Reports from Ghana

Written on 8-14-2013

Thanks to Nana, the roommate of Sam A., I had the best drink that I have ever had, Most Spiciest Drink Ever category-- the drink made my stomach hurt more than spicy Indian food does. You could say I drank up a storm – which is what it was called, 'Storm'. Hard drink, that one, even though the alcohol content is not that much. I was the only one from our table to finish the bottle of Storm, and my stomach ache/gastritis is an alibi(observer/proof?) of that.

Ghana observations 2: there are way too many .(bars, malls, aru kura in kathmandu... R bhai, uthepachi complete gara hai. Aile timi thakya chhau and you know it. Aile ramro writing audaina, so uthnebittikai lekha laa. Love, timro shuvachintak, timi.)

Continuation. 8-20-2013

Continuation... Ghana Observations: Even though per capita income for Ghana is more than twice that of Nepal, and it has way more expensive SUV's than Nepal, shopping, bars, malls and restaurant culture in Kathmandu is much more developed in Kathmandu than in Accra. The fanciest parts of Accra are fancier than Kathmandu could ever be. But, in general, if you ignore the downtrodden-illness-of-the-Earth nature of Kathmandu, it is posher. Perhaps it's because of Kathmandu's reputation as a medium-income tourist destination. Accra is home to the most goddamn expensive hotels and malls you could find on the face of the Earth, but as I saw it, it wasn't goddamn dying for tourists for as much as Kathmandu usually is.

Further observation: Women are way, way, wayyy more empowered in Ghana/Western Africa than in the subcontinent. Even though the situation in Nepal is improving, (I hope. Please lets not be India, please lets not be India) Ghana has a woman Chief Justice, a woman as the IGP of the police, several women ministers, and so on. Smart strong women – NGOwomen, yes, but also professors, businesswomen, even those in technology – seem to have taken a lead, and are doing fantastically. I'll admit, I've never seen women TroTro drivers (equivalent of our microbuses/tempos) but that's just me.

Public transportation here in Accra (or in Kumasi, or in Cape Coast, or in Temale – any city, really) is better than our goddamn system in Kathmandu. This is Nepal's plight then – those fkking syndicates: in transportation, in politics, in ethnic politics, in law enforcement, that oligarchize our democracy. Frkking undemocratic monopolies of power and money that pretend to function under a veneer of democracy.

Ghana has held six general elections in a row successfully-- quite a feat considering it's now the Third Republic, after gaining independence in 1957. I wish we had a semblance of free, fair and nonviolent elections some day.