Ghana Odyssey Day 13

Despite the unlucky number of this post (piffle!).  Today has been full of good fortune.  I wake to the sound of waves crashing on a white sands beach.  At breakfast I meet a wonderful young couple from Holland, Annika and Fred.  Annika is celebrating finishing her PhD dissertation and Fred is a Ghanian who left for the Netherlands at age 13.  They come to Ghana often to visit Fred's grandma.  We have a fascinating conversation about all things Ghana, what is terribly wrong and what is wonderfully right.

I get a taxi for the bus station and have the good fortune to have Jonathan as my driver in a safe, newer taxi (with seat belts).  I ask Jonathan about his life, and just as Fred was telling me earlier, Jonathan is an example of something wrong, not only in Ghana, but in the US as well.  

He is a university graduate in hydraulic engineering.  He is the youngest of 10 and his Dad died when he was 9.  Since graduating from the Polytechnic University, Jonathan has been searching for work.  The government is not hiring, unless you know someone.  In desperation he tried to join the Navy, but he could not afford the $1000 cedi ($500) bribe required to get in.  He is driving a taxi to make ends meet and to try to save for some sort of venture.  I tell him about micro loans, which he has never heard of.  We exchange email addresses and I tell him I will send him some links online.

He delivers me to the bus station and I climb in a newish Ford van for the trip to Accra.  With one seat left, Fred and Annika appear looking for a bus.  We say we shoul have shared a taxi!  I quickly relinquish my seat to someone else and wait with Fred and Annika for the next van to start to fill.  It is worth a 15 minute wait to have their company. Annika and I spend the whole drive talking about the Netherlands, family, marriage, etc.  We arrive in Accra and Fred clears the way for us amid the rush of hungry-for-business taxi drivers.  He gets me a good taxi for a fair price.  We exchange air kisses (European style) and I am on my way.  I HAVE to go to Global Mamas again.  Addiction.

Tori from Kentucky is working at GM's today and she tells me all about living in Ghana for a young American woman.  She loves it.  I buy more products.  She tells me about another shop, Trashy Bags, which makes purses and lots of other bag styles from discarded vinyl signs.  They are terrific.  She also tells me I can get wifi AND a cappuccino around the corner.  Score!

I am there now - excellent  cappo and the wifi is not at a snail's pace.  To think I was around the corner from here a few days ago.  The only problem with my shopping and coffee break is the traffic will be even worse ,for my long ride home.  Oh we'll, more than worth it.  Rhoda just call - "Auntie Jackie!  Where ARE YOU??"  Time to head "home."

Tomorrow is the last day.  I depart at 10:10 pm. Wish me a continuance of today's good luck that Delta will get me back to JFK on time!

Lucky Jackie