Greeting

“If you have not heard a Sudanese speech, I must explain that when we stand to speak, our comments are rarely brief. Some say it is the influence of John Garang, who was known to talk for eight hours uninterrupted and still feel like he had not made his point. In any case, the Sudanese of out generation very much like to speak. If there is any topic being discussed, it is highly likely that all the people in the rooms will weigh in, and that each person might need five minutes each to express himself. Even in a small gathering such as the one in Jansas, comprising only thirty-five of us, that meant that any given subject, no matter how trivial, would be subjected to two hours of speeches. Each speech will be similar in structure and gravity. The speaker will first rise, straighten his suit, and clear his throat. Then he will begin. “I have been listening to this discussion,” he will begin, “and I have some thoughts I must express.” And what will follow will be part autobiography and will concern points that likely have already been covered. Because each attendee will feel it necessary to be heard, the same points are usually heard half a dozen times.”

This is from a book called “What is the What” by Dave Eggers. Its the story of the lost boys of Sudan as well as how they are integrating into the American culture after becoming citizens. Anyways, this quote so thoroughly depicts what a typical meeting, or most times even conversation, goes with a Ghanaian. When I first noticed this I was thought maybe it was me. That they might not have understood my english and needed to repeat an entire conversation so that they could better understand it. But that is definitely not the case.

The reason I am going on about this is because yesterday I was looking back on what I have done this past week and was pretty disappointed. Most of my projects are already ongoing to I need to find a way to integrate myself into something that is probably needing a complete structural overhaul anyways. But step one to this whole mess is to “greet” everyone. Meaning, introduce myself to anyone I could possibly be working with. Greeting has been an obstacle for me and learning to accept it as mandatory has not going that well. For example, if I go to speak to my landlord at the district assembly (in her office, where there are no other people) and do no great everybody in the office building that I have ever had a conversation with before or pretty much have ever seen, they will invariably come up to me the next time they see me (same day, 4 days, 2 weeks later...doesnt matter) and ask why I didnt greet them when I was in the office and if I am angry with them. As you can probably tell this makes get a handful of things done in one afternoon nearly impossible because I have to ask how every person in the entire building is. And not just how they are but how their children, parents, house, health,job ect are. Not to mention answer 400 questions about how I am, how my house is, if I have lights yet, when I am going to marry them, when I can take them back to America with me, when can they meet my husband (best thing I ever did was to wear a fake wedding ring and claim to be happily married) and why I dont have children (stupidest thing I even did was to say I didnt have children...if a Ghanaian man hears you are married but dont have children he feels like he still has a chance to steal you away from your husband...since having more then one wife is allowed here I get this bull shit from everyone, including old, married men), among various other (what I feel are) personal questions. It gets tiring and if you really just need to get things done it can be downright infuriating to have to fend off old men trying to “greet” you at your house at 9pm (im the white girl, the whole town knows where I live...no joke). But the concept of “getting things done” is not the same here. Time is not money here...let me just leave it at that.

This was not meant as a rant but as an example of how different it is working here as opposed to America. Getting to the assembly to tell your landlord that you dont have electric in a few outlets and that being the only thing that you got done all day is something that is taking some time for me to accept. (Complete aside....got to the assembly only to find that my landlord had left for her CHRISTMAS BREAK and wont be returning until January OR February!!!!! WTF Ghana)

Anyways, I hope all is well!