If I Were Born Ghanaian

I would:

1) Be totally obsessed with my hair. It would be such a hassle to maintain, so I'd either wear a wig for obviously practical reasons, or visit the hairdresser's every coupla weeks.

2) Take the expansive African sky for granted. Which is too bad because it’s my latest obsession right now. It makes you feel so small, which ironically in turn makes you feel so alive just knowing you’re part of a world that stretches far beyond you. And at night? It’s heavenly, especially when the clouds move over to let the moon light your path, with no streetlight in view. I've never enjoyed my iphone Starwalk app as much as I have over here. Brings to mind the starry night scene in The Lion King musical.

3) Be able to walk around without wearing a "look at me" sign plastered on every inch of my body. Currently, I glow in the dark, even during the DAY. Which is why I can be visible practically a mile away. Being completely surrounded by Africans in the village, it was only when I visited Accra this weekend and saw other foreigners like me that I realized how brightly "colored" I must look. I actually laughed out loud at the seemingly bizarre sight of 2 Chinese men.

Carted myself off to Accra in a tro tro, sardine-can-style.
Loved the people I met, very friendly.

4) Struggle to find THE one. At 25, it does seem like the average age I’d be looking into marriage. But whatever religion you follow here (Christian/Muslim/Traditional African), it's common practice for the men to have several wives. Of course, it would be difficult for me to accept being 2^nd best, so… it would be reasonable to assume my love life would be complicated.

5) Put your dancing talents to shame! And just like everyone else, I'd be obsessed with this song at the moment, replaying it endlessly, and practicing every move studiously.

6) Rarely use any cutlery, and only my right hand to eat. It’s a matter of habit. And requires, for obvious reasons, a thorough cleansing ritual before and after.

Accra market kids I befriended, enjoying Banku and coke

7) Wear a jacket even in 35 degree weather. Though I still have not figured out how this could be physically possible to endure, whether born here or not! But it would be THE fashion statement I guess, for some unfathomable reason.

This is me dehydrating to death - couldn't IMAGINE wearing a jacket!

8) Not be too fond of the Lebanese. "Where you from?" is my most dreaded question believe it or not. Apparently, the Lebanese here have imported, along with their immigration status, all the bad our country has to offer. In a very Nadine Labaki “And now, where to?” kinda way, they decided to faction off their friends here and split their resources to flock together with birds of same feather. And if they can’t respect each other, and run very big MAJOR businesses that employ Ghanaians, then how can one expect the Lebanese to be respected by locals here? Too sad.

9) Thoroughly enjoy the fresh coconut.

You were right - this one went out to you samsammer :)

Coco nutty behavior

10) Regard hierarchy with the utmost respect. A little too much actually, if you ask me. So it’s no wonder that as soon as a child gets the first chance to exercise power on someone his junior, he will be bossing him around just for the sake of it. Grown opinionated adults are reduced to mutes just because they are in the presence of an elder or superior. Whatever happened to having personality and having something to say? And why is it that people respect others blindly? Old or young, I think those that deserve to be respected are those that inspire respect and not just command it. But hey, that's just me being opinionated.