I am terrible at remembering to take photos, but will try my best to update with new photos from trips!
Tuesday 26 June 2012
Monday 25 June 2012
Let me start off by explaining the title of this blog. The word "obruni" is the Twi translation for "white person", or more politically correct, "Caucasian". It's a word that I have not been able to walk down the street without having shouted at me multiple times. It's a word that I am learning to love and embrace because it is usually followed by smiles, handshakes and a genuine interest in my background and reasons for being in Ghana.
So I am taking the world and running with it. You can make a cab driver laugh when you are bartering for a taxi by saying "Don't give me an obruni price" or making a child giggle by calling your Canadian friends "obruni" while you are at the market. And sometimes, when they can't pronounce "Heather" (which happens often) I tell them to call me Obruni, there's not usually too many of us.
My first week in Accra has been a roller coaster of emotions. The first day I experienced culture shock in a way that I didn't know I could. I had tried to imagine what the urban centre of an African country would look like, but I couldn't have pieced this together if I had tried. The stands on the side of the dirt roads, the taxis and tro-tros (vans that act like busses around the city), the women carrying commercial goods on their heads and everyone wearing pants. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, pants. Even with the heat, people here dress beautifully and it makes me thankful that I invested in some nice clothing for the office.
I learned a lot about Ghana in my first few days doing orientation with the WUSC staff. I have learned almost as much living and exploring with some of the other Canadians here. They have really taken me under their wing and we had a fabulous weekend exploring the city during the day and even more of the city at night. Making lots of friends along the way, I can tell that this city and I are going to get along just fine.
So I am taking the world and running with it. You can make a cab driver laugh when you are bartering for a taxi by saying "Don't give me an obruni price" or making a child giggle by calling your Canadian friends "obruni" while you are at the market. And sometimes, when they can't pronounce "Heather" (which happens often) I tell them to call me Obruni, there's not usually too many of us.
My first week in Accra has been a roller coaster of emotions. The first day I experienced culture shock in a way that I didn't know I could. I had tried to imagine what the urban centre of an African country would look like, but I couldn't have pieced this together if I had tried. The stands on the side of the dirt roads, the taxis and tro-tros (vans that act like busses around the city), the women carrying commercial goods on their heads and everyone wearing pants. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, pants. Even with the heat, people here dress beautifully and it makes me thankful that I invested in some nice clothing for the office.
I learned a lot about Ghana in my first few days doing orientation with the WUSC staff. I have learned almost as much living and exploring with some of the other Canadians here. They have really taken me under their wing and we had a fabulous weekend exploring the city during the day and even more of the city at night. Making lots of friends along the way, I can tell that this city and I are going to get along just fine.
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