Holidays in Ghana

Jordan here: We had heard that holidays that we experience in America can be a little depressing in Ghana because the hype we’re used to with times like Christmas are just not the same here. Since Christmas is probably my favorite time of the year, that made me a little nervous. Of course it would be far worse if I was by myself with no way to contact family or friends. We often compare our experience to the experience the forefathers of the Peace Corps in the 60s would have had. In our minds, we have it a LOT easier. We had the ability to come and visit our friend Kelsey who just happens to be working in a different group in Tamale. Her place is very nice and we have access to MUCH more than in our village in the way of supplies. At our request, my parents graciously sent all the supplies we couldn’t get here to make my Mom’s famous peanut butter balls. Along with that, we made sugar cookies with frosting, and even pumpkin pie! We’ve been spoiled here. Also, having internet access easily we had the ability to still skype home when the family shows up to open their stockings and pseudo-experience that with them.

Our Christmas morning here consisted of making coffee, oats with jelly, and laying in bed watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” on my laptop. We opened Kelsey’s gifts that her parents had sent along with her. She was much more patient that Sarah and me. We tore into the packages sent here with no reservation. So don’t give us too much pity for having it so rough here. As always, friends and family, here and in the States, have made our lives quite comfortable. Here, the Christians here went to church, the Muslims prayed 5 times a day as usual, and not much seemed different. Not wreaths, evergreen trees, Christmas music radio stations, and no ravenous materialistic endeavors. We did get a chance to visit the nearby Peace Corps Sub Office in Tamale and share in a fantastic potluck featuring pastas, salads, sweets, and drinks that helped remind us it was Christmas time. We spent the evening confusing local Ghanaians outside their homes and at local drinking bars by singing Christmas Carols most of them have probably never heard before. It was our attempt at achieving that 2^nd PC goal, teaching Ghana about life in America J Some loved it, some were dumbfounded, but it seemed that they all appreciated our efforts.

New Year’s was a little bigger. We had met a friend from Holland, Luuc, working with a corn association company, an American working with a cotton company, Andrew, his girlfriend also from Holland, Flura, a man from South Africa managing a massive fruit company, Louie, and his wife also from South Africa, Celeste, running a school and much to our delight a fantastic meat shop (I forgot to mention that we had fabulous T-bone steaks for dinner Christmas Eve dinner from her shop). The South African couple invited us to their place conveniently located about 2 blocks away for the evening. We asked what we could bring and they said food would be there, but maybe brings something to drink. So with our Volunteer living stipends, we were able to pick up a couple 3 GHC boxes of wine (about as cheap as you can get) and walked over. Their place was beautiful and we already felt like royalty. Luuc started making cocktails that would cost 5-6 dollars in America for everyone and Celeste brought out real aged sharp cheese, Ritz crackers, and a veggie tray. We hadn’t seen any of these for 7 months so you could say we were excited. And of course, since we never know when the next time we’ll get something of this quality, we all 3 chowed much more than our fair portion. Nearly full by about 9pm, they let us know that dinner is ready. We had thought that the appetizers were basically dinner, but let the good times roll! We filled the last corners of our bellies with smoked chicken, potato (not yam) salad, vegetable salad, and cheese-stuffed bread. Now it being about 11pm and drinks are still coming and they bring out a couple bottles of real champagne and flutes. We count down the New Year, and then the music and dancing start. We’re dancing to music from Holland, Flogging Molly, Black Eyed Peas, and everything in between. Of course they had to stop the music a few times to serve everyone some pretty fantastic drinks. We had to stop taking them soon after dancing started or there could have been a mess. Thankfully the feast still in our stomachs kept us surprisingly sober and we excused ourselves around 2am and walked home. The party continued without us. We made it home, brushed our teeth and laid down to sleep unable to roll over with our full, satisfied bellies.

All in all, we had a very different, yet somehow similar experience here for the holidays. Next year we’ll be in America visiting family for the holidays. We’ve already begun looking forward to that. We hope to see you all then!