I thought i would take a moment and teach you some Ghanaian english. English is actually the official language here in Ghana but the dialect, as you could well infer, is very different. In order to teach my students I had to pick up these differences in the language and use them. so naturally when i return home to the states people will probably look at me weird when i pronouce everything that ends in an -er with an -a ending and i hiss and start a lot of sentences with the word "Oh!"
Some words and sayings I use almost everyday:
Teacher = Teacha
Driver = Driva
Computer = Computa
Paper = Paypa
The power is out = "Light is off"
The power is back on! = "Light has come!"
I'll be right back = "I will go and come"
I'm leaving (and coming back) = "Im coming" (this is my fave)
Get someone's attention = hiss at them or make kissy face noise (i still have trouble doing these, it just feels wrong)
Do you understand? = "Are we OK?"
That is very nice = "Oh fine"
Something bad has happened = "Oh Why?"
Asking why something bad has happend(non verbally) = Frown, turn out you bottom lip(sad face) clap once and then turn your hands outward at the person.
Imply that you would like to share your food(or something else) = "Oh, you are invited"
Beg/Ask someone for something or apologize = put one hand in the other (like you going up for communion in church) and say "Oh, I beg"
Change(money) = "coins"
scenario:
I Hand my money to the taxi driva.
He looks at me strangely, "Oh, you don't have coins?"
"No, I don't have coins"
Driva: "Oh, Why?!"
Me: "Oh WHY?! You don't have coins!
He laughs and goes to find some change.
Laura = 1 Driva = 0
Thats all I can think of, next maybe I'll show some local cuisine!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Am I in America?
I just got back from having Thanksgiving in Accra and I am feeling more than pleasantly satisfied. I had already been really excited to go before hand, especially after hearing that last year they had a pool party and so much yummy food you could explode, but they went above and beyond. Seriously, I was legit back in America for like 4 days.
So, we had to RSVP a month or so in advance to the the shin-dig and then we could receive housing from expats in the Accra area. YES! free housing. My host family were super sweet and so hospitable. They are workers at the US embassy and have a real house complete with AIR CONDITIONING, satellite TV, HOT SHOWER and a washer AND dryer! Talk about lap of luxury, I was needless to say in my little oasis. I think the first hot shower i took( i took at least 5 in like 2 days, ha!) i just smiled the entire time like some happy idiot. My host couple were fellow volunteers themselves and met in the Peace Corps(awaiting my future husband please) and have lived all over since going abroad for PC service. So they were really great to talk to.
On Thanksgiving day we went over to the Ambassadors house at around mid-day and swam in his pool and i of course played with his huge super cute, super friendly dogs. We had an open bar(favorite words ever) and then the Ambassador came out to greet us and give thanks and proceed to tell us that he had something like 12 turkeys awaiting. I was just excited for the stuffing and the cranberries. We did have something like 180 people there and only like 20 PCV's who didn't come(why wouldn't you come?!?!?) so I loaded up on veggies and then proceeded to lay in my food coma afterwards.
After dinner we all went out to some american style pubs and bars. The first pub we were at had satellite TV and they had some Thanksgiving day football game on. I wasn't really interested, it was actually a little too much for me. I kinda missed the leisureliness of local ghanaian spots. The next day(after waking up in my air conditioned room :) we spent the day shopping in a touristy district in Accra called Osu. I bought a few things and some holiday presents for peeps back home and then went to the Accra Mall, which is pretty much like any other medium sized mall in America, complete with movie theatre. so we all went to see the new Harry Potter! it was even worth the 12 cedi's i paid for it(my salary for 3 days). Then i went to Shop-Rite, yes they have a grocery store called Shop-rite, but i don't think it is connected to the ones in back in the good ol' Jerz ;). Then I enjoyed a nice home-cooked meal back at my host family and another air conditioned night before i headed back to site.
Oh it was a dream, a sweet sweet dream.
Until next year.
So, we had to RSVP a month or so in advance to the the shin-dig and then we could receive housing from expats in the Accra area. YES! free housing. My host family were super sweet and so hospitable. They are workers at the US embassy and have a real house complete with AIR CONDITIONING, satellite TV, HOT SHOWER and a washer AND dryer! Talk about lap of luxury, I was needless to say in my little oasis. I think the first hot shower i took( i took at least 5 in like 2 days, ha!) i just smiled the entire time like some happy idiot. My host couple were fellow volunteers themselves and met in the Peace Corps(awaiting my future husband please) and have lived all over since going abroad for PC service. So they were really great to talk to.
On Thanksgiving day we went over to the Ambassadors house at around mid-day and swam in his pool and i of course played with his huge super cute, super friendly dogs. We had an open bar(favorite words ever) and then the Ambassador came out to greet us and give thanks and proceed to tell us that he had something like 12 turkeys awaiting. I was just excited for the stuffing and the cranberries. We did have something like 180 people there and only like 20 PCV's who didn't come(why wouldn't you come?!?!?) so I loaded up on veggies and then proceeded to lay in my food coma afterwards.
After dinner we all went out to some american style pubs and bars. The first pub we were at had satellite TV and they had some Thanksgiving day football game on. I wasn't really interested, it was actually a little too much for me. I kinda missed the leisureliness of local ghanaian spots. The next day(after waking up in my air conditioned room :) we spent the day shopping in a touristy district in Accra called Osu. I bought a few things and some holiday presents for peeps back home and then went to the Accra Mall, which is pretty much like any other medium sized mall in America, complete with movie theatre. so we all went to see the new Harry Potter! it was even worth the 12 cedi's i paid for it(my salary for 3 days). Then i went to Shop-Rite, yes they have a grocery store called Shop-rite, but i don't think it is connected to the ones in back in the good ol' Jerz ;). Then I enjoyed a nice home-cooked meal back at my host family and another air conditioned night before i headed back to site.
Oh it was a dream, a sweet sweet dream.
Until next year.
Ja-si-co
YAY, I have made it nearly 6 months here in Ghana! Its weird…sometimes it feels like i have been here forever but other times I cant believe the time has gone by so fast. I guess that's the way time goes here in Africa. When you are busy, you're BUSY. When things are slow, hours seem like days. But i am really enjoying myself and feel quite comfortable at my site and at my job. I surprisingly love teaching! Maybe it is because my students here at Jasico (combination of Jasikan and collge of education, clever aint it?) are older and I don't have to deal with kids and adolescents acting out and causing trouble. There is something about seeing someone take something you said into practice or execute something you have taught them. Its self-satisfying and I'm helping someone learn something new at same time The only thing I can think to compare it to is maybe when you're child takes their first steps or speaks for the first time. Im so proud of my 20-30 year olds!
So last week was sports week here on campus, which means that in the afternoon all of the students went to the playing fields for intramural sports and classes were cancelled. Now usually, being me, i looove when things are canceled and i have some free time but i really did not want that time taken away from my students. We barely have enough time during regular class hours for me to go through the lesson. But, as i have heard from all of my fellow education PCV's thats the way things go. Sometimes class time is not a priority especially for things like religion and apparently sports.
So last week was sports week here on campus, which means that in the afternoon all of the students went to the playing fields for intramural sports and classes were cancelled. Now usually, being me, i looove when things are canceled and i have some free time but i really did not want that time taken away from my students. We barely have enough time during regular class hours for me to go through the lesson. But, as i have heard from all of my fellow education PCV's thats the way things go. Sometimes class time is not a priority especially for things like religion and apparently sports.
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