I thought I would just list a few things that are different here and that I find interesting (or amusing).
1. Lights are turned on by pushing the switch down and off by pushing it up. (I think that is opposite of the states. Can you believe I am having trouble remembering that? And also remembering if the hot water is on the left or right. Here the hot is on the left. That may be the same).
2. Locks on the doors turn like in America. But locks on gates turn the opposite way.
3. It is considered offensive to give money (or anything) with your left hand. Only use your right. You wave to people with your right hand or both hands but not just the left.
4. People here are extremely polite. They say "please" with almost every sentence it seems like. For example, "yes, please", "Please, I am coming." "Please, I am fine." "Please, no". From what I understand even one of the worst insults you can give a Ghanaian is preceeded by "Please". I am happy to say I have no idea what that insult is and have no intention of learning it:)
5. When going into a home where there are many people, you greet one person and then move in a circle to your left (not right) to individually greet everyone else. It is rude to not greet each person and ask after their family, well being, etc.
6. Cell phones are used extensively here. You buy a phone and a SIM card. Then to use it you have to buy minutes from your respective company. You scratch off the card to see the number and enter it into the phone and the minutes are added. People often "flash" each other which is just ringing once so that they will call you back. The reason for this is that you are not charged any minutes for incoming calls. So if I am low on units/minutes I can flash someone and have them call me without any cost to me. Text messaging comes with the minutes/units and is not an extra charge. It just uses up your units as a phone call would.
7. Pedestrians here are primarily responsible for their safety on the road. Unlike America where drivers are to give way to pedestrians, here the pedestrians give to the cars and really have to watch what they do.
8. At the local University (the University of Ghana) you may be assigned to a room where you have to share your bed with another female - for women. Not just have someone in the top bunk while you are in the bottom bunk but actually share the bottom bunk with another girl while there may be 1 or 2 in the top bunk. It is called "perching".
