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Many times when we travel we only see the veneer of the destinations that we visit. Much more lies beneath the surface that can add a high level of richness and understanding concerning the places and people that we see in our journey. I always make a point in my travels, whether it is in the familiar territory of my own country, the United States, or in a global destination such as France or Ghana, to speak with the people that I encounter there. The amount of additional insight that we can receive is amazing. Nowhere was this more evident than in Ghana in West Africa.
In my 2005 trip to Accra, Ghana to speak at a conference, I had the opportunity to stay after the conference with my Ghanaian friends and thus be truly introduced to the richness of the culture in West Africa. During the time after the conference my friend’s cousin was also visiting in Ghana from England with his family to celebrate their wedding anniversary. There was a huge celebration at a local hotel which can be the topic of another article, but also a private party at the cousin’s local house in a suburb of Accra.
Here begins the contrast between two Ghanaian families. My friend’s cousin owns a successful business in London. He has a home in London as well as a home in Ghana. When we arrived at his house for the party, we drove back to the house on a dirt road, but the house was modern with all the features of any home in the UK or the US – even a big wide screen television. There are four in the family – the dad and mom plus a daughter and a son. We sat outside in the garden at tables under umbrellas and were attended by servers with drinks and horderves. Besides myself there were only two other white men, Stephen and Allen, both professors from the University of East London who had come to speak at the conference.
Looking down the street was a beautiful scene of rolling hills that called to my desire to get some more pictures of the countryside. Allen grabbed his camera and joined me to walk down the road. The even more pleasant discovery was to find a family only a short way down the street, sitting in their yard around a cooking pot under a large plantain tree. The simple house sat back from the road and on one side a neighbor lounged comfortably on a half wall looking out into the yard. Close by was a big papaya tree.
There was also a large group of children in and by the yard who were obviously intrigued by the pale faces. Allen returned to the party while I stayed to visit with my new friends and acquaintances. The children called me “Papa”, but everyone was friendly and appreciated my interest in their world. Even the pretty lady on the wall agreed to be photographed.
I learned that in Ghana stews and soups cooked outside are standard fare. The main thing I observed was how happy these people seemed to be living their simple life. They obviously were well fed and had plenty to eat. Fruits and vegetables grow readily all over the countryside and my experience eating them on my trip was the quality of the food and produce.
The contrast between my friends in both families was interesting – although one family had basically all the modern conveniences while the other lived a more simple lifestyle, they both were happy and thriving. I look forward to returning and visiting once again with all of my new friends in Ghana.
September 6, 2023
