Sunday, 8 March 2009
Message from your blogger
My sister sends greetings from Gothenburg, where it snowed this morning(!),but she´s unfortunately unable to access her blog for at least another week or two. She promises you that her excuse for not blogging is good enough and she´ll be back with lots of stories soon./ Mr.T
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Out and about
This little blogger is currently out of town, country and continent sans laptop and internet. Will get back to you in the next few days. Will leave you with a little thought for now.
What's more worrying, the fact that our Atta Mills relies heavily on Nigerian spiritual leaders and supposed chanting in the castle OR that Gordon Brown bases the state and future of the British economy on the fact that Slumdog Millionaire (absolutely brilliant movie!) and Kate Winslet won at the Oscars?
Just a thought...
What's more worrying, the fact that our Atta Mills relies heavily on Nigerian spiritual leaders and supposed chanting in the castle OR that Gordon Brown bases the state and future of the British economy on the fact that Slumdog Millionaire (absolutely brilliant movie!) and Kate Winslet won at the Oscars?
Just a thought...
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Crookeries!
Facebook has been all over the news since management decided to hold off on its plan to take ownership of facebook user's content. Funnily enough this seems to be making more headlines now than at the time they actually changed their terms of use to claim ownership of our photos. I remember hearing about it some time ago, but kind of brushed it aside. It seems other facebook users were more proactive, leading to facebook 'holding off' on the ownership issue.
It only hit me yesterday, the audacity of what they were trying to do. So I go out, carry my camera around, aim to take good photos, upload them onto facebook, using my electricity and internet connection, then suddenly the photos are owned by facebook even after I end my membership?! Kwasiasem!
What a smart way to steal valuable art from innocent users! A quick scour round our pages and I'm sure they've found top notch photos of celebrities, heads of states, historical moments, etc. and without paying a penny facebook can claim these and pass them on as their own.
It then hit me that if they get away with it, what's not to stop blogger, wordpress or other engines from doing the same with their users. Imagine, as a blogger, that one day, everything you've written on your blogger's site is owned by the engine supporting you! I must say it is a very cost-efficient, convenient way of finding works to be published as books, articles and columns. Considering the amount of blogs that have been turned into books, e.g. Petite Anglaise, Girl with a one track mind, it would be quite a lucrative idea, indeed.
When I thought of this, and remembered the hours and hours I have spent thinking, working, writing and editing my blog, I felt horrified. Based on that, and the general cheekiness of facebook, I'm glad it looks like they're handing back ownership of our property to us.
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Good morning Accra!
The day stars at 5.30 with the sound of the neighbours sweeping the compound (a concept completely lost on me). About twenty minutes later I can hear the family in the boys-quarters screaming conversation at each other (even though they are no more than a few meters from each other, if that).
I manage to slumber back to sleep only to be woken by the sound of a bulldozer next door. I hear the neighbours yell: "Ofaine, ofaine" ("please" in Ga, excuse the spelling) as they scream and run around the bulldozer. From the comfort of my bed it seems the owner of the land is trying get rid of the squatters by bulldozing them away!
A few minutes later there's silence. I think the squatters won this battle. I turn over and fall back to sleep, only to hear "Auntie, good morning" at 6.45. I try to ignore it but it grows louder, "Auntie, good morning. AUNTIE!" Moaning, I have to roll out of bed and open the househelp. I know I've complained of her showing up late for work, but to come an hour early, today, that's just cruel!
After opening her, explaining that I am VERY tired and sorting her out with everything she may need, I go back to bed. Just as I fall back into deep sleep with my pillow covering my head: knock, knock, knock. "Auntie, Mrs. D is here for your meeting". Of course I had forgotten that my Thursday in-house meetings with Mrs D have since last week been moved to Wednesdays.
I get up, go to the bathroom and get ready for a brand new, very exhausting day. What's a girl gotta do to get one, ONE mid-week sleep-in in the city of Accra?!
I manage to slumber back to sleep only to be woken by the sound of a bulldozer next door. I hear the neighbours yell: "Ofaine, ofaine" ("please" in Ga, excuse the spelling) as they scream and run around the bulldozer. From the comfort of my bed it seems the owner of the land is trying get rid of the squatters by bulldozing them away!
A few minutes later there's silence. I think the squatters won this battle. I turn over and fall back to sleep, only to hear "Auntie, good morning" at 6.45. I try to ignore it but it grows louder, "Auntie, good morning. AUNTIE!" Moaning, I have to roll out of bed and open the househelp. I know I've complained of her showing up late for work, but to come an hour early, today, that's just cruel!
After opening her, explaining that I am VERY tired and sorting her out with everything she may need, I go back to bed. Just as I fall back into deep sleep with my pillow covering my head: knock, knock, knock. "Auntie, Mrs. D is here for your meeting". Of course I had forgotten that my Thursday in-house meetings with Mrs D have since last week been moved to Wednesdays.
I get up, go to the bathroom and get ready for a brand new, very exhausting day. What's a girl gotta do to get one, ONE mid-week sleep-in in the city of Accra?!
Monday, 16 February 2009
Love, trust, deception
Ok, so I know I was supposed to write about love as part of our Ghanablogging group on Friday, and I know Saturday was Valentine's day and although I had a lovely Saturday (it included a pancake breakfast, fufu & groundnut soup lunch, dessert at Melting Moments and dinner at Captain Hooks), I can't help but think of all the stories of infidelity I've been hearing lately. It's enough to make any man or woman scared to trust anybody again.
How about the guy who had a regular girlfriend for over a year. She'd come over with him, spend nights at his house, feel comfortable and free there, chat to his cousin who lived with him. Until one day when she shows up unexpectedly and finds framed photos on the walls that she's never seen before, some, of her boyfriend, clearly on his wedding day! With a little help from his cousin she soon realises that he is married, has a wife who works periodically out of Accra, so that every time the wife is on location, all pictures of her (and the baby the girlfriend thought belonged to his cousin) are taken down, only to be put up when wifey is on her way back in to town.
Or what about my former classmates who started getting it on right around revision time for final exams (could that be why he failed? Ooooh, miaow), even though the girl had a fiance for several years? The only shocking thing about that story is that it seems it is only in the past few weeks that her fiance has found out, almost two years after the sordid affair started!
And just this afternoon, I was told of the most classic one yet. A girl who's been keeping two boyfriends (not that either of them knew about the other), gets out of the one guy's bed in a rush one Saturday morning, saying "Wow, I have to go, it's already ten a.m." The boyfriend innocently asks "Why, where are you off to in such a rush on a Saturday morning?"
Her answer?
"My wedding!"
How about the guy who had a regular girlfriend for over a year. She'd come over with him, spend nights at his house, feel comfortable and free there, chat to his cousin who lived with him. Until one day when she shows up unexpectedly and finds framed photos on the walls that she's never seen before, some, of her boyfriend, clearly on his wedding day! With a little help from his cousin she soon realises that he is married, has a wife who works periodically out of Accra, so that every time the wife is on location, all pictures of her (and the baby the girlfriend thought belonged to his cousin) are taken down, only to be put up when wifey is on her way back in to town.
Or what about my former classmates who started getting it on right around revision time for final exams (could that be why he failed? Ooooh, miaow), even though the girl had a fiance for several years? The only shocking thing about that story is that it seems it is only in the past few weeks that her fiance has found out, almost two years after the sordid affair started!
And just this afternoon, I was told of the most classic one yet. A girl who's been keeping two boyfriends (not that either of them knew about the other), gets out of the one guy's bed in a rush one Saturday morning, saying "Wow, I have to go, it's already ten a.m." The boyfriend innocently asks "Why, where are you off to in such a rush on a Saturday morning?"
Her answer?
"My wedding!"
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
To whom it may concern
This letter is long overdue:
Dear Ecobank,
I feel I have so much to write to you and I wonder how I'll fit it all in one letter. What has finally prompted me to write was my experience last week when I needed to cash a dollar cheque. I went into the Oxford Street branch and went to the foreign transactions counter. There, I met a sign that said foreign transactions will be handled upstairs. I went upstairs and waited in line for a few minutes. When it got to my turn, the usual foreign transaction lady shook her head and said "our system is down, oh". Since I had been waiting, I assumed it had just gone down and asked how long I'd have to wait. I was informed it had been down all morning (this was at 11:30) and she hadn't been able to handle any transactions. So why had I been made to wait. In fact, why had I been made to walk up the stairs in the first place???
In the end I had to drive to the Head Office branch at Ridge (as usual) to get the cheque cashed. Then on Saturday, I needed to cash a cedi cheque. Thinking I was being smart, I drove straight to Ridge which of course was closed. Drove back to Oxford Street and stood in a line of approximately 9 people. When the person who was two ahead of me was about to be served, a man came out of the blue and jumped in front and got served before her. Admittedly, she could have said something, but so could your staff member who agreed to serve the rude man. (At my own bank, HFC, the staff will always inform queue jumpers of where the queue actually starts).
By the time I was being attended to, I had waited 37 minutes. Do you consider that a reasonable waiting period? (to be honest, I was impressed as I have waited even longer in the past). This week, my husband was informed that the Letters of Credit he went to establish last week had not been processed, for no reason whatsoever. These L/Cs are based on his own money, not from any credit from your bank. Do you realise the consequences this has on business when we inform our international suppliers that we've established L/Cs only to find out a week later that it has not been done? Or how unprofessional your bank is perceived when transactions are not put through without any reason given?
I have long considered opening an account with Ecobank, but time and time again your bank and staff remind me of why I should not. The migration on to a new system sometime in the third quarter of last year took approximately two months instead of the one week we were told, and it seems to still be causing problems as the "system is down" at least every other time I visit your bank. I still need to find a bank as my current one is lacking in so many ways and I need a bank that will give me a VISA card, provide me with cash points (ATMs for you American bred folks) and internet banking, but it seems I'll have to consider Standard Chartered instead.
Don't get me wrong, you're not the worst bank in town, HFC is no better, but at least when I wait for twenty minutes in a queue there, I am greeted by a smile and a "sorry for keeping you waiting", which I have never heard uttered in any of your banks. I hope you take this letter seriously and use my complaints to improve your services. Why not aim to introduce first class banking services to customers in Ghana, instead of adding to the general frustrations we already face in everyday life.
Kind regards,
A former potential customer.
What do you think, should I send it?
Dear Ecobank,
I feel I have so much to write to you and I wonder how I'll fit it all in one letter. What has finally prompted me to write was my experience last week when I needed to cash a dollar cheque. I went into the Oxford Street branch and went to the foreign transactions counter. There, I met a sign that said foreign transactions will be handled upstairs. I went upstairs and waited in line for a few minutes. When it got to my turn, the usual foreign transaction lady shook her head and said "our system is down, oh". Since I had been waiting, I assumed it had just gone down and asked how long I'd have to wait. I was informed it had been down all morning (this was at 11:30) and she hadn't been able to handle any transactions. So why had I been made to wait. In fact, why had I been made to walk up the stairs in the first place???
In the end I had to drive to the Head Office branch at Ridge (as usual) to get the cheque cashed. Then on Saturday, I needed to cash a cedi cheque. Thinking I was being smart, I drove straight to Ridge which of course was closed. Drove back to Oxford Street and stood in a line of approximately 9 people. When the person who was two ahead of me was about to be served, a man came out of the blue and jumped in front and got served before her. Admittedly, she could have said something, but so could your staff member who agreed to serve the rude man. (At my own bank, HFC, the staff will always inform queue jumpers of where the queue actually starts).
By the time I was being attended to, I had waited 37 minutes. Do you consider that a reasonable waiting period? (to be honest, I was impressed as I have waited even longer in the past). This week, my husband was informed that the Letters of Credit he went to establish last week had not been processed, for no reason whatsoever. These L/Cs are based on his own money, not from any credit from your bank. Do you realise the consequences this has on business when we inform our international suppliers that we've established L/Cs only to find out a week later that it has not been done? Or how unprofessional your bank is perceived when transactions are not put through without any reason given?
I have long considered opening an account with Ecobank, but time and time again your bank and staff remind me of why I should not. The migration on to a new system sometime in the third quarter of last year took approximately two months instead of the one week we were told, and it seems to still be causing problems as the "system is down" at least every other time I visit your bank. I still need to find a bank as my current one is lacking in so many ways and I need a bank that will give me a VISA card, provide me with cash points (ATMs for you American bred folks) and internet banking, but it seems I'll have to consider Standard Chartered instead.
Don't get me wrong, you're not the worst bank in town, HFC is no better, but at least when I wait for twenty minutes in a queue there, I am greeted by a smile and a "sorry for keeping you waiting", which I have never heard uttered in any of your banks. I hope you take this letter seriously and use my complaints to improve your services. Why not aim to introduce first class banking services to customers in Ghana, instead of adding to the general frustrations we already face in everyday life.
Kind regards,
A former potential customer.
What do you think, should I send it?
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Green, green envy
Every day I'm hit by a sting of jealousy. This usually happens after watching CNN for a while. First there's joy over hearing my new favourite advertisement: "Talking, talking, we've got people talking" they sing in the ad, which displays the wonders of Glo. I find the whole ad so beautiful. Apart from an extremely catchy tune (or am I the only one who likes it??), the ad manages to capture the beautiful West African life perfectly. The fisherman, out at sea at sunset whilst on his mobile phone? Classic!
Apart from that ad, other Nigerian ads featured include those for the banks, ETB, UBA and Zenith. I feel a bit of pride as I see that their ads are of no different standard to the western ones, but can't help but feel jealous. When will Ghana get there? Are we even close? As it is now, I have to force myself to watch Ghanaian channels a few times a week to catch up on local news, as the content and ads are dreadfully boring with poor acting/presenting, visual and audio quality. Why are we so far behind our giant green neighbour?
Virgo passed on some wisdom to me which may partly (or fully) explain the situation. Although Nigeria has had several coup d'etats, when these occur, businesses and business men have generally not been attacked, instead they've been allowed to continuously grow and develop. In Ghana however, each coup d'etats has led to businesses being persecuted and businessmen fleeing the country. As a result, we've never had the opportunity of developing a business culture in Ghana over the years.
There are not many businesses that are more than a decade or two old and as such the entrepreneurial mind is still unique. It further explains why, despite our similar colonnial background, Nigerians value businesses more whereas Ghanaians (at least my parents' generation) have always put higher value on the civil servant lifestyle. How many of us have not been told to "go and get a good education" (that means, doctor, lawyer or accountant) and find a good job and stay there. Not many are advised to set up their own business as it's too risky, and looking at our previous history, I guess they're right, it was too risky. Hopefully those days of coups are finally behind us.
I just hope 'our' generation takes the opportunity to learn the good things from the naijas so that we too can establish our businesses and be advertising on international television, as my jealousy is reaching boiling point!
(Interestingly as I was looking for links to the ad, I came across a blogpost from my fellow ghanablogger, David Ajao. It's good to know I'm only three years behind you on the topic, David!)
Now I can't leave without today's Weakest Link moment:
OK, I may be obsessed but sometimes I can't help but wonder whether it is simply nerves or stupidity that makes players give their answers. Here's some examples:
Which D is the correct medical term for indigestion?
Diarrhoea.
Which vertebrae has a name that actually means hundred feet?
Giraffe.
In the sentence "Joe washes his car", which word is the verb?
I don't know.
Oh, chale!
Apart from that ad, other Nigerian ads featured include those for the banks, ETB, UBA and Zenith. I feel a bit of pride as I see that their ads are of no different standard to the western ones, but can't help but feel jealous. When will Ghana get there? Are we even close? As it is now, I have to force myself to watch Ghanaian channels a few times a week to catch up on local news, as the content and ads are dreadfully boring with poor acting/presenting, visual and audio quality. Why are we so far behind our giant green neighbour?
Virgo passed on some wisdom to me which may partly (or fully) explain the situation. Although Nigeria has had several coup d'etats, when these occur, businesses and business men have generally not been attacked, instead they've been allowed to continuously grow and develop. In Ghana however, each coup d'etats has led to businesses being persecuted and businessmen fleeing the country. As a result, we've never had the opportunity of developing a business culture in Ghana over the years.
There are not many businesses that are more than a decade or two old and as such the entrepreneurial mind is still unique. It further explains why, despite our similar colonnial background, Nigerians value businesses more whereas Ghanaians (at least my parents' generation) have always put higher value on the civil servant lifestyle. How many of us have not been told to "go and get a good education" (that means, doctor, lawyer or accountant) and find a good job and stay there. Not many are advised to set up their own business as it's too risky, and looking at our previous history, I guess they're right, it was too risky. Hopefully those days of coups are finally behind us.
I just hope 'our' generation takes the opportunity to learn the good things from the naijas so that we too can establish our businesses and be advertising on international television, as my jealousy is reaching boiling point!
(Interestingly as I was looking for links to the ad, I came across a blogpost from my fellow ghanablogger, David Ajao. It's good to know I'm only three years behind you on the topic, David!)
Now I can't leave without today's Weakest Link moment:
OK, I may be obsessed but sometimes I can't help but wonder whether it is simply nerves or stupidity that makes players give their answers. Here's some examples:
Which D is the correct medical term for indigestion?
Diarrhoea.
Which vertebrae has a name that actually means hundred feet?
Giraffe.
In the sentence "Joe washes his car", which word is the verb?
I don't know.
Oh, chale!
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
If the shoe fits
There's been a whole lot of political shoe talk in the past months. First, and notoriously, George Bush was attacked twice by a journalist's shoes whilst visiting Iraq in December.
Then the guy who threw the shoe is honoured with...a statue of a shoe!
But only a few days later, the honorary shoe is removed as it is considered offensive by the Iraqi government. Now you didn't think that was the last time I'd mention 'shoe' today? Nooo, the latest news is that the shoe throwing trend has flown all the way to Europe!
A protester threw a shoe at the Chinese Prime Minister whilst he visited Cambridge University yesterday. Fortunately/unfortunately he was not as precise a thrower as the Iraqi journalist.
I watched the news and couldn't help but wonder and dread, how long before we'll have to take off our shoes EVERYWHERE we go as they clearly are the most potent political weapon, the next public enemy number 1, just as 'communists', 'terrorists', and 'weapons of mass destruction' have been in the past?
Then the guy who threw the shoe is honoured with...a statue of a shoe!
But only a few days later, the honorary shoe is removed as it is considered offensive by the Iraqi government. Now you didn't think that was the last time I'd mention 'shoe' today? Nooo, the latest news is that the shoe throwing trend has flown all the way to Europe!
A protester threw a shoe at the Chinese Prime Minister whilst he visited Cambridge University yesterday. Fortunately/unfortunately he was not as precise a thrower as the Iraqi journalist.
I watched the news and couldn't help but wonder and dread, how long before we'll have to take off our shoes EVERYWHERE we go as they clearly are the most potent political weapon, the next public enemy number 1, just as 'communists', 'terrorists', and 'weapons of mass destruction' have been in the past?
Friday, 30 January 2009
Feeling hot, hot, hot!
Today I vex, paa (translation: today I am very, very angry). Well actually since last night. I know I should be used to it by now, but there is no way I'll get used to life without electricity. All day yesterday, the lights went on and off, then just before midnight, they went off and didn't come back until 18:00 today! I don't even want to think of all the food I'll have to throw out as it's spoilt by now. And let's just put it this way: I never really, erm, appreciated just how hot Labone is compared to Tema, until I tried spending a night here without AC or a fan. (In Tema I always slept with the natural breeze coming from the windows, only once in a while with the assistance of a desk fan at the lowest speed).
It is that heat I can thank for my all-day migraine, which shows no signs of leaving me. I would blame it all on the ECG, but I have to say I am slightly impressed by the staff at ECG. At first I was just mad at them as I couldn't get through on their phone line (this is always the case when they cause a power-cut), but when I did get through, both yesterday and today, they gave me very accurate and truthful answers so I knew exactly what to expect.
Either way, I'm about to turn off the laptop, turn off the lights and try to sleep off this migraine. Hope your weekend is off to a better start!
It is that heat I can thank for my all-day migraine, which shows no signs of leaving me. I would blame it all on the ECG, but I have to say I am slightly impressed by the staff at ECG. At first I was just mad at them as I couldn't get through on their phone line (this is always the case when they cause a power-cut), but when I did get through, both yesterday and today, they gave me very accurate and truthful answers so I knew exactly what to expect.
Either way, I'm about to turn off the laptop, turn off the lights and try to sleep off this migraine. Hope your weekend is off to a better start!
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Job seeking in Accra?
Look no further! It seems in the past 36 hours I've managed to turn myself into a recruitment consultant, and quite a succesful one as well! It started with my cousin needing a person with very specific qualifications for a part-time job, the details of which almost exactly fitted what a friend had said she was looking for in a job. So I set the two of them up for a fruitful meeting yesterday.
Earlier today, another cousin (I have many, many!) needed someone for a project and of course there was a friend I knew would be available and competent to do the job. A few minutes later, a friend needed to help his friend cover a legal position I'd had to turn down a few months ago as it would get in the way of my biggest project. I made two calls and voila! I sorted out my classmate with a potential dream job in a field he wanted more expertise in.
Cartoon borrowed from Gordon Institute of Business Studies
OK, so no papers have been signed, no employment agreements finalised but I have made three employers and three potential employees very happy. It feels a bit like being Santa Claus, only getting good jobs and good workers is probably more rewarding to the people than using the crap we're sometimes given as presents at Christmas!
Oh no. I take back the last statement. After all I don't want to be present-less next Christmas...
Earlier today, another cousin (I have many, many!) needed someone for a project and of course there was a friend I knew would be available and competent to do the job. A few minutes later, a friend needed to help his friend cover a legal position I'd had to turn down a few months ago as it would get in the way of my biggest project. I made two calls and voila! I sorted out my classmate with a potential dream job in a field he wanted more expertise in.
Cartoon borrowed from Gordon Institute of Business Studies
OK, so no papers have been signed, no employment agreements finalised but I have made three employers and three potential employees very happy. It feels a bit like being Santa Claus, only getting good jobs and good workers is probably more rewarding to the people than using the crap we're sometimes given as presents at Christmas!
Oh no. I take back the last statement. After all I don't want to be present-less next Christmas...
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Obama vs. AL Jazeera
Isn't it funny that just after writing about Al Jazeera, the station is under speculation as CNN ponders over Obama snubbing them by choosing Al Arabyia for his first interview, and Al Jazeera snubbing Obama back by not reporting his statement at all! From the reports, it seems Al Jazeera is perceived differently here (or by me?) than by the U.S. (or CNN?). After all, after watching Al Jazeera for the past few years on Metro and DSTV, I find it as westernised a station as BBC and CNN. But CNN speaks of the station as still seen as radical, or possibly just the leading station from that region.
Today I said a sad goodbye. For a few days each year we have a lovely reunion. It's all cool, straight and shining glory. I enjoy it so much, I forget to capture the brief moments by taking pictures, forgetting these days will soon be over. Then this morning I woke up, felt a bit of volume on my head. As I tried straightening my hair before my morning meeting and watched it curl up a few minutes later, I knew our time in 2009 was already over. Those first few dry, un-humid days as Harmattan enters Accra, have come to an end, and we look ahead to another 360 days of humidity before it comes again. For me this means a trip to Auntie Alice hair salon in the next few days, to cornrow my head of unruly hair. I am just so glad I managed to flash my sleek, straight, shiny hair at Captain Hooks on Saturday!
Having natural hair in Ghana? Enye easy koraa!
Today I said a sad goodbye. For a few days each year we have a lovely reunion. It's all cool, straight and shining glory. I enjoy it so much, I forget to capture the brief moments by taking pictures, forgetting these days will soon be over. Then this morning I woke up, felt a bit of volume on my head. As I tried straightening my hair before my morning meeting and watched it curl up a few minutes later, I knew our time in 2009 was already over. Those first few dry, un-humid days as Harmattan enters Accra, have come to an end, and we look ahead to another 360 days of humidity before it comes again. For me this means a trip to Auntie Alice hair salon in the next few days, to cornrow my head of unruly hair. I am just so glad I managed to flash my sleek, straight, shiny hair at Captain Hooks on Saturday!
Having natural hair in Ghana? Enye easy koraa!
Sunday, 25 January 2009
The cheap African life?
Al Jazeera features a report on Zimbabwe about the “Zimdollar” and how ever since shops were allowed to accept foreign currency, nobody is willing to receive the local currency. However, because they’re accepting foreign currency, at least the shops that were empty a few months ago are now busy again. Then the reporter, Haru Mutasa suddenly looks grim. “It’s not all good news though” she says. Even though people are shopping again, you now have to pay $10 for a kilo of meat, $6 for a crate of eggs and as much as $1 for a loaf of bread! In other words people are paying two to three times more what would be paid in the US.
Eeeeh? Suddenly I feel very stupid paying a good $6-7 dollars/kilo for meat at Koala, about $5 for a crate of eggs and $2 for a loaf of bread! Is it time we also start making noise about the cost of food in supermarkets in Ghana? I can’t help but wonder if we in Ghana are complacently accepting the prices imposed on us by the supermarkets, as they’re not far off the “result of the economical crisis” in Zimbabwe.
Or is this simply (more likely) just another example of people in the West not realising how expensive life in Africa can be (I purposely say “can be” as I’d probably get the eggs cheaper at Agbobloshie market, but the report featured a supermarket, not a market so I feel the comparison is just)? After all, many ex-pats, friends and family do come to Ghana with the notion that £10 will last ten times longer than in England. They soon get a shocking reality check when their tenner just about covers their entrance fee at Rhapsody’s or buys the basic goods at Shoprite! Either way I feel like letting Haru Mutasa come to Ghana and see for herself, so that she’ll understand if her report doesn’t get such a sensational reaction in Africa as it does elsewhere.
Eeeeh? Suddenly I feel very stupid paying a good $6-7 dollars/kilo for meat at Koala, about $5 for a crate of eggs and $2 for a loaf of bread! Is it time we also start making noise about the cost of food in supermarkets in Ghana? I can’t help but wonder if we in Ghana are complacently accepting the prices imposed on us by the supermarkets, as they’re not far off the “result of the economical crisis” in Zimbabwe.
Or is this simply (more likely) just another example of people in the West not realising how expensive life in Africa can be (I purposely say “can be” as I’d probably get the eggs cheaper at Agbobloshie market, but the report featured a supermarket, not a market so I feel the comparison is just)? After all, many ex-pats, friends and family do come to Ghana with the notion that £10 will last ten times longer than in England. They soon get a shocking reality check when their tenner just about covers their entrance fee at Rhapsody’s or buys the basic goods at Shoprite! Either way I feel like letting Haru Mutasa come to Ghana and see for herself, so that she’ll understand if her report doesn’t get such a sensational reaction in Africa as it does elsewhere.
Saturday, 24 January 2009
Radioactive woman
For the past few weeks, or month I have had a recurring headache. It comes with a bang and lasts just a few minutes and it's always localised, just at the entrance of my right ear, just above the earlobe. I've been wondering what could have caused it and just this morning I thought of the fact that I always speak on the phone on that ear (and no, I don't have fancy bluetooth, nor the patience to untangle my handsfree every time there is a call).
Suddenly I was reminded of all the radiation we expose ourselves to without knowing the damage. Because really, how much can scientists tell us? Some claim using the mobile phone at an angle reduces the radiation to a fraction, some say Bluetooth and handsfree are safe while others say it's actually worse as the radiation is going straight into our ears. I say it's too early to trust anyone. After all, we've only been using these electronics for a few decades.
Take a quick trip down memory lane and you'll realise that back in the eighties, the only digital sunlight we received in our homes was from our digital clockradio.
I remember in 1988 when Annika and I were the first in our class to get microwave ovens. How many of us didn't stand in front of them watching the microwaves cook our food in seconds? Even remotes weren't in full use until the late eighties/early nineties (I know this as I bitterly remember it being the duty of the youngest person present to change the channel from Kanal 1 to TV2 on our big, white Torn TV).
Today we surround ourselves with wonders of the digital, wireless world. We cook in our microwaves, talk on our cordless phones and mobiles, work (read blog and stay on Facebok) on our laptops and browse oaway on our wireless networks without considering for a second how that wireless network surrounding our homes is affecting our health. (Although, living close to the area known as La Wireless Area and hearing of the many cases of cancer that occurred there ahs made me a bit more aware of the dangers.)
Could it be time to get back to basics for a bit? Plug the cord-led phone back in, turn off the wireless and start using the broadband cord, cook on the stove, put on a vinyl record and wonder if life was actually half-bad just two decades ago.
On that note of "gloom and doom, we're all gonna die!", have a good weekend!
Suddenly I was reminded of all the radiation we expose ourselves to without knowing the damage. Because really, how much can scientists tell us? Some claim using the mobile phone at an angle reduces the radiation to a fraction, some say Bluetooth and handsfree are safe while others say it's actually worse as the radiation is going straight into our ears. I say it's too early to trust anyone. After all, we've only been using these electronics for a few decades.
Take a quick trip down memory lane and you'll realise that back in the eighties, the only digital sunlight we received in our homes was from our digital clockradio.
I remember in 1988 when Annika and I were the first in our class to get microwave ovens. How many of us didn't stand in front of them watching the microwaves cook our food in seconds? Even remotes weren't in full use until the late eighties/early nineties (I know this as I bitterly remember it being the duty of the youngest person present to change the channel from Kanal 1 to TV2 on our big, white Torn TV).
Today we surround ourselves with wonders of the digital, wireless world. We cook in our microwaves, talk on our cordless phones and mobiles, work (read blog and stay on Facebok) on our laptops and browse oaway on our wireless networks without considering for a second how that wireless network surrounding our homes is affecting our health. (Although, living close to the area known as La Wireless Area and hearing of the many cases of cancer that occurred there ahs made me a bit more aware of the dangers.)
Could it be time to get back to basics for a bit? Plug the cord-led phone back in, turn off the wireless and start using the broadband cord, cook on the stove, put on a vinyl record and wonder if life was actually half-bad just two decades ago.
On that note of "gloom and doom, we're all gonna die!", have a good weekend!
Thursday, 22 January 2009
This time...
Ages ago I planned to chronicle the year that just passed but never got the chance to do it. Besides, if I did, it would probably end up being a ten page account as so many things happened in 2008. However, I feel something must be documented in cyberform after Virgo reminded me two days ago that the African Cup of Nations had started exactly a year earlier. I was immediately struck by the conflicting thoughts of "how can it already be a year?" and "but it seems soooo long ago!".
This time last year, between drafting agreements and other stuff at the lawfirm, my fellow colleagues and I (including a certain Poet) would be texting any possible contacts for tickets to the next game, rushing to finish up work by 2.30 to be able to start walking to the Ohene Djan Stadium along with a whole load of other people in our business district.
This time last year, I had one niece who had just turned four years old. My now five year and one day old niece now has a little brother and a little cousin, with another cousin joining them in a few months time.
This time last year, I was, as mentioned, working for the law firm, still doing my pupillage. Now, I work for what will hopefully one day be a major corporation, managing and structuring the business, often working from home in my own time and finding time to do independent legal work on the side.
This time last year, there was hardly any political buzz in Ghana, and yet now we have a new president and a new party in power. Rather, at the law firm, we'd frequently discuss how the hotshot Obama was actually faring quite well against Hillary and may give her serious competition. Could any of us have imagined that a year later we'd be witnessing the inauguration of President Barack Obama?
This time last year I was in a relationship but living with my lovely mother at the centre of the world (that's Tema of course!). Now I am a "newly" married woman living in the heart of Accra, somewhat missing the fresh breeze and cooler air of Tema, but definitely not the commute!
Friends' babies have been born, beautiful, important people have passed, there have been marriages and career changes all around me. What a year it's been!
And you know what? It seems life will only get better in 2009!
This time last year, between drafting agreements and other stuff at the lawfirm, my fellow colleagues and I (including a certain Poet) would be texting any possible contacts for tickets to the next game, rushing to finish up work by 2.30 to be able to start walking to the Ohene Djan Stadium along with a whole load of other people in our business district.
This time last year, I had one niece who had just turned four years old. My now five year and one day old niece now has a little brother and a little cousin, with another cousin joining them in a few months time.
This time last year, I was, as mentioned, working for the law firm, still doing my pupillage. Now, I work for what will hopefully one day be a major corporation, managing and structuring the business, often working from home in my own time and finding time to do independent legal work on the side.
This time last year, there was hardly any political buzz in Ghana, and yet now we have a new president and a new party in power. Rather, at the law firm, we'd frequently discuss how the hotshot Obama was actually faring quite well against Hillary and may give her serious competition. Could any of us have imagined that a year later we'd be witnessing the inauguration of President Barack Obama?
This time last year I was in a relationship but living with my lovely mother at the centre of the world (that's Tema of course!). Now I am a "newly" married woman living in the heart of Accra, somewhat missing the fresh breeze and cooler air of Tema, but definitely not the commute!
Friends' babies have been born, beautiful, important people have passed, there have been marriages and career changes all around me. What a year it's been!
And you know what? It seems life will only get better in 2009!
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Lights Out!
No, I am not bed-ridden as a result of my candy overdose, I just haven't blogged for various reasons.
It started with me focusing on work and, erm, social commitments. Then somebody ( I won't mention any names, as all fingers point at me, myself and I!) forgot to put credit on our prepaid electricity card, which ran out...on Saturday, early evening. After our only re-chargeable lamp, which the same somebody has been using as a beside lamp since somebody dropped and broke the original bedside lamp (damn, I hate not having anyone to blame!), died out after 40 minutes, I had to force myself to try and sleep as there was nothing else to do and I was too hot to even consider lighting candles.
Since Virgo had appointments all of Sunday and knowing we could only load the electricity card on Monday morning, I escaped to my dear Tema, land of constantly flowing water and electricity (well in my community anyway), prepared with my laptop, rechargeable lamp, mobile phone charger, etc. After basking in the glow from the TV, the wind from the fan, the sound of the microwave, I tell you, it's amazing what 12 hours without electricity can do to you, my joy suddenly came to a halt when: LIGHTS OUT!
My mum claims I brought bad luck with me, to my objections that "lights out is not contagious!", although even I was surprised as Community 10 has a good track record usually. Still managed to have a lovely day of reading, napping and a long walk in Community 10, 11 and 6 before heading to the Mall to watch Yes Man with Virgo. We had both decided to stay away from our dark home as long as possible.
Monday morning, I rushed to charge the ECG (Electricity Corporation of Ghana) card, blasted the AC, turned on the laptop, and the TV, but after an hour it was all taken away from me again, lights out! This seemed to mess up the internet (or was it just Broadband4u misbehaving?) a bit as well as it was slow and disfunctional all day.
Anyway, making a very short story really, really long, what I wanted to say was, lights out and internet problems are the reasons I haven't blogged for almost a week, but now I am actually beginning to enjoy it. Most bloggers took a break over Christmas and elections, I didn't, but I think the break may be necessary to enable us come back with fresh minds and more stories to tell. So I may be away for a few more days. In the meantime take the opportunity to go see Australia, it is such a beautiful movie and a must for any Baz Luhrman fan (think Moulin Rouge).
Peace out!
It started with me focusing on work and, erm, social commitments. Then somebody ( I won't mention any names, as all fingers point at me, myself and I!) forgot to put credit on our prepaid electricity card, which ran out...on Saturday, early evening. After our only re-chargeable lamp, which the same somebody has been using as a beside lamp since somebody dropped and broke the original bedside lamp (damn, I hate not having anyone to blame!), died out after 40 minutes, I had to force myself to try and sleep as there was nothing else to do and I was too hot to even consider lighting candles.
Since Virgo had appointments all of Sunday and knowing we could only load the electricity card on Monday morning, I escaped to my dear Tema, land of constantly flowing water and electricity (well in my community anyway), prepared with my laptop, rechargeable lamp, mobile phone charger, etc. After basking in the glow from the TV, the wind from the fan, the sound of the microwave, I tell you, it's amazing what 12 hours without electricity can do to you, my joy suddenly came to a halt when: LIGHTS OUT!
My mum claims I brought bad luck with me, to my objections that "lights out is not contagious!", although even I was surprised as Community 10 has a good track record usually. Still managed to have a lovely day of reading, napping and a long walk in Community 10, 11 and 6 before heading to the Mall to watch Yes Man with Virgo. We had both decided to stay away from our dark home as long as possible.
Monday morning, I rushed to charge the ECG (Electricity Corporation of Ghana) card, blasted the AC, turned on the laptop, and the TV, but after an hour it was all taken away from me again, lights out! This seemed to mess up the internet (or was it just Broadband4u misbehaving?) a bit as well as it was slow and disfunctional all day.
Anyway, making a very short story really, really long, what I wanted to say was, lights out and internet problems are the reasons I haven't blogged for almost a week, but now I am actually beginning to enjoy it. Most bloggers took a break over Christmas and elections, I didn't, but I think the break may be necessary to enable us come back with fresh minds and more stories to tell. So I may be away for a few more days. In the meantime take the opportunity to go see Australia, it is such a beautiful movie and a must for any Baz Luhrman fan (think Moulin Rouge).
Peace out!
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