Still trying to get caught up (8/12)

Written 8/12/09

Man, over a week again since my last entry, I'm starting to slack on my writing... What has happened since the last time...

Swearing in is tomorrow, can't believe we're finally done. Actually, no, I take that back. It feels like I've been here forever and I can't believe I havent even really started yet. All of this has been the prep for the reason why we're here.

Random story that occurred to me:
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Return from site visit:
I packed all my things and said goodbye to Saidu and Jerry and all the other teachers and headed to Tamale. I decided that although I could do the trip in one very long day, I'd split it in 2 and see Tamale a bit. It's only 30 minutes from my site, but by getting there the night before I can get the 5am bus out to Kumasi and make better time. So Kwesi texted me the night before "please bring me some beads from the north." I asked several people and it turns out the North and South beads are no different from each other, but I didnt want to let him down, so off on my quest to find "Northern Beads". I asked around a bit as to where I could find said beads and was directed to the cultural center. When I got there I quickly realized that I was in the Rich Obruni tourist trap area. There were all kinds of "Traditional African" things to buy: tribal masks, leather drums, leather bags, wood carvings, etc. I may be wrong but from what I've seen in Ghana, none of the culture or artisan sites I've seen have anything to do with the Lion King-esque stuff I found there. Rumor in PC is that these "Tribal Masks" are made in china and imported.

So not wanting to waste too much time or money I browsed a few stores and instantly shot down their "white prices". At the 4th store I laid it out very clearly
Look man. I live in Ghana, I'm not on vacation. I've been here 2 months living near Koforidua and I'll be here 2 more years just north of Tamale. My homestay brother wants beads from the north. He's Ghanaian. I dont want to spend a lot of money, especially since I'm under the impression that there are no such things as 'northern beads'. So, what do you have?
Ahh so you're Ghanaian now?
I like to think so
So you want the Ghanaian price?
Exactly.

So I bought a few necklaces at 1ghc each and took one home for each member of my family. We chatted and joked for some time after (and during the transaction) and writing this reminds me of a conclusion I came to recently as to why I love haggling: whether I buy the item or not, or whether the discount ends up being 50 cents or something substantial, I love haggling for 2 reasons. 1) the sense of accomplishment getting a discounted price. 2) More importantly, the interaction itself. As I was explaining to Beth the other day, it's not even important what I'm buying or how much they do/dont take off. If they're fun about it and we both laugh in the process, that interaction with another person is what makes it worthwhile. It's kind of like the Ghanaian "conversations about nothing" only you get to see yet another side of their personality. As a matter of fact, the friendliest hello I get in Tamale these days is from a street vendor that I haggled with and didnt end up buying a bag from. We smile and laugh and greet each other each time I pass him, and he offers me the bag again, and I keep turning him down cuz it's too expensive. But it's a fun laugh every time.