Welcome
to Menji!! The first thing I want to say is CONGRATULATIONS, you have
been placed at the BEST Peace Corps site in Ghana. I know everybody
says that... But seriously, Menji is such a wonderful place to live,
I know you will love this place so much!
I'm
sure you are aware of this, but when you first get to site, there are
SO many things to figure out. Many of these lessons are best learned
on your own. You know, the good ol' fashioned hard way. But there
are other lessons that I want to share with you right now,
just to make your adjustment experience a little bit easier!
So
here you go, here is some basic information about living in Menji and
in Ghana.
Chapter
1
Where
to Buy Stuff
The
market adventure is sometimes incredibly fun, but sometimes
incredibly irritating, like
where-the-F-are-the-potatoes-can-I-get-out-of-here-now. This is a
guide to buying stuff.
A.
Food
Most
weekends, I will make a Saturday trip to Wenchi to buy a load of
groceries. The foods are higher quality and less expensive, and
also I like to stop at the Mani Agye Spot near the station for a
plate of Jollof and a Smirnoff Ice... Yes, Smirnoff is better in
Ghana than in America... Here they aren't a weird, gross malt thing,
they are a bottled vodka drink.
1)
Foods I Normally Buy in Menji...
Eggs,
canned sardines, bananas, oranges, butter bread, sugar bread, canned
tomato paste, sugar, coffee (single serving), papaya, Lipton
black tea, roasted groundnuts, coca cola and other sodas, juice
boxes, milk biscuits (my favorite with tea in the afternoon)
Other
stuff you can get in Menji, but I prefer to go to Wenchi for
due to the better prices, selection, availability, and quality...
rice,
oil, groundnut paste, frozen fish, meat (beef or goat with A LOT of
sinew, fat, skin, and bones), red palm oil, tomatoes, onions,
milk powder, milo, margarine, bread
2)
Foods I Can Buy in Nsawkaw...
Although,
if I'm traveling, I'll usually travel all the way to Wenchi to get
more/ better stuff!
Avocado,
bread, tomatoes, garden eggs, red peppers, onions, boxed wine,
cassava, yams, plantains, lemons, crappy frozen chicken (always
tough), box wine (a core food group in Ghana)
3)
Foods I Go to Wenchi for...
Potatoes,
cucumbers, green onions, green bell peppers, kontomire, pineapple,
mango, watermelon, lettuce, stuff for baking (flour, yeast,
baking powder, baking soda), garlic, apples, canned tuna, coffee
(big can), jelly/ jam, laughing cow cheese, spaghetti and other
pasta shapes, beef, chicken, frozen fish, shortbread cookies,
hobknobs, popcorn, off-brand ketchup, soy sauce, mayonnaise,
vinegar, dried beans, egushi
4)
Foods at the Cash 'n' Carry (Obroni Store near GCB) in
Techiman...
CHEESE
(usually mozzarella and American-type cheese), cereal (rice crispies
and corn flakes), various spices (cinnamon, pepper, steak
seasoning, cumin, curry powder, etc.), chocolate chip cookies,
frozen hotdogs, frozen sausage, frozen veggies, frozen shrimp,
Heinz ketchup, mustard, canned chicken, Maxwell House instant
coffee, wine (real bottles), whiskey, vodka, more varieties of
jam/ jelly, soy milk, candy bars, cake, olive oil, salad dressing,
canned baked beans, spring rolls, real butter
B.
Other Life Goods
1)
Stuff I Buy in Menji...
Credit,
toilet paper, key soap, black permanent markers, washing detergent
(single serving), tylenol (they call it paracetemol)
2)
Stuff I can buy in Nsawkaw...
Knives,
paint
3)
Stuff I Go to Wenchi for...
Notebooks,
printer paper, phones, phone accessories, kitchen stuff (utensils,
plates, bowls, pots, pans, cups, mugs, etc.), flip charts,
washing detergent (economy sized), body soap, anything plastic
(buckets, trash cans, baskets, tables, chairs, water barrel),
fabric, curtains, towels, sheets, flash light, light bulbs,
brooms, hangers, colorful chalk, thread, needles
4)
Stuff at the Obroni Store in Techiman
Shampoo,
conditioner, Gilette razors, Dove/ Irish Spring body washes, mouth
wash, baby wipes, Duracell batteries, blow dryers (I know, WTF,
right?), body spray, bleach
Chapter
2
Being
an Inexperienced Teacher
Being
a new, inexperienced teacher is a challenging thing. This is one
lesson you'll have to learn mostly on your own, but let me offer one
bit of advice...
Menji
is a school that takes the leftovers, the students who were rejected
from other schools. Most students are pretty poor. Furthermore, not all adults treat them well. What I'm saying is that these
young people need an ally. My advice is to not be too hard on them.
Don't discipline too harshly. Leave that to the other teachers who
are ready with a cane right around the corner.
I
promise, if you just earn their respect, you won't even have to
discipline these students.
Chapter
3
People
at the School
Obviously,
you will soon get to know these people for yourself, but sometimes
having a list of their names makes things a bit easier!
A.
Administration and Teachers
Headmistress Jacintha
Guribie
Assistant
Headmaster / General Agric Teacher John Yawkuu
Core
Math Teacher Emmanuel Danso
English
Teacher (your counterpart) Adama Coulibaly
English
Teacher (old and super nice) Eric Hattoh
Science/
Animal Husbandry Teacher (older) Kwame Agenda
Science/
Animal Husbandry Teacher (young, talkative) Kwasi Sarfo Frimpong
Science/
Chemistry Teacher Samuel Antwi
History
Teacher Adjei Mensah
Government
Teacher / Sports Master Abu Mohammed
Economics
Teacher (skinny dude) Abel Ayamga
Economics
Teacher (your roommate) Meridatu Adam
Geography
Teacher (younger) Joseph Nizelle
Geography
Teacher (older) Charles Brenya
Elective
Mathematics Teacher Prosper Adika
ICT
Teacher Jerry Kuuwilyeng
Business
Teacher Gordon Gbal
PE
Teacher Andrew Amponsah
B.
The Non-Teaching Staff
The
School Drivers Yahaya and Isaac
Electrician Mr.
Asamoah
Librarian Mr.
Alhassan
His
wife Madam Mary
His
kids Humu, Adam, Abdulai
Carpenter Carpee
(I don't know his real name)
Accountant A.C.
(Real name is Sekyere Bediako)
Assistant
Accountant Lawrence Aboagye
Store
Keeper Amina Amadu
Typists /
Secretaries Jennifer and Regina
Laborer
(old, awesome, wears wellies like every day) Mr. Lawrence
Laborer
(young, talkative) Eugene (U.G.)
Night
Watchman (lil bit crazy and always lil bit drunk) Kwaku Drogo
C.
Your Personal Assistant - Amina
Amina
is a Form 2 Arts student here at Menji. For the next two years,
Amina can help as much or as little as you want around the house.
The
student who helped me (and "trained" Amina) is named Adila.
Adila always did all my laundry, fetched my water, cooked about
half of my meals, swept in / around the house, and took care of my
dog while I was away. In return for all of her help, I was like a
meal plan / financial aid plan for Adila... Sometimes I would buy
her books or pay her school fees, and she would eat here at the
house.
Obviously,
you and Amina can work out your own system, but I just want to let
you know my system with Adila FYI!
D.
A Few Other Important Students...
Christiana
Nkrumah Girls Senior Prefect
Alice
Nare Assistant Girls SP
Richmond
Dateng Boys Boys Senior Prefect
Stephen
Ocran Assistant Boys SP
Zenabu
Seidu Entertainment Senior Prefect
Jamani
Fusheni Assistant Entertainment SP
Martin
Shie Dawah Sports Prefect
Sarfo
Seidu Compound Overseer
**All of these students are AWESOME and will help you do anything, anytime. If you can't find any of them, the Form 2 agric students are also very nice, responsible, and totally my faves.
Chapter
4
Getting
Around
To
put it nicely, traveling is a bit of a bitch, so here are some tips.
A.
Leaving Menji
1.
Leaving usually isn't that hard
2.
Wait time is the shortest in the morning (5 - 30 minutes)
3.
Wait time is the longest in the afternoon (5 minutes - 1.5 hours)
4.
If nothing seems to be even driving by, just get to Nsawkaw by
whatever means necessary (back of water truck, random pick up
truck, motorbike, or whatever), then you can get to Wenchi in
relative ease and comfort in a shared taxi
B.
Getting back to Menji
1.
Shared taxi back from Nsawkaw (5
minutes - 1.5 hours wait time)
2.
Drop taxi back from Nsawkaw (sometimes you just gotta say screw it
and drop 10cedi)
3.
Tro-tro back from Wenchi (can often be over 1 hour wait time)
4.
If you're in Techiman, you have to go to Wenchi first before taking
either an Nsawkaw or Menji car home
C.
Around Techiman
1.
A drop taxi to/ from anywhere in Techiman is easy to find and costs
2.50
2.
To get home, take a Wenchi car, which is right underneath the big
tree in the main station
3.
Past that big tree is a wooden booth where you can buy tro tickets to
Kumasi
D.
Around Kumasi
WARNING...
The main Kumasi station (Kejetia) is a ridiculous, crazy shitshow
24/7
1.
Getting home from Kumasi
a.
Get a tro-tro back to Techiman from Kejetia on the northwest side of
the station under a big, multi-storey, dirty white building
b.
Get a tro-tro back to Techiman from "Techiman Station" in
Kumasi, which is just up the hill from Kejetia and is WAY less
busy than Kejetia
2.
To get to the KSO from Kejetia Station...
a.
Head towards the white building with the "OMO" logo painted
all over it
b.
Cross the road and there should be a "Tech" car nearby.
c.
From Tech (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology or
KNUST), take any car going to "Ejusu" or "Oduom"
d.
Alight at the big sign board that says "Pideck" in green
lettering.
3.
If you're really tired, you can take a drop taxi to the KSO. Just
tell the driver "St. Louis Senior School," then go just
past the school, and the KSO will be on the right. It should be
around 10cedi, unless it's late in the evening, then he'll want
15.
4.
To get from Kejetia to Accra...
a.
Head towards the white "OMO" building
b.
But don't cross the street or leave the station, and there should be
a shitload of different types of vehicles going to Accra right
there
5.
Traveling from Home to Accra
a. You will need to make several vehicle switches:
* Menji to Nsawkaw
* Nsawkaw to Wenchi
* Wenchi to Techiman (Not the Wenchi - Kumasi tro, because it
stops in a weird place in Kumasi)
* Techiman to Kumasi
* Kumasi to Accra
F.
Prices and Durations of Various Trips
Trip / Price / Duration
Menji
- Nsawkaw Taxi / 1.50¢ / 10 min
Menji
- Wenchi Tro / 3¢ / 30 min
Nsawkaw
- Wenchi Taxi / 2.50¢ / 20 min
Wenchi
- Techiman Taxi / 2.50¢ / 40 min
Wenchi
- Techiman Tro / 2¢ / 45 min
Wenchi
- Sunyani Taxi / 4¢ / 1 hr
Wenchi
- Sunyani Tro / 3.50¢ / 1 hr 10 min
Techiman
- Kumasi Tro / 5.50¢ / 2 hr 15 min
Kumasi
- Cape Coast Tro / 12¢ / 4 hr
Kumasi
- Accra Tro / ~14¢ / 5 hr
Kumasi
- Accra A/C Tro / ~20 / 5 hr
Kumasi
- Accra A/C Bus / ~22 / 5 hr
Accra
- Cape Coast A/C Tro / ~16 / 2.5 - 3 hr
Accra
- Cape Coast Tro / ~12 / 2.5 - 3 hr
Chapter
5
Hanging
Out in Ghana
Do
not underestimate the mental rejuvenating powers of a hang out
session with friends. You'll be in the village teaching your ass off
most of the time, but then you'll also need some occasional down
time. And you know what, there are some really cool places to hang
out in this country, if you just know where to find them!
A.
Wenchi...
1.
My favorite spot in this entire country is the Mani'Agye
Spot in Wenchi. [Which in case you are
curious, translates to the “I Am Happy Spot”] If you leave the
station and walk down the street away
from the roundabout, the first story building on your right is the
place. Downstairs inside, you can order fufu, rice balls, or
banku. Downstairs outside, you can order jollof/ fried rice.
Upstairs is an awesome open air bar where you can eat your rice,
swill a few drinks, and jam to some very loud Ghanaian tunes.
2.
The Ambassador Spot is
also nice for chilly beverages and meatsticks. If you walk on the
Techiman Road away from the round-about for 100 yards, it will be
the white two-story building on the right.
2.
The Shalom Internet Cafe
is really good for accessing the interwebs. It is located in the
story building just past New Market on the Techiman Road.
Walking, it is about 10 minutes from the round-about on the left.
B.
Techiman...
1.
The Agyeiwaa Hotel
across from the main station is fantastic.
There is a huge, fenced-in courtyard with lovely greenery and
cabanas. Nobody ever bothers me, even if I am alone. Beers are
around 4 or 5 and amazing chicken kebabs are 3 a piece.
2.
Tedium is a little
pizza cafe down the alley between the Cash and Carry and the Ghana
Commercial Bank. This place is air conditioned, serves cold
drinks, and pretty darn tasty chicken sausage pizza.
3.
The Hooters Spot (not
making that up) is east on the Kumasi road about 1/4 of a mile past
the major Sunyani junction. If you get to the Total station,
you've gone too far. It is a second story bar that is a common
drinking spot for B/A volunteers.
4.
The Kristoboase Monastery
is a place of quiet, peace, rejuvenation, and solitude. It is a
Catholic monastery and small guesthouse in the middle of a huge
cashew grove and beautiful gardens. For 30.00 per person per day,
they provide you a small room (twin bed, desk, and cold shower) and
three delicious homemade vegetarian meals. Brother Patrick also runs
a small shop where he sells stuff he makes: fruit jams and jellies,
cashew brandy (WHOA), fruit wines, and honey. The monastery is
located about 15 minutes north of Techiman on the Tamale Road. I
love the
monastery and go sometimes just to say hi to Bro Pat.
C.
Kumasi...
1.
If you leave the KSO, go out to the road, take a right, and walk for
5 minues, you'll see on your left across the road the May-something
hotel. It is white, 3 stories, and fenced in. This place has
totally yummy burgers for 5cedi and spring rolls (two big ones) for
1cedi.
2.
Vic Baboo's Indian Restaurant
in Adum, just south of Kejetia in the center of Kumasi, is a great
place for Tikka Masala, a pizza, cheesy garlic bread, or a delicious
and fancy cocktail! Main dishes are around 13cedi and the
specialty cocktails are around 10.
3.
In the suburb "Ahodwo," there is another great hotel for
hanging out called the Sir Max Hotel.
Their pool and poolside lounging is super nice (swimming costs
10cedi), their pizza is great, the wings are WHOA good, and as an
added bonus, you can smoke hookah!
D.
Accra...
**WARNING...
Accra is EXPENSIVE. Getting around, food, drinks, everything.
1.
Tandoor Indian Restaurant is just a 10 - 15 minute walk from
the Accra office and is a great place to hang out with friends.
The seating is outdoor at big wooden tables. I suggest getting a
lot of the garlic naan and a few main dishes to share between
friends. Beers are around 6, a glass of wine 7, and a main dish
is approximately 15.
2.
For a serious splurge, go to Rhapsody's
in the Accra Mall. You can drink draft beer, Cabernet by the
glass, eat a t-bone steak flown in from South Africa that morning,
and watch rugby on a flatscreen. If you are having a drink and
dinner, expect to spend around 60, but also expect to feel like
you are in an excellent first-world sports bar.
3.
For breakfast, go to Deli France
to indulge in a latte and pastry. It is only a 10-15 minute walk
from the Accra office in Labone. Also, I think they have wi-fi,
but you need the password.
4.
Chix n Ribs in Osu is
run by a huge black guy from Chicago and serves chicken wings, pork
ribs, and cheese-bacon burgers. Each thing is around 20cedi.
Walk through Osu and take a left at Papaya.
5.
Frankie's is the
massive hotel casino down the Osu road on the right. It's a white
building with “FRANKIE'S” in big blue letter. You really
can't miss it. Go to Frankie's to split a 10cedi bucket of gelato
with friends and/or eat a delicious doughnut or croissant.
5.
I think Melting Moments
(the restaurant closest to the office) is totally over-rated. Except
the coffee. The coffee is good.
E.
Cape Coast...
1.
You must visit the Baobab House
near the castle. It is an affordable, but very neat and tidy
vegetarian restaurant and guesthouse. A room for two is 30cedi (the
bathing and toilet facilities are downstairs and are shared),
breakfast (crepes with chocolate and bananas) is around 4, a cup
of real, brewed coffee or lemongrass tea is 3, and dinner (veggie
pizza) is around 5. The also have a craft shop which sells great
batik fabric for 7cedi per yard.
2.
In my opinion, the best restaurant in Cape Coast is the Castle
Restaurant, just west of the castle
directly on the water. They have a HUGE menu and everything I've
tried is delicious... the grilled garlic chicken, the pizzas, the
fries, the calamari, the fried rice, the chicken kebabs, the
curry, the cheeseburger, and even the groundnut soup and rice
balls.
3.
The best nightlife
is at Oasis. Ali (the
young, weird, but cool German owner) just told me they put in a
stripper pole next to the bar. Yikes. Also you can rent a bunk in
the dorms for 15.
4.
If you want a quiet, relaxing beach weekend, head just west of Cape
Coast about 20 minutes to Brenu Beach
Resort. A room for 2 is 30cedi, wine by the
bottle is 15-20, and a platter overflowing with grilled lobster
and fries is 28. The staff and owner, Agnes, are all great people.
The swimming is fantastic, and there is an ocean side bar and
cabanas, small boys scurrying up palm trees for the coconuts,
hammocks, beautiful white sand... Forget the Hide Out. Brenu is
easier/ cheaper to get to and just as great.
Chapter
6
The
Best Things Come in Small Packages
(or
actually, really big ones preferably that are sent from America)
It's
hard to be in America and imagine what someone in Ghana needs. It's
also hard to be living a life of deprivation and still remember all
the cool shit you can buy at Walmart. Here are some of the things I
have been happiest to see inside of a care package...
Beef
Jerky, the green-lidded Kraft sprinkle parmesan, green tea, herbal
tea, ground coffee/ a mini French Press, nuts (almonds, pistachios),
oreos, any packaged cheese snack (gold fish, cheese nips, cheetos),
ranch dressing, dried fruit, a burnt CD of the latest cool American
jams (yeah apparently Tay Swift went pop while I was away WTF),
individually wrapped candies, new underwear, a nice new shirt or
dress for teaching in is always fantastic, any kind of ball
(volleyball, soccer ball, nerf ball), stickers for the neighborhood
nugget party, a new pair of sandal.
Chapter
7
Fuzz
While
living in Menji, I paired up with a rascal of an animal. He is a dog
named Fuzz. He also responds to Puppy. If you want him around, he
is a great pet and guard dog. He is funny, disciplined, and barks at
any and everything that moves within 10 feet of the house. Ask
Augustina Tanaa (form 2) where to find him.
Chapter
8
Miscellaneous
Juicy Tidbits
A few
random and final words of advice about living in Ghana:
- Don't eat meat/ egg pies. Just don't. Ever. Eat meat sticks and pepe eggs instead!
- People will call you obroni. And they will ask for money. And there ain't nothin to do about it.
- December and January will be incredibly hot and dry, and the farmers will set everything on fire. I highly recommend always keeping eye drops and chapstick on your person.
- Classes may be spontaneously canceled for any of the following reasons:
- A "holiday" (these occasionally pop-up out of the blue)
- A sports event
- Any other kind of event (e.g. a debate)
- Rain
- A teachers' strike
- Do yourself a favor... Don't get lazy. Work out.
- Caning happens. Sorry-O.
- Red cashew fruits are better tasting than the yellow ones. They fruit in March. Avocados are in season in May-July. Small, local mangoes are in season in April-May. Big, foreign mangoes and grilled corn show up around June. Papaya is in season in January. I cry thinking about that quality of seasonal produce I'll never have in America.
- SPA Grants are AWESOME. And the Peace Corps Grants Coordinator, Eugene, is even more awesome! PCPP grants are cool top, but require a little more work (in the form of fund-raising). You will find out more about grants at your Reconnect. If you feel so inspired, I highly encourage you apply for a grant!
- When not in Menji, walk fast and with determination. The faster you move, the fewer people will grab or yell at you!
- Email me if you need anything. Seriously! betsyannconway@gmail.com
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