Every place has it’s own small nuances to it that pervade everyday life. People who are local to that culture are able to navigate these nuances with no thought paid to them; that is just the way things are.
But when you come as an outsider to a new place, particularly a new country, these small nuances are things that you pick up on immediately and adopt, in order to make life go just a little bit smoother. I’ve been in Ghana for less than a week, and here are the things that I have picked up.
In my preparations for Ghana, I’ve been reading a variety of articles about Ghana, its people and its culture, which have all been fascinating and only heighten my excitement. Here are some of the best ones that I’ve read so far.
Big news for the path that I’m on: it’s taking me to Ghana for the next year! I’m very excited for this opportunity to live and work abroad, particularly because it means learning and living a new culture and a new perspective.
I’ve been reading about and researching this West African nation and I’ve narrowed down a few things that have really piqued my interest and that I’m particularly looking forward to learning and experiencing more thoroughly.
I had the opportunity to take advantage of some extraordinary experiences and participate in some wonderful cultural exchange this past year. It was truly wonderful and I cherish these memories, and as this is the time of year to look back and plan ahead I want to share some of those memories and cultural experiences from around the world.
“So what are your plans for while you’re here?”
“I don’t know. I really want to do some diving, that’s for sure.”
“Oh man, go to Dahab.”
“Dahab is my favorite place in Egypt.”
And so went the conversation that set me off on a two-week stay in Dahab on the Sinai peninsula, where there was little more than sun, surf, sand and relaxation.
Yesterday was the first day of Ramadan, and as a non-Muslim in a majority Muslim country I prepared myself and set out to try and get a sense of what this religious fasting looked like here in Egypt.
I ate leftovers and fruit in my cousin’s apartment, filling up before I left as I knew finding food outside would be difficult. I pulled up a walking tour on my iPod that visited eight mosques and Islamic structures and ended near Al Azhar Park, where I intended to watch the sunset, listen to the call to prayer and possibly people watch families picnicking the breaking of their fast.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to visit all of the sites and I never made it to the park to watch sunset. Fortunately, I got to experience Egyptian hospitality and broke fast with a family in the back streets of Cairo, truly giving me an experience of what iftar, the evening meal during Ramadan, is like.
When most people think of the African continent, one of the first things that springs to their minds are images of the fauna that inhabit the continent: lions, elephants, hippos, rhinos and monkeys. All of these animals have a home in Cameroon, including a wide variety of apes than many people refer to as “monkeys.” Perhaps most prominent among the apes that live in Cameroon are chimpanzees.
Chimps are classified as an endangered species, with population estimates ranging between 170,000 and 300,000 and some of the biggest threats to their existence are habitat destruction and poaching for the bushmeat trade, the latter of which is a particular problem in Cameroon. I had the opportunity to visit a sanctuary for chimps that have been orphaned by poachers and the experience was truly exceptional.
Things have been quiet here on my blog lately, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been on my mind. I arrived in Cameroon late on May 10th, and 3G arrived only about a month before me, so connectivity is a bit sparse and pricey. I’ve also been going “up and down the country,” as they say here, and along the way I’ve seen and experienced a lot of things. And I still have a week left! For now, here is a list of some of my favorite things about Cameroon.