Life in Ghana

[Abena]

Hi Safaritalkers!

I'm living in Ghana for four months this year (at least four months... the rest of the year remains to be planned....), while involved in developing a business. I'm living in a small town outside of Accra, high up in the hills to the west of the city. My first month here has been very busy with business related stuff, but now that I'm settling in I really hope to be getting out on the weekends to visit some wildlife reserves.

I'm doing a blog on daily life in Ghana, which I'm calling my online diary. Here's the most recent post:

https://dailylifeinghana.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/march-30-2015/

 

You might also be interested in my business project, supporting economic development and women's empowerment in Ghana - my website is:

 

http://www.batiksforlife.com/

 

I'll be posting the blog links in this thread, and I'm very happy to have comments and questions!

 

 

[Tdgraves]

welcome

[graceland]

As well, welcome and this seems very interesting. I am going to read your blog now that the sun is out and i can sit on the porch.

 

Thanks for posting!

[Sangeeta]

I read your blog posts with great interest, @@Abena. Welcome to ST. Your writing is wonderful and although I was not particularly interested in Ghana when I started to read your entries, I must confess I am most intrigued by your observations!

 

The red and black funeral clothing was brand new to me. The attitude of the male population, a little more predictable

 

Pls do post a link on here whenever you update your blog - that way, those of us who are want to follow can easily do so. Thank you!

[Abena]

Thank you for the welcome and glad you're enjoying the blog :-) Here's the latest:

 

https://dailylifeinghana.wordpress.com/2015/03/31/march-31-2015/

 

I've seen some interesting birds and small mammals since I've been here. I don't know tropical birds at all so I may be posting some photos for identification. Small mammals - a bat that almost flew in my front door, and this morning I saw a squirrel! Later I was told that squirrels are killed and eaten, but only by some tribes....

[Abena]

Here's the most recent blog post:

 

https://dailylifeinghana.wordpress.com/2015/04/06/april-4-2015/

 

A pretty amazing piece of woodcarving artwork and the artist who is carving it :-)

[KaingU Lodge]

very cool. We lived in Ghana for 15 years: my better half ran a wood carving workshop so I am really enjoying your posts. Thanks for sharing.

[Abena]

Okay, I'm going to attempt to post a photo correctly here. Just one and we'll see how it goes Mr. Game Warden

 

 

NAME THAT BIRD

Edited April 9, 2015 by Abena

[Abena]

For the first time, I've successfully posted a picture in the text!

 

This was taken at an interesting sorta combination resort/wildlife refuge called "Hans Cottage Botel" - located between Cape Coast and Kakum National Park in southern Ghana.

 

There are also a couple of crocodile ponds here.

 

Here's my blog post that has some more photos and this and that. https://dailylifeinghana.wordpress.com/2015/04/19/april-19-2015/

 

 

 

 

 

[Abena]

I just posted the final trip report in the "Mole National Park, Ghana" thread (from October 2014) - this one is on Cape Three Points, Ghana. Now that I know how to post the photos correctly, I am all about it! Prepare for more photos!

 

Anyhow go check it out. Cape Three Points is one place I will go back to, definitely sometime this year. And if you like murder mysteries... check out "Murder at Cape Three Points" by Kwei Quarty. A fun read that will give you more cultural background on this area of Ghana.

[Tom Kellie]

Okay, I'm going to attempt to post a photo correctly here. Just one and we'll see how it goes Mr. Game Warden

 

NAME THAT BIRD

 

~ @Abena:

 

Is it Lonchura bicolor? (Also known as “black-and-white mannikin”)

Tom K.

Edited April 20, 2015 by Tom Kellie

[Abena]

here's the female, @@Tom K.

 

 

Looks a bit more drab than the photos on the internet but I believe you are correct.

 

I love these little finches. They are all over the tree outside my house.

[Tom Kellie]

here's the female, @@Tom K.

 

 

Looks a bit more drab than the photos on the internet but I believe you are correct.

 

I love these little finches. They are all over the tree outside my house.

 

~ @Abena:

 

That's it!

Lonchura bicolor.

How lovely to live with such sprightly finches.

Thanks so much for the photo which I really like, as the vegetation sets the tone.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

~ @Abena:

 

It's late at night in Beijing so I was a tad scatterbrained.

Your Ghanaian bird photos are a treat.

By all means, as you feel like it, please do share other bird or small wildlife or botanical — lizards, butterflies, dragonflies, wildflowers — images.

Your work in Ghana is such a positive way to improve life for women, and thus for everyone.

Thank you for sharing your ongoing experience on Safaritalk.

Tom K.

Edited April 20, 2015 by Tom Kellie

[Abena]

Thank you, @@Tom K.!!! I do have some nice photos of birds and small things and will be sharing soon! We have lots of bird visitors here, some very beautiful tropical birds, which I would love to know the names of

[Tom Kellie]

Thank you, @@Tom K.!!! I do have some nice photos of birds and small things and will be sharing soon! We have lots of bird visitors here, some very beautiful tropical birds, which I would love to know the names of

 

~ @Abena:

 

Along with other more experienced and knowledgable Safaritalkers, I'll do my part to unravel the identities.

That's a tough task, but also great fun, as there's no “final exam and grade” attached.

BTW: I'll fly from my home in Beijing to Nairobi on 1 May, returning by 7 May — another safari. During that time I won't have regular Internet access.

Thanks, again!

Tom K.

[Atravelynn]

From funerals to wood carvings, you are having quite the interesting experiences!

[Abena]

Hi everyone!

 

Things here have been really busy. I have two weeks left here in Ghana (for this trip) and then I head back to the U.S. and my home state of New Mexico for the summer. I'm working on numerous business related things - in process of forming a "business and employment cooperative" with a Ghanaian business partner - looking for a property to rent - keeping up with lots of business contacts - finishing up the first run of manufacturing of products for the original business I came here for - whew, it's been a little crazy.

 

I've been posting a few bird photos in a thread, Birds of Ghana in the birding forum. I also have some nice butterfly photos and need to post those somewhere as well. The very kind @@Tom Kellie has been helping with identification.

 

I've posted a few blog entries - thought you might be interested in several on cultural stuff related to religion, spirituality, witchcraft, and things like that

 

Here's the link to the first of them and you can go from there:

 

https://dailylifeinghana.wordpress.com/2015/05/17/may-17-2015/

 

I'm making some good contacts related to future birding/wildlife viewing - such as the herbalist mentioned in the posts, who also happens to be an avid birder. The arboretum mentioned is a fantastic place (I may have posted about it before).

 

And I'll be back in Ghana in September and no doubt I'll continue to see and learn as time goes along! Given the businesses, I'll be back and forth a lot.

 

Cheers,

[Tom Kellie]

Things here have been really busy. I have two weeks left here in Ghana (for this trip) and then I head back to the U.S. and my home state of New Mexico for the summer. I'm working on numerous business related things - in process of forming a "business and employment cooperative" with a Ghanaian business partner - looking for a property to rent - keeping up with lots of business contacts - finishing up the first run of manufacturing of products for the original business I came here for - whew, it's been a little crazy.

 

I've been posting a few bird photos in a thread, Birds of Ghana in the birding forum. I also have some nice butterfly photos and need to post those somewhere as well. The very kind @@Tom Kellie has been helping with identification.

 

~ @@Abena

 

It's certainly been a joy to team with you on Ghanaian wildlife identification.

You have an eye for authenticity, capturing the spirit of the place through words and images.

Your future plans are exciting, ambitious and worthy!

We all hope that Summer in lovely New Mexico will not only be productive, but also deeply restful.

If there's ever any way in which I might be of assistance, please let me know.

Tom K.

[Marks]

@@Abena

Your plans sound really exciting.

 

Great blog post about spirituality. It does seem like largely a matter of semantics (all witches are bad, but a witch doctor would be the go-to treatment for an ailment). As someone interested in language, this is especially fascinating for me.

[Abena]

Thanks @@Tom K and @@Marks!! There are three posts related to spirituality so if you didn't find them, Mark, just keep clicking to move to the next post...

 

There are many fascinating things about Ghana and whenever I get frustrated with something, something new piques my interest. I'm happy to be coming back to continue my learning about this place. The herbalist (who is also known as a witch doctor - LOL!! - i.e., someone who takes care of problems caused by witches....) and I have really hit it off, and the whole subject of healing with plants and spiritual healing in general is a huge area of fascination for me, so hopefully he won't get tired of me asking one question after another. I definitely need to visit the arboretum, which is located about 2 hours drive north of where I live, in October - because that is the top season for butterflies - he said the whole area is thick with them!

 

I also keep mentioning to them that they need to make the arboretum into a monkey sanctuary - I was told that the monkeys used to live there but 'moved across the road' because it's too noisy for them now. However, I question this and I think more than likely the monkeys were hunted and moved deeper into the forest.

 

Anyhow, you'll be seeing more from me!

[Abena]

Hey everyone!

 

I have only six days left here in Ghana on this trip - but I'll be back in September to continue the journey! I have lots of photos to post but it may need to wait til I get home, or am bored sitting in airports... I have a lot to accomplish in the five work-days I have left. I never know when it's appropriate to let the cat out of the bag so to speak, but here's a sneak preview of what I've been up to here. Besides the development of my business, Batiks for Life, I'm also working with several Ghanaian business partners to start a cooperative. We have a wide range of interests - business and employment, agricultural, and educational. Basically we are all looking for positive solutions to some of the social and environmental issues here.

 

Yesterday for instance, I visited the proposed site of a pineapple farm that we want to develop as an agricultural cooperative. It was once 200 acres in pineapple production but the land has lain largely fallow for 10 years. The bush has grown back, and some of the original rainforest remains - a large area of bamboo forest, and a beautiful rushing stream. My hope is to develop the land with wildlife corridors and to replant any trees that were or will be cut down. We are also planning to gain organic and fair trade certification. We can employ 100+ local farmers and pay them decent wages, and there will be an educational component for the farmers to learn about sustainability, organic farming, etc.

 

There's wildlife out there... even monkeys, so I hear :-)

 

In other Ghana related news - if you haven't seen it on your local news, there's been terrible flooding in Accra due to torrential rains, and the rain caused a petrol station to explode - the news says 150 people were killed but a friend who's an Army officer says the death toll is at least 300. More are missing due to the flooding. It's been a huge disaster and truly heartbreaking.

 

Here's a link to a recent blog post, and you can also navigate to any others you may have missed and want to read :-)

 

https://dailylifeinghana.wordpress.com/2015/06/05/june-2-published-june-5/

 

Thanks for reading, and I'll be in touch and will post more photos as soon as I can!

[Marks]

Best of luck in your business ventures! Looking forward to some more photos, of course. Terrible news about the flooding.