Nieco vseobecne o Ghane

ahojte,

tak sa konecne hlasim po sto rokoch s par riadkami, tentokrat o mojich postrehoch ako to tu v Ghane vlastne fici. Kamaratka ma poprosila o par riadkov do seminarky, no a ked som to uz raz napisala tak som si povedala ze preco to rovno neuverejnit, takze tu to je:

Vzdelanie
Co sa mi na Ghancanoch velmi paci je, ze vzdelanie si nesmierne vazia a vedia, ze ak do svojho vzdelania investuju, maju sancu na ovela lepsi zivot ako ich rodicia a stari rodicia. Mozno jednym z dovodov preco si vzdelanie velmi vazia je aj fakt, ze skoly su platene. Od zakladnej skoly, cez stredoskolske vzdelanie az po univerzity, nezavisle od toho, ci je skola privatna alebo statna, kazdy plati rocny poplatok, ktory sa zvysuje so stupnom vzdelanosti a popularnosti danej vzdelavacej institucie.
Vacsina Ghancanov studuje strednu skolu mimo miesta svojho bydliska a vacsina strednych skol je oddelenych na cisto dievcenske skoly alebo cisto chlapcenske skoly. Existuju aj zmiesane stredne skoly, ale oddelene prevazuju.
Univerzity su uz zmiesane a studenti byvaju priamo na Campusoch (vramci arealu skoly). Campusy su vacsinou velmi obrovske (na nase pomery), taky priemerny univerzitny campus na 10 000 studentov a viac.
Studenti maju moznost vybrat si z mnohych smerov a zamerani, je tu vela studentov Business fakult, velmi popularna je tiez Technicka univerzita, potom Computer Science, Actuar science, Mathematics & Statistics, Accounting, Psychology, Social science etc..
Od druheho stupna vyssie je cely vyucovaci proces v anglictine. Na vysokej si mozu pribrat dalsie jazyky ak chcu, francuzstinu, rustinu, cinstinu, spanielcinu, etc.. Vacsina vsak ovlada iba anglictinu a potom ich domace lokalne jazyky, jeden-dva. Dokopy ich maju iba v Ghane 79.

Zdravie
Najcastejsim ochorenim je malaria, ktoru beru asi tak ako my chripku. Proste s malariou vyrastli a tak to neberu tak tragicky ako my cudzinci.
Tiez ako aj v inych africkych krajinach, HIV AIDS je pomerne rozsirene ochorenie, pozitivne vsak je, ze vysokoskolski studenti (s ktorymi vdaka AIESECu som vacsinou v kontakte) su velmi uvedomeli a maju velmi dobru znalost o HIV AIDS. Tiez osveta je celkom dobra, aspon tu v hlavnom meste, billboardy upozornujuce na ochorenie, spevaci ktori podporuju bezpecny sex atd..
Velkym problemom su tu otvorene kanaly popri cestach s odpadovou vodou - jednak je to velmi nehygienicke a jednak je to rojisko komarov a roznych chorob.
Par rokov dozadu vlada spustila obrovsku kampan na pitie zdravotne nezavadnej vody (balena po pol litry v plastikovych vreckach) a predavana za dostupnu cenu. Toto sposobilo viditelne zlepsenie zdravotneho stavu obyvatelstva, vyvstal z toho vsak iny problem, a to poletujuce prazdne vrecka od vody vsade na uliciach.
Celkovo co sa tyka zivotneho prostredia, hlavne mesto je velmi znecistene najma kvoli exhalatom z aut (vacsinou stare modely z Europy a Ameriky, 10 rokov a starsie, neexistuje tu nic take ako emisne kontroly) no a spalovanie odpadov je tu zalezitost kazdeho domu osobitne, jednoducho to zhrnu na jednu kopu pred dom alebo tak, a spalia vsetko spolu, plasty, papier, plechovky, ... Z toho unika do ovzdusia mnozstvo jedovatych plynov. Tiez vacsina pobrezia pri hlavnom meste je znecistena z odpadovych vod ktore z mesta prudia priamo do mora, bez cisticiek.

Doprava
Co sa tyka mestskej dopravy tu v Accre, hlavnom meste, tak premava tu niekolko autobusov (nieco ako nasa MHD). No ale napriklad ja som tu este nikdy ziadnym takym autobusom nesla a tato doprava az taka rozsirena a popularna nie je. Co tu pouzivaju takmer vsetci je TRO TRO. TRO TRO je v podstate taky mini bus (na Europske pomery 6 az 12 miestne, na Ghanske pomery tu do jedneho TRO TRA natlacia aj 16-20 ludi) - no a predstav si taku tradicne stavanu Africanku s velkym zadkom a este dietatom na chrbte, a v tych horucavach, no nie je to zrovna najpohodlnejsie, plus vsetko hrka, natriasa sa cele TRO TRO (spravidla su tieto auta riadne stare a clovek sa sam seba pyta ze ci sa cele TRO TRO nahodou nerozpadne pri dalsej jame..), hudba na plne pecky a tak.. velmi africke :). No ale je to lacny a viac menej spolahlivy druh dopravy. Nemaju tu nic take ako zastavky na TRO TRO (iba na autobusy), proste ludia vedia trasu TRO TRA, a cakaju niekde po ceste. Mavanim ruky TRO TRO zastavis, nasadnes, po ceste od teba "Mate" (pomaha vodicovi v prevadzkovani TRO TRA) vypyta prislusnu sumu penazi a potom ked chces vystupit zakricis nazov miesta a "Bus stop". Po meste su roztrusene TRO TRO stanice kde sa vsetky TRO TRA stretavaju a odtial vyrazaju na vsetky strany do ulic.
Vela ludi to pouziva auta, a ti co si to mozu dovolit, pouzivaju taxiky. Vzdy treba zjednavat predtym ako clovek nastupi. Taxikari nemaju nic take ako taxametre a ludia ich zastavuju priamo na ulici.
Stav ciest sa velmi zlepsil oproti minulym rokom a tak sa ine mesta stavaju dostupnejsimi. Problemom su tu obdobia dazdov, kde ku konci tohoto obdobia je vacsina ciest uplne znicenych a treba ich vsetky obnovit. Tiez spravidla cesty mimo Accry su v lepsom stave ako priamo v hlavnom meste.
Na medzimestsku dopravu ludia vyuzivaju vacsinou cestnu dopravu - autobusy patriace spolocnosti STC alebo potom obdobu TRO TRA, ale na vacsie vzdialenosti (o trochu pohodlnejsie) - tieto auta volaju jednoducho "Ford".
Maju tu zeleznicu ale je dost zastarala a vacsina Ghancanov vlakom v zivote necetovala.
Taktiez existuje vnutrostatna letecka doprava, ale ta je prilis draha, cize drviva vacsina Ghancanov si to nemoze dovolit.
Ghana ma jedno medzinarodne letisko v Accre - Kotoka Airport, ktore spaja Ghanu s vacsinou Africkych aj mimoafrickych krajin. Napriklad denne sa lieta do UK, Holandska atd..

Hygiena
Ako je to tu s hygienov. To tazko posudit a velmi to zavisi od daneho jednotlivca. Z ich kultury vyplyvajuc, prava ruka sa pouziva iba na jedenie a pozdravy atd.. Je to taka “preferovana” ruka. Lava sluzi na osobnu hygienu na toalete a je nepripustne pouzivat ju na pozdravy ludi, a jedenie. Berie sa to ako urazka. Ludia jedia drvivu vacsinu jedal rukami (respektive pravou rukou) a ked pouzivaju pribor, tak iba lyzicu.
Ak to mam vseobecne posudit, v porovnani s nami Europanmi si Africania prilis na hygienu nepotrpia, napriklad mnohi si ruku pred jedlom neumyju, vacsinou az po jedle. Mnoho ludi (najma muzi, ale aj vela zien) moci priamo na ulici, do otvorenych kanalov, co je pre vacsinu nas cudzincov jeden z prvych kulturnych sokov a na hygiene to isto vobec nepridava.
Co sa tyka zdravotnictkych zariadeni, koncentracia nemocnic je najvacsia v hlavnom meste, cim dalej od Accry, tym je nemocnic menej a menej, napriklad obyvatelia odlahlych dedin na severe (kde je ovela vacsia chudoba ako tu na juhu) musia cestovat aj desiatky a stovky kilometrov k najblizsej nemocnici.

Korupcia
Korupcia je tu pomerne velky problem, najma vo vladnych instituciach. Typickym prikladom su miestni policajti – staci im dat maly obnos penazi a su slepi voci akymkolvek nedostatkom na vasom vozidle.
Problemom je napriklad to, ze v Ghane neexistuju Obcianske preukazy – planuju ich zaviest buduci rok. Taktiez vlada vynaklada obrovske sumy na osvetu v oblasti Registrovania narodenych deti a mrtvych ludi. Vodicske preukazy tu napriklad policajti skoro vobec nekontroluju, a tak je uplne bezne, ze ludia jazdia s vodicakom ktory stratil platnost aj niekolko rokov dozadu. Alebo ich so sebou pri soferovani ani vobec nemaju.
“Korupcia” v istej forme je taktiez sucastou ich kultury – ludia radi darovavaju male “pozornosti”, na zaklade ktorych potom ocakavaju “male sluzby”. Toto je tu verejne akceptovany postup v biznise aj v inych oblastiach zivota.
Stupen korupcie je vsak dost relativny pojem. V porovnani s inymi africkymi krajinami je na tom Ghana velmi velmi dobre. Ekonomicky rast je jeden z najvyssich v celej Afrike a co je najdolezitejsie, je tu mier. Celkovo su Ghancania velmi mierumilovny narod. Zivotnu pohodicku si nadovsetko cenia.

Chudoba
Chudoba je velmi viditelna, najma ked clovek pride zo “Zapadneho sveta”. Nezamestnanost je velky problem, vela ludi predava Tovar na ulici, nosia vsetko na hlavach, je to velmi africke.. Tito poulicni predavaci robia svoj biznis ilegalne, ale vlada im to toleruje, je to vzdy lepsie ako keby mali kradnut alebo nerobit vobec nic.
Vela ludi tu zije z menej ako 1 USD denne, co je oficialne OSN vyhalsene ako hranica chudoby. Zivotne naklady nie su vysoke, ale zase zavisi od vyplaty (ak nejaka je). Napriklad ja s mojou vyplatou stazistu 300 USD mesacne (s ubytovanim zdarma), si tu zijem velmi velmi dobre.
Vyplata zavisi najma od stupna vzdelania. Priemerne ludia zamestnani v kancelarii s ukoncenym stredoskolskym vzdelanim zarabaju 100 az 150 USD mesacne. Ludia s ukoncenim Bakalarom od 150 USD do 300 USD. A ludia s ukoncenym Masters priemerne 600 USD az 1200 USD. Zavisi to samozrejme velmi od spolocnosti. Ak je to nadnarodna firma, tak vyplaty su vyssie. Na nekvalifikovane prace ako upratovacky a soferi aut (takmer kazda firma ma vlastnych soferov a takmer kazda domacnost 1 a viac upratovaciek) je vyplata okolo 50 USD az 100 USD mesacne. Tiez som sa napriklad stretla s tym, ze upratovacky v domacnostiach mali dohodu so zamestnavatelom – ubytovanie a strava zdarma, neplatena praca po dobu 2-3 rokov a potom im zamestnavatel zaplati stredoskolske vzdelanie – vyucenie sa nejakemu remeslu (1-2 roky – napriklad krajcirka je rozsirene zamestnanie pre zeny aj muzov). Toto sa mozno nam Europanom nezda ako vyhodna dohoda, ale pre ludi, ktori prichadzaju najma zo severu Ghany, kde je velka nezamestnanost je to to vyborna moznost. Bud by boli doma nezamestnani, alebo pridu do hlavneho mesta kde sa o nich dana rodina postara a este maju zaistene aj dalsie vzdelanie.
Osobne dost tazko znasam vidiet chudobu na vlastne oci, deti ktore nechodia do skoly, nosiac tazke bremena od malicka aby pomohli rodicom a mali co jest, zeny predavajuce svoje telo, ludia zobrajuci na ulici, ktori tak stravia cely zivot. Postihnuti ludia to v Ghane tiez nemaju lahke, vacsinou ich vidiet na krizovatkach a na staniciach ako zobru od ludi z aut peniaze.
Co tu ale funguje ako kvazi socialny system su velke rozvetvene rodiny, ktore podporuju chudobnejsich pribuznych napriklad tym, ze zoberu k sebe domov neter, synovca, ktori im pomahaju okolo domacnosti a rodina im na oplatku plati skolne a oni sa mozu vzdelavat.
Ako som spominala, rodina ktora ma co i len trochu penazi, ma hned sluzku, co i len za male peniaze a takto sa navzajom podporuju.
Po celej krajine tiez existuje obrovske mnozstvo neziskoviek, medzinarodnych aj lokalnych, casto nabozensky zalozenych, ci uz krestanskych alebo moslimskych.


Rozvoj krajiny ako takej
Ghana sa jednoznacne rozvija, ekonomicka situacia sa zlepsuje. Staci len trochu hladat a clovek najde vsetko. Klimatizovane obchody na “europsky” styl, drahe kaviarne a restauracie, biznismeni prevazajuci sa vo velkych jeepoch (jeep je tu znamka toho ze clovek nieco znamena). Najviac zarazajuce su asi tie kontrasty medzi bohatymi a chudobnymi. Na jednej strane cesty je prach a pozlatany stol kde zena predava ovocie a na zemi sa hraju jej tri deti, sporo odete a hladne a na druhej strane tej istej ulice sa do vysky tyci sklenena budova obrovskej banky.
Najvacsiu chybu ktoru my Europania mozeme spravit je, podcenovat potencial Africkych krajin ako aj sucasny stupen rozvoja.
Biznis tu je, moznosti su nekonecne, pracujem v klimatizovanej kancelarii s pocitacom a internetom neustale k dispozicii, mame telefony, fax, auta so sofermi, zmluvy s klientami atd.. Jednoducho to, co najdete aj v akejkolvek zapadnej firme.
V Ghane sa doteraz tazi zlato, su to povrchove bane vlastnene vacsinou zahranicnymi firmami. Tiez je Ghana jednym z najvacsich svetovych vyvozcov kakaam, takze tu najdete mnozstvo plantazi. Taktiez je tu vela tropickeho ovocia, ananasy, banany, marakuja melony a pomarance su tu take bezne ako jablka u nas doma.
Tento rok celila Ghana energetickej krize, pretoze vacsina elektrickej energie je produkovania vodnou elektrarnou na rieke Volta, no a tento rok boli obrovske sucha, takze bol nedostatok vody. Preto bola elektricka energia nieco vyse pol roka dodavana podla dopredu oznameneho rozvrhu. V case ked som do krajiny prisla ja, bola elektrina dodavana 24 hodin non stop, potom 12 hodin bez elektriny (od 6 do 18), dalsi den elektrina 24 hodin non stop a potom 12 hodin bez elektriny (od 18 do 6 rano). Momentalne je situacia stabilizovana a elektrinu mame k dispozicii stale. Este vzdy sa stava ze elektrinu hocikedy pocas dna/noci vypnu, co je sposobene poruchami generatorov. Priemerne sa takyto vypadok udeje raz za tyzden, dva a trva okolo pol hodinky.

Keep your eyes wide open and you find what you`re looking for

It`s almost 11pm and instead of resting after my day at work, I`m sitting at the computer alone in the office, about to create "just few more" AIESEC documents. Sounds familiar? Haha.. :)

I`ve just finished replying on the mails of my friends and browsing on all the blogs of you, my friends and I have nothing else to say than just - wow! Wow guys to all of you who have the courage to share your thoughts, experience, photos, your ups & downs, mostly so far away from home.. Your stories are so powerful and so inspirational. About time to update my blog and try to make it as intereting reading as yours ones is. And thanks to all of you who are writing me your great mails, you can`t imagine how much does it mean to me.

Keep your eyes wide open and you find what you`re looking for.. Today I was searching for inspiration. And I`ve found it in your words. Yet so far away, you, my friends are always here with me.

Thank you for all your support and take a good care of yourself. Wherever you are! :)

IC 2007 in Turkey (August/September 2007)

Finally my AIESEC dream came true! I took part on IC 2007 in Turkey as a delegate. I`ve been waiting to be able to attend this conference for 4 years – since I`ve joined AIESEC.
I struggled to collect all the money (loaaads of money – especially considering my African salary) and after loads of troubles with Ghanaians getting visas to Turkey, finally – almost in the middle of the conference, we left Ghana on our (longer than we thought) journey to Turkey.

Since we`ve traveled with Kenya Airways, we flew to Kenya first (hooray! Another African country in my passport – paid 15 dollars for Transit visas, Ghanaians had it for free..) and we stayed there for one day (later on I found out from our Kenyan CEEDer that the hotel was famous for the social workers doing their job there, ehm..). I would say that Kenyan nature looks much more like the one we know from Discovery Channel than the one in Ghana. The most surprising thing was, that in Kenya it was cold! Seriously! We were freezing most of the time. And Ghanaians were so much looking forward to see the giraffes for the first time in their lives.. Unfortunately we haven`t seen any. Oh and one more interesting thing: in that small part of the city I`ve been to, I have found 3 Bata shops (shoe shop originally from Czechoslovakia)– 1 of them directly in the hotel premises. Almost felt like hooome ;)

On the next day, we have arrived to the airport expecting to fly to Turkey. The problem occurred when we were told that we don`t fit into the plane, consequently received some dollars as a “Sorry” from the airways and were redirected to fly through Dubai (cool!) to Turkey, but which unfortunately meant also one extra day of delay from the conference..
Dubai was really interesting (well, I`d better say the airport and duty frees were really interesting..) and the Arabic language reminded me strongly on my time in Tunisia last year. Ultimately, we`ve finally arrived to Istanbul. Tired we rushed directly to the sessions in order not to miss any more of the conference.

The best about the whole congress I can summarize into two things: inspiration & friends (meeting old & new). It was really nice to get to know other Africans from our GN and of course meeting my Slovak friends again :) - who btw brought me loads of our home food, drinks and a package from my mum :).

Concerning the turkish organizing committee, my expectations were very low (because of the bad experience from the previous conference EuroLDS two years ago hosted by Turkey, too), yet this years` CC was unfortunately even worse. I know it`s unfair to say it like this – very generally, because some individuals in the team were really extraordinary, yet this is the fact. No more comments on this issue.

It was interesting to see all the GN boards, AI people and most of all, meeting the other MC TMs from all around the world..

I`m still getting used to represent totally different country and GN, after I`ve spent 4 years as @ Slovakia and CEE GN and now here I am – Ghanaian MC and member of Africa GN.

From the sessions the most powerful were the ones with alumni with all their memories and messages to current generation.

Generation of Achievers!

Tyzdne 4-7

Co noveho v Ghane – tyzdne 4-7

Mili priatelia! Tadaaa, opat sa hlasim z dalekej Afriky s infoskami co noveho :)

KDE A AKO BYVAM
- byvam hned vedla prace, ten isty pozemok
- moj “domov” je maly podlhovasty domcek s piatimi miestnostami s oddelenymi vchodmi: kupelna s WC, 3 izby pre nas stazistky a kuchyna
- vdaka tomu, ze byvam hned vedla prace, staci mi vstavat rano “neskoro” – to znamena okolo 7 – 7,30, ostatni kolegovia Ghancania vstavaju strasne skoro kazde rano, kvoli zapcham na cestach im to trva aspon hodinu, dve kym sa sem konecne dostanu
- momentalne su obsadene iba 2 izby z troch, byvame tam dve stazistky – ja & Anna z nemecka, Ioana z Rumunska skoncila staz pred tyzdnom a uz je znova doma
- okolie je velmi pekne, mame travnik a par metrov od nasho domu je letny altanok so stolom a stolickami. Palmove stromy vsade naokolo su uz pre mna samozrejmost, vdaka obdobiu dazdov je vsetko krasne zelene, skoro ako u nas doma
- pre firmu pracuju dve upratovacky – umyju a pozametaju firmu aj nas dom kazde rano (a rano pre Ghancanov znamena o piatej!! Ich hlasne rozhovory priamo pod nasimi oknami ma vacsinou rano prebudzaju, Gifty a Matilda su ale velmi priatelske a mile). Umyvaju tiez vsetky riady a nase oblecenie – vo vacsine ghanskych domacnosti pracku nenajdete. Podla mnohych Ghancanov je rucne pranie ovela lepsie ako to v elektrickej pracke
- mame troch soferov, ktori pracuju pre firmu a su k dispozicii nam zamestnancom s dvoma autami pocas celej pracovnej doby (od 8 do 17)
- nemame vysavac (tiez zriedkakedy najdete v ghanskych domacnostiach) a teda som nutena moj koberec v izbe “vysavat” kratkou ghanskou metlou z prutia
- zabudnite v Ghane na teplu vodu.. Odkedy som prisla sprchujem sa v takej aku mame ako jedinu – a ta je studena. Vacsinou sme ale radi ze mame aspon studenu, lebo velakrat voda nejde, z nejakeho dovodu ju vypinaju a potom znova - za par hodin alebo niekedy dni - zapnu
- v nasich izbach nie su sklenene okna. Okna su potiahnute iba sietkou proti komarom a zvonka su zelezne mreze a drevene okenice
- moja izba ma dve miestnosti: malu verandu kde mam chladnicku a stol na potraviny a druha miestnost, kde byvam. Mam svoj koberec, siroku postel (ale zato kratku.. :(, jedno kreslo, stol a TV s dvoma kanalmi. Na oblecenie pouzivam kufor s ktorym so pricestovala a zlomeny dreceny vesiak kde sa snazim povesat vacsinu oblecenia na plastove vesiaky
- v kuchyni mame plynovy sporak, takze si mozeme varit (ak zrovna je nejaky plyn v plynovej bombe..), stol, 3 stolicky a celkom v pohode kuchynske nacinie (aj ked vacsina hrncov je aluminiovych)
- zvonka je pozemok firmy obohnany murmi s dvoma vchodovymi branami, ktore sa zatvaraju velkymi zeleznymi pakami zvnutra. Mame dvoch “security” strazcov, je uplne normalne mat sekuritakov tu v Ghane, ma ich vacsina firiem aj sukromnych domov. Ak chce auto vojst do domu, trubia na sekuritakov zvonka, ti im pridu otvorit a zase za nimi zavru. Na taketo vytrubovania z celej ulice si zvyknete a po nejakom case ich prestanete vnimat. Sekuritaci prichadzaju okolo 5 pooobede a zostanu vonku pri brane celu noc az do rana, vacsinu casu prespia, na stolicke alebo na zemi pri vchode

KORENIA
- Ghancania su jednoducho zblazneni do stiplavej papriky (v anglictine pepper, vyslovuju to “PEPA”). Bez papriky sa proste neda varit, jest, prezit! Pridavaju ju do vsetkeho, vratane sladkej ovsenej kase. Ghancania zboznuju stiplave jedla – a ked im nieco chuti, povedia ze je to “sweet” (sladke) – napriklad: “Vyskusaj toto, je to taaake sladke!”

KEBAB
- Ghancania zboznuju maso! Kebab je jedno z ich oblubenych jedal. Velakrat najdete kebab pripravovany v podnikoch, kde ho jedia ako my cipsy. Kebab to su grilovane kusky masa (vacsinou kozieho) na palicke, niekedy na striedacku s cibulou a paprikou no a samozrejme to obaluju na kila v ich stiplavej paprike - “spicy pepa” :)

MASO
- najcastejsie najdete tieto druhy masa: ryby, kura, kozie maso, hovadzie a parky/klobasky. Zvieracie koze su tu povazovane za absolutnu lahodku a preto ich najdete plavat v takmer vsetkych omackach. Africanom to naozaj chuti!

DROGY, ALKOHOL, CIGARETY
- naozaj pramalo Ghancanov fajci alebo pije, maximalne si daju prilezitostne pivo, z drog som pocula iba o marihuane, ze vraj sa k nej da lahko dostat ak ma niekto zaujem

GHANSKA FAUNA
- Sliepky, kohuty, kuriatka – su uuuuuplne vsade! Doslova vsade! Pobehuju si len tak po uliciach, po vsetkych pozemkoch, dvoroch domov, dokonca ich najdete pobehovat v niektorych obchodoch a takmer vzdy sa vam motaju niekde pod nohami. Vcera sme s Annou videli sliepku s kuriatkami priamo v kanali pri ceste!
- Kozie stada – par kusov alebo naozaj velke, uplne vsade!
- Komare – sietka proti komarom nad mojou postelou, to sa stalo mojou kazdodennou rutinou – vecer pozastrkovat okolo celej postele a potom rano zase poskladat a prehodit dohora. Podla statistiky vas musi postipat 500 komarov kym natrafite na toho, co prenasa malariu. Tak v priemere ma postipe 5 komarov denne. Komare vacsinou stipu za usvitu a ked sa stmieva, takze vtedy sa snazime byt pod mosketeriou, alebo aspon na seba nakydat kopec repelentu. Pre Ghanacanov je malaria uplna samozrejmost a normalne ochorenie, mozno ako pre nas nachladnutie. Ked ma clovek peniaze na to, aby si kupil lieky ked malariu dostane, vacsina foriem malarie sa da lahko vyliecit. O par dni ste zase zdravi.
- Vtaky – su obrovskeee (ako nas orol a este ovela vacsie), poletuju kade tade po nasej zahrade, nad ulicami. Je tu mnozstvo takych druhov, ktore som v zivote predtym nevidela. Niektore su aj trochu strasidelne, ked tak rozprestru kridla az s rozpatim jeden meter..
- Zaby – teraz v obdobi dazdov mame v okoli domov vela ziab. Volam ich megazaby, nie kvoli tomu ze by boli take obrovske, ale ked zacnu kvakat (vzdy vecer a potom celu noc), znie to ako z megafonu. Nechapem ako mozu byt take male a take hlucne…
- Jasterice – najdete tu mnozstvo jasterickiek. Tiez jeden specialny druh zvieratka podobneho jastericiam, volaju ho wall dzeko (alebo tak nejako), tieto zvieratka ktore vyzeraju ako jasterice si lozia po stenach a dokonca aj dole hlavou po stropoch
- Moja prva opica – videla som prvu naozajstnu opicu (no teda okrem tych v klietkach v ZOO). Ta opica proste len tak sedela na pleci chlapikovi co isiel po ulici. Jej dlhy chvost sa jej hompalal na jeho chrbte :) Pocula som ze v Ghane su miesta, dediny kde zije mnozstvo divych opic priamo s ludmi. Dufam ze ked budem cestovat tak na nejake natrafime! :)

OKNA
- Ghanske okna su zlozene z horizontalnych sklenenych tabiel, ktore ak chcete otvorit tak treba posunut packu, ktora tieto sklenene tably vyklapa az do horizontalnej polohy- na zabezpecenie domov vacsina okien ma zvonka zelezne mreze (velmi podobne ake som videla aj v Tunisku)

PIDGIN ENGLISH (alebo tiez zlomena anglictina)
- velmi popularna najma medzi studentami na vysokych skolach. Naozaj to znie ako “zlomena anglictina” – ked nou niekto rozprava, stale mam pocit ze je to normalna anglictina, no s tym rozdielom ze je ovela tazsie porozumiet a len obcas pochytite nejake anglicke slovicko. Je to slang, ktory znie ako keby sa ludom nechcelo poriadne vyslovovat anglicke slovicka, dokoncit vety

OBLECENIE
- muzi zboznuju nosit veeeeeeeeelmi dlhe tricka, az po kolena, Afrika zije HIP HOP-om, HIP LIFE-om, R`n`B a to sa odzrkadluje aj na ich sposobe obliekania a tiez co sa tyka gest, pozdravov a podobne
- latky – nakupovanie latok sa tu tesi velkej oblube – kupite si latku, zanesiete ju “svojej” krajcirke (vacsina –najma- Ghanskych slecien ma svoju vlastnu krajcirku) & tie vam usiju vsetko co si len poviete – africke strihy su velmi pekne
- prekrytie celej lavej ruky kusom latky je ghanskou tradiciou, nepisanym pravidlom. Latka cez lavu ruku vam ako keby zabranuje tuto ruku pouzivat, povazuje sa za vrcholne nezdvorile kyvat lavou rukou, podat niekomu lavu ruku alebo lavou rukou jest – pri jedeni je lava ruka vzdy mimo stola. Dokonca aj ked si ruku umyvaju pred a po jedle (lebo tu jeme rukami), tak si namocia a umyvaju iba pravu ruku. Casto aj pri rozhovore s niekym komu chcete prejavit uctu, lavu ruku drzite schovanu za chrbtom

KLIMATIZACIA
- naozaj hroza! Fakt trpim! Ghancania su schopni nastavit klimatizaciu na 16 stupnov a spokojne si v takomto prostredi hoviet, ale akonahle je vonku teplota pod 25 stupnov tak sa stazuju ze aka je hrozna zima, no jednoducho trpia. Chapete to???

CAS
- Ghana je v pasme GMT + 0. Nulty poludnik prechadza priamo dedinou Tema – nedaleko od Accry

PREDPOVED NA DNES: ZAMRACENE
- teraz v obdobi dazdov je mnoho zamracenych dni, obloha posiata tazkymi mracnami, teplota je okolo 25 stupnov a takto oblacno je aj niekolko dni za sebou. Tieto dni bez slnka su dost smutne, asi si vacsina ludi rovnikove tropy takto nepredstavi.

New photoalbum released :)

Dear friends, ready for newest pictures? Check it out: http://picasaweb.google.com/petra.hausnerova/GhanaWeeks58

kind regards,

hausi

Weeks 4-7

News for weeks 4-7

Dear friends! here I come with updates about how my life goes here in faraway Africa..

WHERE & HOW DO I LIVE

- I live right next to the office of my work, the same premises
- My “home” is a small house with 5 rooms & 5 different entrances: bathroom with the toilet, 3 rooms for trainees and kitchen
- Thanks to living right next to the working place, I can afford to wake up “late” – this means around 7 – 7,30am, the other Ghanaians working in the company wake up very early, because their way to work lasts 1-2 hours in the traffic jams
- Currently only two rooms are taken, now we are 2 trainees in The Capital Group – me & Ana from Germany, Ioana from Romania left Ghana last week, since her traineeship was over
- In front of our home we have grass and few meters away there is a summer hut with table and chairs. There are palm trees all over and loads of green (now that we have rainy season)
- There are 2 cleaning ladies in the premises – they clean the place every morning (normally they come at around 5am and they are the ones who usually wake me up with their loud talking right under my window, yet they are very very nice and kind to us), they also wash the dishes and do our laundry – there`s no washing machine. Many Ghanaians believe that washing in hands is much better than washing machines
- There are 3 drivers – they work for the company and are at our disposal with 2 company cars during the working hours
- There`s no vacuum cleaner in our place, so I “clean” my carpet in the room with short birch
- Forget about hot shower in Ghana.. Since I came I take shower in the only water we have – a cold one. Yet we are happy that we have a cold water at least, because there are many stoppages of water here
- There are no glass windows in our place. Only mosquito nets, iron grates and wooden shutters from outside
- My room consists of small verandah with fridge and table and the second room: there is a carpet on the floor, wide bed (but short :( ), one armchair, table and TV with 2 channels
- In the kitchen there is a gas burner, so we can cook (if the gas bomb is not empty..), table, 3 chairs and quite ok kitchenware (they still use aluminum pots here)
- There are two gates in our premises, which are closed from inside. We have two security guards which is very normal here. If a car wants to get into the house, they honk from outside, security comes to open the gate for you and close it afterwards. The security guys stay out whole & every night, sleeping most of the time in front of the door

SPICES
- Ghanaians are crazy for pepper (they pronounce it “PEPA”). Pepper is simply a must! They add it to all the dishes, including sweet porridge. Ghanaians love spicy food – if they like it they call it “sweet” – for example: “Try it, it`s so sweet!”

KEBAB
- Ghanaians are meat lovers! Kebab is one of their favorites. They chop it in the spots – like we do with chips. Kebab means pieces of meat (normally goat meat) cut into pieces and put on the stick, sometimes with onions and fresh pepper and then of course loads of “spicy pepa” :)

MEAT
- most common are these: fishes, chicken, goat meat, beef and sausages. Animals` skins are considered as a delicacy and so skins are to be found in most of the sauces. Africans really like it!

DRUGS, ALCOHOL, CIGARETTES
- Ghanaians rarely smoke or drink, from drugs I heard a lot about African wheat, they say access is easy if somebody wants

ANIMALS
- Chickens - are everywhere! Literally, everywhere! You`ll find them running around on the streets, courtyards of the houses, even in some shops and around your feet
- goat flocks – everywhere!
- Mosquitoes – mosquito net above my bed becomes part of my everyday ritual before going to sleep and after waking up. Statistics say that every 500th mosquito carries malaria. On average I got 5 bites a day. Mostly mosquitoes are biting and the dawn and at the dusk. For Ghanaians to have malaria is something totally normal and if you can afford to buy drugs you can easily heal it. At least mostly it is so.
- Birds – are very big (like our eagle and bigger) and many kinds that I`ve never seen in my life. They`re a bit scary..
- Frogs – now during rainy season there are many frogs in our place. I call them megafrogs because almost every night there is a concert with frogs` singing. They are very noisy…
- Lizzards – there are many lizards, too. There is another animal similar to lizard, they call it wall jacker (or something like that), these small lizard-like animals climb the walls and ceilings
- my first monkey – I`ve seen my first real monkey (apart from the ones from ZOOs). The monkey sat on the shoulder of a guy walking the street. Just like that! :) I heard there are some places in Ghana with many wild monkeys directly in the villages. I hope I`ll see some! :)

WINDOWS
- Ghanaian windows are cut into horizontal glass panels and can be opened while pushing the lever down – they open up to horizontal position
- as a security on most of the houses you can find iron grates (similar to the ones I`ve seen in Tunisia)

PIDGIN ENGLISH (also called broken English)
- most popular among university students. Sounds really like “broken English” – when I hear it I still have an impression that I hear English, yet is like a slang, like if ppl are tired of talking, finishing sentences

CLOTHES
- men love loooooooong t-shirts, up to their knees, Africa lives for HIP HOP and this reflects also the way they dress
- fabrics – very popular here – you buy fabric & you go to “your” taylor who sews the African dresses for you
- traditionally the left hand is covered by the piece of cloth or often hold behind the back while greeting or while eating away from the table, since it`s considered as not clean

AIR CONDITION
- Awful! I`m really suffering! Ghanaians are able to put AC on 16 degrees and feel totally comfortable like this, while when there is 25 degrees outside they are freezing and suffering badly. Does it make sence???

TIME
- Ghana is GMT + 0. Greenwich meridian crosses the village called Tema – nearby to Accra

WEATHER – CLOUDY DAYS
- because it`s rainy season now, many days the sky is full of heavy clouds, these days without sun are sad and colder

New photos :)

Celebrating my first month in Ghana today! Let`s celebrate with me - with newest pictures online :) http://picasaweb.google.com/petra.hausnerova/GhanaWeek4

More photos from Ghana - keep on discovering

hey guys,
more photos from Ghana now uploaded: http://picasaweb.google.com/petra.hausnerova/Ghana2ndAnd3rdWeek

thank you for all your comments, it`s really great motivation for me to go on writing :)

Tyzden 2 & 3.. Na pokracovanie (slovak version of weeks 2&3)

Tyzden 2 & 3.. Na pokracovanie

Sedim v praci v kancelarii a snazim sa zhrnut vsetko, co sa stalo za posledne 2 tyzdne. Musim to stihnut do 18, lebo potom mame “Lights off” [vypnute svetla] ako tu ludia nazyvaju cas bez elektriny.

ZAZITKY S GHANSKYMI KANALMI.. AKO VONIA AFRIKA TROCHU INAK
Vcera sa to stalo. Prisiel ten den kedy som mala zazit ghansky kanal velmi zblizka – spadla som do neho totiz. Pozdlz drvivej vacsiny ghanskych ulic su totizto kanaly/zlaby – po oboch stranach ciest. Su priblizne meter hlboke a plne najroznejsich podozrivych tekutin, ktore naozaj zblizka nikto skumat netuzi. Vacsina tychto kanalov je nezakrytych a velmi smrdia. Nuz ale postupom casu sin a rozne africke vone clovek zvykne a uz ich vobec nevnima. Po par dnoch/tyzdnoch (zavisi od toho, aky fajnovy nos mate J) si to uz vobec nevsimate. Presne ako s kanalmi! A to bola presne ta chvila vcera vecer, ked som si uz kanaly velmi nevsimala a podarilo sa mi do jedneho z nich padnut. Cely dnesny den v praci krivkam hore dolu po kancelarii ako stara babka, nuz, lebo kazdy krok boli.. V podstate som mala este stastie, pretoze ten “moj kanal” bol takmer prazdny, iba trochu spinavej vody na dne. Ako som tak lezala roztiahnuta na ulici, jeden Ghancan pribehol a pomahal mi vylovit slapku, ktora zostala v kanale a medzitym ma kamoska Ana pozbierala zo zeme. Mohli by sme to nazvat taka typicka africka obroni skusenost.. trochu bolestiva :( No, nebola som isto ani prva ani posledna komu sa to stalo. Myslim ze dalsich par tyzdnov si budem davat obrovsky pozor kam stupam. Ako povedal kamos Stevan – srbsky stazista ktory tu uz pobudol takmer rok, treba mat “vzdy jedno oko na zemi patrajuce po kanaloch”. Isto sa uz toho odteraz budem drzat!

AFRICKE VLASY
- Aaano, opat vlasy, stale objavujem dalsie a dalsie cudesne veci, o ktore sa chcem s vami podelit! Tentokrat o tych muzskych: napriek tomu ze drviva vacsina africkych muzov ma uplne kratucke vlasy (par milimetrov), velmi si daju zalezat na tom, aby si ich dokladne ocesali. Ich kefa na vlasy sa tak trochu podoba na nasu kefku na nechty doma, bez urazky pani..
- V obchodoch dostat specialny gel s ciernym efektom. Este novsia verzia slubuje “Superciernu”. Vie mi niekto povedat ako mozu byt cierne africke vlasy este cernejsie? :)

EEE, CHARLIE! [citaj cale-s makcenom na C a dlznom na E]
V Ghane su vsetci Charlie. “Eee Charlie!” je tazko prelozitelne, je to nieco ako “ty brdo/ty kokso/hej ty/fiiiiha/no toto”. Ludia to pouzivaju milionkrat denne , nezavisle od toho, ci ste baba alebo chalan, vsetci su Charlie.. Zda sa mi ale ze chalanni to pouzivaju este castejsie ako baby. Samozrejme ja to uz pouzivam tiez :) V podstate to mozete povedat komukolvek na “vasej urovni” ale taktiez taxikarovi alebo obchodnikom. Vsetkym okrem vasho sefa ;)

JEDLO..OCHUTNAVANIE POKRACUJE
- minuly tyzden som ochutnala moje prve KOKOSOVE MLIEKO, ktore som chlipala z naozajstneho cerstveho kokosu.. Nikto mi nepovedal ze to nechuti ako nasa Bounty, vobec to nebolo sladke :( Ze vraj to zalezi od toho aky kokos kupim, dufam ze nabuduce sa mi pritrafi kupit nejaky sladsi
- dalsie “tenkrat poprve” bola CUKROVA TRSTINA. Kupili sme si ju z auta (uz si zvykam na nakupy cez okno ;)). Po dokladnom pozorovani postupu konzumovania mojej kolegyne (isto si mysli ze som divna ked som ju tak sledovala pri jedle “obycajnej” cukrovej trstiny), som prebrala jej techniku a s chutou som sa zahryzla do toho mojho kusku.Velmi sladke a velmi dobre! Ak budete mat moznost cukrovu trstinu ochutnat, tak to isto skuste.
- AFRICKY MED.. je cierny! A chuti uplne inak ako ten nas doma na Slovensku. Kedze som ale velky milovnik medu a nechcem sa toho vzdat ani tu v Afrike, tak si pomaly zvykam. Africky med chuti sladko, ale je akosi ovela viac aromaticky, nieco ako nas lesny med, ale ovela silnejsi. Kazdopadne je to celkom chutne :)
- OVOCIE – Africania su velmi prekvapeni ked im poviem, ze jedine miesto kde doma mame ananasy, manga a banany su supermarkety, a nie zahrada..
- MLIEKO – je dost drahe, co som tu, tak som Ghancanov videla mlieko pouzivat iba do cierneho caju. Je to nieco na co som z domu zvyknuta, takze jeho konzumacie sa neviem vzdat aj napriek cene. Aj hlavne kvoli tomu, ze je to jediny mliecny produkt, ktory tu mam. Syry su nehorazne drahe, bezne v obchode najdete tak maximalne trojuholnikove tavene, ziadne ine, a tiez zabudnite na regale plne vsakovakych jogurtov tak ako to mame v Europe. Zatial som videla len jogurtove mlieka ci mliecne napoje, skladovane mimo chladnicky. Musim to zahrnut do mojho prieskumu obchodov najblizsie aby som zisitila viac.. Pre takeho bezneho Slovaka, ktory konzumuje aspon par platkov syru denne a nejaky ten jogurtik tiez kazdy den, je to tu zlozitejsie. Nuz, rozdiely existuju.. Sme predsa len na inom kontinente.

OBCHODY
- na zaklade mojho trojtyzdnoveho “prieskumu trhu” som sa rozhodla uviest 20 NAJCASTEJSIE PREDAVANYCH VECI v takom tom beznom ghanskom obchode. Takze podme na to: voda (flase, sacky), Malta (chmelovy nealkoholicky napoj vyrabany Guinessom – strasne popularny, je to aj velmi zdrave, no ale tak ako pri vela dalsich veciach, clovek si musi na tu chut najprv zvyknut..), Coca Cola (sklenene flasky alebo plechovky), mlieko (v malych plechovkach, ked poriadne hladate tak najdete aj krabicove), ryza (obrovske vrecia azijskej ryze), Milo (kakaovy napoj – chladeny v plechovkach alebo v malych sackoch ako prasok), vajicka (skladovane vonku, nie v chadnicke), toaletny papier, cierny caj (Lipton jet u velmi popularny, inu znacku tazko zozeniete), cukor, sol, tuniak (v konzervach, dost drahy), rajcinovy pretlak (tiez v konzervach, je to velmi silny koncentrat, treba to riedit vodou pred varenim), praci prasok (Omo a Ariel, v mini baleniach), keksiky (vacsinou z arabskych krajin), dzusy, zapalky & sviecky & baterky (lebo elektrina..) no a samozrejme chlieb (maslovy chlieb, medovy chlieb, cukrovy chlieb, atd.. Vsetky chutia viacmenej rovnako – su sladke a makke ako vata)

Kedze je 17:58 a isto si pamatate z prveho prispevku ze Ghancania su presni s vypinanim elektriny, pre dnesok pisanie koncim, prajem vam prijemne citanie a coskoro poslem dalsie (dufam) zaujmave vecicky z dalekej Afriky..

My 2nd & 3rd week.. to be continued :)

My 2nd & 3rd week..to be continued

Sitting in the office at work, trying to summarise all what has happened in last two weeks before 6pm, when the “lights off” (how ppl here call the time without electricity) will come again.

EXPERIENCING GHANAIAN GUTTERS.. TASTE OF AFRICA DIFFERENTLY
Yesterday, the time has come and I have experienced my first fall into the gutter. Along the most of the Ghanaian streets there are gutters. Approximately one meter deep, full of weirdest liquids you don`t really wish to inspect closely. Majority of them are uncovered and stinky. As the time goes by you get used to all the different smells in Africa. After few days/weeks (depends on how sensitive your nose is J) you don`t realize it anymore. Just like with the gutters! And in that very moment yesterday in the evening, when I haven`t realized it anymore, I have fallen into my first gutter. So today at work I rather walk like an old lady, careful of every step I take, well, because it hurts.. Actually I was lucky, because “my gutter” was almost empty, with minimum water on the bottom. One Ghanaian guy helped me to find my slipper inside it and in a meanwhile my friend Ana recollected me from the street.. Well, typical obroni experience from Ghana, rather painful though.. I`m sure I`ll be extremely careful for upcoming couple of weeks again with every step I take.. My friend Stevan, Serbian trainee here in Ghana described it as “always keep one eye on the street watching the gutters”. I`ll definitely stick to it from now on!

AFRICAN HAIR
- Yeah yeah, I keep on discovering! Thought majority of African men have extremely short hair (few millimeters), they are very keen on brushing them. Their brush reminds me a bit on our brush to clean the nails back home, no offense guys, please..
- in the shops you can buy special pomade to make your hair black. Also a newer version was launched saying even “Super black”. Can anyone tell me how can African black hair become more black? :)

EEE, CHARLIE!!!!
In Ghana everyone is Charlie.. “Eee Charlie!” is difficult to translate, it`s something like “You, dude!”. People use it hundred times a day, no matter if you`re girl or boy, though it seems that boys like to use it more. Of course I`m using it already, too.. You can basically tell it to everyone who is on the same “level” just like you, also to the taxi drivers, sellers in the shops. Everyone but your boss ;)

FOOD.. KEEP ON TASTING
- last week I`ve tasted my first COCONUT MILK from the real fresh coco.. Nobody told me it doesn`t taste like the Bounty biscuit. It wasn`t sweet :( People say it depends on the coconut, maybe next time I`ll be more lucky..
- another “for the first time” was with SUGAR CANE. We bought it from the car (getting used to the window shopping system ;)) and after careful observation of eating technique of my colleague (she really wondered why do I stare so much while she`s eating a “normal” sugar cane), I`ve picked up the strategy and started to chew myself. Hmm, sweet sweeeeet! If u`ll have a chance, try it, it`s really nice & tasty
- AFRICAN HONEY… is black! And tastes totally different from ours back home. I`m a honey lover back in Slovakia, so I can`t really imagine not to eat honey also here. The taste is sweet, but seems to me much more aromatic. Anyways, it`s nice :)
- FRUITS – Africans are very surprised to find out that back home we have pineapples, mangoes or bananas only in the supermarkets, but not in the garden :)
- MILK – is rather expensive here, I`ve seen Ghanaians using it for the tea only, though this is something I can`t give up consuming, so I buy 2-3 boxes a week
- I consume so much milk especially because cheese here is extremely expensive and also you won`t find shelves full of yogurts like back in Europe. So far I`ve seen only something like yogurts milks, stored out of the fridge, I need to do more investigation in this area. For an average Slovak person consuming at least few slides of cheese and one yogurts a day it`s difficult.. Well, living diversity ;)

TOP 20 IN GHANAIAN SHOPS
- based on my 3 week`s observation I`ve decided to list 20 MOST COMMON THINGS you can buy in the average Ghanaian shop. Here we go: water (bags, bottles), Malta (drink made of malt produced by Guiness – extremely popular here, though it`s very healthy doesn`t taste very good to me.. Another thing requires some time to get used to..), Coca Cola (glass bottles or cans), milk (in small cans, if you search carefully you can find the ones in the boxes, too), rice (huge packages of Asian rice), Milo (chocolate milk – chilled in cans or as a powder in the bags), eggs (stored outside, no fridge), toilet paper, black tea (Lipton is very popular here, hardly you get another brand), sugar, salt, tuna fish (in cans, rather expensive), tomato sauce (in cans, strong concentrate - needs to be mixed with water before cooking), washing powder (in mini packages), biscuits (mostly from Arabic countries), juices, matches & candles & batteries (electricity..) and of course bread (butter bread, honey bread, sugar bread, etc.. Tastes all rather the same to me, it`s sweet and puffy)

Well, it`s already 5:58pm and surely you remember that Ghanaians are very punctual in switching off the electricity, so for today, enjoy the reading and stay tuned for more :)

My first week in Ghana - slovak version

Moj prvy tyzden v Ghane..

AFRIKA
Afrika je Afrika. Nie je ako nic co ste doteraz zazili. Su tri druhy ludi. Tych prvych Afrika fascinuje a ak sem raz pridu mozno zostanu navzdy. Ti druhi su zvedavi, ale pridu sem s “obroni” pristupom, preto tu bud ziju “biely” zivot alebo skor ci neskor odidu. Ti posledni nepridu nikdy. Afrika vas dostane a zmeni, nezalezi na tom ako dlho tu zostanete. Pridte, zazite to a uz nikdy nebudete rovnaki.

BURANIE PREDSUDKOV
Spat v Europe existuje o Afrike prilis vela hlupych a naivnych predsudkov. Tak ako v mnohych inych krajinach na svete. Ludia si myslia ze Afrika to su stada divych zvierat prehanajucich sa planami tak ako to vidia v telke na Discovery channel a polonahi Africania ktori ziju v chudobnych dedinach pripadne niekde na stromoch. Myslia si, ze ludia tu kazdy den zomieraju na choroby alebo od hladu a ze AIDS je uplne vsade. Ano. Toto je tiez Afrika. Ale iba jej mala cast. Pretoze Afrika je straaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasne velka. Ani si to neviete predstavit kym ste tu neboli. Afrika, taku ako som ju zatial videla ja, celi mnohym problemom ako vysoka miera nezamestnanosti alebo energeticka kriza. Ale Afrika je ina, jednoducho vam ucaruje. Ludia su stastni. Afrika, to je tiez obrovsky boom v biznise, “civilizovane” ulice, obchody, luxusne auta, drahe klimatizovane kluby, podnikatelia stretavajuci sa v top hoteloch a mnohe medzinarodne spolocnosti, ktore tu zarabaju tazke miliony.

LUDIA
- velmi priatelski, velmi zvedavi – som pre nich atrakcia :), uvolneni, kludni a zhovorcivi
- silny africky prizvuk – je tazke im rozumiet – znie to akoby prehltali urcite slabiky ci cele slova, velmi casto hovoria rychlo a velmi potichu – co nie je zrovna najlepsia kombinacia pre cudzinca ktory sa im snazi porozumiet, jednoducho treba cas aby si clovek zvykol

NABOZENSTVO
- Ghancania su silno nabozensky zalozeni. Vacsinu obyvatelov tvoria zapaleni krestania, je tu tiez silna moslimska komunita a niekolko dalsich nabozenstiev. Nespytaju sa vas, ci ste veriaci, ale do ktoreho kostola chodite. Nuz, ja veriaca nie som a je to pre nich tazke pochopit.
- Budovanie kostolov je v Ghane zlata bana. Uzasne vynosny biznis. Tisice a tisice ludi sa kazdu nedelu stretavaju v kostoloch po celej krajine. Urcite sa raz pojdem pozriet, pocula som od ostatnych ze je to riadna pecka, zazitok ktory si isto nenecham ujst :)

POZDRAVY
- Ghancania sa zdravia specialnym sposobom. Najprv si podaju ruky a potom lusknu prostrednikmi ruky toho druheho. Znie to ovela zlozitejsie ako to naozaj je. Je to velmi zabavne a hlavne uplne odlisne od toho nasho pozdravu. Po ghanskom pozdrave vam ten nas europsky pride strasne nudny :)
- Ked ste s niekym blizki priatelia, tak naciahnete pravu ruku a symbolicky sa objimete, no ziadne bozkavanie

POCASIE
- prijemne, vysoka vlhkost, nie az tak horuco ako som si myslela ze tu bude – Ghancania maju prave “zimu” – obdobie dazdov. Moju radost z prijemneho podnebia ale uplne kazi klimatizacia – uz som stihla prechladnut a na jeden den som zalahla do postele s Paralenmi.
- Teplota je kazdy den 30 stupnov plus a poteniu sa jednoducho nevyhnete. Ale 30 stupnov tu – skoro na rovniku je naozaj velmi prijemnych a najma vlhkych. Priemerny Europan zvladne tak 2-3 sprchy denne uuplne v pohode a akonahle sa oblecie tak kolotoc s potenim zacne odznova :)
- Africky den sa od toho europskeho velmi lisi – slnko vychadza okolo piatej a zapada uz o siestej – velmi rychlo sa stmieva a denny rytmus Ghancanov je tomu tiez prisposobeny – vstavaju najneskor o siestej a bezne oklo 8-9-10 vecer su uz spat doma a idu spat

STRAVA
- ghanske jedla su naozaj chutne, som prave v ochutnavacej faze – cize jedno po druhom skusam vsetky ghanske jedla doradu, zatial vedie ako najchutnejsie WAKYE (citaj vace) – prazena ryza s fazulou a vela koreniami
- je velmi lacne jest na ulici, v malych fastfoodoch, vacsinou predavaju ryzu, jam (chuti podobne ako nase zemiaky) alebo cestoviny. Treba si to pytat ako 2 000, 3 000 (cedis, nepytaju si to na gramy), k tomu si mozete dat stew (omacku – vacsinou s hovadzim masom alebo rybou), varene vajicka a zeleninu. Vsetko vam nalozia do mikrotenoveho vrecka, ktore zauzluju a vlozia do ciernej mikrotenovej tasky s uskami. Za naozaj “plny sacik” zaplatite priblizne 1-2 dolare
- Ghancania zvyknu jedavat doma, pretoze pre nich je jedenie vonku dost drahe

OVOCIE
- tie najuzasnejsie ananasy a manga ake ste kedy v zivote dali do ust! Obrovske, stavnate a taaaake sladucke ze sa uplne rozplyvaju na jazyku!
- Co sa tyka pomarancov, musim povedat ze som bola sklamana, pretoze su vacsinou kysle (skusim pockat na hlavnu sezonu ktora by mala zanedlho prist). Ghancania jedia pomarance uplne specialnym sposobom – cele ich osupu, odrezu vrch a systematicky z nich zacnu vysavat vsetku stavu. Aj napriek tomu ze mna ako zaciatocnika z toho riadne boleli prsty (ktorymi som sa snazila pomahat si), za ten zazitok to isto stalo :)
- Ak ocakavate ze budete pit krabicovy dzus na litre, tak na to rovno zabudnite. Nasla som iba jednu miestnu znacku v malych sklenenych flasiach – ostatne krabicove dzusy su dovazane z Europy a su velmi velmi drahe
- Je tu obrovske mnozstvo takych druhov ovocia, ktore som v zivote nevidela, ani len o nich nepocula, chutia naozaj vyborne, ale najprv si musim zapamatat ich mena kym vam o nich napisem

ZELENINA
- bezne kupite cibulu, cesnak, jam (chuti podobne ako nase zemiaky), niekedy uhorky
- rajciny – rajciny su male a take ako vyzeraju tu by ste spat doma nikdy nekupili. Vacsinou ich pridavame do varenych jedal, cerstve ich nejedavame, lebo az tak chutne ako tie nase nie su
- avokado – velmi chutne a velmi olejnate, este sa nestalo ze by som vladala zjest viac ako jeden tenky mesiacik
- v misiach na hlavach zien som videla viac druhov zeleniny (napriklad mrkvu a pod.), ale myslim ze na taketo nakupy budem musiet ist na vacsi trh
- vsetko sa tu velmi tychlo kazi, preto je vzdy lepsie ked si kupite len par kuskov, ktore hned v ten den, maximalne dalsi den zjete

ZJEDNAVANIE CIEN
- predtym ako som sem prisla mi bolo povedane ze zjednavat bude treba vsetko, uz len za to ze som biela tak mi budu prihadzovat cenu, ale dobra sprava je, ze varene jedlo na ulici ani ziadne potraviny zjednavat netreba, ceny su stale rovnake
- niekedy mozete zjednavat zeleninu alebo ovocie, ale je to uz kazdopadne tak lacne, ze nezjednavame
- vsetky ostatne ceny zjednavat musite, ale nie je to ziadne vykrikovanie, skor priatelsky pokec s predavacom, s mnozstvom usmevov a zartovanim. A ked sa vam nepaci vzdy mozete prejst o par metrov dalej ku “konkurecii”, ktora predava presne to iste

NAKUPOVANIE Z AUTA
- ghanska specialitka. Pozdlz vsetkych ulic sa pohybuju stovky a stovky “podnikatelov”, ktori na svojich hlavach prenasaju najrozlicnejsi tovar, ktory ponukaju vsetkym naokolo. Akonahle vase auto zastavi na cervenu na semafore v tej sekunde je ich pri vas aspon zo pat, snaziac sa predat vam tie nacudesnejsie veci – vsetko od ponoziek, hodiniek, ghanskych zastav, plagatov futbalovych hracov, cez kozmetiku, cistiace prostriedky az po stierace na auta. Vsetky tieto podnikatelske aktivity su oficialne nelegalne a zakazane, ale kedze miera nezamestnanosti je velmi vysoka, vlada to toleruje.

VODA
- tam, kde byvame niekedy voda netecie, takze velke vedra s vodou su vzdy pripravene
- voda z vodovodu – vela turistickych sprievodcov doporucuje dokonca i umyvanie zubov vylucne s vodou z flase, ale naozaj na to nie je ani najmensi dovod. Voda z vodovodu je uplne v pohode na sprchovanie, umyvanie zubov, prevarena na caj alebo na uvarenie ryze
- voda na pitie – kupujem si iba vodu vo flasiach. Je ovela drahsia ale aj bezpecnejsia na pitie bez tepelnej upravy. Ghancania (a vela obronis tiez) piju vodu z malych mikrotenovych vreciek (je to okolo pol litra) – je velmi zabavne pozorovat domacich ako so sackom medzi zubami ktory im hompala hore – dolu vykonavaju ine aktivity – napriklad soferovanie taxiku, chodenie po ulici alebo bicyklovanie

KAKRA KAKRA (peeekne pomalicky / krok za krokom)
- vsetko tu je velmi pomale a uvolnene. Ludia idu po ulici pomaly, v obchodoch vas obsluzia extremne pomaly na europske pomery, vela ludi len tak polihuje alebo spi priamo na ulici pod stromami alebo i v obchodoch (predavaci)

ELEKTRINA
- Ghana je momentalne v energetickej krize, elektrina je distribuovana 4-dennym cyklom:
Den 1 – 24 hodin elektrina
Den 2 – od 6 rano do 6 vecer bez elektriny
Den 3 – 24 hodin elektrina
Den 4 – od 6 vecer do 6 do rana bez elektriny
- rozne casti mesta funguju na rozne “rozvrhy”, takze vzdy je nejaka stvrt s elektrinou kam sa da ist
- vela domov, firiem a klubov ma svoje vlastne generatory. Su nehorazne hlucne (ze vraj kvoli tomu ze su stare), idu totiz na dieslovy motor, kazdopadne ale je to ovela lepsie ako sa spoliehat na dodavky elektriny od vlady
- s vypinanim elektriny su vzdy presni, avsak benevolentni pri jej opatovnom zapinani – nedavno sme cakali dve hodiny navyse
- takato situacia je v krajine uz par mesiacov a ludia predpovedaju ze to bude len horsie a horsie. Problem je v tom, ze jedina elektraren v Ghane je vodna elektraren na Volte a kedze tento rok je obdobie dazdov slabe a Volta nema vodu, Ghancania nemaju elektrinu, niektori tvrdia, ze hrozi ze elektraren bude uplne vyradena z prevadzky. V minulosti bola Ghana dokonca dodavatel elektrickej energie pre okolite krajiny, ale momentalna situacia je zla. Oficialne vlada tento problem riesi, avsak vybudovanie novej elektrarne na nejaky iny pohon moze trvat kludne niekolko rokov

ACCRA
- hlavne mesto Ghany a tiez moj domov na nasledovnych 14 mesiacov
- Accra je oooobrovska, rozni ludia vam povedia rozne cisla co sa tyka poctu obyvatelov – je to nieco medzi 2 az 6 milionmi
- Vyzera nadherne z lietadla ked sme pristavali, bola uz tma, mesto ziarilo svetlami. Pohlad “zo zeme” uz je menej romanticky, Accra viac pripomina obrovsku dedinu, respective zoskupenie mnohych dedin, pretoze kazda cast mesta si zije zivot sama pre seba
- AIESEC MC house je v stvrti ktora sa vola North Kaneshie, moja firma je vo svtrti ktora sa vola Lartebiokorshi. Ulice nemaju cisla, treba vediet meno vasej stvrte, ulice (hlavna znama ulica v blizkosti) a najma nejaky orientacny bod v susedstve (napriklad pri nasej firme je skola Bishop Bower – tak vysvetlujeme kde byvame)

INTERNET
- moje prve 4 dni internet skoro vobec nefungoval, a ked nahodou hej, tak bol neuveritelne pomaly (napriklad uvodna stranka www.gmail.com sa otvara hodinu), Poslednych par dni je ale internet uplne v pohode, funkcny a rychly, cize mozno som len mala smolu
- vo firme mame pocitac aj internet k disozicii nonstop, co je fakt super. Raz som bola v internetovej kaviarni, bolo tam vsetko velmi stare a spinave, hodina stoji menej ako dolar

DOPRAVA
- vacsinou chodime taxikmi, so soferom samozrejme treba najprv dohodnut cenu, bez toho ani nenastupte do auta. Avsak mam dojem, ze konecna cena zavisi od toho, ci ste soferovi sympaticki a od jeho nalady
- taxiky zastavujeme priamo na ulici, vsade su ich stovky, ale zavisi od hodiny kedy taxik potrebujete – niekedy nenajdete ani jediny (samozrejme vtedy ked ich clovek najviac potrebuje..)
- TRO TRO – toto si v Ghane urcite nenechajte ujst, jednoducho to TREBA vyskusat . TRO TRO je tradicny sposob dopravy – minibusy natrieskane ludmi do posledneho miestecka sluzia ako ekvivalent nasej hromadnej dopravy. Raz som sa uz TRO TRO-m viezla, bolo to fakt super a je to ovela ovela lacnejsie ako taxiky, no clovek sa musi naucit system kade TRO TROs chodia a kade nie. Skor ci neskor vsak budem nutena sa to naucit, pretoze peniazky sa minaju rychlo.. Zatial viem len to, ze ked stojite na ulici a kreslite ukazovakom do vzduchu kruh, tak vam zastavi TRO TRO, ktore ide smerom od naseho miesta na “Circle” [kruh] – to je kruhovy objazd v Accre velmi znamy, kde je centralna TRO TRO stanica a tiez vela obchodov. Ludia v TRO TRO boli velmi mili, ja s kamoskou sme zase raz ziarili ako belosky, sedacky su male a tesne, ale vladne prijemna atmoska ked si to sofer sinie zavratnou rychlostou s ghanskou hudbou z radia “na plne pecky” :)
- vzdialenosti v Accre su obrovske, preto sa clovek pesi daleko nedostane, bielym sa v noci neodporuca chodit po uliciach – samozrejme zase raz zavisi od toho, s kym sa rozpravate. Niektori vam povedia ze vsade je to maximalne bezpecne ci cez den ci v noci, niektori zase maju zle skusenosti s okradnutim
- dopravne zapchy v Accre su uplne desne – mozete v nich kludne zostat trcat cele hodiny
- zakladne “pravidlo dzungle” – ten vacsi ma vsetky prava – sa v ghanskej premavke uplatnuje v plnej miere. Pre mna ako obroni je ovela pohodlnejsie nesoferovat ale len sa rozvazat z pohodlia sedadla spolusediaceho a pozorovat vsetko naokolo :)
- ak sedite v aute, nikdy nemajte tasku smerom na ulicu, pretoze velmi lahko o nu pridete ked ju niekto uchmatne cez otvorene okno. Hocikedy auto co i len trochu na ulici spomali, v tom okamihu su okolo neho ludia snaziaci sa nieco vam predat. Niektori vsak mozu mat zaujem aj o vas “tovar” – preto si treba davit velky pozor pri telefonovani (tiez vzdy telefonovat s telefonom na uchu z vnutornej strany auta). Ulice su tu na nase pomery velmi ludnate a chaoticke

TWI
- twi je miestny ghansky jazyk, ktorym hovori priblizne 50% vsetkych Ghancanov. Oficialny jazyk je anglictina, ale kazde etnikum ma svoj vlastny rodny jazyk – dokopy je to okolo 80 jazykov iba v samotnej Ghane. Rozhodla som sa ucit twi, znie naozaj uplne inak ako hocico co som kedy v zivote pocula. Prave tato “exotickost” ma najviac laka na to, aby som sa ho naucila :)
- AKWAABA! Znamena Vitaj(te)!, prvykrat to turista uvidi hned na Kotoka letisku v Accre. Budete to pocut z kazdej strany, kedze je to oblubene slovicko Ghancanov, ktorym zahrnaju kazdeho belocha s ktorym sa rozpravaju. Povedia to s obrovskym usmevom na tvari, vdaka comu sa clovek naozaj vitany citi :) Ghana je turistom I pristahovalcom velmi otvorena. Ghancania cudzincov jednoducho miluju..
- Moj treti den v Ghane to konecne prislo. Male dievcatko na mna ukazalo prstom a nazvalo ma “Obroni!”. Obroni znamena cudzinec/beloch/jednoducho osoba nepochadzajuca z Afriky. Aj ked je to velmi bezne oslovenie a ludia to na vas vkuse vykrikuju, nemyslia tym nic zle, je to ako skonstatovanie ze ste ini. Dokonca i Ghancania zijuci v exile su domacimi nazyvani Obroni. Ludia vas na ulici budu pozdravovat a stale dokolecka sa vypytovat kam idete – pre nich ste so svetlou pokozkou neodolatelne pokusenie. Kazdy sa s vami bude chciet porozpravat :)

AIESEC Ghana
- AIESEC Ghana je najstarsia clenska krajina z celeho kontinentu – AIESEC tu bol zalozeny uz pred 46-timi rokmi. Dokonca je starsi ako moj rodny lokalny vybor LC Bratislava. Wow.
- Hned na druhy den po mojom prichode sme zacali s MC transition, ktora trvala dalsie dva dni. Stretli sme sa 2 teamy – tohtorocny a my ako novy team – clenovia narodneho timu AIESEC Ghana na dalsi rok, aby sme spolu prediskutovali to, aka situacia bola v AIESEC Ghana posledny rok, v com pokracovat a ako sa z predchadzajceho roku poucit pre nas term
- Tohtorocny tim tvorili 4 ludia: Vincent (MCP) a Charles (VP ER) z Ghany a dve obronis – Dalia ako VP X z Litvy a Maryna ako VP PD z Ukrajiny
- Nas novy tim na term 2007/2008 tvoria tito 4 ludia: Vincent ako MCP (a Afrika GN chair), VP FIN Enoch, VP ER Mary Anna a ja som jedina obroni v teame na pozicii VP Talent management
- To, ze hned po prichode som opat vhupla do AIESEC veci na ktore som bola posledne 4 roky doma zvyknuta, mi dalo pocit ze sem patrim a moju integraciu velmi ulahcilo, aspon takto zo zaciatku
- mozno sa to zda ludom mimo AIESEC zvlastne, ale prave dve obronis - Maryna a Dalia, boli mojimi prvymi osobami, s ktorymi som prisla do kontaktu ked som sa zacala zaujimat o Ghanu tri mesiace dozadu. Obe vsak uz odcestovali spat domov, takze po par dnoch komunikacie “nazivo” ked sme sa konecne stretli, su prec, a tak sme presli zase raz na komunikaciu cez maily a MSN. Je zvlastne ze tu uz nie su
- moj term ako MC zacal vcera, takeover sa konal s Marynou online cez MSN. Oficialne moj term zacina prveho jula 2007, ale kedze Maryna je uz prec, tak som zacala skor
- AIESEC Ghana ma 4 lokalne vybory, 2 su v Accre, 1 v Cape Coast a 1 v Kumasi
- Kofi Annan – ktory je Ghansky narodny hrdina, sa tiez pohyboval v AIESEC kruhoch :)

PODNIKANIE V GHANE
- vsetko je o kontaktoch, o ludoch ktorych poznate. Ak su to ti “spravni ludia”, nic pre vas nie je nedosiahnutelne
- ghansky biznis je velmi specificky, neviem si predstavit ze by niekto uspel bez toho, aby nemal za partnera/nezamestnaval nejakych miestnych ludi, ktori vedia “ako to tu chodi”

UCESY, UCESY..
- Africanky zboznuju tie najrozlicnejsie ucesy. Svoje vlastne vlasy nepovazuju za prilis pekne a preto ich nosia vystrihane uplne nakratucko – maximalne par centimetrov, iba tak dlhe aby sa na ne dali nadviazat umele. Z umelych maju tie najdivokejsie ucesy – rozne farby, mnozstvo vrkocikov zapletanych sposobmi ktore som nikdy predtym nevidela
- africki muzi si na vlasy tiez potrpia, niektori nosia vrkociky tiez, kazdy muz sa tu o vlasy stara nezavisle od toho ake dlhe ich ma
- ludia sa ma pytaju, ci to nechcem tiez vyskusat. Nuz, pravdepodobne nie. Po tom, co som pocula co zahrna taka starostlivost o umele vlasy, tak mi uz tie vsetky vrkociky velmi atraktivne vobec nepridu. Ak chcete, aby vam uces vydrzal taky ako v prvy den, vlasy si vobec neumyvate, co vacsinou znamena po dobu 2-3 tyzdne na jeden uces. Jedine co s vlasmi robite je pravidelne sprejovanie – ktore ma pomoct proti smradu a svrbeniu. Este stale to chcete vyskusat?
- Africanky s tymi vsetkymi vrkocikmi vsak vyzeraju skvele, (podla mojho nazoru) narozdiel od Europaniek, ktorych vlasy jednoducho nie su dost huste a silne na to, aby tolke vrkociky zniesli
- podla ucesu mozete tiez rozpoznat spolocenske postavenie zeny. Vlasove kreacie su drahe a chudobne zeny si to dovolit jednoducho nemozu
- problem je, ako si Africanky zapamatat. Jedenkrat stretnete dievca s dlhymi rovnymi cervenymi vlasmi a to iste dievca len dva tyzdne neskor uz ma na hlave kopec kratkych ciernych rasta vrkocikov. Nemozne si to vsetko zapamatat! Vo vseobecnosti mi robi problemy teraz na zaciatku Africanov rozlisit a to iste si myslia oni o nas. Ked idem do obchodu, predavacka mi tvrdi, ze som tam “dnes rano bola” alebo ked som s inou beloskou tak sme vzdy sestry :)

CEDIS
- Ghanska mena. Vacsinou pouzivame papierove peniaze v hodnote 1 000,2 000,5 000,10 000 a 20 000. Tiez maju nejake mince. Kurz je okolo 9 000 cedis – 1 dolar, co zo mna s mojou vyplatou cini milionarku :)
- Nuz, nie nadlho, pretoze v Ghane sa chysta devalvacia meny, uz tento jul – budeme mat nove bankovky o 4 nuly “lahsie”..
- s mojou vyplatou 350 dolarov mesacne som tu nesmierne bohata v porovnani s hocijakym Ghancanom. Vyplatych bielych obronis zacinaju od urovne ghanskych manazerov a splhaju sa do zavratnych vysok
- uprimne som trochu zmatena so sposobu akym sa domaci spravaju k bielym ludom. Z kolonialnych casov pretrval akysi specialny sposob spravania sa voci bielym. Vo firme (vedla ktorej hned byvame) mame sluhov – upratovacky a soferov. Ked som bola dnes nakupovat v obchode, tak jeden chlapec z obchodu chodil za mnou cely cas s kosikom, do ktoreho som si ukladala potraviny, a nechcel mi ho dat aby som si ho niesla sama. Z toho, co som zatial videla, sa vela bielych ludi aj sprava akosi nadradene, moj nazor o rovnosti ludi vsak zostava nezmeneny. Vela miestnych ludi sa jednoducho podcenuje, bez akehokolvek zjavneho dovodu. Toto vyzera ako velmi citliva tema a isto si vyzaduje podrobnejsi prieskum do hlbin africkej duse..

Photos from Ghana

hey guys,
ready for some photos from Ghana? http://picasaweb.google.com/petra.hausnerova/Ghana
More coming soon :)
cheers,
hausi

My first week in Ghana!

My first week in Ghana!

It`s sunday evening, I`m listening to the ghanaian music and summarising my first week in Africa, Ghana, Accra..

AFRICA
Africa is Africa. Like anything you`ve ever experienced before. There are 3 kinds of people. The first once are fascinated by Africa and once they come they may stay for good. The second one are curious but come here with “obroni” mindset and either they live “white life” here or leave soon. The others will never come.
Africa hits you and changed you no matter how long you`re staying here. Experience it once and you`ll never be the same :)

BREAKING STEREOTYPES
There are many stupid and naive prejudices back in Europe and in many other parts of the world about Africa. People think that Africa is full of animals just like on Discovery channel and half naked Africans living in cottages or on the trees. That people are dying every day from diseases or hunger and that HIV is everywhere. Yes. This is also Africa. But only its small part. Africa is sooo huuuge. You can`t imagine unless you`ve been here. The way I know Africa so far is, that yes, it`s facing many problems like unemployment or energetic crisis. But Africa is somehow magical. People here are happy. Africa is also a booming business, “civilized” streets, shops, fancy cars, expensive clubs, businessmen meeting in the top hotels and many international companies earning millions here.

PEOPLE
- very friendly, curious about me, relaxed and talkative
- strong African accent – difficult to understand – it`s like if they were swallowing some letters, they love to talk fast and silent – not a good combination for a foreigner to understand them, takes time to get used to

RELIGION
- Ghanaians are very religious. Majority of the population are passionate Christians, there is also strong muslim community in the country and some more. They don`t ask whether you`re religious, but to which church you`re going. Well, I`m not religious and it`s difficult for them to understand.
- Building of the churches is a big business in Ghana. Thousands and thousands of people gather every Sunday in the huge churches all around the country. Surely I`ll go to take a look once, I heard it`s a strong experience to see all those people.

GREETINGS
- Ghanaians have a special way of greeting with friends. They shake their hands first and then they flip touching with middle finger the other person`s middle finger. Once you manage you`ll get used to it easily. It`s fun J
- If you are close friends they hug you with one hand, no kissing though

WEATHER
- mild, humid, not as hot as I thought it will be – Ghanaians have “winter” now – rainy season. My happiness about the mild weather is unfortunately screwed up with the air condition – I`ve already catched cold and ended up laying in my bed with paracetamol for one day
- the temperature is every day at least 30 + degrees and sweating is just inevitable. Though 30 degrees here - almost at the Equator is very pleasant and humid. Average European can comfortably have 2-3 showers a day and still feel wet as soon as he put his clothes back on J
- African day is very different from the European one – sun is rising around 5am and sunset is already at 6pm – darkness comes very early and also Ghanaian`s lifestyle is according to it – they wake up latest 6am and normally around 8-9-10pm they are back home, going to sleep early

FOOD
- Ghanaian food is really nice, I`m in my tasting period – I`m tasting all the traditional Ghanaian dishes one by one, so far the best was WAKYE – fried rice with beans and spices
- It`s very cheap to eat on the streets in small shops, normally they sell rice, jam (tastes similar to our potatoes) or pasta. You ask for 2.000, 3.000 (cedis, they don`t measure in grams), then you can have stew with it (normally beef or fish), boiled eggs and salad. They pack everything into the small plastic bag, which they put into another plastic bag, bigger and normally black. For a “full bag” you pay approximately 1 - 2 dollars :)
- Ghanaians normally eat at home, because for them eating outside is rather expensive

FRUITS
- the best pineapples and mangoes you`ve ever eaten! Big, juicy and sooo sweet. Delicious!
- I was disappointed from the oranges, because they taste rather sour (but let`s wait for the main season which is about to come). Ghanaians eat oranges in a special way – they peel them, cut the top and then you`re sucking the juice from inside. Hard job for me as a beginner, nice experience though :)
- if you expect to drink liters of cheap juices, forget about it. I found only one local brand - pineapple juice in a small glass bottle, all the other juices are imported from Europe and they are very very expensive
- there are many sorts of fruits which I`ve seen for the first time in my life, they taste very good but I need to remember their names first, then I`ll write you more

VEGETABLES
– normally you can buy onions, garlic, jam, sometimes cucumbers
– tomatoes – tomatoes are small and based on how do they look like you`ll never buy them back home. Normally we cook with them and don`t eat them fresh - they are not that tasty.
– avocado – very tasty and very oily, I`m never able to eat more than a small slide
– I`ve seen more kinds of vegetables on the heads of women (like carrots etc..), but I guess for those I need to go to the bigger market
– everything gets spoiled very fast, that`s why it`s better to buy only few pieces from each

BARGAINING
- before I came I was told I will need to bargain for everything, but the good news is, that cooked food and grocery have fixed prices
- sometimes you may bargain for vegetables and fruits, but normally it`s so cheap anyway, that we don`t
- for everything else you must bargain, but it`s rather a nice funny talk with the seller than loud shouting or something. You can always move to the neighbor selling almost the same stuff

SHOPPING FROM THE CAR
- Ghanaian speciality. Along the streets there are thousands of “entrepreneurs” carrying loads of things on their heads and selling them. You stop by at the red light and in a second they are at your window selling you everything from the socks, watches, Ghanaian flags, posters of football players up to cosmetics or sweepers for cars. This is officially all considered as illegal business, but since the rate of unemployment is very high, it`s tolerated by the government.

WATER
- in the place where we live sometimes the water doesn`t work, so the buckets with water are always ready
- tap water – many touristic guides recommend even to brush your teeth with the water from the bottle, but there`s no reason why to do it. Tap water is totally OK for shower, brushing teeth, boiling water for a cup of tea or to cook rice in
- water for drinking – I`m buying only the bottled one. It`s much more expensive but also safer to drink. Ghanaians (and many obronis, too) drink water from the small plastic bags – it`s funny how they keep it in their teeth even while riding the bike or just walking the street

KAKRA KAKRA (small small..)
- everything here is slow and relaxed. People walk the street slow, they serve you slow in the shop, many people sleep on the streets under the trees or in the shops
- European person needs loads of patience at work, too. My first day at work I`ve waited from 8am to 5pm until I managed to meet with the responsible people. They don`t mean it bad, it`s just the way it is :)

ELECTRICITY
- Ghana is facing energetic crisis at the moment, electricity is distributed according to 4 days schedule:
1st day - 24 hours with electricity
2nd day – from 6am to 6pm no electricity
3rd day - 24 hours with electricity
4th day – from 6pm to 6 am no electricity
- different parts of the city run on different schedules so there is always a district you can go to which has electricity
- many houses, companies and clubs have their own generators. They are extremely noisy, because they run on diesel motors, though, it`s much better to have your own generator, because you don`t need to rely on the scheduled distribution
- they are always on time with switching off the electricity, but very flexible with turning it on again – last time we waited 2 more hours
- the situation with electricity is like this for couple of months already, people predict it will be only worse and worse. The problem is that the only one Power station in the country on the river Volta doesn`t have enough water (not enough rains this year), they might be even forced to close it down totally. In the past Ghana even used to supply neighboring countries with the electricity, but situation looks very bad now. Officially government is solving the issue, but it may take few years to build another power station

ACCRA
- the capital of Ghana, the city where I`m staying
- extremely huge, people are saying different figures – anything between 2 and 6 millions inhabitants
- looked very beautiful when our plane was arriving. Inside the city looks rather like a big village, each district lives its own life
- AIESEC MC house is in the district called North Kaneshie, my work in the district called Lartebiokorshi. Streets don`t have numbers, you know the name of your district, your street (main one) and something important in the neighborhood (for example we have Bishop Bower School next to our company so that`s the way how we explain where are we located)

INTERNET
- my first 4 days Internet hardly worked, was very slow. Since Thursday it`s ok already, almost feels like back home :)
PCs and Internet are at our disposal anytime we want at the office, which is really cool. Once I`ve been to Internet café, looks very old and dirty, one hour costs less than 1 dollar

TRANSPORTATION
- mostly I take taxis, you need to bargain with the driver for the price, my impression is, that at the end of the day it just depends on how symphatic you seem to be to the driver
- we stop the taxi on the street, there are hundreds of them everywhere, but depends what time are you taking a taxi – sometimes there are any
- TRO TRO – a must do in Ghana. Traditional way of transportation – minibuses which are carrying people as a public transport. I tried it once, was really cool and much cheaper than taxi, still I need to learn the system, so far I only know it`s much much cheaper than taxi and sooner or later I must learn how to use them. People are nice there, driver is speeding down the streets with a loud Ghanaian music yelling from the radio. We stayed on the street and with drawing the circle with a finger in the air TRO TRO stopped by and took us to the “Circle” – huge crossroad full of TROTROs, something like a central station with many shops, too
- Distances in Accra are big, you can`t really walk through the city, especially not if you`re white at night – some people say it`s totally safe to walk even at night, some people have bad experience with being robbed
- Traffic jams in Accra are awful – you can get stacked for hours and hours
- Basic rule of the jungle – the bigger has all the rights applies fully to the system of driving in Accra, it`s much more comfortable just to sit on the backseat and observe Accra from the car
- While sitting in the car never have your bag in the way it`s easy to take it from the opened window. Anytime the car sloes down on the street immediately there are some people around the car, some are just selling their products, some may took your phone or anything else through the open window – streets are always overcrowded and chaotic

TWI
- twi is local Ghanaian language spoken by over 50% of all Ghanaians. Official language is English, thought each ethnic group has its own African language, in total around 80 languages only in Ghana. I`ve decide I will learn twi, it`s really different from anything I`ve ever heard in my life before and that it what makes it so exotic and exciting to learn J
- AKWAABA! Means welcome, you see it when your plane lands in Kotoka airport in Accra and people keep on repeating it to you anywhere you go. With a big smile on their face. I really feel welcomed. Ghana is very open to tourists and expats. They simply love foreigners.
- on my 3rd day of stay finally a small girl called me “obroni” which means foreigner, not African person. People usually call on foreigners like that, though it doesn`t mean anything negative. It`s just an observation that you come from abroad. Even Ghanaians living out of the country are called “obroni” back home. Many people will also greet you on the street or ask you where are you going – for them you`re very attractive person to talk to because you`re so different from them

AIESEC GHANA
- AIESEC Ghana is the oldest AIESEC country in whole Africa – 46 years old. Even older that my home LC Bratislava back home. Wow.
- the next day after my arrival we had AIESEC MC Transition for the next two day. We met both old and new team to discuss how was the last term for AIESEC Ghana and how to learn from it for the upcoming one
- in last years team there were 4 people: MCP Vincent, MC VP ER Charles and two obronis – Dalia VP X from Lithuania and Maryna VP PD from Ukraine
- our new MC team for term 2007/2008 consists of 4 people – MCP is Vincent (also Africa GN chair for the next year, congrats Vi J ), VP FIN is Enoch, VP ER is Mary Anna and I`m the only one obroni in the team on the position of VP PD
- being right after my arrival with AIESECers and discussing the things I knew from back home made me feel like home, very relaxed. AIESEC is making my integration into Ghana much easier
- both Maryna and Dalia left home already this week, they were the first people I got to know in AIESEC Ghana, so after few days of being together for real, we switch to online communication again. It feels strange to be here without them.
- officially my PD term started yesterday, we made takeover with Maryna online on MSN. Normally MC terms starts on 1st july 2007 but since Maryna had to go back home already, I`ve started sooner
- AIESEC Ghana has 4 LCs, 2 of them located in Accra, one in Cape coast and the last one in Kumasi. KOFI ANNAN – who is a person number one in Ghana, a national hero was AIESEC related, too!

BUSINESS IN GHANA
- it`s all about the contacts, network of people you have. If you know important people, nothing is impossible for you
- local run of business is very specific and without employing or knowing the local people I can`t imagine a successful business here

HAIR STYLES
- African women love different hair styles. They consider their own hair for not very beautiful and normally their own hair are extremely short – few centimeters maximum, only long enough to stick to them the artificial once. Their hair styles look great, very colorful, with loads of rolls
- Rolls are typical also for boys, they take care of their hairstyle, too
- Many people ask me if I`ll try it. Well, most probably no. The way you need to care of your hair style is much less attractive than it seems to be. You can`t wash your hair at all, normally you have your hair style for 2-3 weeks. All you do with it is to apply spray against stink and itching. Girls, do you still want to go for it?
- African girls look great with all these rasta rolls, European girls simply don`t have their hair strong enough to have it
- According to the hairstyle you can also see the social status of the woman. Hair creations are expensive and poor girls simply can`t afford it
- The tricky thing is, how to remember African girls. Once you meet a girl with a long narrow red hair and the same girl will have two weeks later short rasta black rolls on her head. Impossible to remember! Generally it`s difficult to distinguish Africans and they feel the same way about us, white people. In the shops they always think I`ve been there this morning or at least they`re sure we must be sisters anytime I`m with any other white girl.

CEDIS
- Ghanaian currency. Mostly paper money are used, 1.000, 2.000, 5.000, 10.000 and 20.000. There are some coins, too. Exchange rate is 1 USD = 9.000 cedis, what makes me millionaire here :)
- Well, not for long , because there will be currency depreciation in july – 4 zeros will be cut off
- With my salary of 350 dollars a month I`m very very rich in comparison to any other black Ghanaian. Salaries for white obronis start where the salaries for black Ghanaian managers end and continue to very very high figures
- Personally I`m rather confused with the way local people treat the white ones. From back to the times of colonialism somehow white people are treated here in extraordinary way. You have your servants – cleaning ladies and drivers, today a boy in the shops carried my basket while I was shopping all the time and didn`t let me to carry it by myself. Many obroni people here really behave like they are something more than other people, but my opinion about equal rights of all the people remains the same. Many local people just underestimate themselves without any reason. This seems to be a very sensitive topic and will require much longer time spent here in order to fully understand it

Well, that`s it for my first week here, I`ll try to upload photos, too. I hope you enjoyed my reading and see you soon with more news from far away Africa next time :)

My very first blog created..

Dear friends,

finally I created my first blog.. I love to write down my thoughts and feelings and this is a cool way how to share it with the others..

And why did I create my blog now? In 18 days I´m leaving to Ghana in Africa, where I´ll spend upcoming 14 months. Of course I would like to stay in touch with my friends and that´s why you´ll find all my updates here..

This blog is for all of you who are interested to find out more about me and my life. Here, there..

wish you enjoyable reading..
hausi