I just now went to buy phone credits for the weekend, and possibly to escape the office for a little while ;) This little task turned into a cool and relieving opportunity to have some time to myself for awhile, and just relax. I walked down through this little market area right behind the office. Someone called me obruni and I called them obebeni back (not an expected response) and they seemed to be very proud of me and kept saying a couple more things as I kept walking. Then just walking through the market in general gives you chances to say hi and how are you to people, etc. The pathway between the stalls is pretty small, so you are always close to people and usually they want to get your attention, even just a bit.
I was going to buy my credits from a guy I met last week, but he wasn't there… his little stand was empty. So I decided to walk the long way back and find some other card selling people (they are everywhere... really. Lol, I need to add one part to that … everywhere, except by the home I live in.)
I just walked down like 2 or 3 streets I haven't been down, but are literally the equivalent of walking 'around the block' that I work on. I got to say hello to people, talk with the little kids, a bit. I met a girl named Abigail. She is 10 and in 4th grade, she 'helped' me find another place to buy credits. (I could already see the stand.. but she decided to help me) she has 3 little brothers who walked with me for a moment asking where I was going (which initiated her decision to help me get there). On the left turn that would return me the street of my office, some more kids said hi, so I said hi back, which actually started a conversation with a woman running a shop who said she likes my 'style” – aka – the style of my dress. I don't know how this style would be any different than what you could find anywhere.. but that's ok. J Her friend was semi translating as I spoke English and my little bit of Twi. The first woman suggested that she would teach me Twi, and then I could teach her English. Leaving her shop, I noticed another shop with soccer balls!! I stopped to buy a soccer ball (the interns up north promised one to someone). I talked with the man who owns/runs the shop and was able to kind of have a conversation about the soccer games that have been going on! It was cool to have something that only a few words can convey.
I think I’ll walk down that street more often…
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