1. I found out from a Ghanaian man why the dish called "face the wall" is called that. It is simply that it is the cheapest dish you can get at a "chop bar" and so some people are embarrassed that that is all they can afford so they face the wall when they eat it. Hence the name. Oh and a chop bar is a little place on the road side where you can get local food. Somewhat the equivalent of McDonald's except much cheaper, more healthy and not nearly as fast:) Chop is a general term for food.
2. Why do people coming to visit ask us for lists of what to bring from the states (or wherever)? Well I am sure you can figure out why - b/c we can't get everything we would like to eat or cook with, etc. here. But also b/c of the prices of American food stuff here. For example, in the local grocery store a box of cereal like Corn Flakes is about $8 and something like Lucky Charms is $10 or more per box. I went to a little store that only sells American things - some groceries and other things like plastic cups, dishes, etc. But the prices would stop your heart. For example, the really big bag of chocolate chips (about 4 lbs) was over $18 per bag and walnuts of about the same size bag - over $28. No I am not exaggerating. So needless to say we don't shop there. Maybe for my birthday:) But this is why people bring stuff to us. So much cheaper. While we were at this store I was looking (or apparently drooling) over a large jar of Smuckers Strawberry preserves. But it was $8 so I passed on it. There was a couple from the states with us who evidently were spying and saw me looking at it fondly. They surprised me in the parking lot with a jar of it. So very sweet. I just can't tell you how thoughtful that was. God blesses in the kindest ways.
3. The reason I love the market place and downtown Accra and cry when I go to the local grocery store is b/c one is new and exciting and the other should be a known thing but it isn't and that makes it hard. I remember clearly that when we returned from Liberia to the states in 1980 that the culture shock was severe. My parents tell me that they were so overwhelmed in the grocery store at all the new labels and so many choices that they wandered around for about 30 minutes and walked out without buying anything. They just didn't know what to get after being in Liberia where you were lucky to have two cereals to choose between rather than 40 or more options. It is somewhat the same for me here. I go to the store and don't see too many familiar brands, don't know which is good or if the price is good, etc. And for some reason, at least this last time, it was overwhelming. But next time it will be better!!
Oh and just as an aside. Many things here are cheaper than the states and some are as expensive. My stove for example probably cost nearly what it would in the states. On the other hand I had a plumber at my house for about 3 hours yesterday working on several different things and the total that I paid him was right around $30 US dollars. And he cleaned up after himself! Amazing. The labor costs are really inexpensive compared to the states. But it is a lot to the people here. I have noticed as I ride around that the people here work really hard. I mean hard work in the heat and sun. For example, the grass in most yards and along the streets is cut by hand with a machete. Can you imagine cutting your grass by bending over in the heat and swinging a machete? Hard work. But they just don't have the resources here that they have in the states. That is just one example but almost every time I am out I just look around and think "these people are incredibly hard workers" and the little (by US standards) that they are paid is a whole lot to them.
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