It's Not Easy

“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.” -- Eleanor Roosevelt

Want to throw this disclaimer out there. I’m not saying I know everything about the life of Ghanaians, but I would like to paint somewhat of a picture for outsiders based on my observations. The majority of my time is spent in a rural community, so that is where my info is coming from. The upper class and the lower class dominate Ghanaian society. The middle class is relatively small in comparison. In Accra, you will find mansions comparable to ones found in the North Shore communities of Chicago, while in the rural areas, you will find people living in primitive shacks made of bamboo and other natural products. The dichotomy is insane. Over half of the Ghanaian population is involved in some sort of agricultural work, so this dictates much of what people do on a day-to-day basis. I am living in a rural area, and the majority of Ghana’s population resides in these rural areas. About a third of the population lives in urban areas. (This is info I gathered online)

Life is hard work here. Most Ghanaians wake up very early each day, around 4:30am or 5:00am. By 6am when the sun comes up, women are walking around with tins of goods on their heads. I've seen a few men here and there, but mostly women of all ages. Some hoist a large metal tin atop their head, while some use a small windowed box with a lid. Also at these early hours of the day, women and men are setting up their shops or food stands. Some are boiling bofrut in hot oil, roasting plantains, chopping coconuts, others might be laying out their vegetables or, getting their porridge baggies organized, or displaying their tools or electronics. You can buy just about anything from the head of an African. In rural communities, it’s mostly edible stuff: bofrut (donut balls), turnovers (folded fried dough stuffed with corned beef and onions), eggs, apples, pineapple, and the list goes on. In larger cities, you can get toothbrushes, combs, books, key chains, cloth, handkerchiefs, and too many more items to list here. Here in Ghana, people don’t do one-stop shopping. You walk around a market area and find what you need from various vendors. If you’ve got some money, you can go to the Accra mall, but that place is generally reserved for the middle to upper class of Ghana with its outrageous costs.

Many children go to school each day, but unfortunately, not all. If a family cannot afford the school fees, the kids don't go. Throughout a day, people sell, sell, sell. This is many people’s livelihood and means of survival. Men are in charge of transportation here. They drive and repair the taxis and trotros and make their living that way. Last week, one of my taxi drivers told me that in addition to driving a taxi he works in construction. Because his wife passed away, these professions allow him the flexibility to cater to his children as needed. In between taxi pick-ups and drop-offs, he’s running home to feed his kids and take them to school. It’s not easy. In addition to selling, women are often washing clothes or cooking. I’ve never once seen my roommate’s husband wash a dirty dish or prepare a meal. In fact, even his meals are served to him in his room so he doesn’t ever even have to enter the kitchen. I rarely see men engaging in household chores, and the same is true with preparing fires. I generally see women fetching the wood and establishing the flames for stoves or coal pots. I’ve been told that women are the most powerful people in Ghana and I can see why that statement would be made. Men seem to have more free time to socialize and engage in leisure activities. For example, each time I walk to Bechem, I always see a group of men playing a game called Draft, which I think is similar to Checkers. Never ever have I seen women engaging in any sort of fun like this because they’re too busy breastfeeding or cooking or washing or managing the world it seems. The roles of each sex seem fairly established. Obviously, it’s not absolutely true across the board, but generally speaking, women take care of the house and the children, while men drive around or hang out with neighbors and friends. Again, in urban communities, the percentage of both men and women working in professional settings is much higher, but this is what I have seen in the rural setting.

As evening approaches, you will find families preparing meals or closing up shop. People pounding fufu is a common sight or stirring large pots of banku. The sides of the roads fill with children and teachers walking home from school. At promptly 6pm each night, the sun drops. Twelve hours later, everyone gets up and does it all over again.

I am so grateful for my life as an American woman. I have options. On any given day, I can go to a movie, a museum or the beach. I can eat any type of food from anywhere around the world. I can get in my car and drive to a state park where I can marvel at caves and wildlife. I can walk into a used bookstore, get a $2 book, and walk down to Starbucks and relax for a few hours with a vanilla latte. I can take a painting class or a pottery class or a boxing class. I can order food that will be delivered directly to my door if I don’t feel like cooking. I can seek out a band at a bar or an art exhibit at a gallery. I can rent a bike for a day or walk along the lakefront. I can get on a train just for fun. I can see a comedian, a play, or a musical. I love having these options, and know that I am lucky to have them. I cannot even fathom the idea that my life would ever revolve solely around cooking, cleaning, working, and child-rearing, which is the case for many women here. Though I do three of these things because I have to, my mind requires so much more stimulation. People seem genuinely happy here though. Even the students here who do insane amounts of chores. And ultimately, happiness is what everyone is hoping for anyways, right? The hardest thing for me in seeing this lifestyle, is that I know about the other options out there. I know different. But, I get it. If you’ve never had those options, then you don’t really have any idea of what you are missing. More than anything, Ghana is teaching me to appreciate my life and my American citizenship.