We woke up this morning at around 8am and after a delicious breakfast, we had an orientation with Leslie and Dr. Michael Williams. Most of it was stuff we already knew and stuff I was prepared for - take your malaria pills, don't hang out in isolated places alone, start low when you're bargaining for goods - but nothing could have readied me for the touchy-ness. Now, I'm generally okay with being close to other people, even strangers. Handshakes are fine. Hugs are a little awkward, but also fine if we've spent some time together. But in Ghana, there seems to be almost no concept of a personal space bubble.
As soon as we got off the bus at the market, about five vendors came up to our group and were ushering us towards their shops. It was almost like sheep dogs herding sheep into pens. It was very different than being at an American mall, probably because employees there are going to be paid whether or not you go into the store, so they don't really care whether you stop by or not - for Ghanaians, this is their livelihood so they'll do anything to get you into the stall. I didn't have this experience myself, but I know a few member of the groups were guided into the stores by their arm, not aggressively, but definitely insistently.
I also bargained for the first time in my life which is something I thought would be way more uncomfortable than it actually was. I know I was probably ripped off but I'm still pretty proud that I stood my ground on what I was willing to pay and I paid what I thought was fair based on what I would have paid in the US. If I was Ghanaian I'm sure I would have gotten a better deal but there's nothing I can do about being a white American.
I got my Ghana World Cup jersey for 25 cedis, which is about $8 in US dollars. It was more than Leslie said we should pay but I really liked it and it fit perfectly so I was okay with it. I also bought a Mancala board for 40 cedis ($13) which I know I probably paid too much for but I was tired of negotiating and I wanted it.
I thought I was going to feel bad paying so little in US dollars for things at the market but I don't. The vendors basically do whatever to get you to buy, including lie (a lot of people were told that the jerseys they were looking at were the ones Ghana was going to be wearing tonight) and bother you until you give in. They won't sell for a price that's really too low but since they regulate their own prices, you never know if you're getting a good deal and you're probably not. At least, I'm not yet. I'm sure I'll start to figure out what's fair and not fair but I also know I'm going to be subject to the "obroni tax," meaning I'll get a worse deal than a local would.
After we were done at the market we went to a restaurant/bar called "The Living Room." It was one of the coolest restaurants I've ever been to and I'm sure we'll be eating there a lot. It was all outside, there were quite a few trees for shade and there was a huge piece of canvas tied between two palm trees that was used as a projection screen.
For dinner, I had fufu in "light soup." I'm not really sure how to describe fufu other than weird. It's a kind of doughy ball made from cassava and plantains and it was served floating in the soup. One of the people who tried it described it as "spicy Spaghetti-Os" but since I've never had Spaghetti-Os, I can't confirm that.
The Ghana vs. Germany game started at 7, so a few of the other people in the group and I went and sat up by the projector screen in the middle of the Ghanaian crowd. I have never been more into a soccer game in my life. When Ghana scored the first goal, everyone went wild, jumping around, giving hugs and handshakes (Ghanaians have this special handshake that I tried to learn where you shake hands, then slide your hands away and when it reaches your last finger and thumb, you release in a snap) but that was nothing compared to the second goal that put Ghana ahead 2-1. I think I got the longest stranger hug of my life. It was a little uncomfortable because the only people I'm used to hugging that long are my family and my fiance, but I know it's something I'm going to have to get over.
Right now it's 10:30 and night and I'm happy to report that it feels like 10:30. I think/hope that means I'm adjusting to the time difference pretty well, but I know the struggle is really going to kick in once our internships begin in a little over a week. Until then, I'm going to enjoy being a tourist.
Good night!
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