Used Car Parts

So if your car breaks down in Ghana, you go to the car parts market! Who knew that an entire market about the radius of 5 city blocks could be devoted to car parts. A lot of Sam's childhood friends work in this market so we went to visit them. I'm amazed at how many people Sam knows! They are all so excited to see him, too! I think I've now met more people in Ghana then I know in the US. Everyone knows everyone here, and everyone wants to be your friend! Sam said he was going to start charging the men 1 cedi to talk to me. Haha! Everywhere we turned, men started following me yelling "Abrunni (white person) I want to be your friend," or "Abrunni, you are nice." I guess not many white girls venture into the used car parts market very often. Usually its the little kids yelling at me, not grown men! Luckily, Sam has become the protective big brother I never had/bodyguard! :) I guess people from all of the neighboring African countries comes to this market in Accra for parts. There were some guys buying parts from one of the french speaking countries. Sam's friend told them he'd teach them english tonight so they could talk to me. He then told them, "You are in good hands, I graduated from secondary school." I think that's the equivalent of 6th grade.

Sam has a lot of interesting stories. He was explaining to me last night that he always loved sports and school. He could play soccer all day, so a 90 minute game was nothing for him. Anyways, most of the good soccer players quit school around 14 to focus on soccer. I guess the really good Ghanaian players on the European teams do not have more than a secondary education, if that! One of Sam's friends was a really good soccer player as a teenager. He didn't end up making it pro and so now he is selling car parts since he never got a great education. Sam loved school and still wanted to learn so he went to school and played sports. The combination of the two are the reason he is where he is today!

Once we were done saying hi to everyone (and it seemed like everyone!) we went for dinner and drinks. Two of Sam's friends joined us. One told me he build me a house and cook for me if I married him. He asked me if I had a boyfriend in Accra, I told him either the answer is no or I have hundreds! Haha! It's very flattering, but as my host Isaac said, American women are too possessive of their men, so I don't think most of these African men would really want to marry me! :)

There are still a lot of cultural things that I find interesting or amusing so I will try and list a few:

• If men turn their backs to you, it's okay for them to urinate on the streets.
• They carry everything but their babies on their heads.
• They carry their babies on their backs. They don't need babysitters here or daycare since their babies are all ways with them strapped to their backs.
• Women breastfeed their babies whenever the baby is hungry. They just sit down and whip out for the baby to feed.
• The traffic laws are just suggestions. They drive in whatever lane is less crowded or better paved, even if oncoming traffic is coming!
• A 40 oz bottle of beer is the normal size!

Of course there are so many more but my mind is drawing a blank right now!

Love, Kari