lesson learned and pictures because my mom doesn't like to read.

The other day I realized the importance of greeting in Ghana. So when you first come to Ghana our trainers would emphasize how important it is to greet others (including random strangers), because it is like you are acknowledging their presence. So when I first came, I would do it because… well, I was new and I wanted to make sure that I made friends in my community. But after a while, greeting every person you walk pass got pretty tiresome… so then I would just try to avoid contact or seem like I was in a hurry. (but seriously, who is ever in a hurry in Ghana?! There is no where to hurry to, nothing to hurry for) Even when you do these things, people will stop you and be like, “oh, why won’t you greet me?!” so then you have to back track, and greet them. So for the most part, I just greet everyone while I am walking to stop them from thinking I’m some rude small girl who won’t greet them. Yes, people actually call me small girl here, they’ll be like “small girl, come here.”

So also here, people tend to call out to you, in the streets while you are walking. They’ll either hiss, make a kissing noise, yell obroni, call you sweetie, or whatever else to get your attention. Most times its males, (who probably want to get my attention so they can tell me that they want to marry me… which by the way, if I had a dime for all the times I’ve been asked I would still have more money than if I had bet a million dollars in vegas on hard six and won.) (so its females as well, but they usually aren't as annoying as the males), so I just ignore them like I’m a deaf girl and continue on my journey. Anyways, the point of my story is… as I was walking to my tro tro station a boy called out to me and wanted me to talk to him, I kind of just waved and tried to board my tro. Then his friend grabbed my arm and was like, my friend wants to talk to you, why won’t you greet him. So I gave in, and went over to the boy. I greeted him, exchanged a few words and then went back to board the tro. Then the tro tried to leave the station, but the tro kind of died, so we all needed to get out and board another tro.

***By the way, chaos is how I would explain my tro tro station. If I get there at the wrong time, I wait like what seems like hours in the sun, in a line (which doesn’t even matter because once the car comes people from the back of the line run to the tro and try to get on), and then somehow still have to fight my way onto the tro. Most times, I just try to fight a little and then give up… I’m not nearly as big as those Ghanaians that I’m up against. Then, I continue to wait again, hoping that one will come soon. Sometimes when I’m lucky, there will be a Ghanaian that will help me fight my way on… sometimes I feel bad because they will be small boys waiting in line and don’t have a chance of fighting so end up waiting for the next tro.

So as people are getting off the tro, the ones that are still in line start running to the new tro, while the ones getting off are running as well to get their place in the tro. I was in the back seat of the tro, last person to get out, so I kind of ran a bit, but knew that my efforts were useless and I was going to have to wait again. But thankfully, since I greeted the boy, who turned out to be the driver, his mate saved me the front seat! He was kind of like, see, good thing you greeted me… ha, and lesson learned, greet everyone, including the annoying males.

so here is a picture of how some people get their water... from bore holes. i get my water for a well or from the rain, so i hope it rains hard soon! the man pumping is the assemblyman... i think he really likes pumping because one day we were talking and he was telling me how people don't let him pump water because hes an assemblyman. so even if he tried, they would push him away and pump it for him. they call him honorable. hehe. but hes a hardworking man... very respected, for good reason.

shaaabammmm, shaaabammmm! look at those awesome signs... hard ass work to put them up, but they look so niiiice!

yesss, ntonso is so sophisticated with waste bins!! haha. 

my neighbor's town deals with kente and they just had a visitor centre built, so they had a grand opening celebration.  here is some queen mother lady getting down!

the queen mother of the ashanti region... and her entourage!  i think it must be pretty nice to be held like that.  

check out all that blingggg!!! 

thought this was pretty damn cool... they kids here amaze me with the toys that they come up with... so i don't know if you can tell, but the boy tied a flying bug to his string and was flying it around... it was pretty damn awesome.

here it is up close and personal... pretty awesome huh. yep, kids here are creative with what they got!

***just kidding mom, i know you love to read. (: and those kids aren't really ugly... it was joke, i think they are adorable, especially the small girl!

Twi Word of The Day: kyea me. (greet me)

shoutout: to my awesome brother! not telling which one... oooooh the mystery. ha. so excited... its better than a chanel bag... or a burberry cookie!!  and to my other awesome brother, for just being amazing. (: