the top ten things i learned in ghana - 6

my five senses in ghana

sight
Ghanians are lovers of color.  Each house's tin roof is a striking red, green or blue.  The soil is a reddish brown and the trees all around are lush.
Their dark skin is flawless.  Beautiful, smooth and reflective.  Big eyes and big smiles.  They aren't camera shy, but will stand there as if for a moving portrait for thirty seconds without doing anything but blinking.  
Sogakope is very poor.  Not many internet cafes (hence, this is the first post I've been able to get up since I got here) or restaurants.  No super markets.  No big buildings at all.  Just square cement houses painted orange.  Above the door is written someone's name and phone number, as if to say, "Hey dude, if I'm not home, just give me a ring and I'll let you know where I'm at.


smell
Ghanians are lovers of nature.  Dirt is on the menu of smells along with mango and pineapple if you happen to catch a whiff.
In the market, it smells like salty fish jerky mixed with sweaty bodies.  Kind of  nice if you're into that kind of thing.  Pretty nasty if you aren't.  It's so humid that you can almost smell the water in the air.  Sometimes the sent of burning weeds can be found as it wafts around the town.  


hearing

Ghanians are lovers of recognition.  The pilot landed the plane and immediately the crowd of Ghanians inside burst into applause as if to say, "Good job pilot!  Well done! Now get me off of here..."

Later while walking around the market, there is a chorus of "You are welcome." from the locals.  

"Hello white woman."

taste

rice and chicken, chicken and rice

the taste on my tongue is not so nice

fish and rice, rice and fish

I can't have anything else if I wish

touch

Ghanians are lovers of difference. The little kids reach out and touch my skin as I walk past.  From the inside of the plane and down the ramp, a sheet of air mixed with water hits me like a wall of thick Seran Wrap.  It's like breathing thick air.