So far I have been in Accra for 4 days. I have been taken back by the beautiful architecture, greenery and the culture. Accra is a busy city, it’s bustling with cars, street vendors and ladies standing in the road selling goods from atop their heads.
Things that stand out to me: In Accra most places do not have hot water, you have to bargain for the price of just about everything, people are selling items everywhere all of the time, side walks are almost non-existent and goats, dogs and hens live in the streets.
Culture: I learned on my second day that in Ghana it is not acceptable to use your left hand to shake hands, wave, or things of the like. Which poses difficulty for me as I’m left handed! Locals told me that other locals will yell and curse at me if I do this. What’s the big deal with using your left hand you ask? They believe that the left hand is used to wipe your bottom, so it is not proper to greet others with it. So far I have caught myself using my left hand a few times, so far no one has yelled and cursed at me though *phew*
Funny things that have happened to me: I have been shopping at the Accra Mall twice since I have been here. The first time the lady at the register giggled at me when she realized I did not weigh my produce and have it tagged. In Accra, there is no fancy scale at the registers. You have to take your produce to a person who weighs it in the produce section and tags it for you. Also, today I put my items down at the register and the clerk looked at me oddly. He then asked my to place the items closer to him. After looking at the register for a moment, it dawned on me that there is no belt that pushes the items forward. Silly North American I am! Haha!
THE GLOBAL EXPERIENCE BLOG 