There's a huge lag in posts - sorry! I tend to write them at the end of each day, but by that point we either get a power cut or the internet crumbles so they get published the next day. When I wrote this it was my 3rd day in Ghana (Tuesday). I feel like I'm starting to find my feet, but I don't think I'll ever get used to it!
The driving is crazy. I'm a shit driver, but in Takoradi I'd be up there with the safest! I took a taxi today and it had no wing or rear view mirrors. In the UK this would concern me, but in Ghana no-one uses them anyway so I guess it's fine. I've never seen an indicator used. Taxis are identifiable by random yellow panels on their car, meaning every other vehicle looks like an Inbetweeners car in reverse. Ellyn and I commented on this to a nurse at the hospital, and she laughed and said you don't need a licence to drive in Ghana. Whilst this would explain the awful standards of motoring we were shocked so we probed a bit more. It eventually turned out you DO need a driving licence, but there isn't an organisation to enforce this. If you get pulled over by the police you tell them you've forgotten your licence, slip them 20 cedi, and drive off.
Being an extremely Christian country there are images of Jesus and references to God EVERYWHERE. The Work the World minibus has Jesus on the bonnet and "Messiah!!" plastered across the rear window. There are roadside shops called "Jesus Chop House", "Worship God Computers" and "Believers Shoes". Hospital staff have no issue with asking me if I go to church. Initially I was stupid enough to answer truthfully, and an hour and a half later internally vowed never to repeat this mistake. "Are you married?" seems to be as good a conversation starter as "hello", and as soon as they find out I'm single they try to get me to marry their brother. I'm seriously considering buying a ring to put an end to this - I've already been told I'm going to hell for fornicating (some of the other girls have been called "white devils") so I might as well chuck a few lies onto my sin list!
Takoradi is far less developed than I thought it would be. Only the main dual carriageway going through the city has tarmac; everything else is rubble or mud. I think seeing the Work the World house before I left gave me an expectation that the rest of Takoradi would be of a similar standard. It is not. We are definitely the elite rich in this city. From the house (which is comfortable, but still doesn't have hot water) I can see hundreds/thousands of huts made from iron sheets, wood or - if you can afford it - bricks. These are where the majority of Takoradi's residents live. Children and goats roam aimlessly. Giving that the people here have so little it's really jarring to see Shell garages, Vodafone shops and Cadburys adverts. Even the hospital direction signs are sponsored by Lucozade!
The driving is crazy. I'm a shit driver, but in Takoradi I'd be up there with the safest! I took a taxi today and it had no wing or rear view mirrors. In the UK this would concern me, but in Ghana no-one uses them anyway so I guess it's fine. I've never seen an indicator used. Taxis are identifiable by random yellow panels on their car, meaning every other vehicle looks like an Inbetweeners car in reverse. Ellyn and I commented on this to a nurse at the hospital, and she laughed and said you don't need a licence to drive in Ghana. Whilst this would explain the awful standards of motoring we were shocked so we probed a bit more. It eventually turned out you DO need a driving licence, but there isn't an organisation to enforce this. If you get pulled over by the police you tell them you've forgotten your licence, slip them 20 cedi, and drive off.
Being an extremely Christian country there are images of Jesus and references to God EVERYWHERE. The Work the World minibus has Jesus on the bonnet and "Messiah!!" plastered across the rear window. There are roadside shops called "Jesus Chop House", "Worship God Computers" and "Believers Shoes". Hospital staff have no issue with asking me if I go to church. Initially I was stupid enough to answer truthfully, and an hour and a half later internally vowed never to repeat this mistake. "Are you married?" seems to be as good a conversation starter as "hello", and as soon as they find out I'm single they try to get me to marry their brother. I'm seriously considering buying a ring to put an end to this - I've already been told I'm going to hell for fornicating (some of the other girls have been called "white devils") so I might as well chuck a few lies onto my sin list!
Takoradi is far less developed than I thought it would be. Only the main dual carriageway going through the city has tarmac; everything else is rubble or mud. I think seeing the Work the World house before I left gave me an expectation that the rest of Takoradi would be of a similar standard. It is not. We are definitely the elite rich in this city. From the house (which is comfortable, but still doesn't have hot water) I can see hundreds/thousands of huts made from iron sheets, wood or - if you can afford it - bricks. These are where the majority of Takoradi's residents live. Children and goats roam aimlessly. Giving that the people here have so little it's really jarring to see Shell garages, Vodafone shops and Cadburys adverts. Even the hospital direction signs are sponsored by Lucozade!
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