(no subject)
29 June 2006
Friends and Family,
Greetings from Hohoe! I am sitting down to write this email on the eve of my mother and father's visit on Wednesday, and must say that I am ecstatic about this opportunity to share this experience of Ghana with them. There seem to be two dominant stereotypes of Africa which we are fed by the Western media. First, there is the stereotype of banyan trees and giraffes interacting during a dramatic firery sunset. Second, there is the stereotype of Mogadishu, Khartoum, or Leopoldville gripped by rebel fighters or the image of human beings deteriorating under the merciless grip of HIV/AIDS. The depressing thing is that the first stereotype contains animals and landscapes and the second contains people. Unfortunately, this seems to be the image of Africa that has existed in the Western worldview since the colonial era. I don't want to go through the pains of giving you my thoughts on the implications of all this, but I do want to tell you what amazing people West Africans are and how revealing it is to hear the positive things Ghanaians hold in their minds about us. It really flips history over on its head. The lessons I have learned from living in Ghana are lessons that I couldn't have learned anywhere else, and that is why I am so happy to have the opportunity to host my parents here. Living in Africa proves all of those stereotypes to be unbelievably false. Although my father has been to West Africa before, I don't think even he is prepared for the hospitality he is going to receive in Guaman (my village) on 10 July. The village has prepared an amazing day for all of us, themselves included.
Now I want to say something about the Ghana Black Stars and the World Cup. My goodness, what an exciting time it has been since the Italy/Ghana kickoff. I hosted all of the Ghana matches at my house (yes, believe it or not I have a television). I had a slight schizophrenic episode during the Ghana/USA match, and do believe the penalty was entirely unfair, but I was happy when Ghana prevailed and had the chance to meet Brazil on the 27th. I should say that during the Ghana/USA match I was cheering on the U.S, and that all of the people watching the match with me (some 30) didn't find any offense in it. I don't know what would have happened had things gone the other way - but oh well. The Ghana/Brazil match, in my opinion, was entirely skewed, and I do suspect there was some foulplay behind the scenes, but the celebratory mood continues, and people are still celebrating here that the Black Stars got so far. The fact that Ghana made it to the World Cup meant a lot to the people of Ghana, and it was great to be here when it happened.
Anyhow, I should be going now. The rainy season is in full swing and the sky is becoming an ominous charcoal-color, so I should probably head to the tro station and be off to my village within the next 15 minutes.
Much love, Douglas
Friends and Family,
Greetings from Hohoe! I am sitting down to write this email on the eve of my mother and father's visit on Wednesday, and must say that I am ecstatic about this opportunity to share this experience of Ghana with them. There seem to be two dominant stereotypes of Africa which we are fed by the Western media. First, there is the stereotype of banyan trees and giraffes interacting during a dramatic firery sunset. Second, there is the stereotype of Mogadishu, Khartoum, or Leopoldville gripped by rebel fighters or the image of human beings deteriorating under the merciless grip of HIV/AIDS. The depressing thing is that the first stereotype contains animals and landscapes and the second contains people. Unfortunately, this seems to be the image of Africa that has existed in the Western worldview since the colonial era. I don't want to go through the pains of giving you my thoughts on the implications of all this, but I do want to tell you what amazing people West Africans are and how revealing it is to hear the positive things Ghanaians hold in their minds about us. It really flips history over on its head. The lessons I have learned from living in Ghana are lessons that I couldn't have learned anywhere else, and that is why I am so happy to have the opportunity to host my parents here. Living in Africa proves all of those stereotypes to be unbelievably false. Although my father has been to West Africa before, I don't think even he is prepared for the hospitality he is going to receive in Guaman (my village) on 10 July. The village has prepared an amazing day for all of us, themselves included.
Now I want to say something about the Ghana Black Stars and the World Cup. My goodness, what an exciting time it has been since the Italy/Ghana kickoff. I hosted all of the Ghana matches at my house (yes, believe it or not I have a television). I had a slight schizophrenic episode during the Ghana/USA match, and do believe the penalty was entirely unfair, but I was happy when Ghana prevailed and had the chance to meet Brazil on the 27th. I should say that during the Ghana/USA match I was cheering on the U.S, and that all of the people watching the match with me (some 30) didn't find any offense in it. I don't know what would have happened had things gone the other way - but oh well. The Ghana/Brazil match, in my opinion, was entirely skewed, and I do suspect there was some foulplay behind the scenes, but the celebratory mood continues, and people are still celebrating here that the Black Stars got so far. The fact that Ghana made it to the World Cup meant a lot to the people of Ghana, and it was great to be here when it happened.
Anyhow, I should be going now. The rainy season is in full swing and the sky is becoming an ominous charcoal-color, so I should probably head to the tro station and be off to my village within the next 15 minutes.
Much love, Douglas