Ago! Ameh!

Last night I got next to no sleep due to “Traveler’s Sickness.” A few people have hypothesized the cause. Perhaps the fruit salad I eat in the morning wasn’t rinsed with bottled water. Maybe the unusual spices in the meat and rice were the culprit. Or perhaps the peanut soup, which was very spicy for my sensitive palate. In any case, I was in and out of the bathroom all night becoming very dehydrated indeed. I missed a trip to the Makola market today because I needed to stay close to a toilet. As this trip was one I had been eagerly looking forward to, it is needless to remark on my level of disappointment.

I had one slice of toast for breakfast and half of a plain white rice ball for lunch. The hotel staff were very attentive to me and checked on me every few hours. I met Anita in the morning, who took my temperature with a thermometer that she placed in my armpit. After a consulting phone call with the NYU Accra Nurse, she mixed an electrolyte packet in a 1.5L water bottle for me. I also crunched up some Ghanaian pills that are sort of like their version of TUMS and took some other medications from the first aid kit for the intermittent severe abdominal cramping.

Fortunately, I was feeling well enough in the afternoon to attend class. The class was a recap of the environmental assessments and interview assignments. Students made some observations that the market was not very accessible for the disabled. The doorways were narrow, crowds were heavy, and some smells were overwhelming (i.e., smoked fish and burning rubbish). Students made several astute observations. There are few street signs in Ghana. Landmarks are used to navigate, instead. This would provide difficulty with those who are diagnosed with Autism and/or developmental delay. When students chatted to people in the market on the topic of disabled people in Ghana, shopkeepers were more inclined to recognize terms such as “cripple”, “crutches”, “wheelchair”, and “blind” over “handicapped.” When discussing the disabled, some shopkeepers expressed that they looked down on beggars because they know that some disabled people have the capacity to earn money working. They also told students that Americans and foreigners (Obruni) are more likely to give money to the beggars than the Ghanaian population. Another interesting note included the fact that nobody seemed to be wearing sunglasses. The sunglasses fact I point out because one cultural difference in Ghana is that eye contact is expected for proper etiquette. This is very different from New York City, where everyone does their best to avoid looking at one another. Sunglasses were sold at the Art Center – a more touristy site located within walking distance of Afia Hotel. I will be making up the trip there as well during some free time.

I am a little apprehensive about the Art Center because the shopkeepers there are reportedly very pushy. I am the type of person who gets annoyed when a salesperson in NYC follows me around the store. I like to browse quietly and consider my selections for a period of time. The shopkeepers in the Art Center will grab you, corner you, and work together to sell you their wares at prices that could be considered “tourist traps.” You have to be able to drive a hard bargain, say no assertively, and not be impacted by the high pressure that the shopkeepers will inevitably press upon you. Still, some of the pieces of art that my classmates showed me were remarkable. I really liked seeing the paintings of giraffes and zebras on plantain leaves, and some beaded bracelets.

I was envious to hear everybody had a great time bargaining for items, and felt very unhappy to have missed out on the socialization and shopping experiences. Fortunately, some of the students want to go back for more, and there is a block of free time tomorrow from 1 to 4 p.m. when some of them (and me!) will be returning to the Makola Market. A seamstress will be coming to have dinner with us tomorrow night and will take requests to make dresses, skirts, etc. from the yards of fabric purchased at the market. 

The second half of class was a guest lecture by Mrs. Faustie Owabe Gyeke, a midwife who discussed family structures with us. She also went into detail about the purposes of different types of families in Ghana – nuclear, polygamous, and extended. We were able to learn about the limitations of the social structures that assisted disabled people. We took a look at educational factors, economic factors, and integration of the disabled into society. Just recently, the National Accreditation Board is insisting that all public places should have two pathways to help the physically challenged people to gain access. National T.V. stations have interpreters to the Deaf and Dumb during the news. Several institutions provide vocational training to the handicapped, including the School of the Blind in Akropong; the School for Mentally Retarded at Dzorwolu; and the School for Deaf and Dumb at Aburi. Still, there are still some disableds who prefer to beg for alms. Many businesses in Ghana do not have any hiring quotas – i.e., “5 % of employees must be disabled.”

In conclusion, poverty and ignorance reflect adversely on the health and social functioning of societal members. When a child is born, it becomes the responsibility of the extended family, community members, the State, and the Government. “We have a role to play to make a disabled person gain personal independence.”

Anita said something that really resonated with me today. “Being a stranger in a foreign place gives you some of the same experiences as a disabled person.” I certainly feel out of place here and it will be interesting to catch up on the missed expeditions from today. 

Dinner was at Sunshine Salad, a lovely indoor air conditioned restaurant located on Oxford Str. in Osu. I had some rice and a small spoonful of noodles. Some of our class went to the Koala grocery market in order to purchase some snacks and other items, and I went along. I bought myself a jar of peanut butter, a razor (forgot to pack mine), and a Snickers bar for about 35 cedi. Some students also went to a small Gelato shop across the street from Sunshine Salad for dessert. I indulged in a modest scoop of Dulce in a cone for 5 cedi (roughly $2.50).