My perception of
Ghana has evolved tremendously- from the time when I met my first Ghanaian
friend at Lawrence University to the time I was assigned to the University of
Ghana to my first experiences with the country, and now. First semester, I
remember being a little bit frustrated with things in Ghana. Sometimes it was
the lack of information flow at the University: not knowing how to register or
class schedules and assignments changing at the last minute with only a few
students being alerted. Sometimes it was the preachers calling you a sinner,
cutoffs of electricity and water, or the hot weather and biting insects.
Sometimes I would feel like this place was just wildly different from home. One
morning was particularly difficult. It was Christmas Day and I was terribly
uncomfortable in the heat as my roommate and I sat in a taxi on our way to my
host family’s house. I remember so clearly walking into their living room that
day. Upon seeing a Christmas garland draped above their sofa and a small
Christmas tree with lights sitting in the corner, I was almost brought to
tears. It was so beautiful, making me realize this place was not so different
after all. There I was in the love of my family, just as Christmas ought to be.
There were some
Ghanaian customs to which it took a while to grow accustomed. For example, when eating
in public you are always expected to share your food with the people around
you, or at least say, “You’re invited.” I was at first confused when someone
would take a big bite out of my ice cream or take my last spring roll. Yet, my view of this norm changed with
time. It went from surprise and confusion to the realization that sharing is
valued here and it is expected that the person ordering food buys for all, or
that the first person on a bus takes care of the fare for those with him.
Kindness is expected. That is not a bad thing, but it took me a while to
recognize such.
The most difficult question I received in Ghana - which came much too frequently - was, "So, how do you find the place? How do you see Ghana? How do you like it here?" I found this question so difficult because there were tremendous ups and downs to every day. Yes, I liked the friendly people and welcoming attitudes, but living in Ghana can be tough. My personal living conditions were not horrible, and it was still tough. The thing that always gets me is just how many ways there are of living in Ghana, largely based on socio-economic status. My host family for example has a nice house, personal cars, 7 children who all speak English fluently, secure jobs, and good educations.
A classmate has working class parents who own a small canteen and catering business, have things like a car and air conditioner, but have specifically budgeted for their son to attend the University. Then I have a friend whose entire family works in the market. As 7th out of 9 children, he managed to send himself to school, rent a single-room apartment in a "dusty" part of Accra and pays for electricity as the money comes. Never having left Accra, he says I now know the country better than he does. All these people are truly Ghanaian, just like I may be American but have a much different life than a neighbor in Wisconsin. It is not that income disparities do not exist in the US or other countries; it is that the results of income disparities are so obvious in Ghana that at times it seems wildly unjust and more than a little heart-breaking.
* * *
When I first began
traveling internationally, I expected to be embarrassed of being an
American. In addition to finding
anti-American sentiments, I expected to find ways of doing things that were
just so much better than the way we do things at home. However, the opposite
happened. Traveling instilled in me a great pride for the United States by
helping me recognize the calmness and organization in our country and of course
the kindness of the people. While traveling, I met people who wanted to attend school in the
states and people who followed American football teams.
At one point
during the year, I was chatting online with a Ghanaian friend from Lawrence who
was working in the US at the time. During the conversation he happened to
mention that going to school in the United States made him so much prouder of Ghana. So
here I was in Ghana, being proud of the United States, while he was there in
the United States telling me it made him prouder of Ghana. I started to
think that maybe our pride has no bearing on which country actually deserves more pride.
To shed light on the issue, I asked my roommate from Botswana if living in
Accra made her more proud of Botswana. She said absolutely.
Perhaps experiencing
something new makes you appreciate what you have. Perhaps your living style
gives you comfort while it may not bring the same sense of comfort to others. When
you feel proud of your country, take a minute and think about why you feel that
way. It might be a revealing exercise.
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