There were several surprising things about Ghana that I want to touch on before recounting my experience. I expected the country to have a significant Western influence and even to hold some hostility toward white people because of its history of slave trade. I also expected some level of sophisticated development because Accra is the largest city in Western Africa. However, my preconceived notions were largely off base.
Upon arrival, it was evident that these people were proud of their country. Ghana was the first African nation to fight for and gain its independence from European powers just over 50 years ago. For this, it has a unique sense of pride in its functional and independent system of governance.
Some streets were dirt paths, but most in the center of Accra were just old asphalt with potholes. Simple concrete structures and wooden shacks lined the roads serving as markets, barbershops, or even homes. ‘Futbol’ or soccer jerseys were sold along the streets with flags and handicrafts. The locals are all very excited about playing in the World Cup this summer.
Before arriving we learned that 40% of the Ghanaian population is under the age of 15. This statistic was quite evident as groups of little children congregated around us in the villages.
Despite all of the facts and statistics I learned before arriving, what surprised me most about this country was their fascination with and admiration of America. In almost every taxicab an American flag was displayed on the dash. American flag t-shirts with President Obama’s face were sold on every street corner. There were even billboards and popular songs welcoming The Obamas to Ghana. Once the locals knew we were American, they would all smile and reference Obama’s visit earlier in the year. Seeing this incredibly hospitable reception made me wonder how my journey would have compared just over a year ago before President Obama represented America. I think it would have been a vastly different experience. In fact, in almost every country we have visited, the pop-star like culture that surrounded Barak Obama during his election still persists. I have seen how the world’s opinions on America and its people have dramatically changed in a short time due to our new leadership.
Lastly, the most striking issue in this country is access to clean, drinkable water. In the cities this is not much of an issue because they sell plastic water bags where you bite the corner off and suck the water out. However, in the more rural communities usually there will be just one pump with an unreliable flow of water. The women come to this one pump carrying water back to their house in a large jug on top of their head. However, when the pump breaks or the water stops flowing, the village goes thirsty. Every time I would purchase water the people would ask for a sip and I would feel compelled just to give the water away. More so than any other country I’ve visited, this basic, human necessity is lacking. I could easily keep going with observations, but instead I will just begin to tell you about each day.
