5 Things I Absolutely Love About Ghana

Overlooking the shore of the Gulf of Guinea

During my trip to Ghana, I shared a glimpse into some of the raw emotions that I experienced throughout the trip. Today, I want to share five things I absolutely love about Ghana because, if I am honest, I miss it terribly. Ghana is an incredible country, alive with wonder. From a Western perspective, some things seem almost humorous, like the fact that most establishments are named something along the lines of “Holy Spirit Coconuts” or “Jesus is Lord Haircuts and More.” Everywhere I went, I always saw people smiling. It is as if there is this spirit of joy that ebbs and flows through the country’s veins like the Volta River. If you ever get the chance to go to Ghana, I am sure you won’t want to leave either.

Community Spirit

If you are from the U.S., you probably have heard members of various communities referring to themselves as brothers and sisters. For example, in the Christian faith, we believe that we are God’s children. Therefore, through Christ, we are brothers and sisters. Now, imagine that everywhere you go, everyone is your brother or your sister or your auntie or your mama. Yes, you read that right. Akwaaba to Ghana! (The word “akwaaba” is from the Akan dialect, and it means “welcome.”)

In Ghana, everyone refers to each other as brother or sister. Older women are referred to as aunties and mothers. Even cousins call each other brother and sister. Everyone is family, and everyone helps one another. One memory that comes to mind is when we saw a group of men pushing a car on the road. We stopped to help them, or I should say, Tony and our driver, Patrick, stopped to help. They all said that you wouldn’t see Ghanaians helping other Ghanaians the way the Obroni (white men) do. However, I disagree. I saw women in the market helping one another sell their goods, and I saw young boys run to the aid of older men carrying heavy loads. No, in Ghana, there is this sense that everyone is interdependent. I love Ghana for its community spirit.

Rich History

My first day in Ghana was spent in Accra. Before doing anything else, we visited the Kwame Nkrumah Museum. Kwame Nkrumah is the founding father of Ghana. We invited our driver, Thomas, into the museum with us. It was incredible seeing the way that Thomas responded to seeing the history of his country come alive. It made me wonder how my fellow Americans would respond to a museum that housed George Washington’s desk or Abraham Lincoln’s coat.

I was also fascinated to learn about how Ghanaians reached their independence. Kwame Nkrumah is celebrated for his pursuit of unity, not only across Ghana but throughout all of Africa. This man lived and died fighting for peace. I hope to leave that sort of legacy, too. Perhaps we could all learn a little more about unity from Kwame Nkrumah.

Beauty

No matter where I went in Ghana, everything was beautiful. The landscape is breathtaking--there are palm trees, trees I’ve never even imagined, and mountains. I caught a glimpse of the river Volta on my way into Juapong one evening, and I was stunned by the sheer size of it. The following day, I couldn’t help but gaze in wonder as we crossed the Adomi Bridge. I could see fishermen casting their nets into the river outside my right window, and to my left, there was an island that looks as though it was created to be explored. The Volta region was by far my favorite place to be.

The land is not the only treasure to behold in Ghana. The architectural design of the city is aesthetically pleasing, with ivory cement buildings juxtaposed by glimmering glass ones. Whether you are strolling through the markets or you are enjoying a delicious plate of jollof rice, you will see people dressed in every color of the rainbow. My sweet boyfriend always teases me for generalizing, but I didn’t go to a single restaurant where the food wasn’t presented beautifully. Everything is stunning. If you go to Ghana for nothing else, go to taste the beauty…and the fufu. (I don’t think there is a single Ghanaian who will let you get away with leaving Ghana having missed to opportunity to eat some fufu.)

Slow-Living

In the study of communications, there is a term that refers to the way people across cultures view time called chronemics. In Ghana, people seem to have a pretty relaxed view of time. Of course, there can be negative aspects to this, but it was honestly so refreshing to walk around town and not feel as though everyone is rushing from one thing to the next.

This is perhaps the biggest difference I have noticed between my home in the U.S. and my experience in Ghana. Since being home, I’ve noticed that stress is etched onto so many faces around me, including my own. It seems that here in the U.S., we have all forgotten how to breathe. In Ghana, though, it seems as though people don’t sweat the small stuff.

The first time the relaxed nature of Ghanaian culture became clear was my second Sunday in Ghana. My first Sunday was spent traveling from Accra to a suburb on the outskirts of the Greater Accra Region. This made it difficult to fully experience how Sundays in Ghana unfold. I am convinced that the entire country takes Sundays off to rest. There are fewer street vendors stopping by your window while you drive, and there are almost no vendors or markets open on Sundays. Ghanaians follow the natural rhythms of work and play and rest in a way that I hope to adopt.

Vibrant, Lively People

Ghanaians are very expressive. I say this at the risk of generalizing and potentially promoting a stereotype. In my experience, though, the people I met in Ghana were very expressive. I recall a time when I was in a taxi, and my boyfriend made a joke. In response, our driver did not just laugh, but he squealed in delight. I have never heard someone express such joy, especially in response to a joke to which I only lightly chuckled. (No offense to my boyfriend; I think he is hilarious, I promise!)

I also saw the expressive nature of Ghanaians at the markets and the Accra Art Center. Store clerks would call out, “Come in to see my shop!” If I expressed any element of interest in something, they responded with twice the enthusiasm. “This skirt would look amazing on you!” “You will love this mask! It has special meaning!” “I can’t let you leave until you’ve looked at my paintings!” I miss that expressiveness, and I think it’s needed, especially in such turbulent times as these. If I learned one thing from Ghanaians, it’s that life is always worth celebrating, even in the ordinary days.