Some fun random facts about Ghana that I’ve experienced so far!

Hello from a new week in Ghana!

Spending this Monday trying to plan this coming week and what I want/need to do! I am currently writing a letter to the minister of the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Protection here in Accra, to hopefully be granted an interview with the director of the human trafficking department there. I really really hope I will get that interview, would be SOOO helpful! Other than that, this weeks will be filled with studying as usual. I am still trying to find a good location where I can sit down and study, so far it is either at home in the house or a cafe in the mall. I miss a good old library…

I thought I would share some things that I have noticed so far after my 3 weeks here, that are quite different from Sweden. Most of them positive, some a little less.

  • People always say good morning, good afternoon, good evening before beginning a conversation. Took me a few days to pick that up, they must have thought I was so rude…
  • The traffic here is CRAZY compared to Sweden. Everyone drives like crazy, honking to everything and nothing, and I wouldn’t say traffic rules are what decides how people drive. I’m taking both Uber, but also the local ‘bus’ called trotro which is the cheapest option. It is all the same, you kinda feel happy you are still alive when you get out of the vehicle haha! It is definitely true what they say, if you can drive in Accra you can drive anywhere in the world!
  • People are so friendly and welcoming. Maybe sometimes a bit too much for a European… I love the fact that everyone talks to everyone, every house is open to everyone, people sit outside and talk and just spend time with each other. It is a whole different culture in that sense compared to Sweden, where most people just want to stay in their own corner and spend as little time as possible with strangers or interacting face to face.  But the downside might be when the Uber driver says he loves you and asks to marry you after 5 minutes in the car. It happened to my roommate from Germany, it seems like she handled it well whereas I’m thinking I would’ve either freaked out and jumped out of the moving car or gotten quite angry… Neither which would be a very good solution haha, so I am happy she told me about this so that I’m prepared with a chill answer if it would happen to me. + always sit in the backseat, less risk for it to happen!
  • Obruni – white man. This is the main word Ghanaians use to get my attention on the street. At first, I found it to be a bit strange and felt uncomfortable, but after discussing it with some Ghanaian friends I’ve understood that it is not an insult or a bad word per se. As I connected it to be, like if someone would call black man after a Ghanaian on the streets in Sweden – we all know what would happen then.
  • Goats, chickens, lizards, cockroaches, (huge) spiders and dogs are everywhere. In our yard by the house some chickens from the houses around daily come for a stroll, it freaked me out at first but now I kinda like it! Regarding the spiders, I killed one my first week here, but now I have named the one in my room because I consider him my roommate! Can’t say for sure if I like having him there just because, or if it is because seeing him in his usual spot calms me knowing that at least then he is not in my bed!

 

Sustainable safari in Tanzania?

To suddenly stand face to face with a wild lion is a thrilling experience. You caught yourself holding your breath, and almost not daring to blink. You see his majestic body moving smoothly over the road, and he continues to walk slowly over the savanna.DSC01426 In the next moment another magnificent creature comes out from the bushes: a female lion. They watch each other. The female looks suspicious, seemingly measuring the male with her graze. The male lion begins to walk towards her. We are all watching the scene with exhilaration. Will she approve his move? No.  When he comes closer, she turns around and walks in another direction. Well, better luck next time Simba (lion in Swahili).

Moreover, now someone else is getting our attention. It is a Masai approaching us with his goats. I can feel that my body freeze. The Masai is walking in the same directions as the lions just have disappeared. And worse, his movement has not gone unnoticed from the lions’ eyes. I can suddenly see several lions walking out from the bushes. Six of them are now watching the lonely Masai. I feel uncomfortable. How will this end..? Should we interfere?

Well, my unease seems to be needless. The Masai, apparently aware of the situation, leaves his goats and walk towards the male lion. He stops and stares at the lion; challenging him with his gaze. They stand like that for a while. Then, the Masai calls his goats, and they walk calmly over the savanna. They are passing the lions without any problem.  DSC01403The lions just watch him proceed with his goats. I am impressed. It is fascinating to see how people and animals can live in some kind of symbiosis with each other.

 

When I, a few days ago, was on a safari-tour with a group of people from Sweden, we visited Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania. During the safari, we saw many remarkable animals and stunning landscapes. It was amazing.

However, I couldn’t help myself from wondering if these safaris are sustainable? Does our presence interfere with the daily lives of the animals that are living on the savanna? Have the animals become used to the safari jeeps driving there every day? How does the jeeps pollution impact on the environment? And, do the safaris result in benefits for the Masai’s who own the land we are visiting during the safari-tour?

To know what actually should be considered sustainable tourism is a complicated question. As a tourist, you never know if you do harm or good. You always have several aspects to deliberate. On the one hand, the tourists pay the park fee, which contribute to the status of the land being a national park, which give the savanna protection. It also includes some small economic support to the Masai’s. On the other hand, the people’s presence might stress the animals. It might impact on the environment that various jeeps are crossing the savanna on a daily basis, stopping so the people can take DSC01230pictures. Moreover, there is also risk of hitting the animals belonging to the Masai’s. More than once, we almost hit the goats and the cows when we’re driving in the National park.

The safari left me with mix feelings. I am delighted to have seen these marvelous animals, but also troubled if I have supported something that might interfere with the people and animals everyday life. How can safari’s be organized to be more sustainable? And how can I know what I contribute to?

 

This blog was originally publiced on Fuf-korrespondenterna: http://fufkorrespondenterna.com/2015/05/02/sustainable-safari-in-tanzania/