the pangs of research

i am learning rather quickly that conducting research can certainly be humbling...yesterday was supposed to be a "big" day of interviews. first on the agenda, a trip to the university of ghana to meet with an "important" professor of political science. second stop to the center for democratic development to work my way into the offices of a few prominent scholars of ghanaian democracy...

well, i made it to both places, but didn't manage to talk to anyone. i waited for the professor for over two hours. i was really hoping the rain, rather than his pure disinterest, had kept him from keeping his appointment with me. after two hours, i got impatient and left him a note, which i know he will probably never read before heading over to the cdd.

at the cdd, i was faced with a rather unexpected obstacle: the receptionist, ramona. this stubborn young lady seemed to pick up on my desperation after my morning stand up and she attempted to capitalize on it. thankfully, a former intern was hanging around the lobby and managed to get me a little bit of information on the center despite ramona's not so subtle hints that the only way anyone at the center could "make time to see me" would be if i could provide some sort of "financial compensation." oh, bribery. i should be used to it considering my time in argentina, but this was more blatant than i ever experienced in buenos aires. and worse, it was coming from a center that is supposed to be "enhancing the democratic values and transparency" in ghana. i mean, i have come to expect it from government officials (particularly those affiliated with migration/customs work), but from the center for democratic development not so much.

turns out if i am able to find a UG professor to write me a letter and i pay an undetermined fee, i will have access to their one-room library for the next 3 months. i guess this is what i will do, not because i need to use the library, but to give myself the informal opportunity to ask a few staff members some questions.

after the bust of a day, i headed to a forum on US-Ghana relations: past, present and future. i actually learned a thing or two from the three key speakers (including the former candidate for president from the communist party), but most of the jokes were told in twi and we found ourselves confused, while the people around us reached hysterics. the key messages (aside from recognizing the important people who had come to the event) were that the relationship between the two countries could definitely be mutually beneficial, but for this to happen, the US had to stop giving hand outs as development aid and ghana needs to stop accepting them, aid should focus on agricultural development in the country, and ultimately the US should let africans decide for themselves how they would like to work together. interesting stuff, but nothing too earth shattering really.

after the forum we went to alliance frances (sorry about the spelling for all of you french speakers) for what the guide book said was a "cultural night." there was supposed to be food and drumming. we did find food, but drumming was a myth. there was a nice bar, full of other culture-seeking americans as well. we are learning over and over that the last edition of the Bradt Guidebook on Ghana has yet to really be right about much beyond the name and location of things...when it comes to music and other activities it mentions, none of them seem to exist. i guess we are really on our own to discover ghana, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

i know it is only thursday, but after the frustrating day yesterday, i am taking today off. i plan to spend some time at the markets in accra and maybe finally head to an art exhibit i have been eyeing up at the artist alliance building. but then again you never really know what a day will bring in ghana until the day has passed so we shall see.