Yes, I know that Heather has already used this title, but seriously, this just perfectly sums up how everything is going right now.
A lady, carrying her baby on her back and her wares on her head, yelled this statement to us when we were walking through the market at Madina. We were 6 white girls huddled together, trying to adjust to the sensory overload of the thousands of people moving through the hundreds of stalls, jammed packed with fish, bananas, football jerseys, fabric- anything you could imagine!
And I certainly felt like a huge obroni.
Obroni means white person and we hear it several times a day, since it is the easiest way to get our attention since we are such a rarity.
And it doesn't have any racial slurs attached- they are just stating how it is. But it certainly reminds me how I certainly stick out like a sore thumb.
Like when I carried my hamper full of clothes into the laundry room yesterday to find that it was already full of the wash women you can hire to do the laundry for you. And they all turned, because it was obvious I had no idea what I was doing. But I manged to some how clean and dry my first load.
Or when our power finally came back on with the help of the generator after we had been without for 2 days. We all cheered, showing our great attachment to running water and not using flashlights to hang around Amanda's room.
And lunch today as I stood trying to figure out what was behind the glass in the service line at the restaurant in one of the dorms, finally settling for the safe bet of chicken and spicy noodles.
As a group of 15 of us trekked across campus to take advantage of buy one, get one free night at Pizza Inn.
Riding the tro-tro for the first time, struggling to understand what location the mate was yelling out, passing our peswas from hand to hand, giggling with nerves and excitement.
Sitting in the lecture hall with no one to talk to, unsure how long to wait before it is deemed that class will not be meeting today.
But then, sometimes it just strikes me- this IS Ghana. I am standing in Africa.
The sunset on the first day was stunning. The sun was huge and bright orange, suspended slightly above the savanna. Chrissy called it a Lion King moment and though it wasn't quite poetic, it was true.
Stepping out of the airplane on the first day and having the air knocked out of me by the heat. And then realizing there will never be a moment when I won't be sweating.
The fact there is a house on campus I pass on the way to the main lecture hall that has a monkey tied up as a pet outside.
How everyone in the country simultaneously sits in expectation, cheering on Essien to lead the Black Stars to victory over Burkina Faso in the Africa Cup.
Not worrying if things get done today, or next week.
The juicy pineapple I get for 1.5 cedi (about a dollar) from the lady at the night market.
Some things only happen because I am an obroni, but also only because I am in Ghana.
I have been here a week and I am obviously still learning.
But everytime I am asked "Obroni, sister, how have you found your stay in Ghana?" I just smile and say "Oh, it has been wonderful so far."
A lady, carrying her baby on her back and her wares on her head, yelled this statement to us when we were walking through the market at Madina. We were 6 white girls huddled together, trying to adjust to the sensory overload of the thousands of people moving through the hundreds of stalls, jammed packed with fish, bananas, football jerseys, fabric- anything you could imagine!
And I certainly felt like a huge obroni.
Obroni means white person and we hear it several times a day, since it is the easiest way to get our attention since we are such a rarity.
And it doesn't have any racial slurs attached- they are just stating how it is. But it certainly reminds me how I certainly stick out like a sore thumb.
Like when I carried my hamper full of clothes into the laundry room yesterday to find that it was already full of the wash women you can hire to do the laundry for you. And they all turned, because it was obvious I had no idea what I was doing. But I manged to some how clean and dry my first load.
Or when our power finally came back on with the help of the generator after we had been without for 2 days. We all cheered, showing our great attachment to running water and not using flashlights to hang around Amanda's room.
And lunch today as I stood trying to figure out what was behind the glass in the service line at the restaurant in one of the dorms, finally settling for the safe bet of chicken and spicy noodles.
As a group of 15 of us trekked across campus to take advantage of buy one, get one free night at Pizza Inn.
Riding the tro-tro for the first time, struggling to understand what location the mate was yelling out, passing our peswas from hand to hand, giggling with nerves and excitement.
Sitting in the lecture hall with no one to talk to, unsure how long to wait before it is deemed that class will not be meeting today.
But then, sometimes it just strikes me- this IS Ghana. I am standing in Africa.
The sunset on the first day was stunning. The sun was huge and bright orange, suspended slightly above the savanna. Chrissy called it a Lion King moment and though it wasn't quite poetic, it was true.
Stepping out of the airplane on the first day and having the air knocked out of me by the heat. And then realizing there will never be a moment when I won't be sweating.
The fact there is a house on campus I pass on the way to the main lecture hall that has a monkey tied up as a pet outside.
How everyone in the country simultaneously sits in expectation, cheering on Essien to lead the Black Stars to victory over Burkina Faso in the Africa Cup.
Not worrying if things get done today, or next week.
The juicy pineapple I get for 1.5 cedi (about a dollar) from the lady at the night market.
Some things only happen because I am an obroni, but also only because I am in Ghana.
I have been here a week and I am obviously still learning.
But everytime I am asked "Obroni, sister, how have you found your stay in Ghana?" I just smile and say "Oh, it has been wonderful so far."
You too, love, have found where you belong ♥ Your post brings tears to my eyes for a number of reasons that don't really make sense to me, but nonetheless...
ReplyDelete-you're good at writing. i love your writing. don't stop.
-I get the same "Oh my goodness this is ENGLISH dirt and air and rain" feeling all the time, too :)
-you're in Africa. you're really in Africa.
-you have such an amazing attitude.
-I love you more than anything in this world and am constantly amazed by your beauty.
I'm glad we're best friends ♥
Love, Michelle
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI love you and I am so glad that you are enjoying yourself. Please keep writing because I so enjoy reading. I agree with Michelle, you and Heather both have amazing attitudes. I admire you so much. You are so fantastic and I'm truly thankful that Ghanians get to experience and Obroni like you.
Love from Hendrix, Laursie
I miss you too frickin' much. It makes me happy that you've found your Lion King moments. Who doesn't LOVE the Lion King...anywho, I'm so proud of how bold you are to go and do things that others would be too terrified to do. You are an amazing person, don't you forget. :)
ReplyDelete