except, of course, if he doesn’t.

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These are the people in your neighbourhood

9 May 2008, 12:41

I’ve been making a concerted effort lately to make friends in my neighbourhood, talking regularly (and in Twi when possible) to some of the ladies that sell things on the main road.

One in particular had become a friend, and she wanted to cook something for/with me, so I said that I could today. We made fufuo and light soup (a peppery tomato soup that is thin in texture). It was good, and people got a huge kick out of seeing me washing bowls and sweeping up. I wasn’t much good at the main parts of the peeling and chopping (all done in the hand) or the fufu pounding (it’s hard!), but it was tasty. It wasn’t necessarily pertinent to my research, but I’m hoping that by being around and willing to participate in the sorts of activities that show that I’m interesting in Ghana and Ghanaians, I can start making inroads into building some trust that I can then use to learn more research relevant things.

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Surprises

8 May 2008, 11:35

Today as I passed a Kinkos sign, I was reminded of the most surprising thing that I’ve seen in Ghana. It took a moment to register, because I’m so used to seeing the icon, but once on a trotro, I passed a Canadian Tire sign. I located it later, and it definitely uses the logo, and it definitely doesn’t have anything to do with the Canadian Tire corporation.

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Wanted: Stout Divorcee

28 April 2008, 05:47

When we were in Accra, we were passing by a government building and were called over by the police. I felt a little nervous, but not very because in my experience police often use their position to strike up conversations with interesting passers by, and as two (young and marriageable) obruni (white people) we usually qualify.

Sure enough, the police officer told us that his boss wanted to see us, and when we got to the boss, he struck up the usual conversation: where are you from, what are you doing here, are you married? I replied that I was married and my friend had a boyfriend, and he asked me to find him a wife. I told him that I’m a little older so, so all my friends are married, but I’ll look for a wife for him if he wants. He replied that he wanted an older woman, a divorcee from Canada, who was stout and strong with wide hips. She should be 40-50. She should send her picture and then he will send his picture, and she can come to Ghana, and he will show her around before they travel back to Canada.

So, if that sounds like you, and you want a Ghanaian husband, leave a comment and I’ll send you his address (he specifically wanted Canada, but I’m sure he’d take a wife from America or the United Kingdom as well).

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