Ghana quirks and a new Address

Thanks to all who continue to keep me informed of the outside world and send me positive energies and encouragement. As for mail, thanks to all who have sent me mail, although I haven't received it yet. I have joined some other PCV's in the area in using a post office box in Bolga, where I'll be able to check it more often, and hopefully, mail will be delivered faster. If you send something to the Peace Corps address, it will still get to me, it will just take some time. The below address is fine to send letters and packages. Thanks!!

Toby Koy
PO Box 743
Bolgatanga, UER
Ghana, West Africa

I'll let you know when and if I get something, that way you'll know it got to me.

I've been doing pretty good, here. The first week of classes at my school has just ended, but there is still plenty of organizing to do, and it will take some time for me to get the flow of the place. I'll address the topic of school at a later time.

The money in Ghana is called the Cedi, pronounced like "CD." Just last year the money was revalued, to stabilize the economy I suppose, and now there are two ways to talk about money: The old cedi and the new Ghana Cedi. The new GH Cedi is about equal to the dollar, and 1 GHC is equal to 10,000 old cedis. They have all new money, nice color coded bills and shiny coins, but half the time, people still refer to prices using the old numbers. In the market, the woman tells me that the heads of garlic are 3,000 each. She means 30 pesewas (or 30 cents). Since I buy a lot of things that are less than a GH Cedi, I often convert back and forth, and I usually don't get confused, many people do, it's new for everyone. People say "tousand" which means 10 pesewas/cents. It pays to have an idea of the approximate cost of something, so if the vender says "3" you will be able to guess if he/she means 3,000 (30 pesewas) or GHC 3.00.

Here are some common costs of things I buy: pure water satchet 500ml: 500 cedi (5 pesewas), freshtaste-like a fruity freezepop: 5 pesewas, corn roasted over coals by street vender: 20 pesewas (the corn isn't the sweet corn like in the states, but It's still pretty good), FanYogo-strawberry yogurt frozen treat: 40 pesewas, bag of ground-nut paste(peanut butter) 1/2 cup: 50 pesewas, dry local rice about 500 ml: 80 pesewas, big loaf of sweet bread: 1 GH Cedi, pint jar of fruit jam: GHC 2.50. A lot of food is not very expensive here, just the imported foods like the jam are more costly. Local produce and things made here(like the ground-nut paste) are pretty cheap.

In the market, and at food stands, you often buy food by cost, rather than volume. For instance, you wouldn't say, "Give me 3 tomatoes," you would say, "Give me tomatoes 2,000". Vendors will arrange there things in little piles, and then tell you the cost of each pile. Often they will have two or three sizes. With bulk things like rice or flour, they have different cups or cans and a price for each. When you buy food at a market, they will often put it in a bag for you, no matter what it is. They even put oil, honey, or kerosine in a plastic bag if you buy it. The plastic bag really is the only container that is used here.

People sell lots of stuff off their heads. Carrying things on your head here is standard, so it's not uncommon to see someone with a huge bowl of some product on their head. Sometimes it's a box with clear sides so you can see the food, or a bucket with a lid. It is impressive that people are able to balance heavy things so well, and the women (especially) all have good posture because they often carry heavy things on their heads.

As for me, I cook most of my own food now. I'm happy with that, even though ingredients are limited. I can always find garlic, onions, tomatoes and okra. Also dried hot peppers and a few spices. I mostly eat rice, pasta or bread with a veggie stew. The other common starch is yams and cocoyams. I cook them like potatoes, and it work out fine. I like to cook and I'm not picky, so I'll survive.

I'm tired of writing, so I'll just give you some more pictures. If you have topics you want me to cover about life in Ghana, or you have questions, feel free to comment, or email me. I can be sort of scatterbrained sometimes, and I don't know how well I'm doing at giving an accurate picture of what it's like here.

To all my friends and family: I miss you.

Love,
Toby