Lost In Translation

I was asking for an interpretation of a word I did not know yesterday. The conversation ensued;

Dee: “What does this mean?” (pointing to a word)

Z: “oni”

Dee: “Oh. What is that?”

Z: “You don’t know oni?”

Dee: “No. Is it some sort of local drink?”

Z: “Oni”

Dee: “Oni...”

Z: “Oni”

Dee : “Oh…. Ok. Oh. Hunne-y!”

Z: “hmm, yes, oni”

Dee: “hahaha. Oh the accent.”

(no reciprocal laughter)

Yes, a long winded conversation, and me thinking I’ve just learnt about a new food that I could look into, but really we were talking about good old honey. (why not laugh about it? I guess it’s not that funny, to  me it was).

We all speak English here, but the pronunciations are different. People in Ghana are used to the American or European accent, but the Australian is fairly new, and very different to Ghanaian English. I often need my own interpreter. Luckily my colleagues mostly understand me, but more often than not, when I’m in a meeting one of them will have to repeat what I say to everyone. To me, sounding exactly the same, but to people (especially of the north) here, it’s entirely different. I guess take 'oni' and 'hunnee' as two entirely different words.

I mostly have problems with Ghanaians pronouncing words that start with ‘th’. This is not pronounced ‘th’ like we would say ‘theory’ but instead pronounced ‘te-ory’. It has been quite confusing for me. You don’t ‘think’, you ‘tink’. You ‘tank’ someone rather than ‘thanking’ them. 'three' is more like a roll of the tongue, and my colleague had to write 'threat' on a piece of paper for me to understand the word. Whenever I am absolutely stumped by what someone is saying, mostly it’s a ‘th’ word. But knowing that doesn't help!

Other lost in translation fun includes telling a Ghanaian friend he has nice pants. He stared strangely, and as a wave of emotions went over his face, he exclaimed “oh, you mean my trousers?” followed by an explanation of how pants means underwear, and it was in fact an inappropriate comment. Having worn a skirt that day, I made sure I didn’t make the statement that I wasn’t wearing pants...

I just found this image at www.villageaid.org/ghanas-honey-rush.html the honey here is delicious.
Very different to that from home. 

Memoirs of Ghana

Am I too old to have ‘memoirs’ yet? Or reflect? Probably. Maybe i should say 'anecdotes'. But I have definitely had a great time in Ghana, and learnt plenty of life lessons and professional practicalities. Is this where I get all soppy and tell everyone how much I have grown from this experience, and how I’ve really left a mark here and helped change the world? That would be pretty cool, but let’s be honest, I didn’t.

Reflection is funny, because often you reflect and realise everything you were told was actually true. When I was preparing to leave, the program provided a psychologist to talk through the phases that I’d experience when working and living overseas. An impressive graph was provided to show the emotional turmoil (and fun) that I would experience, and I scoffed at the thought that I would be so predictable…

I wouldn't use the term 'culture shock', but this is the general idea

It’s pretty true really.

It’s all go go go from the start, meeting people, familiarizing, getting lost, understanding the culture/language and seeing through the stars in your eyes.

I thought I’d really been lucky because I lasted a long time without a dip, things were on the up and up and I was enjoying everything (and I really showed that psychologist). But things got monotonous and boredom kicks in, you don’t want to do the same thing every week, every weekend. You withdraw from life and just have ‘Dee time’. But once again, good old reflection kicks in and you realise you only get this one experience, so maximize it! Enjoy it! Friends are also really useful for this. Both back at home (thankyou SOOOO much everyone who stayed in touch, Skyped, sent me music suggestions(yes!!), made the effort, it is the little things, SMS’s, thoughts etc that count!) and friends in country. I’ve met a really diverse group of people; it’s strange being thrown together with so many people- you become friends with people you’d never usually be friends with, in a good way.

And then you realize you are on the home stretch and really need to make the most of things. That’s where I am at now. I’ve been busy busy just doing everything I want to do before I leave. Eating all the food I can get, seeing all the people here I probably won’t spend time with again. Getting fit. Having that final stab at the language (I still can’t really get past ‘hello’, but in my defence I do know how to say it in at least 5 languages!). Trying to figure out what’s been going on in Australia for the past year. and job hunting! Argh! The worst! The thought of going back to real work is quite scary (as I sit here at work typing this out….).

For those of you I contacted in an indecisive freak out (how unusual of me?!?), I didn’t take the South Sudan job. Well actually I did. For a good week I was bound for Bentio in South Sudan for a year as a Nutrition and Food Security Officer working with UNHCR. But after it was bombed and evacuated and I talked to colleagues about the lifestyle there I decided that really wasn’t for me yet.  It was hard because it was the ideal job, being handed to me on a platter. But it felt a bit too isolated and not really the way of life I’m looking for right now. So with sadness I turned it down. Que sera sera.

I still have 6 weeks to go. It’ll fly, and I’ll keep writing (suggestions are welcome), and keep reflecting. I’m no Ghana expert, or nutrition expert now, but I have some pretty good stories to keep me going for a while. I should stop now because 1) I’m not quite finished here yet, and 2) we don’t want this to turn into a novel (albeit an award winning one).

To help myself and you, dear reader to become Ghana experts, here are some do-not-miss Ghana highlights so far;

• ·         Witnessing the full circle of the seasons; the rainy, the dry, the Harmattan, the HOT, the rainy
• ·         Travelling to all parts of the country, it is so diverse each region you travel into
• ·         Learning some of the languages. It gives your tongue good exercise, ensures you embarrass yourself, but also helps to understand the diversity of this small country
• ·         Eating big, eating messy, and eating anything. Granted, I’m a vegetarian, so I couldn’t always eat everything, but it is such a fun experience. To (once again) step out of your comfort zone and go nuts on a big bowl of food you don’t really know anything about can be really amusing
• ·         Enjoying the wildlife. There is not much left, but the wandering goats  and sheep are fun to have around. The elephants at Mole are impressive – I was once driving back from Wa to work and 8 elephants crossed the road in front of me. So free!
• ·         Travelling on the local bus-taxis (called Tro-Tros). Squashed in, no ventilation, many stops, confusion…. But it’s a whole lot of fun, cheap, busy and friendly.

It's a tough life here...... (??)

Nightlife

There are now three clubs in Tamale to go to if you want a night out…. Over the year I think I’ve been to each twice. It takes a while to get motivated to go there! But it is definitely worth a visit if you are a newcomer to town. And great stories.

Giddipass is a restaurant and rooftop bar with the best music to dance to, and is a guaranteed dance fest. The people who frequent this place really know how to dance (well, I guess from my observations, all Ghanaians are amazing dancers) so it’s fun to watch some moves, probs fun for them to see us murder the dance floor. It’s the best place in town to watch the sunset, you are on one of the highest buildings in town (3 stories) and can watch over the city – people watching is so much fun, and it’s free! No entry fee. It closes at midnight, so guarantees you an early night (unless you head on to the next place!).

Drawbacks include;

no toilet; so you squat in a corner of the carpark and hope no headlights turn on you (and you are dressed appropriate, a skirt is best)  - this can be good to stop you from drinking/having a big night. I tend not to drink here, to avoid the toilet excursions, it was quite an ordeal the first time.

and groping; this is constant and goes for both sexes. You may enter the dance floor on your own, but soon there will be a ‘sillyminga sandwich’ with you surrounded by men instantly, to make it more interesting, you could time it…. Quite amusing to see male friends get ‘sanga’d’ by so many men too. The Ghanaians that have cottoned onto the idea (shock horror) that it isn’t nice to be surrounded and squashed when trying your best moves out really get the tourists onside when they shoo the men away from you. It’s a full time job.

My favourite review of this place;

“…we went upstairs to check out the dance floor. It was a crowded sausage-fest, and I didn't feel safe. Seemed like a lot of people were brushing against my pockets (aka pickpocketers)….. It's the most happening place in Tamale which isn't saying much because Tamale is absolutely not happening... No real reason to come here”

Hahaha. It’s true. There are also some nice reviews, but this sets the scene best!

When I’ve been there, apart from my friends, there was one other female there. The crowded dance floor was all men. And my male friend had his wallet removed from his pocket 3 consecutive times in a row, each time he was holding onto it saying ‘no, I don’t think so’… 10 points for persistence!

The Royal (for some reason pronounced ‘roy-yal’ – like Samuel L Jackson mentions the ‘Royal with Cheese’ in Pulp Fiction)… Anyway, the music is awful and the smell of toilet permeates, but it was up until a few months ago, the only thing in town open past midnight. And there are noodles available outside. It’s free for the ladies, but recently increased the cover charge for men to GHc10 (AUD$5). High rollers only!

And the new hotel/nightclub/leisure place is Discovery, it has a pool shaped like a mirror image of a map of Africa (who knows why it’s not the right way around) and both a nightclub and a VIP nightclub. Originally priced at GHc40 (AUD$20), it had absolutely no customer for the first few weeks (except for me who went for a look, and found it empty – seriously not a single person inside…awkward!), they have stopped charging entry fee and now it seems to go off. Smoke machine complete with fluoro lights, can be quite confusing on the inside… and the VIP nightclub is still empty. Not sure if I will venture there again to see if this changes.

My colleagues always tell me to be at home by 7pm because that is what they do, and it’s unsafe being away from home after that time…. I can’t say I adhere to this, but I listen. Mum is visiting in a few weeks…. Watch this space to see which one I take her to, any suggestions??

Joke For Today

Hide and Seek

Floating head?...Curtains?...Or Skirt? 

Ghana cloth is so much fun. Matching is highly regarded. Shirts and pants. Shirts and skirts. Headscarf and dress. All matching. And no, it doesn't look like pyjamas. Surprisingly. I'm not sure about matching curtains and skirt yet.... I'm all for it!

Affrika

An attempt at starting a book club in Tamale brought my attention to an article  about writing about Africa. I loved it, and find it so interesting now I’ve been writing myself about Africa, reading about it, and actually experiencing it.

My favourite points;

Africa is a continent, not a country: even the Australian government has made this mistake on their websites. I have heard using the term ‘African’ is sometimes controversial, as Sudanese people are so different to Boers, as to Algerians. “In your text, treat Africa as if it were one country. It is hot and dusty with rolling grasslands and huge herds of animals and tall, thin people who are starving. Or it is hot and steamy with very short people who eat primates. Don’t get bogged down with precise descriptions. Africa is big: fifty-four countries, 900 million people who are too busy starving and dying and warring and emigrating to read your book. The continent is full of deserts, jungles, highlands, savannahs and many other things, but your reader doesn’t care about all that, so keep your descriptions romantic and evocative and unparticular.”

The mention of the African sunset in literature. “Readers will be put off if you don’t mention the light in Africa. And sunsets, the African sunset is a must. It is always big and red. There is always a big sky.” As my roommate pointed out (and not to sound too cynical); the sunsets are beautiful, however I’m not too sure on the difference in appearance here to the sun setting in Australia (or the rest of the world for that matter).

And of course, generalisation; “Broad brushstrokes throughout are good. Avoid having the African characters laugh, or struggle to educate their kids, or just make do in mundane circumstances. Have them illuminate something about Europe or America in Africa. African characters should be colourful, exotic, larger than life—but empty inside, with no dialogue, no conflicts or resolutions in their stories, no depth or quirks to confuse the cause.”

I hope I haven’t made any of these mistakes, and I do take time to be critical of my judgements and thinking. It’s hard not to stereotype a country or continent that you have never been to, and is widely romanticised in literature, press and cinema. Also it is something that is so different to what we know or have experienced. Having said that, I’ve been lucky to lead a relatively ‘normal’ life in Ghana. It may be different to the Ghanaians living in the small communities, but it is the same as my UN colleagues living in Tamale. So I can’t say much for Africa, as my experience is one fifty-fourth of the continent. But I am quick to dispel the stereotypes that are mentioned in the article, and I cringe when I see donor campaigns or advertising that paints Ghana and Africa in the ‘desperate’ light. Although there are some serious human rights abuses and humanitarian crisis happening that you cannot ignore, there are also so many wonderful developments, ‘normal’ living and enriching experiences that are much better to mention.

I highly recommend you read the article, it’s an easy read and from an African person (which is actually quite the change; most things you read about Africa are written by foreigners). While here is a good example and critique on aid campaigns. And here is a fabulous TED talk about the dangers of a single story.

There is a long list I could write about books/articles/movies NOT to read about Africa. I’ve read my fair share of them already and they make me cringe.

There’s your homework for the week – class dismissed!!

Yes, I'm guilty of it. Stereotyping: the token white person with all the 'local' ladies, and malnourished children... did I really do that??

Clearly I got awkward with the situation, and decided it wasn't for me

The 'Forgotten Killers'

Have a guess at the world’s biggest infant killer? Something scary, something unpredictable, something out of our scope to help with???

Pneumonia.

Closely followed by Diarrhoea.

In Ghana the problem is the same. Diseases that don’t really scare you at the thought, or make you think of death. But they are killing children in Ghana and the rest of the world, yet have such simple solutions.

You can  prevent pneumonia by washing your hands before eating. It’s not expensive, out of reach or ‘innovative’. To cure pneumonia you take some antibiotics. In Ghana they can cost as little as AUD$1.00 or if you can’t afford that, it’s free.

Diarrhoea can similarly be prevented and easily treated, again, hygiene and sanitation is key. But these diseases reflect more than just the diagnosis, it shows the living conditions, poverty, and healthcare accessibility of those severely affected. When you think about #1 cause of death in Ghana (or Africa in general), the cliché is to blame HIV/AIDS, maybe conflict, or some obscure disease like Nodding Disease. These are all difficult things to tackle, with big social impacts, or costs involved. But HIV rates in Ghana are 1.8%. The percent of children with suspected pneumonia receiving antibiotics is just 24%. The percent of children with suspected pneumonia taken to an appropriate health care provider is 51%. It is clear where the biggest impact can be made in health.

Ghana has just introduced 2 new vaccines to help prevent both diarrhoea and pneumonia. There has been much media coverage, and here is a great video about it.

Other things that are being done are;

1.  Promoting exclusive breastfeeding – by giving nothing but breast milk for the first 6 months in life it prevents infection, contamination and malnutrition. A simple, but effective way to ensure good health for your under 6month old. The problem lies in the following years where food is introduced, and it is often inadequate or insufficient.

2. Sanitation and hygiene. Ensuring all households have access to safe drinking water.

3. Community-based treatment of childhood illnesses. A program where volunteers in the community bring diagnosis and treatment to hard to reach places.

4. Promoting handwashing with soap. Massive campaigns and strategies are in place to improve handwashing. A study I worked on recently found that just 6% of people use soap. And then it mostly was for washing clothes rather than hands.

Wash those hands!

And for the final say, here is a news story on the current situation.