Baby on board

I knew my girl-about-town days would change once I got pregnant and had a baby. Maybe I'd only get out a fraction as often as I used to before and for evening outings I'd have to get hold of a reliable babysitter to take the baby for an hour or two. But a few weeks ago, I waas clearly informed that my out and about days are O-V-E-R until further notice from the bosslady herself (read: baby).

Heading out to see the Black Star as part of the centenary celebrations, I had gotten the most reliable babysitter of them all - my mum. I'd left some boob juice in the fridge, prepared evening porridge and even set up for her nighttim bath before heading out to relax alone with Virgo for the first time in months. After settling in to watch the play, I got a call, probably 25 minutes into the play. I could hear the little one screaming bloody murder as my mum told me to start making my way home.

The journey from National Theatre to Labone has never felt longer, as I could hear her screaming echoing in my head. Once home I ran to the bedroom...and was met by a baby who started smiling as soon as she saw me! A smile that clearly said: think twice before going out without me again. I guess it'll take some longterm gradual weaning before I try another long outing again.

Another clue to that I've been away and been off the social scene, is that I completely missed the opening of Citizen Kofi. After looking blank the first few times it was mentioned, it didn't take me long to understand what it was. This is Ghana after all, not too many places will be opening at the same time. Still, I have no idea when I'll be trying it out, when I'll go for sushi next or even head round the corner for a Twist pizza!

For now, my entertainment consists of visiting friends, having them visit me and daytime ventures to the Mall or checking out All Pure Nature for pampering items for both baby and me.

Doing the dual lingo.

When I was a child us siblings used to speak Swedish at home. It was only when we realised that things were said by our parents beyond our understanding that we each in turn learned how to speak English. Then, out of laziness we developed our own form of Swenglish/svengelska, basically a basa basa mix of Swedish and English, picking a word from either of the two languages, whatever came first. Somehow we even got our parents to speak this Swenglish with us. It's been hard for people outside our family, whether English speaking, Swedish or bilingual, to follow our personalised blend of these languages.

After years of living in England, my Swenglish has tilted more towards English, it's now an 80%/20% mix instead of the former 50/50. English is the language I consider my home language, I think of family, relatives and relaxation when I speak it. Swedish, although that is the language I am more confident in and have a better grasp of, to me is the language I use with friends and associate with life outside the home.

At the beginning of my pregnancy I decided I'd have to speak Swedish with my children in order to carry on the heritage. In real life though, I have put this off further and further as I just can't seem to speak this at home. First I said I'd wait til we got home from hospital, then I said after she turned two months, then three months. In the end, I'd speak Swedish to her when around people I'd speak Swedish with. I finally decided I'd have to start speaking it fully with her once I left Sweden, after all then she'd never hear it from anyone else.

However, yesterday when we left Swedish soil, it just wouldn't come naturally so I told myself that being the end of the month, I could have another day off (logic?) and set my final deadline as Aug 1st, today. Well, so far so good. I guess I made it easier for myself by getting inspiration from IKEA in Purley Way (don't ask me what I was doing there on my first full day in London) and every now and then I'd stop myself from saying something in Englsih and rather say it in Swedish. The poor child will end up completely confused, but hopefully she'll benefit from it later.

Little by little we'll get there and in a few years time I hope to have a daughter who's fluent in English, Swedish, Ga and Twi. Poor kid.

Bohemian rhapsody

I feel I have to redeem myself. Maya's earth is beginning to look too dreary to its readers. Unless I write something more cheerful, I'm sure you'll all leave me. So I'll try and avoid the following words for a while: death, die, too young, funeral, crying, tears, body bag and...fed up.

If I succeed, promise to shower me with comments (good or bad, doesn't matter, it's just fun to read your opinions).

So instead, let me write about a less gloomy (but still my usual whining) topic: the deprivation we suffer from in Ghana. In Ghana we may never starve, freeze to death or live a life of loneliness, but there is a very real possibility that we'll d.. (darn, I can't use that 'd' word), pass away from boredom. The entertainment scene is scarce. A full night out consists of drinks at Monsoon or Twist from 10.30p.m. onwards. Sometime after midnight we all continue to the awful, cold, crowded (can you tell i'm not a fan?) Office. After wondering why we paid (if we paid) to get in, we then walk the whole 15 metres to Cinderellas. Since Cinderella has been a bit dry lately, the night ends early, around 2.30a.m. There are other nightclubs, Boomerang, Aphrodisiac and Monte Carlo, but it seems no one goes there any more, well, actually we may pass Monte Carlo once every six months.

So as you can see, the entertainment scene gets boring after three or four...weeks. For me, being here for almost three years, going out has become a once-in-a-while thing, when the visitors come to town and force you out.

So, visualise starving dogs feasting on a dead rabbit, and you can imagine the hype over Rhapsody, the latest place to open in town, at the Accra mall (isn't it a restaurant?!?). EVERY social event is now scheduled at Rhapsody, from the official ones like the Obama celebration meet up, to the hanging out on a Friday night. The Poetress even sacrilegiously suggested we eat there instead of our usual sushi at Monsoon!

Yes you may say this is an "i-lands problem" (industrial country problem as opposed to a third world problem, any English word for that?) but on a Friday afternoon, it's an all too real problem. ;)

As for me, I may not know how I'm spending my Friday night, but the next few days will be spent baby- and housesitting at H's on Spintex Road. I suspect H, his wife S and I may have different opinions on what makes a good housesitter, as I look forward to inviting lots of friends over. I may even create my own Rhapsody!

Have a good weekend!

Hectic!

Gosh what a busy day! Don't even know what I've been doing but have been busy all day. (excuse all typos, have no time to check). Had to leave the lovely Satine, (yes, I named a car I only drove for 1 1/2 day) and have realised, the only way to drive is in an Infinity. Back with good old Roger now (that's my car, not a bit on the side).

At least got myself a good laugh this morning as I was buying juice from the kiosk by our office.

One taxi driver to another (sleepy looking one)at the taxi station (fancy name for a row of taxis):

"Chale - you no sleep last night?"

"hm...I ate some banku this morning"

This conversation was witnessed at 08:57a.m. I can only imagine when in the morning this banku was eaten (and dread to wonder if he'll fall asleep at the wheel during the day)!

Must review an agreement now, before Miami comes to meet me at work in 13 minutes, somehow I don't think I'll be ready by then. Going to Twist from there and I'll probably pass Virgo's after that before I get home to write a proper post.