Misconceptions anybody?

Alright, so thanks to my good friend ASHLEY BROWN, I was motivated to make this new post. Basically I started a post on my Ghana facebook page about misconceptions and she posted her top ten. These needed immediate response, so I called in some reinforcements. Phil, our grad assistant for the program, stepped in to answer these few misconceptions. Please feel free to comment and add your own feedback or add anymore things said about Africa.Shot out to Phil, check out his blog the Mid-twenties. The link to it is on the right side of this page. Thanks and remember to do the right thing! 

Hello. Phil Molnar here. I’m a friend of Garin, have been in Ghana for the same amount of time as him, and am currently procrastinating writing a story about Elmina Castle. Listed below are common thoughts about Africa. I’ll do my best to clear up any confusion.

1) It’s hot as heck

Oh boy, you are right there! I am constantly covered in sweat and drinking ridiculous amounts of water. Although, that’s probably because I’m from Detroit where it snows all the time. The average temperature in Ghana’s capital, Accra, is 86 degrees. That’s pretty rough for me but doesn’t even warrant sunscreen for a Floridian.

2) Everybody hardly wears any clothes or shoes (probably in relation to #1)

Hmm…not in Ghana. They are really conservative here and seem to suffer a lot because they can’t dress down. We’re in the heart of sub-Saharan Africa and people are wearing full suits at church. It’s weird.

3) Women carry stuff on their heads

Yep, they sure do.

4) Everybody is dark-skin

Not really. A lot of Ghanaians in the west have ancestors that were white slave traders, so that’s one thing. Also, once you start getting far north, like Egypt, people are much lighter.

5) There’s no grass

No way! There is tons of grass. I wouldn’t go taking a nap in it, out of fear of lizards and big frogs, but I admire it from a distance.

6) Everybody lives in huts

Well, not EVERBODY.

7) There are wild animals like Tigers, Leopards, Zebras and Unicorns that run around like Squirrels in the U.S.

There are no tigers in Africa, unfortunately, but there is a lot of monkeys everywhere (See Garin’s post about a suicidal baboon below). The main animals we see around Ghana are crows, frogs, lizards, and dogs. I actually ride a unicorn to work everyday.

8) There are a lot of malnourished people, mainly kids (as seen on TV Ads)

Yeah, it really sucks. Kids will follow you in town and try to hang on to you. The average Ghanaian only spends ten years in school, so kids are hit really hard by the economic conditions. I think a lot of Ghanaians would try and tell you life for kids here is better than most of Africa, but, honestly, I just don’t see it.

9) There’s no currency, everybody trades with food or supplies

Mine as well. Hyperinflation across the continent has destroyed the value of many currencies. So, it’s like going to a store and buying a CD for $21,000,000 – except that amount isn’t really that much.

10) Everybody belongs to a tribe

Pretty much. But that doesn’t mean they are running around chasing elephants and painting their faces. Most businessmen and journalists I’ve met are from the Ashanti tribe. That doesn’t mean they all return to huts at night. They actually live in apartments, drive cars, and watch DVDs.