Love for the Americans visiting Accra

Visiting tourists sites in Accra was a different experience from other countries I’ve explored. My actions were very similar for the most part, meaning I booked a private car thru the hotel for safety reasons, and so I could go where I wanted on my own time. Upon arrival at each place there were people selling things as I’ve experienced in other countries, whom had a natural curiosity about me as a foreign woman and vice versa. As I toured the sites in Accra the curiosity was present from both sides as I interacted with the natives getting in their business as much as they would allow me to, their lifestyle was a bit foreign to me as usual, however I noticed nothing about me seemed foreign to them. Obviously across the globe Americans have stigmas and stereotypes, but this was different. 

One of my most meaningful interactions in Accra occurred when I met a group of Kumasi men at the Kwame Nkrumah National Park. As soon as I got out the car I was surrounded by people trying to sell me things, but I could sense this group was working together as a collective unit. They all had different products, personalities and levels of aggressiveness at a given time, meaning they 'shared the stage’ at a certain point. I immediately knew who the leader was and naturally interacted with him. I knew what I wanted prior to getting out the car, he didn’t have them, but promised he’d make me a custom set that would be done by the time I finished my tour. We agreed on a price [it wasn’t a good price] and I didn’t haggle with him much because I liked his energy. As promised when I was done he had completed the bracelets and since I bought two without haggling much he used much nicer beads than I expected. I guess he liked my energy as well. From there I had a meaningful conversation with 3 of the Kumasi men from the group, learning two were brothers and that they also have an actual shop in Cape Coast. It’s pretty common for people to think I’m native or at least live in most of the places I’ve traveled, and I’ve been told it’s because I’m comfortable. The Kumasi men described my demeanor a bit differently saying ‘you’re not afraid, most people we interact with are afraid.’ My demeanor + facial features have them convinced I’m a descendant of the Kumasi tribe. They gave me a lineage + history lesson about the tribe, Nana Asentwe and the role of women and the Queen Mother as the leader in their society. As soon as I learned the women were in charge and fought alongside the men equally as warriors I became a self professed Kumasi descendant! A few hours later one of the members of my new tribe [the leader] made the proclamation official by posting our photo on his IG page.

Kwame Nkrumah National Park

I planned to meet up with the Toasted Life crew as the Skybar lounge later that day for a party they were hosting. Well I ran into a few of them at the art market that was next door to the national park immediately after ‘becoming' a Kumasi. Tissanie, X and I hugged and greeted each other to give the reunion and alignment confirmation the acknowledgment it deserved. We ran into each other around 2 PM and we spent the next 12 hours together being, well Americans in Accra. About 6 of us finished shopping in the market, 17 of us converged on the Skybar for party hosted by Toasted Life a few hours later, 12 of us piled into a pick up truck that sped thru the streets of Accra after leaving Skybar and we ended the night at the apartment complex the crew completely took over during their stay. The toasted life crew invited the student fellows they had a chance to provide professional mentorship to and other Ghanians they met during the week to the party at Skybar and received a good response and turnout from the locals. I’ve had incredible experiences my entire time in Ghana, but I must say my time, conversations, laughs, jokes, tears, and so forth with this crew FELT the best by far!