All I could really say that has happened lately is the usual. Well, for Ghanaian life, that is. If I leave my house, it is a shock not to be asked why I am not married, if I have children, if I will marry them, sleep with them, and/or give them money. I still have not been introduced to the community or chief (not from a lack of trying, Peace Corps, trust me). Therefore, I feel I do not know my community as well. They still have not fixed my latrine (again, not from a lack of trying) and the children sure do love to sit out there and watch me use it. I have, on the other hand, taken over the garden. This entire compound is mine, and I need to get in that mindset. The room in the back: empty, but you cannot use it. The water: all mine (I have to pay for it, if you want it, you pay me to use it-ahead of time). Just some things I have had to learn (but still have not applied in the real life situation).
It’s a struggle. Everything here. Not just for foreigners. Especially not just for foreigners. The women, for example, wake up at 4:00 am to sweep. While they are sweeping, they prepare breakfast (usually porridge, but you have to watch it or it will burn). After that, they either go to farm, fetch water, do laundry, prepare lunch, and/or other distings (etc.). Basically, whatever needs to be done around the house or to get extra money. Raise the children, which is very difficult to do well when you have one and a half babies (yes, I understand that does not make much sense) a year. I already discussed what labor is like here, I do not think I need to readdress the amazing ability to have a baby and within the hour walk home (probably an hour away-if they are lucky) to start preparing dinner (with their six pack abs back in place) for their four or five other children. The men I do not have such a clear picture to draw. For the most part (in the north) they are expected to marry (many, if they are Muslim), have children, and go to farm to receive money. That is all I can really gather about the men of the community.
The children most likely have it the hardest. At least I think so. Although their parents do not discipline them (they have no respect for anyone who does not beat them- ex post facto: me), I find it a shame that they are not given the attention they need. Having another child before the first one is old enough to walk is challenging on the family, and, therefore, the community suffers. The government is trying to regulate it by educating them on birth control (family planning). For the most part, the men will not hear about it- they think it is an excuse for the woman to cheat on them and do not agree with it.
Back to the children. The girls wake up and help the mom with the morning routines. If they are lucky, they get to go to school. Most days, they will end up running the family chop (food) shop for the women (who go to farm). The boys will be the ones the families will most likely send to school. If the children are lucky, there are only a few of them, and they are all able to go to school (which is mostly never the case). Instead, the family could usually afford to send two or three out of five or six children. They have to pay for the schooling, pay for uniform (which, if it is not in neat order, the children get beat), pay for food, and loose the money that they would have earned sending them to work.
From what I gather, there are three different schools (like the U.S.). Primary is like elementary school. They learn all subjects (including ICT- without a computer- could you imagine?!). If they pass the test (which I heard was impossible at every level) after P6 (like fifth grade, I guess), they could continue on to junior secondary school (middle school/junior high). Here, they learn English pretty well (Primary: not so much). I could communicate with the secondary school students pretty well. After that, if they pass the test, they could continue on to senior secondary school (high school). That is, if they pass and their family could afford to send them. Did I mention that you could be fifteen and still be in primary school? Yeah. You could retake the test every year (again, if you could afford it) and move up slowly, but you would have to repeat that year of school. Also, some of the students are smart, but have to take a semester or year off to be able to afford to return to school.
If you are smart and lucky, you will go on to community college, polytechnic, or university. Again, the family is obligated to pay for your education, but there is something (which I still have not fully understood, sorry) where you could have the government pay for some and are contracted (kind of like the military in the U.S.) to work for them for two years. I think. Either that, or if you go to college, you MUST work for the government for two years. I have not figured that out completely, but I know that all the nurses and teachers are required to go where the government tells them to.
The military, I have found, is impossible to join. Evidently, the application is expensive, the interview is impossible, and the medical exam is intense. Even sons whose fathers are in the military have a difficult time getting in. When you are in, I heard, it is a great opportunity. Most likely, you get to travel, and you are housed, etc. (like the U.S.).
So here is some insight into some of the northern (it is different everywhere) Ghanaian life according to me. Do not expect the teachers to show up every day (they are already paid, why do they have to show up?). If it is raining, do not expect school to be in or anyone to leave their house. If someone is ill (which is common with Malaria prevalent and diet lacking in nutrients
If your community is lucky and in favor of whoever is in power, you have electricity (hence the reason my po-dunk town two kilometers off the main road has electricity but a town on the main road does not). Water is scarce. You are lucky if there are bore holes (which is nonexistent in the north). If there are no bore holes, you are very very luck to be near a water source (river). My town is near a dam (probably two or three kilometers- not so near when you have to carry 20 lbs of it every two or three days on your head). I, on the other hand, have a rain catchment system. Great now, but what about the dry season? Evidently I will have to pay to have water brought in, since the dam water is not sanitary for Americans (meaning they use it as a bathroom among other things and there are parasites such as giardia and guinea worm). No thank you! I mean, my stomach is strong, but I do not think I would handle things like that too well!
Speaking of stomach, I do not think I have talked much about the diet here. Starch, starch, and let me think… starch. Yeah. I know, you were expecting that. I am lucky to get protein daily (I eat peanut butter- thanks family!) and eggs (if I am lucky to get them home without breaking all of them). If I eat with the locals, I get fish- bones, head, and all! Appetizing, right? For breakfast, I usually have an egg (again, not so usual, since it is impossible to transport) and some peanut butter or bread and peanut butter or honey. I also drink some milo (some sort of version of hot chocolate- yes hot). It is pretty delicious. Ghanaians, as I mentioned earlier, tend to have porridge (which I have yet to try) or some sort of doughnut substance they call bulfruit (spelling? It does not have fruit in it) that is AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS! Also, some places, mostly in the south, you could get egg sandwiches. The most delicious little morsels I have ever had: egg, onion, cabbage, carrots, peppers, bread. Who could ask for anything better?! Lunch, I have found Ghanaians to either skip or have some rice and stew. Light and quick. Dinner (or supper) is heavier. Fufu, bangku, tizet. They are all some sort of yeasty ball like substance. Actually more delectable than it sounds (depending on the stew or soup it is served with). Me, I prefer Okra stew. Okra, tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger. Yum! Other people really appreciate the ground nut soup- ground nut paste (kind of like peanut butter) made into a soup. Meh, not my favorite. I do, however, love bangku (which is like a sour dough ball of goodness) with okra stew (slimy, spicy, deliciousness). If I had to choose, that would be my dish every night.
Well, that is possibly a lie. I have pushed out of my memory my favorite dish from the south. Red Red. Fried plantains (yeah, very unhealthy) and beans in a red sauce. MOUTH-WATERING! It is impossible to find here in the north. How upsetting. But, luckily, the produce is fresh and the prices are relatively cheap. It will be better when I get a fridge (yes, I am going to be living the high life- the only fridge in my community). If only my rice cooker did not stop working (do not get me started on the coal pot subject- freaking impossible thing has gotten the better of me yet again). Looks like it will be bread and laughing cow the rest of the week.
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