ghanaian hospitality

for me these types of days don't happen all that often, because i absolutely love the challenge that comes with learning the rhythm to a new place, but by mid-day today, i had that "off" feeling of homesickness. i think it was the thud i heard from the tro tro on my way home from the university, which turned out to be a man. everyone was yelling in twi and his face was covered in blood. i really, really wished i could understand what was going on beyond the obvious fact he had been hit...i am kind of used to feeling out of the loop and normally it really doesn't bother me, but there are days and instances when you really just want to know and today was one of them.

i didn't get to see what happened to the injured man as we only stopped about 30 seconds, but he was surrounded by ghanaians, which means he surely was being taken care of.

i am not entirely confident that it comes off in my blog how ghanaian culture is truly hospitable and friendly. i can't count the number of times, a ghanaian i have just met walked several blocks out of their way to get me where i need to be, demanded a refund for me when the tro tro mate has charged too much, bought me drinking water or some other treat, or tried to give me one of their personal belongings...i used to try to fight it, but this morning when the man next to me in the tro tro informed me that he had already paid my fare, i just thanked him and wished him a nice day. i have yet to be afraid of getting lost, because although i have been a bit disoriented a time or two, every single time, i was able to find my way due to the kind directions of a local. i do realize some of the "giving" i mentioned above may have to do with me being a foreigner visiting their country. but i find giving without expecting a return quite common in ghanaian culture and honestly quite remarkable.

speaking of giving, i went to see Dr. Robert at the University, the cousin of a childhood soccer teammate. he has taken such great care of me, and he had kindly agreed "endorse" my research so that I can use the "public" resource library at the CDD despite the fact that he has nothing to do with my project at all.

after i picked up my support letter from dr. robert, i met with another professor in hopes of getting some contacts for my research. this professor is a pretty important guy in ghana or so i have been told, i mean he is the official linguist to the ashanti king after all. he also happens to be head of the african studies department at harvard, his home university, and he appears to be a total badass (sorry mom, but its true). i was early for my appointment with him (ahem by an hour) and he was late by about an hour and a half, which meant i waited around for about two and half hours thinking of what i should be doing...thankfully i brought lots of reading along to entertain myself, but this waiting-thing that i am learning to be pretty good at, is really quite tiring. in the end i really hope it was worth it, and that the impromptu meeting in his mini van, on the lawn of the law school, and the walk in between the two will lead to some new contacts.

although this very busy professor knows a whole lot of people, he kindly reminded me just how hard it is to get people to talk to you, but he said he would ask some favors...which is truly ghanaian of him.

tomorrow i head to cape coast (following in the footsteps of the obamas). i am going to visit one of the main castles through which the atlantic slave trade was funneled, be a beach bum, stop by elmina (the home town of the communist party candidate) and hopefully see mole national park as well. i am also finally going to meet ms. liz's friend, john, who has been traveling around Africa all summer. i can hardly wait to have a beach buddy, share a beer and hear all about his undoubtedly crazy adventures.