How’s work?

The end is coming, for real! I have only 2 full weeks left at work. TWO WEEKS. I keep repeating myself, but this is just insane, how on earth I have been here over 2 months already? Every time I have lived abroad, time has gone fast. But never this fast, and its breaking my heart. Getting emotional every time I think about the fact that I have to leave this place soon.Haven’t really had much of inspiration (read: I’ve been feeling lazy) to post anything, but now I’ll share some updates from work. So this time no photos or stories about beaches and sea, but about school and teachers!

Work has been great. I have facilitated 4 workshops so far, and I have 2 more to go. I have been working on the development report for the school, and been planning my thesis interview. I reeeaaally should start conducting them asap, but somehow I struggle with finalizing the interview questions. Soon, soon..

Few weeks ago I organized refreshment day for the teachers. It wasn’t all fun and games since I made teachers to work a bit in a form of a workshop and two brainstorming sessions, but tbh most of the day was about having fun and relaxing. This was the first time when these teachers spent time with each other outside the school context, or even the first time they ever had this kind of refreshment day. I was quite nervous - first of all, I organized this day on their holiday, so it was not compulsory for teachers to attend. So I wasn’t sure if anyone was actually coming. Or if anyone was going to be in time for the pre-organized bus transportation, I mean this is Ghana anyway and nobody seems to follow any kind of pre-set schedules. Secondly, I had no idea how teachers would feel to be together outside the school premises, and what they would think about the games and activities I had planned for them. 

Turns out, I was worried for nothing. Only 2 teachers couldn’t attend, and everybody was on time. And teachers were on such a great mood, they were all taking part in the activities and they seemed to love the games we played. The day was filled with laughter and the atmosphere was just incredibly relaxed. It was amazing to watch teachers to do teamwork together, to relax at each other’s company and to have so much fun. This day made me so happy, and the best part is that teachers liked it, gave me good feedback and the school headmaster came to tell me he was very pleased of how well this thing was organized AND from now on he wants to start organizing days like this. So, hopefully, I have started a new, lovely tradition at this school. Yay!

Another nice thing that has happened was a visit to public school. I’m working at private school, which is totally different environment compared to a public school here in Ghana. I have heard so many stories about public schools in Ghana: crazy big class sizes (there may be even 80 students in one class), no books, no other teaching or learning materials and overall no money for anything ”extra. 

The public school I got to visit was only few minutes drive from my workplace, but the difference was remarkable. No whiteboards, not even windows or doors in the classrooms. I can imagine it makes teaching quite challenging, when there’s no modern teaching and learning materials at all. Teaching ICTmust be one of the trickiest ones - try to teach how to use a computer or other digital devices from a book, to students who may have never used a computer in their life.Anyway, the visit was short but interesting. Naturally, people at the school were hoping that we would bring money or equipment with us, I sometimes feel that since I’m obroni, people see me here just as a bag of money or other resources. If they’d check my bank account they’d change their mind! 😅

Sweet home Takoradi

I just realized I haven’t really introduced the town (city?) I’m living in, and I have been here for already over a month! So, I guess better late than never, here’s little info package of my lovely hometown in Ghana.

I live in Takoradi, also called Sekondi-Takoradi, as this is city connecting twin cities, Sekondi and Takoradi. Takoradi is the capital of the Western Region of Ghana, located at the coast of Ghana. We are about 4 hours from Accra (by bus), and 1-1,5hrs from Cape Coast. Pretty nice location, right next to the sea, far enough from the busy capital, but still big enough city to not to be boring.  Close to awesome surfing spots, close to beautiful nature and empty beaches, which seem to be getting more and more beautiful after one another.

Takoradi, such as most of Ghana I guess, is funny when it comes to landscape and environment. One moment, you are in the dry and dusty area of the city, where everything seem to be mix of grayness and red sand (which is everywhere) and soon-to-collapse-looking buildings, and then next minute you reach the beach and are surrounded by baffling greenness, palm trees and the sea. Our apartment, sort of in the middle of nowhere but still quite close to everything, is surrounded by such a lush garden! Palm trees, cocoa trees, grass, colorful flowers and so on. So pretty. Then, 2 minutes in taxi and you are in area that seem to be like a different world.

We live about 10km from the city center, so not too far. I feel like nothing here is too far, everything is accessible by trotros and doesn’t really take long. Except, when there are traffic jams due to heavy rain or  unknown reason, as it sometimes (regularly) happens.

Market circle is located in the city center, sort of like the heart of the city. From market circle, one can find anything needed. Fabric. Tomatoes. Chili. Spices. Credit for phone. Cleaning stuff, clothes (new and second-hand). Bread, jewellery.. anything, you name it. Okay, except milk products. But anything else, seriously, can be found from the city center and especially from around  market circle.

What else. Well, then there’s the beach I just recently discovered, super lovely! Then, KFC. Amazing, huh? But here, KFC is fancy restaurant – not a shitty fast food chain, but relatively expensive restaurant and unknow concept. Probably in 10 years one can find also McDonalds, Starbucks and garbage like that.

Oh, airport. Takoradi has an airport, expected to be international airport one day in the future (I wonder when). With about 80€ one can get flight to Accra, which takes about 40 minutes. Quite tempting option to hot and sweaty 4 hour bus ride.

Mall, of course we have a mall here. Takoradi mall has just opened recently this year, and is still waiting for it’s full bloom. Grocery store Shoprite is there, that’s where I can find the milk products and all the other stuff that isn’t sold at the market circle. Besides Shoprite, Takoradi Mall is filled with empty business space, with only few spots occupied with random stores. One of them is selling wigs, one electronics, one seems to be perfume store, and then there’s hairdresser/nail salon. And café, which did not have coffee last time I asked.. Or they did, but instant one, so that does not count. And PIZZERIA! Like, real, proper pizzeria from which you can get actual real pizza, I had chance to try one slice the other day and was so surprised. Pizza is very expensive though, so I guess I can live without pizza for few more months...

Then there’s Coffee Corner, love that place. Decent coffee, decent sandwiches, air condition and free wifi. All I need on the days when I work on my thesis or do work stuff. 

Then, there are few hotels and bars. I have been only to Stellar Lodge and Raybow Hotel, which both have nice bars. Champs bar at Stellar Lodge was actually a party bar, with karaoke and so on, and entrance fee later on the night. Fun vibes, but super rude staff! Raybow Hotel's bar seemed to be more chilled, live-band and drinks sort of outdoor bar, liked it a lot! Another bar, where I have actually been only during daytime, is Vienna City Beach. Chill bar/restaurant right at the beach, they also have a pool which is nice addition! During the days it's pretty quiet, which makes it perfect place to work, if I don't want to stay at my office. No wifi though. During the evening, at least on weekends/holidays I guess, the bar gets more crowded and I'm sure it's fun place to have a little outing at!

Don’t be scared of what you don’t already know.

I experienced quite variety of reactions when I told people I was going to Ghana. I was expecting that; therefore, I didn’t actually tell anybody about it until I had received the travel grant and signed the work contract. Some were really excited, some were confused and immediately asked why on earth I would like to go to Ghana, and then there were people who started telling me how dangerous it is and that if I reeeeeaally go I have to be very careful. And, FYI, these people had never been to Ghana, or actually anywhere in Africa. I got loads of travel and safety tips from people who, sorry to be blatant, had no idea what they were talking about. Luckily, majority of the reactions I encountered were positive! 

I understand that unknown is scary, and that it is normal to be worried about your loved ones. But I also find it very annoying when people let stereotypes affect their worldview so strongly.

Country in Africa must be dangerous, like this quite random person told me, that Ghana is extremely dangerous place to be. I asked this person to tell me one fact about Ghana. Got silence as response. This person didn’t even know the capital of Ghana, or whereabouts Ghana is in Africa. But this person was 100% sure that Ghana is dangerous.

 

I dare to claim that I have been to more dangerous places than Ghana. At least, I have travelled to places where I have (usually by accident) ended up in very dodgy areas I should not have gone to. But those are stories for some other time. The thing is, that basically any country can be dangerous if the person travelling in that specific country is not equipped with common sense and knowledge about the country and its different areas. So, as simple as that, figure out some basic facts and tips before going, and be sensible.  Like, figure out where to go, where not to go, where one can go but should be a bit more cautious at, where you shouldn’t go after dark, where you shouldn’t go during the weekend, how to behave, how to handle different situations in different cultures, how to talk to people and how to dress and so on. 

“Is there something specific one should pay more attention to – lots of pocket pickers in some area, or some particular way scammers try to lure tourists in difficult situations? This bar has dodgy reputation, maybe shouldn’t go there? This is reliable taxi company, use that one.” You know, things like that. Very simple facts that can easily be found.

Of course, things can still happen – no matter how prepared one is, things may and most probably will go wrong (at some level) at some point. But this can happen anywhere, even in the countries that are perceived to be “very safe to travel to”.

I guess my point is, that it is frustrating when people don’t even try to find out actual information about things, but just assume something and declare these assumptions as a fact. If you have a smartphone and internet connection, it does not take long to google a bit about country, and one can learn lots in few minutes. Or by just asking around, by being open-minded. Don’t assume, rather ask!

 

I have been in Ghana for over a month now (EEEK! Time is going too fast), and I have felt safe here. I have learned what to do, what not to do and where obroni (white) girl can go and when.  If I go out later in the night, I don’t go alone, and if I’m travelling home from my weekend trips, I leave early enough so that I’m home before it’s pitch black out there. Sun sets around 6pm, so for example if I’m coming home from a trip on Sunday, I aim to be at home latest around 6.30pm.

People here are very helpful, and as obroni I stand out in the crowd quite clearly. This is good, but also sometimes slightly negative thing. Good, since everybody’s assuming I have no idea where to go, which makes my life easy. People are always pointing out which trotro goes where, taxi’s and trotros are stopping and asking whether I need a ride or not, people offer to walk me to my destination so that I find the right taxi station, restaurant, hotel and so on.

Naturally, some of these people have ulterior motives, and they want for example money, my number, address and marry me. Actually, I haven’t been asked for money that often, maybe once or twice. 

But, a lot of men come to talk to me, very quickly either asking for my number and my address or whether I could marry them or not. That’s why I wear a wedding ring here (so if you see me wearing it, I am not engaged or married FYI). It really helps a lot. 

I mean, sometimes it’s quite funny when people come to ask you to give your number/marry them. Like the other day, I was coming back home from Busua, and I was sitting in a trotro waiting for it to fill up. One older man came to talk to me, saying that his friend, very young-looking boy, was too shy to ask me for my number so he was asking for him. Everybody in the trotro was following this situation, and when I lifted my left hand and showed the ring, they all went “aww nooo, obroni is married!”. Even the trotro driver was very disappointed. But it was somehow so funny situation, like a soap opera scene with lots of eyes following how it develops, and when they realized that “I’m married”, it was mix of disappointment and amusement -  we all had a good laugh. Also, a new man entered the trotro at some point of the journey and immediately commented something about me and how obroni should marry the young boy, but before I had chance to answer, the driver already shook his head and laughed that unfortunately this obroni is married. The man was laughing and asking, if I’m sure I have a good husband and don’t want to change him for the young boy, since “Ghanaian men are really good husbands”.

Anyway, so far I have got the feeling that Ghana is safe country to be and travel at. For example, I have had no issues when traveling somewhere alone. You just must know what you are doing and where you are going, and make sure not to travel (at least not alone) at night-time.