So Ghana... and yet, not really

This past weekend provided Jamie and I with a couple of truly Ghanaian experiences that, ironically, reminded us that Ghana really isn't that different from home.

In the past three weeks, Jamie and I have begun to build friendships with many of the teachers here at Manye.  They're sort of the closest thing to peers that we've found: most are young (between 20-25) and are (obviously) interested in education.  Last week, a few of the ones that we're closest to offered to take us into Tema for a night out on the town.  Curious to see what other young people do for fun on weekends, we readily agreed! The night started at an outdoor restaurant/bar called T. Havana's, but after it got dark (and the mosquitos came out in full force) we headed to a night club that had free entry for ladies.  We had a lot of fun at the club, dancing with the teachers, people watching, trying meat pasties for a late-night snack, but the most striking part of the evening was how similar the dance floor was to ones that I've seen in the States.  The girls here were not dressed modestly with thighs covered, as most women we've seen have been; instead, it looked like any club in the US! And most of the music was American -- granted, most songs were at least a few years old, but that just made it easier for us to sing along.

The next day, after church with Madame Emma, we headed into Accra to meet with our potential Twi teacher. We met her at the Accra Mall, and stayed for another couple hours just hanging out -- buying chocolate at the ShopRite and eating it in the Food Court. The center of the food court is a play area for kids -- it's probably one of the only playgrounds in Accra.  On this particular Sunday, it was packed with kids and parents of so many nationalities.  I'm pretty sure the foreigners (non-Ghanaians) greatly outnumbered the locals. I could have just as easily been somewhere in the States or in Europe, wandering around a mall.

These two experiences reminded me that while the cultural differences between Ghana and the US can be striking, the similarities when it comes to entertainment and socializing (especially among the younger generations) are just as important.