Obruni/Obibini
Ghanaians are very straightforward about race. I was no sooner off the plane in Ghana when I found out that I was an Obruni – a white person or foreign born. Locals are called Obibinis. Even a black American is considered an Obruni. And sometimes a local kid with light skin or someone local who speaks English without too much accent is jokingly called an Obruni or Cocoa Obruni. Walking around any street here, the children and sometimes the adults yell “Hi, Obruni” and sing short Obruni songs. Acknowledging race is a bit taboo in the States, and it would be considered insulting to yell out, “Hi White Man” or “Hi, Black Woman.” But here it is sincerely a friendly gesture.
Wildlife: This lizard, the red head agama, is the animal I’ve seen most over the past weeks, though goats and chickens roaming the streets throughout the cities and countryside come in a close second. In other regions of Ghana, there are monkeys, baboons, elephants, and crocodiles.
Water does not flow freely in Ghana. These holding tanks are common at businesses and larger shared dwellings, but most people store water in vats and giant pots to use sparingly. Municipalities turn on the water supply once or twice a week, and everyone scrambles to fill up tanks and containers before it turns off. This week the water didn’t flow in Eastern Accra on Wednesday (one of the two scheduled days), so many folks ran out of water until Saturday, and hunted around for more fortunate neighbors who had some reserves.
Fishing: I woke up early a few days ago and took a walk down the beach road and caught the fishermen already returning with the morning catch. They venture into the ocean in beautifully painted, hand carved boats.
Trash pickup is not provided by the government. As you can imagine, this creates a surplus of garbage everywhere. The proliferation of plastics over the past decades makes it worse. People try to get rid of trash as best they can by digging holes in their yards, creating their own heaps, and most often by burning. There is a steady stream of smoke throughout the cities, with the aroma of (carcinogenic) burning plastics. Still, I’m pretty amazed the situation isn’t worse than it is. With over two million living in Accra, people are not swimming in garbage because they produce only a tiny fraction of the waste we make in the US. In Chicago, a city of similar size, I’m sure we’d be up to our eyeballs in garbage after less than a couple months of no trash pick-up.
Trenches in cities, suburbs, and the country drain rain water, garbage, sewage and serve to dump liquid material such as human waste and cleaning liquids. Toilets and plumbing are scarce, so they also serve as public restrooms.
American Lottery: Ignore the motorcycle driver and vehicle sign and focus on the giant American flag tent in the background. When I asked Francis about it on our trip to Kpando, he told me it was for the American lottery. I said I didn’t realize you could play the American lottery all over the world. He informed me that this was no million dollar jackpot, but the lottery for a green card to go to the United States. Check the picture more closely and you’ll see Obama and the words “Visa Lottery” covered by the sign. Many Ghanaians dream about traveling to or moving to the United States, but visas are near impossible to come by or completely unaffordable to apply for given current wages. The lottery offers hope, much like my chances of winning the powerball.
Tro-Tros: (Ga for penny-penny,) these are mini buses that serve as commuter vehicles for people to transport themselves and their gear. Most people in Ghana sell some kind of commodity for a living, and the buses will transport people and their products for market on top. I’ve seen fruit, plastic bins, boxes of everything and even goats standing on top at full speed!
Trucks are often stacked high and wide as they deliver supplies throughout the country. This one is carrying giant bags of charcoal.
Schools: In Ghana, very few kids make it beyond some time in elementary school. School is neither mandatory nor free. Sometimes small things like needing a pair of shoes (versus flip flops) can keep a child from going to school. Low wages make it impossible to afford books and supplies necessary and not provided by schools. (Current average income is $500-$1000 US dollars per year, or roughly $10-$20 per week; with purchase power parity, the estimated wages are $3000 per year). Many families also need their children to work in order to survive, and child labor is common. Kids are selling things everywhere, helping families at home, and working the fields in the country. Senior high school is not free or universal, which has become an important issue in the upcoming election.
Class sizes at public schools range from 40-60 kids, and discipline is strict: children are regularly caned. Kids from Aba House explained that students were caned for disobedience and tardies. If a student makes noise during quiet times, sometimes everyone in the class will be caned. If there is a serious infraction, such as fighting, then the entire school will be called to watch the beating. The students were joking about how they reacted during the caning, and described which body parts hurt the most when caned, and showed me some scars.