A Month In Accra

I don't think I realised until recently how adaptable I have become. It is the result of nearly constant travelling, throwing myself whole heartedly into different situations. For a girl who used to hate change, I sure do chase it.

Wasn't that the point of coming to Accra, though? A gigantic leap outside of my comfort zone. I sit writing this in the back of a taxi, the smell of petrol piercing my nose as we sit idle in the traffic. Dust and sweat coat my skin but I am dressed for success, following a meeting with the company I am working for. The words are being scrawled in a notebook, my chosen activity during the journey which I negotiated the price for. Ten cedi, slightly higher than for a Ghanian perhaps but low enough to be indicative that I am not a complete foreigner here.

This snapshot in time perhaps best represents my life here, although it doesn't show you the nights of laughter with my new found friends, my attempts at creative writing, trying to understand the sociology of globalisation, reading black feminist literature, and cringing as my least liked professor tells us that developed nations don't experience hunger. Nor does it tell you about bargaining at the fabric market, and standing up straight as the seamstress measures me for clothes with the sound of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" blaring from the radio. These too make up the moments in my day, days that have turned into a month here.

There was a storm recently, and it cleared the sticky Saharan dust from the air. The sky is now a beautiful blue, one that warms my heart as much as it does my skin.

Creativity burns within my soul, how could it not with such stimulus? I am happy here, not all the time for we know that one can never fly away from their insecurities. But it feels right, I feel embraced by this new life as I did the old ones that came before it: Abu Dhabi, New York, Paris, England. Am I the same person in each place? I don't think I can be; are we not, after all, the product of our experiences? Each experience is so unique, so enthralling, that I feel like I must evolve.

I am indescribably grateful to those who have stood by me, after several wonderful Skypes with friends I have realised how lucky I am that there are people out there who accept that we will only see each other three times a year or less, and accept that I am changing. When are lives are so different it can sometimes be difficult to bridge the gap. They too have thrilling experiences, exciting opportunities, lives that are utterly incomprehensible to me. But we take the time to fill each other in, to ask about friends that perhaps we have never met, and to be excited for each other. That link between us is something I never want to take for granted. Not all my friendships have been like that.

Time seems to race right now, as each day passes it feels as if my stay here is already slipping by. I suppose that's why I want to relish it, squeezing out the maximum from each second.

Thank you for reading these ramblings, so often it feels like my thoughts must escape through my pen but I wonder why anyone would consume them. So if you are here knowing that I am grateful for you too. Terribly, utterly grateful.

Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram |  Pinterest