Ghana, a Couple of Complaints ...Compliments to Follow

It’s been hard for me to post because my internet connection is terrible.   Maybe I’ll write more often in Word (as I am doing now) and upload it when I’m able; even if several posts come up at once, it might better chronicle my experience, as my feelings and impressions seem to change from day to day.

Anyway, first impressions of Ghana were not great.  We arrived in Kumasi midday Monday and a driver, who works for the program, picked us up at the airport to take us from Kumasi to Kintampo.  I don’t know what I was expecting, but, holy shit, I think the entire city of Kumasi is afflicted with hoarding.  For several miles, we drove along a road that was lined with people selling their “wares”.  There were heaps upon heaps of tires, hubcaps, mufflers, engines, fenders, shoes hanging from clothes lines, piles of fans, plastic chairs, mattresses, old TVs.  I don’t think anything that has ever been made or imported into Ghana has been thrown away.  It went on and on and on; it was like driving through a twenty-mile long junkyard.  And the fumes were endlessly noxious.

In terms of our place, it’s run down, but really very livable.  That said, I was pretty horrified at first.  I’m a bit ashamed to admit this since, unlike ours, most of the homes around here are one room shacks, many of which are propped up with tree limbs and/or are otherwise dilapidated.   Nonetheless, when I entered, it was sparsely lit with only a few fluorescent bulbs dangling form the ceiling, the furnishings aren’t too aesthetically pleasing, and portions of the house are painted this very unsettling shade of green.  After awhile, it occurred to me that the only thing missing was a dripping faucet; then it would have become a perfect cliche.

On another note, it’s quite the hazard walking around town here in Kintampo.  It’s busier than I expected; there are maybe four commercial-ish blocks, but with way more taxis, motorcycles, tros and trucks flying around than you’d imagine.  There is no such thing as pedestrian right of way and, to the contrary, I think they go out of their way to try to run you down.  You have to be careful to stay out of the way of vehicles while not falling into the ditches that line the roads.  These are several feet deep and are anywhere from three to maybe five feet wide.  Yesterday we walked by a gaping hole that had to be 10-12 feet deep and 5x5 wide.  I think it had previously been covered with some planks b/c I’ve walked by there several times now and have never noticed it.  In fact, I don’t know what was up with yesterday b/c everything down by the main strip seemed cranked up a few notches.  There were throngs of people, blaring horns all around me, cars and bikes coming within inches, the wind whipping up clouds of red earth that got in my eyes, and those chocking emissions.  Plus we were followed, and not very stealthily at that.