I associate excessive doses of sun with having a tan. I have been in perpetual summer since February 2006, after…
Absolutes, ambiguity, and being a real Canadian
Can you spot the "real" Canadian? Ghanaians describe things in often ambiguous ways, while Canadians like to talk in absolutes --…
Just Another Agent of Neo-Imperialism
Being a Canadian in Africa promoting public participation in local governance vs. White lady persuading Black people to do things…
A Day in the Life
Some people have asked me what exactly I do in Ghana. Sometimes I’m not sure myself. So I thought I’d…
Getting married
How to attract more male attention? Pretend your married. How to attract less? Pound lumpy fufu. A few weeks before…
Malaria Christmas and a Hippo New Year!
-What were you thinking of bringing for Sam’s family? -Eeeek. I’ve been so busy. Yes, we absolutely have to bring…
It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas: Christmas on the Equator
-X-mas [pronounced “x” and “mas”] is in the air. Can’t you feel it Obaa yaa? -It’s really hot this week…
Easy isn’t a place on this Earth
A “better life” is not necessarily geographic or across the Atlantic Ocean. I come from North America, a continent whose…
Aspiring to be a Piece of Meat
You can see a paper-thin version of the world, a slightly meatier version of the world, or a deep and…
Cultural Lesson #8 – Public Transit
Taking a tro-tro and going to the market are two of the most impossible topics to do justice to in…
Cultural Lesson # 7 – Asking for money
[This particular entry is not very Politically Correct, especially in terms of terminology used here, which is based on my…
The Bigger Picture
My sister and brother in law have a parrot. When I’m in Vancouver visiting, I often baby-sit their parrot. The…
Cultural Lesson #6: Bucket Culture Etiquette
Everyone knows that the Japanese are freaky about shoes. People go to Japan expecting this, and Japanese people expect foreigners…
Cultural Lesson #5: Going to the Hospital
It’s almost poetic – shortly after writing “feeding oneself”, my apparent over-confidence regarding food in Ghana has bitten back. After…
Cultural Lesson #4: Feeding Oneself
Questions about Ghanaian food have been among the most frequently asked of me, but I’ve been hesitant to write about…
Cultural Lesson #3: Seasons [or lack thereof]
I’ve heard all sorts of theories to explain various cultural work ethics – back in my archaeology days, it was…
Cultural Lesson #2: The Benefits of Homesickness
Not that I even have a "home" to begin with, but fine. I’ll admit it. If you couldn’t tell from…
Two Faces of Accra – fun in the sun, pollution and poverty
Pictures from this trip are at: www.photobox.co.uk/lgudaiti@alumni.sfu.caI have fun and entertaining material for sixteen [and counting] "cultural lessons" [including one…
Cultural Lesson # 1: Work Culture
I’ve spent some time thinking about how I could possibly explain the African work culture in a meaningful way that…
Taste of what’s to come? Bucket “showers”, Guinness, and rotating power outages
11 September 2006My friend Sarah made so much fun of me when she saw how freakishly small the flashlight I…