Sunday, August 12, 2007

'Shaggy' in Ghana?!






Yes, you read that right!
I was at a Shaggy concert last night here in Accra!! Whoda thunk?!

I met a Ghanaian friend, Koffie at one of the beaches here when we arrived in July, then at a different beach again, so we all (his friends, me and my roomates) decided to go to this event yesterday! He invited us to what he called a 'funfare' at TradeFair.
Little did we know that here in Ghana, Joy FM hosts an Old Skull Reunion annually for anyone who's ever attended any high school here in Accra! You can imagine how many people were there, from all different ages! It was crazy!

A mock CNN correspondent came up and 'interviewed' us along with another media outlet (legit I think?), people were running around naked, everyone was dancing to 'high-life' (equivalent to the type of music we call 'oldskool') and so carefree... really, it was lovely.

So we wasted away the afternoon there at the high-life stage (and of course observing the chaos surrounding us!) with many approaching us 3 whites, asking which high school we attended. As a joke, Koffie told us to say we attended 'Vandals High School'. Little did we realize, this is an all-boys high school as we innocently, yet proudly said "we attended Vandals"! We were quite the laughing-stock for awhile there. Then we ate some local food and went down to the stage where Shaggy was performing. He came on-- hours later and it started raining!!
Once the rain subsided, the sound system was done for, so all his good songs were choppy. Boo.
Good times had by all though.

The more time I spend here in Ghana, the more I am looking for ways to slow down 'time'.

I had a typical work-week... me still navigating (aimlessly) my way in my role as 'Program Officer'. I did manage to go to the Ghana AIDS Commission with my boss, which was nothing compared to SA's. But it's expected as HIV/AIDS isn't the issue it is down south here.

The week was also filled with many intermittent giggles... one being when in the midst of my boss seriously explaining his stance on the new discovery of oil here in Ghana, a random bird flew in the office and knocked itself off the walls maybe 10X before crapping on the floor and flying out! I guess you had to be there-- but the look on my boss' face and the whole scenario itself, STILL has me and my roomate cracking up!

I went to church this morning, but unfortunately the sermon and entire mass was in Ga, so I didn't get too much out of it. It was a Presbyterian church near where we are living now til mid-Sept.
Then I will be moving closer to where I work in Osu. Right now I am located in a posh suburb of Accra called, East Legon.

Sorry I haven't more to report on the work-front, but alas I am in Africa doing development work, and this is just the way it goes I've learned. Patience though, is a wonderful sub-lesson in times like these!

I hope my readers are keeping well, I appreciate you dropping by to check out my latest!
Oh-- and if anyone has any tips on how to slow down 'time'- do share!

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