We have kept each list short on detail knowing that ideally, each point can spark conversation and interesting stories once we arrive home.
Some of the things that we enjoyed most about Ghana
1) people: everyone acknowledges or wants to get to know each other. "Good afternoon" or "you are welcome" are common greetings from strangers.
2) prices: beer is $1.50, taxis are $2.00, internet is pay as you go, and most people have multiple SIM cards on different wireless providers.
3) food (to some extent): purchasing coconuts, mangos, pinapple, etc so easily on the street has been great. We also enjoyed a number local dishes including waakye, red-red, and jolof rice. That said, we are looking forward to a normal eating routine that includes vegetables!
4) ease of purchasing basic staples: there are shops at every corner. You can buy phone credits, fruit, crackers, water and even beer quickly in Ghana. The challenge is that many of the street stalls sell the same things. If you want something "unique" such as jam or cereal you need to find a grocery store which can be a challenge.
5) bargaining: in Ghana the price of many goods and services is not fixed.
6) fun custom clothing: people wear awesome African prints here that many would shy away from at home.
7) consistent early sunrise: It's so easy to get up and get going when the sun rises early.
8) music and dancing (see Adonai by Sarkodie feat. Castro)
9) the work ethic of the entrepreneurs we worked with: they all lead very busy lives but were still driven to grow their businesses.
10) beautiful beaches
Some of the things that we are most looking forward to coming home to
1) friends and family.
2) multiculturalism.
3) clean running water and toilets: we have learned to appreciate a hot shower and a functioning toilet. We never realized how lucky we are in Canada.
4) understanding the local language.
5) produce, especially vegetables.
6) bug free homes: most houses in Ghana do not have windows or doors that are completely sealed which means that it's pretty easy for bugs to get in and make themselves at home.
7) constant, reliable electricity.
8) price disclosure: in Ghana people are often reluctant to disclose the price of goods or services to you, especially if they know you. They want you to decide what you can pay. This is a nice custom if you are a local and understand the approximate market price but it is difficult for us to determine how much we should pay. Following many transactions we were unsure whether we paid too little or too much.
9) credit card society: stores in Ghana only accept cash.
10) a government that has managed our economy well during challenging times.
Some of the most surprising things we learned while in Ghana
1) for the most part Ghanaians do not eat or produce chocolate, regardless of the fact that Ghana is one of the worlds top cocoa producers.
2) Ghanaians barely drink coffee. If they do it's instant coffee. No Starbucks in sight.
3) English is more of a 2nd language. People prefer to communicate in their tribal languages (of which there are too many to count).
4) the seasons are rainy or dry. And it always hot.
5) everyone is dressed well no matter their socio economic status (see custom clothing above).
6) lack of any multiculturalism and frequent surprise from kids that we are white (one kid told Emily that she even felt different).
7) stereotypes about the availability of food and clean drinking water are false, at least in Ghana. Inexpensive food and water sachets are everywhere, but variety is lacking.
8) ability to access internet:getting a SIM card is easy and credits are cheap and available everywhere.
9) roads: there is a mixture of beautifully paved roads and dirt roads that most cars at home would never attempt.
10)Ghanaians are afraid of water. Very few people go in the ocean despite it being in their backyard.
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