Obaa skul ye Ghana shi New York ni ojee. Ba ni oba hea nii ye bee.
Pronounced: Oh-bah-skool-yay-Ghana-chi-New York-nee-oh-jeh. Bah-nee-oh-bah-hee-nee-yee-bee-eh.
Means: I am an exchange student in Ghana from New York. Come and buy things from my shop.
Doris is the new sales girl. She taught me how to speak Ga, one of two local languages. But don't kid yourself, I am not an expert. And yes, I do get funny looks when I ask "Mi ni obaa hea?" which means, "What are you buying?" It makes for a good laugh. And with luck, a good sale. And with time, a good friend.
Shack Life: Fun. And educational.
So why am I spending hours a day working at a shack? No, I am not getting paid. No, I am not getting extra credit. And no, there are not several small monkeys running around the shack who play with us and serve crepes and nutella.
Too random?
The reason is because there is no reason not to. I get to wear an apron, meet the regulars, pop open a few Cokes, have some laughs, help out a local family. And because of three letters we call T.I.A. This Is Africa. So dive right in. But don't forget your Malaria pills.
In Ghana, there is a fabulous series of pocket sized children books that exist for the purpose of providing children with good moral education. One is titled, "Play It Cool, I'm a Virgin." Another is called "I turned My Wife Into A Snake and Sold Her For Money." And yet another is titled, "Doctor Please Kill My Baby." Moral of the baby-killing Story: If you have sex without a condom, your baby will have the soul of your sinful ancestor who has come back to haunt you. Please kids, just wear condoms.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
"My name is Adjua," I said as I shook someone's hand. The shack uproared with hearty Ghanaian laughter.
"Ah...you were born on a Monday!" he said. "They have taught you well."
Children in Ghana are named after the day of the week on which they were born. Adjua, meaning Monday, is my new Ghanaian name.
Yesterday's game of Scrabble taught me a great deal about the shack.
Scrabble Game Rules (abridged version):
"1. All the letter tiles are turned face downwards or kept in a bag. To decide who will start the game, each player picks out one tile and the person drawing the letter nearest to ‘A’ plays first.
2. Each player picks seven tiles and places them on a ready-made rack, where only that player can see them.
3.The first player puts the letters on the board to make a word, either ‘across’ or ‘down’ (as in a crossword), with one letter of the word on a central square. The score is recorded, including any double or triple allowance for tiles placed on premium squares...
4. A bonus of 50 points is awarded to any player who uses all seven tiles in one move.
5. The first player picks out from the unused tiles the same number of tiles as was used to make the word...
6. The next player has to add another word, joining or interlocking with the word on the board...
7. All new words must use at least one of the letters that is already on the board.
8. Players score for any word made or changed by their moves – but premium bonuses apply only the first time that letters are played.
9. Instead of laying down a word, any player can exchange any number of tiles from their rack for new tiles from the ‘bank’...
10. The game ends when all the tiles have been used and one player has laid down all his or her tiles, or nobody can think of new words to place on the board...
11. The winner is the player with the highest score.
Variations:
There are several variations of Scrabble. Double-Bag Scrabble divides the tiles into two separate bags: one for vowels, the other for the consonants. Scrabble for Juniors is a boxed game using a two-sided board: on one side, children can play a normal game of Scrabble except that there only 13 by 13 squares and the scoring is simplified; on the other side, young children have to place letter tiles on words already printed on the board. Solitaire Scrabble is for one player only. Unscrabble (or Scrabble in Reverse) involves removing letters from the board: players remove between one and six tiles from the board at each move, but the letters they leave must spell proper words interlocked with one another. This game ends when nobody can remove any more tiles from the board, and the winner is the player whose stock of removed tiles makes the highest score." (Source: http://www.askoxford.com/wordgames/scrabble/scrabblerules/?view=uk)
Shack Life Rules
1. All the customers at the shack come between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. The first customer depends on who approaches the shack earliest in the morning. The customer closest to 7:30 a.m. is first.
2. Each customer buys one of seven things: soda, water, beer, juice, buiscuits, crackers, or a phone card.
3. The first customer buys from either Doris or myself. The purchase is recorded in a notebook, including any multiple purchases.
4. A high five is given to any customer who buys all seven items because they are promoting privately owned businesses, which account for approximately 80 percent of Ghana's economy, according to Daniel Tetteh of Ashesi University.
5. The sales girl refills the refrigerator or shelf with the same thing the customer just purchased.
6. The next customer has to buy another item, continuing the sales for the day.
7. All new customers must buy something that has already been purchased by previous customers.
8. Customers pay for any item they choose -- but discounts only apply on occassion.
9. Instead of making a purchase, any customer can sit in the shack and read the newspaper.
10. The day ends when it is time to close, or when it is too dark to see inside the shack because of loss of power.
11. The winner is the customer who leaves happiest.
Variations:
There are several variations of Shack Life. Double Shack Life divides the work load into two different shops. This means the owner has two or more shops. Shack Life for Juniors is an illegal practice, but remains common in Ghana, according to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU). Solitaire Shack Life is for one owner only. UnShack Life (selling or ending shack business) involves taking everything out of the shack, but leaving the structure of the shack in good condition. This game ends when nobody can take anything else from the shack, or when nothing else can be sold. The winner is the buyer whose collection of goods was purchased for the lowest price.
Stealing is unacceptable. Corruption has been steadily increasing in Ghana since 1996, according to Tetteh. Income levels have forced people to engage in acts of corruption on both political and economic levels.
"Ah...you were born on a Monday!" he said. "They have taught you well."
Children in Ghana are named after the day of the week on which they were born. Adjua, meaning Monday, is my new Ghanaian name.
Yesterday's game of Scrabble taught me a great deal about the shack.
Scrabble Game Rules (abridged version):
"1. All the letter tiles are turned face downwards or kept in a bag. To decide who will start the game, each player picks out one tile and the person drawing the letter nearest to ‘A’ plays first.
2. Each player picks seven tiles and places them on a ready-made rack, where only that player can see them.
3.The first player puts the letters on the board to make a word, either ‘across’ or ‘down’ (as in a crossword), with one letter of the word on a central square. The score is recorded, including any double or triple allowance for tiles placed on premium squares...
4. A bonus of 50 points is awarded to any player who uses all seven tiles in one move.
5. The first player picks out from the unused tiles the same number of tiles as was used to make the word...
6. The next player has to add another word, joining or interlocking with the word on the board...
7. All new words must use at least one of the letters that is already on the board.
8. Players score for any word made or changed by their moves – but premium bonuses apply only the first time that letters are played.
9. Instead of laying down a word, any player can exchange any number of tiles from their rack for new tiles from the ‘bank’...
10. The game ends when all the tiles have been used and one player has laid down all his or her tiles, or nobody can think of new words to place on the board...
11. The winner is the player with the highest score.
Variations:
There are several variations of Scrabble. Double-Bag Scrabble divides the tiles into two separate bags: one for vowels, the other for the consonants. Scrabble for Juniors is a boxed game using a two-sided board: on one side, children can play a normal game of Scrabble except that there only 13 by 13 squares and the scoring is simplified; on the other side, young children have to place letter tiles on words already printed on the board. Solitaire Scrabble is for one player only. Unscrabble (or Scrabble in Reverse) involves removing letters from the board: players remove between one and six tiles from the board at each move, but the letters they leave must spell proper words interlocked with one another. This game ends when nobody can remove any more tiles from the board, and the winner is the player whose stock of removed tiles makes the highest score." (Source: http://www.askoxford.com/wordgames/scrabble/scrabblerules/?view=uk)
Shack Life Rules
1. All the customers at the shack come between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. The first customer depends on who approaches the shack earliest in the morning. The customer closest to 7:30 a.m. is first.
2. Each customer buys one of seven things: soda, water, beer, juice, buiscuits, crackers, or a phone card.
3. The first customer buys from either Doris or myself. The purchase is recorded in a notebook, including any multiple purchases.
4. A high five is given to any customer who buys all seven items because they are promoting privately owned businesses, which account for approximately 80 percent of Ghana's economy, according to Daniel Tetteh of Ashesi University.
5. The sales girl refills the refrigerator or shelf with the same thing the customer just purchased.
6. The next customer has to buy another item, continuing the sales for the day.
7. All new customers must buy something that has already been purchased by previous customers.
8. Customers pay for any item they choose -- but discounts only apply on occassion.
9. Instead of making a purchase, any customer can sit in the shack and read the newspaper.
10. The day ends when it is time to close, or when it is too dark to see inside the shack because of loss of power.
11. The winner is the customer who leaves happiest.
Variations:
There are several variations of Shack Life. Double Shack Life divides the work load into two different shops. This means the owner has two or more shops. Shack Life for Juniors is an illegal practice, but remains common in Ghana, according to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU). Solitaire Shack Life is for one owner only. UnShack Life (selling or ending shack business) involves taking everything out of the shack, but leaving the structure of the shack in good condition. This game ends when nobody can take anything else from the shack, or when nothing else can be sold. The winner is the buyer whose collection of goods was purchased for the lowest price.
Stealing is unacceptable. Corruption has been steadily increasing in Ghana since 1996, according to Tetteh. Income levels have forced people to engage in acts of corruption on both political and economic levels.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
I pulled a Coke out of the fridge yesterday, expecting it to be not only cool and crisp, but also refreshing. What I wasn't expecting was for it to be was warm. We lose power every two days here in Accra, and yesterday it was day two of a continuous cycle.
Since August of 2006 Ghana has been experiencing an energy crisis. A result of low water levels at Ghana's single hydroelectric plant in Lake Volta, combined with old equipment and faulty electric distribution, the crisis could cause Ghana a loss of $1.4 billion by the end of 2007, according to BBC News.
The man took his Coke and did not question its warmth. Back at our dorm complex, we are lucky enough to have a generator, which are not at all common for most people in Ghana. The generator is not always reliable, and we have spent several evenings sitting in the courtyard under the sky's light enjoying each others company and waiting for the lights to turn back on. Power shuts off for twelve hours at a time.
With no light and no music to keep us entertained, my friends at the shack have reminded me of the beauty of board games and the frivilous yet amusing nature of sensationalist newspapers. After learning that I was quite poor at a game called Ludo, the Ghanaian version of Parcheesi, I took to one of Ghana's finest publications known to the world as P&P. It is clear that they are most certainly an honest publication by their tagline, which states "We Report Nothing But The Truth." Regardless, the article that caught my eye was "Woman Crashlands Man's Home." According to the article, a man found an emaciated and naked old woman sleeping between his two children at 4:30 in the morning. The woman, later revealed to be a witch, claimed she had entered the man's home through a pin hole in a nearby kettle. The doors of the home were locked, just as he had left them the previous evening.
Another good one was "U.S. Scientist Brings Mummy to Life." I'll let you use your imagine for that one.
Sitting it the shack, it is interesting to watch people pass by. Women carry everything from flip flops, to boxes of rolls, to chickens on their heads, which is a skill I think would be useful in the States. I am particularly referring to the chickens. But regardless, being able to effortlessly carry a bundle of anything would be rather useful. The only problem is I am unsure of how people will react to me balancing a pile of books on my head as I walk down University Place on my way to class. Perhaps I will consider it more at a later date. The most incredible head-balancing act I have seen thus far was a bundle of hay. The bundle extended the width of the woman's arms, and sunk nearly to her shoulders, which made me wonder how she could see.
A woman carrying a tin tray of what looked like peanuts came by the shack yesterday. Auntie Mary encouraged me to try one and I learned that they were groundnuts. Upon my approval of the small treat, she purchased a small bundle for the U.S. equivalent of 10 cents. A new sales girl named Doris taught me how to crack them open. We enjoyed them in the quiet shade as we felt the afternoon sun sink behind us, speaking of tomorrow's work and waiting for evening to fall.
Since August of 2006 Ghana has been experiencing an energy crisis. A result of low water levels at Ghana's single hydroelectric plant in Lake Volta, combined with old equipment and faulty electric distribution, the crisis could cause Ghana a loss of $1.4 billion by the end of 2007, according to BBC News.
The man took his Coke and did not question its warmth. Back at our dorm complex, we are lucky enough to have a generator, which are not at all common for most people in Ghana. The generator is not always reliable, and we have spent several evenings sitting in the courtyard under the sky's light enjoying each others company and waiting for the lights to turn back on. Power shuts off for twelve hours at a time.
With no light and no music to keep us entertained, my friends at the shack have reminded me of the beauty of board games and the frivilous yet amusing nature of sensationalist newspapers. After learning that I was quite poor at a game called Ludo, the Ghanaian version of Parcheesi, I took to one of Ghana's finest publications known to the world as P&P. It is clear that they are most certainly an honest publication by their tagline, which states "We Report Nothing But The Truth." Regardless, the article that caught my eye was "Woman Crashlands Man's Home." According to the article, a man found an emaciated and naked old woman sleeping between his two children at 4:30 in the morning. The woman, later revealed to be a witch, claimed she had entered the man's home through a pin hole in a nearby kettle. The doors of the home were locked, just as he had left them the previous evening.
Another good one was "U.S. Scientist Brings Mummy to Life." I'll let you use your imagine for that one.
Sitting it the shack, it is interesting to watch people pass by. Women carry everything from flip flops, to boxes of rolls, to chickens on their heads, which is a skill I think would be useful in the States. I am particularly referring to the chickens. But regardless, being able to effortlessly carry a bundle of anything would be rather useful. The only problem is I am unsure of how people will react to me balancing a pile of books on my head as I walk down University Place on my way to class. Perhaps I will consider it more at a later date. The most incredible head-balancing act I have seen thus far was a bundle of hay. The bundle extended the width of the woman's arms, and sunk nearly to her shoulders, which made me wonder how she could see.
A woman carrying a tin tray of what looked like peanuts came by the shack yesterday. Auntie Mary encouraged me to try one and I learned that they were groundnuts. Upon my approval of the small treat, she purchased a small bundle for the U.S. equivalent of 10 cents. A new sales girl named Doris taught me how to crack them open. We enjoyed them in the quiet shade as we felt the afternoon sun sink behind us, speaking of tomorrow's work and waiting for evening to fall.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The wooden doors creaked open as I helped Margaret fold them back. I cautiously turned the key in the bulky metal lock, freeing the gate from the weight that protected the inner workings of the shack from the starlight of the previous night. The haze was just beginning to list itself from the dirt roads that maze their way through Accra, giving way to the sun as it nestled itself in the cloudless sky. We carried boxes of water bottles out to the front porch, strategically stacking them one on top of the other. Margaret's white shift brought light to the dark space between the front area and storage space of the shack. We took a seat in the shade, next to the Coke bottles and Fanta selection, waiting for the first customer at First Choice Ent. to begin the day. I was officially a shack girl. And so the story goes.
It isn't often that my heart finds it's perfect counterpart. But it did last week here in Ghana when the window of our passing van framed a sign that read "Sales Girl Wanted." The painted white letters stood out against the rectangular slab of dark wood. And after moments, or in some instances after days, of convincing my fellow travelers that my desire to be that sales girl was indeed genuine, I delved into a journey that brings me to tell this tale.
I made my way back to the store several days after seing the sign with hopes of a bright future with the shack. Little did I know as I stepped through the gate of our NYU complex that I had actually forgotten the precise location of the shack. Nonetheless, my feet guided me to the academic center in recollection that I had seen the shack nearby. One of our van drivers saw me walking in wide-eyed confusion after failing to find my dream destination. I told him of my shacking whoas. He thought he knew which place I was speaking of, so took me without hesitation. Upon request by the sales woman I now know as Margaret, I returned to the shack later that evening to meet with the owner, who then rejected me on account that I am apparently "too white" and "too beautiful" and this would not be a good job for me.
"No, really," I said. "This is a great job for me."
"Why do you say that?" she replied.
"Because I have sold things before. I used to sell knives."
I tried to sway her with my skills and amiability, but the best we could leave with was a smile. Fortunately, the driver left his phone number.
He received a call later that day. I was to come back the following evening to meet again. And thus, to my surprise, I was hired.
I was taught the usual shack duties this morning. I observed how to open a Coke bottle, how to sweep the floor, and how to greet the customers. They are simple tasks, but not to be taken lightly as they are crucial to the business's success. A man delivered the paper in the early morning, but I was instantly distracted from my flirtation with The Daily Guide by Margaret's request to play Scrabble.
"How will we keep score?" I asked as I noticed the lack of writing implements in our vicinity. "No, no, no," she said. "We don't keep score."
The spelling games began.
The morning was filled with the comings and goings of customers. Children on their way to school sauntered in with their mothers to grab a quick snack. Businessmen stopped by for a Malta Guinness, and the sounds of passing traffic filled the warming air with life. I felt comfortable in my pale yellow apron as I shaded the left side of my body from the sun. My eyes flicked across the Scrabble board, searching for a suitable combination of words. Margaret and I exchanged thoughts and I came to learn that we are both twenty. I am the youngest of two, and she is the youngest of five. When she smiles her face lifts itself, drawing attention to her eyes. She speaks softly, and was glad to have company today. She works from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. And I never heard her complain.
"You are invited to a mini party," a man said as he poored his Malta into a glass. His laugh filled the shade in which he sat. "Would you like to share a drink?"
I lifted my eyes from the board. He had been sitting reading the paper for several minutes, but we had not spoken until then. The ensuing conversation consisted of politics and economy, culture and cooking, travels and swimming pools.
"But tell me," he said. "What is it that women want most in life?"
"Well that's a great question," I replied. "I have enough trouble knowing what I want. It is a big responsibility to speak for all of womankind."
"Name three things you want most," he said. "Just the top three wishes you have."
"I guess the first thing would be that I want an adventurous and successful career that will allow me to provide for my family. The second thing is that I want to raise healthy children. And the third thing...well I guess the third is that I want to save the world."
What I should have said is that I just want to live my life as a shack girl. We passed the morning with laughs and appreciated the goodness of each others company.
It isn't often that my heart finds it's perfect counterpart. But it did last week here in Ghana when the window of our passing van framed a sign that read "Sales Girl Wanted." The painted white letters stood out against the rectangular slab of dark wood. And after moments, or in some instances after days, of convincing my fellow travelers that my desire to be that sales girl was indeed genuine, I delved into a journey that brings me to tell this tale.
I made my way back to the store several days after seing the sign with hopes of a bright future with the shack. Little did I know as I stepped through the gate of our NYU complex that I had actually forgotten the precise location of the shack. Nonetheless, my feet guided me to the academic center in recollection that I had seen the shack nearby. One of our van drivers saw me walking in wide-eyed confusion after failing to find my dream destination. I told him of my shacking whoas. He thought he knew which place I was speaking of, so took me without hesitation. Upon request by the sales woman I now know as Margaret, I returned to the shack later that evening to meet with the owner, who then rejected me on account that I am apparently "too white" and "too beautiful" and this would not be a good job for me.
"No, really," I said. "This is a great job for me."
"Why do you say that?" she replied.
"Because I have sold things before. I used to sell knives."
I tried to sway her with my skills and amiability, but the best we could leave with was a smile. Fortunately, the driver left his phone number.
He received a call later that day. I was to come back the following evening to meet again. And thus, to my surprise, I was hired.
I was taught the usual shack duties this morning. I observed how to open a Coke bottle, how to sweep the floor, and how to greet the customers. They are simple tasks, but not to be taken lightly as they are crucial to the business's success. A man delivered the paper in the early morning, but I was instantly distracted from my flirtation with The Daily Guide by Margaret's request to play Scrabble.
"How will we keep score?" I asked as I noticed the lack of writing implements in our vicinity. "No, no, no," she said. "We don't keep score."
The spelling games began.
The morning was filled with the comings and goings of customers. Children on their way to school sauntered in with their mothers to grab a quick snack. Businessmen stopped by for a Malta Guinness, and the sounds of passing traffic filled the warming air with life. I felt comfortable in my pale yellow apron as I shaded the left side of my body from the sun. My eyes flicked across the Scrabble board, searching for a suitable combination of words. Margaret and I exchanged thoughts and I came to learn that we are both twenty. I am the youngest of two, and she is the youngest of five. When she smiles her face lifts itself, drawing attention to her eyes. She speaks softly, and was glad to have company today. She works from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. And I never heard her complain.
"You are invited to a mini party," a man said as he poored his Malta into a glass. His laugh filled the shade in which he sat. "Would you like to share a drink?"
I lifted my eyes from the board. He had been sitting reading the paper for several minutes, but we had not spoken until then. The ensuing conversation consisted of politics and economy, culture and cooking, travels and swimming pools.
"But tell me," he said. "What is it that women want most in life?"
"Well that's a great question," I replied. "I have enough trouble knowing what I want. It is a big responsibility to speak for all of womankind."
"Name three things you want most," he said. "Just the top three wishes you have."
"I guess the first thing would be that I want an adventurous and successful career that will allow me to provide for my family. The second thing is that I want to raise healthy children. And the third thing...well I guess the third is that I want to save the world."
What I should have said is that I just want to live my life as a shack girl. We passed the morning with laughs and appreciated the goodness of each others company.
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