“You meet people who forget you. You forget people you meet. But sometimes you meet those people you can't forget.”
Today, at the Cultural Art Center in Accra, we strolled in and I met David. With his warm Ghanaian demeanor, he shook my hand and taught me a friendly finger snap. He then proceeded to follow me around the center. This is what happens. The Cultural Art Center is a very touristy place to visit with the Kwame Nkrumah museum next door. Jewelry, clothing, drums, shoes, bags, home décor…the list goes on. One shop welcomed us to Ghana with a drumbeat that was peppy enough to get my head bobbin. When new blood shows up, the men and women selling goods attack. It’s overwhelming and intimidating, and so important to stand your ground, because the prices offered are often far higher than they should be. Avoiding eye contact and saying no thank you helped me breeze through the center
I also met a man named Colin Powell. Not that Colin Powell, apparently, the Ghanaian one. I highly doubt this was his real name, but he was obviously trying to appeal to my American mind, and it worked. When I disclosed that I was from Chicago, he immediately reminded me that the capital of Illinois was Springfield and how wrong he thought it was that it wasn’t Chicago. Love it! He knew the capital of every state in America and was more than proud to share this information with me. Colin kindly showed me around the Art Center hunting down my friends, but his ulterior motive was clearly my money. He had shop #26 at the center full of wooden goods. I couldn’t resist and got an elephant for my niece. That thirst for knowledge about the world impressed me and I figured buying one of his products was the least I could do to repay him for helping me find my friends.
I am so happy to be here. For real happy. I’m really looking forward to leaving Accra and its busy expensive style. More than ready for Bechem!
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