Tikulma (Let's Go Home)

Well What Would You Know?... Eureka!

2010-09-07T21:22:00.003-04:00

See the smirk on his face? He thinks he's sitting pretty.
Anyway, that's the one I got. (Finally!)

So its been a while since I wrote on here, but by no means does that mean there isn't much to tell. If you're interested in knowing how Ramadan has been for me in Senegal, hop on over to Circumspect (my other - and main - website) for all the 411. (You know it just hit me that 411 = information because that's the number you dial when you want info? Lmao. How slow can one be? All these years...)

Anyway! Remember one of my very first posts here in Senegal? Yea, that was a good... 2 months and some ago. Well. Guess who was spotted on the upper Dakar side late after Iftar this evening? Dettol. Not just a bottle of dettol, but an entire family! What would you know? I searched high and low for this elusive fella. Every 'boutique' I entered, I automatically scanned the shelves for dettol. Forget whether such a shop would carry disinfectants or not, I was desperate. At some point -I can't really remember when - I just stopped looking.

Tell me how today (GH English, people!) my roomie and I went to pick up our newly tailored outfits for 'korite' (Eid-ul-Fitr! Woot Woot!) and we stopped by a shop 'cos she needed to get some ananas (tinned pineapples) - the shopkeeper heard 'un nana' which is a female sanitary product. LMAO, language can be such a comedy show sometimes! - and right there, smack on the shelf, looking very proud of himself was a bottle of Dettol! Well, I won't go into details about what he and his family looked like or what my reaction was, I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Then we discovered there's a GREEN one? Dettol going green? Geez, climate change is really happening init?

And wonder of wonders, they have bath gel/wash too! There's an actual line of dettol products in Senegal?! Sure fooled me lol.

Bar Soap too! Tsk, tsk!

Where and how did we find all these? Turns out the lil marche we went to is one of the most frequented in Dakar since it tends to have products nobody else does. I def know where I'll be starting my whatever search next time.

So there you have it! And the morale of the story is this - What you constantly look out for constantly eludes you. Pay it no mind and it comes a-knocking....and brings an entire family of options with it! Nuff said, after 2 months, the dettol search is over! And the irony of the situation is, we're leaving ZM soon for DK. Oh, I think I forgot to mention that. Anyway, that's another tale altogether. Time check: 1:15am. Buenos Noches my friends!

True (W)African Sport: The Art of Bargaining

2010-08-02T08:31:00.001-04:00

Jemi: You are soo cheating!

RealJemi: No, I’m not.

J: Really?

RJ: Yes. I think.

J: Didn’t you feed the same lines to the other fella from yesterday?

RJ: Yes…but, it’s not the same.

J: [Raised eyebrow]

RJ: What?! This interaction has the potential for something much more different. Much better. Much more…challenging and stimulating.

J: Doesn’t change anything. You’re still cheating.

RJ: Ei, why? Did someone patent the lines I’m using and hire you to police the rest of us? No? Well, last I checked, there was freedom of expression and association. So mind your own business.

J: What do you think they will say when they find out what you’re up to? Two-timing them the way you are.

RJ: [Mischievous grin] But who says they ever have to know?

And so it goes. The guilt-trip that follows the ritualistic love dance, mating call, whatever-you-want-to-call-it, that is West African price bargaining. They say everyone likes a good bargain. But what they don’t mention is that the true art of bargaining can be found in West Africa. So, consider this the ad that runs in the local newspaper after a gross omission has been made.

If you want true bargains, get out of Filene’s Basement and trek to Sandaga, Madina Market, or whichever your nearest West African market is.

Mind you, the operational word is market. Not mini-market or mini-marche. Shooting for the minis? You’re better off staying at Filene’s. They ain’t budging on the prices either.

If however, you want to hit the town, indulge in spontaneous and witty tete-a-tetes with strangers, and see how far flattery will get you, then jump aboard the bargain express.

Okay, that definitely sounds too PR. Back to what we were talking about: the love dance. You can’t avoid it. At some point or another, you’re gonna have to get off your high horse and admit that the love (bargain) bug bit you. And you’re still falling.

True West African Sport (Forget Football)
If you’ve never been to West Africa or if you’ve spent a huge part of your life in the U.S. or Europe, this whole phenomenon might sound alien to you, but don’t worry, you’ll catch on soon enough…after overpaying for one, two, or three items of course. That’s the way they break you in. Been away from home for a bit and still in that constantly-converting-everything-from-one-currency-to-another-zone? They got a special kind of love just for you as well. Hey, what can they say? There’s a lot of love to share.

It might sound unbelievable, but bargaining is more popular than football. Regardless of what you do, you can’t escape it. If you actually do, it means you’re overpaying for practically everything you’re getting, or you haven’t really looked for the bargain spots. If you’re cool with that – maybe you have more than enough to share or are riding on an abnormal (luxury) demand curve? – then quit reading. If, however, you would like to be introduced to a much more interesting way of doing business and experiencing W. African culture, read on.

Alors, here goes.

Pandora’s Box: A Bargain or Not?
Let’s have a story, shall we:
- Newbie enters market (that would be you). Newbie has newcomer written all over him/her (that’s your I <3 NY t-shirt giving you away) and is overly conspicuous (that’s you stopping to allow every single person to bypass you on that small path).

- Bargain professors (that would be the salespersons) notice newbie and figure (s)he needs to be taught a lesson (that’s your first (overpriced) buy coming your way). Newbie sees bargain prof coming with pandora’s box and expresses interest.

- Prof heads over, all smiles (that’s him sizing you up to determine how much to overprice) Newbie smiles too (that’s you thinking about how lucky you are to have chanced upon this item [forgetting that nothing truly worthwhile comes easy and quick]) and asks how much it costs. Prof assumes a serious stance and mentions 10,000 CFAs.

- Newbie (you haven’t been in the ECOWAS region for a while) does a quick calculation of the amount and arrives at $25! For an entire outfit? Not bad! Newbie pays, prof smiles, hands over pandora’s box. Everyone’s happy. Only…you just missed out on a bargain!

The Art of West African Bargaining
So, backtrack.

From living in Ghana and spending some time here in Senegal, I’ve found that there’s somewhat of a general rule to bargaining on prices at a local market. Considering the fact that 90% of the time I get what I(a friend) want(s) for exactly the price I’m((s)he’s willing to pay or even less, and considering the salespersons usually end up saying “You, you know money eh. You’re my sister/friend!” or something to that effect, the general rule has proven its worth.

Whether its for taking a taxi, purchasing jewelry at the beach or getting that African print material from the fabric section downtown, you generally have some leeway with how much you pay for something.

General rule (and considering how much I try to stay away from math, I’m only writing this once, so pay attention ): Take amount proposed by salesperson, divide by two and then divide one half by two. (I believe the mathematicians call it dividing the total amount (proposed) into quarters.)

Tip 1: Decide on how much you’re willing to pay before you start talking/bargaining - Remember to keep it to yourself, or if you’re with a friend who’s gonna do the talking for you, keep it between the two of you!- THEN apply the general rule. Only, make sure whatever you propose is a couple of notches BELOW how much you’re really willing to pay. That’s your bargaining power.

Let’s have a real-life example:

- You want to take a taxi 40 minutes out of Dakar. You stop the taxi driver and tell him where you’re going.

Tip 2: If you have an accent not native (foreign) to the country you’re in, you might wanna cover it up as much as possible. It’s a glaring “newbie” sign. And please, if you’re a local who has an “acquired” foreign accent, save both you and the driver/salesperson some time and money and just speak in your local language.

- Driver proposes 10,000CFAs as the price. By now, you should know/have already made up your mind that you’re not paying more than 3,500CFAs or 4,000CFAs if you’re pressed for time. Here’s the kind of exchange that would ensue:

You: 10,000CFAs? C'est pas vrai! D'ici a ...? (10,000CFAs? For real? Just from Dakar to…?)

Driver: Oui, c'est le prix. Aucune bleme? (Yes, that's the cost. Any problem)

You: Bah, oui (Of course). C’est trop cher! (It’s too expensive! )

Driver: Bon, vous donnez combien? (Ok, how much will you pay?)

You: 2,000CFAs

Math fact >> You took 10,000CFAs, divided it by 4, which is 2,500CFAs and went down a couple of notches, allowing yourself a bargaining power of 500CFAs. Since you’re really willing to pay 3,500 or 4,000CFAs, you have a REAL BARGAINING POWER of 1,500CFAs or 2,000CFAs.

Driver: 2,000CFAs? C’est trop petit (2,000CFAs? It’s too little). Je pars (I’m leaving)

You: Ey, attends (hey, wait). On parle, non? (We’re talking, no?) Alors, diminue le prix un peu (Reduce the price a bit)

Driver: Bon, tu es ma soeur, alors donne-moi 5,000 (Ok, you’re my sister, so give me 5,000)

Math Fact >> He halved the price. 10,000/2 = 5,000CFAs. He realizes you know (of) the rules and he’s not gonna get a huge overprice on you.

Tip 3: Once they play the sister/brother/friend card, you can use the same card as well. For example: You said I’m your sister, so be nice to me and reduce the price eh. However, it’s advisable to use it as a last resort.

You: Okay, je te donne 3,000. (Okay, I will give you 3,000)

Driver: Non, c’est pas bon. D’ici a…c’est trop loin. Il y a l’emboutaillage. (No, it’s not enough. From here to …. Is too far. There’s traffic)

You: Mais 5,000 c'est beaucoup eh. Chaque jour je prends cette route et je paye 3,000, ou 3,500 maximum. (But 5,000 is too much eh. I’m on this route every day and I pay 3,000 or a maximum of 3,500)

Tip 4: Even if you’ve never taken that route before, you need to let them know that you know how much the charges are. And in order to know, you need to ask around. No, not from the taxi driver! He's tryna see how far he can go on overcharging you, remember? Ask a local - a friend or family you're staying with, a neighbor, etc. Asking questions is part of travel 101. You won't know until you ask.

Driver: Ok, paye 4,500 et on part (Ok, pay 4,500 and lets go)

You: C’est trop pour moi. Toujours je paye 3,500, alors c’est tout que j’ai avec moi. Eh, je suis ta soeur, eh. (It’s too much for me. I always pay 3,500, that’s all I have with me. I’m your sister, am I not it?)

Driver: (Most likely silent) [Congrats! U used tip 3 and checkmated him on the sister/brother/friend card!]

You: Okay bon, je prends un autre taxi. (Okay, I’ll take another taxi)[Turn away from the taxi and walk a short distance.]

Driver: Bon, donne 4,000 et on part. (Okay, pay 4000 and let’s go)

You: Sigh deeply. And enter the taxi. Bingo! You just bagged yourself a bargain :)

Tip 5: This entire exchange should take no more than 5 minutes. If it takes anywhere past 10 minutes, then you have yourself a stubborn salesperson. Find another one.

In Conclusion...
Alors, there you have it! The art of bargaining. Please, this is supposed to be a light-hearted exchange. No fists involved. Go with the flow and if you’re not ready to have some fun with it (if you’re in a hurry or a bad mood), please pay the overpriced amount and let everyone have some peace of mind.

That said, I cannot guarantee that things will play out exactly as this post depicts. For instance, if you’re a girl trying these tactics on a female salesperson. Not sure what it is, but for some reason, the girl on girl action just doesn't cut it. LOL. But seriously, its different for different people, and yes, even I have overpaid on some stuff (I paid 4 times the amount for an outfit my first time in Dakar and then vowed never to overpay again! The way it pained me eh!) and you will most likely too at some point. But don’t dwell on it too much. (It took me MONTHS to get over that swindle) You’ll make up for it, and in due time you’ll be a master bargainer. Like me :)

Tip 6: While bargaining is a norm in West Africa (and probably other parts of the continent as well), you shouldn't use that as an opportunity to pay less than the value of an item/service. As the case may be, the greater percentage of Africa's population lives on less than a dollar a day and so most likely than not, the sale of the day makes a huge difference in that person's life or that of his/her family. In this regard, try to be fair and follow the golden rule: do unto others, what you would have others do unto you. Or, as my favorite author puts it in the story below, pay the right price.

Paying the right price (Paulo Coelho)

Nixivan had invited his friends to supper and was cooking a succulent piece of
meat for them. Suddenly, he realised that he had run out of salt.
So Nixivan called to his son.
'Go to the village and buy some salt, but pay a fair price for it: neither too
much nor too little.'
His son was surprised.
'I can understand why I shouldn’t pay too much for it, Father, but if I can
bargain them down, why not save a bit of money?'
'That would be the sensible thing to do in a big city, but it could destroy a
small village like ours.'
When Nixivan's guests, who had overheard their conversation, wanted to
know why they should not buy salt more cheaply if they could, Nixivan replied:
'The only reason a man would sell salt more cheaply than usual would be
because he was desperate for money. And anyone who took advantage of that
situation would be showing a lack of respect for the sweat and struggle of the man
who laboured to produce it.'
'But such a small thing couldn't possibly destroy a village.'
'In the beginning, there was only a small amount of injustice abroad in the
world, but everyone who came afterwards added their portion, always thinking that it
was only very small and unimportant, and look where we have ended up today.'

Bargain Tips, Anyone?

If you already consider yourself a pro at W/African bargaining, do share some of the more eccentric experiences. Did you ever have a bargain go wrong? (Like after you decide on the price, exchange whatever service/item it is, and when its time to pay up the salesperson tries to double cross you) Which tactics worked the best? Ever been to an African country where there isn’t a culture of bargaining? Let us know! In the meantime, happy bargaining!

P.S. I can’t believe I talked so much math in this post!

Photo Source: Photo 1, Photo 2 Photo 3, Photo 4, Photo 5

A Medley of Contradictions: Finding "My Place"

2010-07-17T08:53:00.001-04:00

For today's post, I'd planned to recap my "hectic" travel experience from Accra to Abidjan and then to Dakar. But the 'powers of inspiration' have something else on their minds. So instead, we're going to talk about finding one's place in a new country, culture, situation and so on.

Now, this is somewhat of a contradiction to my previous post about feeling right at home in Senegal, but hey, life is full of contradictions. So yea, in true life fashion, it pulled a fast one on me right after that post. Senegal still feels like home and is still pretty familiar, but I haven't found "my place" yet. That statement also contradicts what I said in my previous post about not wanting routines. While I don't want my day planned out to the last dot and cross, I do like to have a general sense of....harmony. (I try to limit my use of 'routine' lol) Who am I kidding? If ever there was a person who needs harmony to function, that would be me. Sure, I might not be getting along with every single person I know, but even in the midst of that disharmony, I need some harmony. What would you know? Another contradiction!

Kinda-Sorta-Not Really Honeymooning
Anyway, as I was saying. Finding one's place. When you first chance upon a new country, culture or situation, you're bound to be excited. It's new and your senses go haywire with this infusion of newness. That's what the experts call phase one of culture shock: the honeymoon phase. I think I've skipped that phase for the most part. From time to time, however, when I really let it sink in that I'm here in Dakar pursuing a "new" experience, I do lose myself to the euphoria and sense of wonder that only the honeymoon can bring.

The Ongoing Tug-of-War
Then there's phase two: the negotiation phase. Here, you notice the key differences between the "new" culture and the "old", and you experience intense mood swings - usually frustration and anger. In my case, I notice the differences between Senegal, Ghana, and the U.S. That's bound to make the negotiation phase a tad more complex, right? For example, I know that Senegal is a West African country like Ghana and prone to power outages. So I'm not surprised when the lights go off. But then, I've been so used to having electricity, internet, and everything else exactly when I want/need it. Which I usually tell myself is RIGHT THIS MOMENT! That's the influence of U.S. living creeping up on me. So then, when between the space of two hours the lights go off and on three times, I literally have to tell myself to "Calm down. There's nothing you can do about it. Go sing on the balcony instead." And I do. And have a pretty good time at it too. Lol. But you get the drift. The negotiation phase is a tug of war between old and new, here and there, then and now, happy and sad, optimistic and plain intolerant.

The "Zen" Place
Phase three. The adjustment phase. This is where you've got everything handled. You know who your favorite grocer is. You have that salesman in town who gives you a great price for all the stuff he over chargers other "foreigners". You own the land. But actually you don't. And that's okay too, because you know how to roll with the punches. You have found your place, have discovered that harmony that makes your clock tick. Eventually, you do become master of your own territory, complete with the castle, the court and all.

What Confucius Didn't Tell You About Confusion
The Zen Place. That's where I wanna be. That's where I'm telling myself I should be. After all, I am African. I have visited Senegal before, and there's a lot of familiarity here. Now, THAT's what's messing up this whole integration experience. (If I tell you that it all JUST made sense to me, would you believe me?) No wonder the contradictions. See, I'm telling myself that I should be 10%honeymoon, 20%tug-of-war, and 70%zen. But let's be real. I've been here barely a month, and in West Africa for barely a month and a half. It's too soon. According to experts, one goes zen between 6 months to one year of living in the "new" place. Why am I rushing myself?

So. For those of you going to a kinda-new but very familiar place, here's some advice. Don't do what I did. I realize you'll probably ignore this and go ahead and do it anyway, but that's life. I'll probably do the same from time to time lol.

- Be patient with yourself: Give yourself time to adjust and stop putting time frames on when you should be blabbering in french, eating all the local food, saying the right things at the right time and what have you. Allow yourself the time.

-Give yourself more credit: You're more complex than you even know, and you're bound to surprise yourself even when you think you know exactly where/who you are.

-Ride the waves: Whatever's going on, embrace it. Ride the waves. Be in the moment. That exact moment is never gonna come again, why not take advantage of it?

- Play tourist: Locals tend not to like tourists too much. They crowd the space and walk too slow. What better excuse do you have for taking your time? Take photos. Of anything and everything. The food. Inscriptions on posters. You acting silly. Your friends. Strangers. Go all out and capture those moments. If nothing at all, they'll make for good stories for your grand kids.

- Have a plan, but be prepared to throw it out the door: Yes, you can set some milestones for yourself. For learning the language, learning how to cook, finding your way around town. But don't be harsh on yourself. Have a plan, but if necessary, throw it out the door. Don't get stuck on planning. Life's what happens when you're busy making other plans.

Alors, going with the "live in the moment" spiel, I'm distracted right now. So. I'll end this here. And maybe I'll add on from time to time. One last thing. Take a peak at Marianne Williamson's poem. It helped bring some perspective to this whole medley of contradictions. Might find it useful ;) Ciao!

Marianne Williamson - Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

--
Photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4

Dettol: The Distinguishing Factor

2010-07-08T09:40:00.004-04:00

Dettol. That's what's distinguishing Senegal from Ghana. Otherwise, I might as well be in Accra. Well, Adenta, Accra to be specific. I've pretty much just moved from the Adenta of Accra to the Adenta of Dakar. From outskirts of the capital to outskirts of the capital, or rather suburb to suburb, dare I say village to village?

Anyway. This is my first Tikulma post since returning to the continent!!! And yes, ti pa kuna! (We have finally come home!) Home? By that you mean Ghana don't you? Nope. Senegal feels right at home to me. I'm fascinated with this country. The combination of culture, religion and modernity is interesting to me and I can't wait to experience it all. One major thing I'm looking forward to is Ramadan (fasting) since Senegal is majority Muslim and I've only observed Ramadan in majority Christian countries. Why the familiarity? Maybe its because I've been here before (Summer 2008), or the warmth of the people, or maybe its because of that West African vibe - the national flags even look similar - or maybe, in a previous life, I was born and bred right here. Whatever the case, once I stepped off the plane and the warm sun greeted me, I felt right at home. I knew exactly what to do at the customs checkpoint -- although I had an imprompto injection for meningitis (apparently they give shots once every five years and I was due) -- and from then on I felt like a local.

Except that I'm yet to drink the regular water, and as it turns out, I might not even be able to bathe with it without skin complications. Hence the dettol. I have been here about a week and a half and I have searched high and low for Dettol. Nobody seems to recognize the name. So I proceed to explain in my soon-to-be-fully-reignited-French (inshallah): "C'est un liquide qu'on met dans l'eau pour se laver. C'est pour desinfecter l'eau." Then, its either a blank look in response, or an attempt to sell me some tablets which apparently make water drinkable, which I decline.The only place in my area (Zac Mbao) that actually had some was the Touba Oil - kind of the Senegalese equivalent of Goil or Shell or whatever your national petrol (gas haha) company is - only thing is, it was expired. Which again, points to the fact that probably few people use Dettol here. In Ghana, I think every household has used it at some point or another.

What am I doing here? I've asked myself that soo many times since I got here. And others have asked me that too. Apparently, even the Senegalese or rather the Dakar peeps rarely trip to Mbao. It's so out there, they say. So what exactly am I doing all the way here? Well, for one thing, I have been given an amazing career opportunity here with an amazing organization called the African Women's Millennium Initiative on Poverty and Human Rights. I'm seriously biased. But that's only because I believe in their mandate - empowering women and youth in Africa. They, or rather we, give out grants to women's groups across the continent and also equip these women and youth with the skills and tools to hold their governments accountable. There's also the Young Women's Knowledge and Leadership Institute (YOWLI) - which is how I got invovled with them in the first place. The third edition will be held this December, so we're busy preparing for that. Hopefully, by the end of my one year contract, I'd have learned a great deal about working in an African NGO, empowering women and youth, writing proposals, managing grants, supervising a team, organizing and so on. And just maybe, we might be able to resurrect my French and learn a bit of Wolof (the main local language).

On a more personal note, I think I chose Senegal over Ghana or the U.S. because I needed a challenge. I constantly feel the need to be engaged with different things, to thrust myself into new experiences, to be restless. I dread the thought of routines. Wake up, go to work, come home, watch tv, go to bed, wake up. It gives me headaches. Literally. So, to save myself from the constant headaches and migraines I get from boredom, and to have a bit of fun, and hopefully learn something new about myself, others and the world, I chose Senegal. And so far, so good. While it would have been great to live in downtown Dakar, I tell myself I'm in this quaint little town for a reason. I need the quiet. Not necessarily for work, but for making some decisions about life. And for figuring myself out. I constantly elude myself. Just when I thought I got me all figured out. Anyway. I owe you guys a detailed recap of my time in Ghana and also my departure for Senegal (hectic!) But for now, this is just to reopen the lines of communication! Much love et a plus!

Photo Source: Dettol, Senegal African Women, Life Quote

How D'You Know You're Officially In a GH State of Mind?

2010-05-11T11:12:00.004-04:00

How do you know when you have acquired the GH state of mind prior to departure? Simple. When your dreams start involving people and places in Ghana you haven't seen in ages, or have never even seen in real life, just via word of mouth or Facebook photos.

Two nights in a row, I have dreamt about Ghana. The first night involved persons who, in real life, I'd rather keep away from the perimeter of my being, but which, as you have it, have proven to be as meddlesome/officious (oosh, for me, GRE word!) as always and unceremoniously invited themselves into my dream. You know those people who you know you don't like but are nice to for propriety's sake? Yeah, exactly those. Makes me wonder if I should classify that dream as a nightmare instead.

The second night, I dreamt about the Accra Mall. The 'raison d'etre' of Ghana's youth these days, from what I hear. And no, I've never been there. Never even seen the thing in real life. But my dream featured intricate details of the hallways with its glossy floors and window showcases of overly expensive items. I'll take that one as being a harbinger (another GRE word. I'm on a roll! lol) of the need to ensure I won't have to purchase anything from those extravagant shops. I am just a student in transition after all, aren't I? Not that the status exempts me from fulfilling the responsibilities of someone who has just returned from abrokyiri. But anyway, that's for another time.

Other indications of a GH state of mind include:
- Buying okro from the grocery shop when you know you don't have the accouchements for Banku and okro stew. You just want something familiar.
- Wearing boubous in the house and to work. Heck, wearing all your GH wear every chance you get
-Listening to Wanlov Kubolor , Sarkodie and co. to get back into the rhythm of things
- Practicing Twi, Dagabni and pidgin every chance you get. Well, the little you know.

Suggestions?
Speaking of GH clothes, I'm thinking I really want to immerse myself in the current trend of using African print for modern wear. So, where should I be looking? How much does cloth cost these days? Any suggestions on seamstresses and tailors to peruse? What kind of designs should I think about? I know you peeps have all the 411, kakyer3 me y! Until next time, it's goodbye from Tikulma! (Haha, I can't wait for all that Ghana English!!!)

--
Photo Source: Photo 1, Photo 2

Dreaming About....Ghana Chow!

2010-05-06T01:14:00.002-04:00

It's 1:00am and I'm still up. I can't sleep, can't concentrate on my studying (smart me scheduled my GRE right before my trip) and it's been like this the entire week! I'll be sitting at my computer working on an article and my mind wanders off...to Ghana! Then my heart's a-racing and palms are a-sweating - not very helpful on a small keyboard - and all I can do is think about all the Ghanaian food I intend to indulge in once I return, inshallah.

Wele (soft or hard, at this point I want it ALL), waakye (rice and beans) with the usual accouterments, banku with okro soup made from palm oil (not the healthiest option but replacing that olive oil for a bit won't hurt, will it?), and how can I forget that fufu (pounded yam) with goat light soup! Ah! And hausa koko (porridge). Maan! I'm telling you, all this working out is for one thing and one thing only: so when I finally 'drop' I can eat without my conscience nagging at me. Hw3, me wo plans keke! Lol.

Any other foods to put on the menu? I hear tsoofi (turkey butt hehe) is being taken off the market, is that true? What about Ghana - or your home country - makes your thoughts wander even in the most "serious" situations?

Ok, I'm gonna go to bed and dream about all that deliciousness. Sigh. Night night.

Introducing Tikulma!

2010-05-05T23:07:00.008-04:00

Hi and welcome to Tikulma!

I hope you'll all join me on this journey back home. This blog will feature the good, the bad, the ugly, and the surprisingly bizarre facets of making that big move back home! As the world becomes more globalized more Africans are moving back to their respective countries to do what they can for the wonderful continent we call Africa. However, as most of us are probably aware, making a huge move - particularly one after many years away - is quite a mix of emotions. Hopefully, Tikulma will help provide insight into some of the things that pop up while prepping to return to the motherland.

"Tikulma" is a Dagbani word (from Northern Ghana) which means "let's go home".

I figured it would be pretty appropriate to the theme of this blog. The "relocation for dummies" was suggested by one of my good friends, Maame, and is a spin off of the " for dummies" instructional manual series.

Alors, anchors away, fasten your sear belts and let's get this trip started!! It's bound to be a bumpy ride!

Here's the first relocatalogue (initially published on my main site Circumspect):

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There's a time for everything. A time to laugh and a time to cry. A time to pursue and a time to roll back. A time to leave and a time to return. Home. Yes, I did just say return home. Finally, after 4 years, 8 months and 5 days (and counting), I will be returning to the motherland. While I cannot tell you the exact date, I can say that the day is drawing closer and closer as each day passes. Haha, very helpful right? For real though, the date is under wraps for good reason. Not because I'm afraid the "witches" will hinder my progress or journey. And those of you who do know it for one reason or another, pray keep it to yourselves.

Anyway, I am extremely excited. And sad. And scared. And optimistic and so many jumbled up emotions in one! If there's a pre-cultural shock, this has got to be it. I'm pretty good at handling transitions and I absolutely love traveling to new places, meeting new faces, trying new things etc, but I'm usually quite composed and organized when getting ready to make a move. For some reason, this one is a huge bag of extremes. Maybe it's because I've been away for so long. Maybe its because I know I've changed and I'm wondering how to pick up where I left off. Or maybe its because of all these expectations I have. Guess it's all part of the process.

So. I tried to keep this huge, major, major announcement under wraps, but some of the things I've been thinking about, I just had to write about. Tell me how I was sitting in my room one morning doing a mental checklist of all the pre-departure things I should be doing and what pops into my head but soap? Yes, soap.

I caught myself thinking "I need to get some liquid shower soap. The nice scented ones. Lots of it. What will I do when it runs out?" That's when I stopped dead in my tracks. Of all the important things to worry about, I was sad I'd not get to use my favorite brand of soap?

As if there's no soap in Ghana or W/A. Hmm. That's when I realized that no matter how much I love my country and have faith in it's potential, it's still very easy to buy into the consumerism that is prevalent in the U.S. and other western countries.

Also, I've been looking around trying to find information from other Ghanaians/Africans on preparing for the big move back to the motherland. How do you deal with readjusting? Handling relationships - especially those that largely involved you being tolerant of people - when you and others have changed? Making your debut back onto the professional and social scenes? A whole battalion of thoughts. But alas, most that I found had to do with Americans or British peeps visiting "Africa" for one program or another. Some were helpful, but they definitely didn't incorporate the nuances related to Africans in the diaspora returning home. So this "record of events" is aimed at providing insight into some of the things you deal with or think about when making that move. Hopefully it'll help me a ton and other peeps as well.

Disclaimer: This could be considered a social experiment of sorts to see the processes the human mind (or being) undertakes when readapting to formerly familiar situations.

I'm going to try to be as honest as possible in recounting my thoughts, emotions, experiences, but if these past couple of weeks have been any indication, I will have some pretty naive questions or thoughts, so please bear with me.

Will be setting up a separate website for this 'adventure' and will share the link once I have it. In the meantime, enjoy and do let me know if you have suggestions on what to pack, things to absolutely do in Ghana when I return, changes to brace myself for, etc. Can't wait to see you all again, inshallah! :)