Jessie's family

The last few days back in Accra, I stayed with Jessie at his family’s house. It seems typical of homes there, consisting of a large 4 wall compound, with a ring of private rooms around the center open courtyard. The cooking is done in the courtyard, and they are lucky because there is a tree in the center of the courtyard. Two shower stalls in one corner were used by everyone living there. There is no running water, so 55 gallon drums are in the courtyard to hold water that is carried in from a water source in the neighborhood. This is your water to wash and cook with. You fill a bucket as your water for the shower. It was a very intimate view of the life of a typical African family. Jessie's youngest niece never did get accustomed to my presence and would go into hysterics whenever she saw me. This happened a few times during my trip when young children would encounter their first obruni.

Although by this time, people were referring to me as obruni kawkaw - the red white man.

I also got to visit the Powerhouse Gym, which Jessie built and operates. It hurt me just watching these guys push around heavy concrete weights in this heat! But they were all dedicated to their workouts.


While there, I was witness to a two-day animist celebration on the one-year anniversary of the death of Jessie's grandmother.

Over these days, I was witness to many things that a tourist rarely sees on a holiday to Africa.



Finally, after another emotional separation when Jessie accompanied me to the airport, I was on my way back to California. I hope to be able to visit Ghana again soon to see my friends there. Independence Day on March 6, 2007 is the 50th anniversary of independence from British rule. It is going to be a giant celebration. Anyone interested?