I've been here for about 8 weeks or so, but something I'm still adjusting to is the pace of Ghanaian life and...
Case in point:
Exhibit A - I have a presentation on Thursday for Management of NGOs class. My group was supposed to meet yesterday (Monday) to iron out the details of the presentation. Yet I was the only one who made it to the meeting. I didn't need to take that crap from those future bureaucrats, so I'll let them take care of it.
Exhibit B - Today I was supposed to have my big meeting with a fellow at Third World Network Africa, an NGO that deals with issues like trade policy, gender issues and the environment. This excites the development student in me greatly. Unfortunately the contact that I spoke with 10 days ago to book the meeting for today is apparently on vacation for the entire week! Brilliant. I only cut two classes and walked for over a 1/2 hour both ways to see him. So what did I do about it? Shrugged my shoulders and made a note to come back next week.
Exhibit C - Later today I went to Holy Gardens near Kwame Nkrumah Circle to see a large rally for Ghanaian peasant farmers (more explained in the next post). It was supposed to start at 2pm and I got there early. The place was literally empty and I kept making calls to Joe and Ken the activists to find out where the hell the rally was. I walked around for over an hour making conversation with some interesting individuals and freaking out. Then a bit after 3, suddenly a giant convoy of cyclists, busloads of students and a truck with a brass band in the bed roll onto the field! Suddenly it was a party in less than 5 minutes and everyone was going nuts.
The moral of the story? Relax, Ghanaians have their own pace of life. Maleaha says it's the same in Trinidad. Frankly, with this lax and carefree attitude, I can see why Ghana is behind the developed world!
...but maybe it's not my place to say. At least they seem to enjoy it!
4 comments:
Note to Mike:
Make it a point to never show up early for the next 6 months. Unless of course it is for a plane or tro-tro. Strive to arrive barely on time...
Love,
Y.M.
Hey babe, I’m proud of you that your getting involved in different NGO's and really getting in there.. I’m sorry about the lack of organization, but if it's any consolation, it happens to me all the time here at CUSO... so perhaps it's and NGO thang???
But I agree with Y.M, don’t arrive early for anything until your back in Canada (cuz you know I’ll beat your ass if you miss a bus!)
-Maleaha
P.S..
my dad likes the pic of you riding in the 'Lion of Judah'.. he says when you come back you can ride front seat in his 'Tiger of Trenton'
-Maleaha
Mom - will do, totally. I always try and do my errands before dark (before obvious reasons), but I've taken to bringing along a book just in case I have to wait for something.
Maleaha - we should totally make your dad's van a tro-tro/maxi-taxi and take it to Ottawa. I could be the driver, and you could be the "mate", who collects the fares and hangs out the window yelling "Carleton! Carleton!"
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