Christmas with Gilbert

So! Here I am in Accra. I’ll tell you about my Christmas since I know you are dyyyyying to hear about it.

I woke up, went for a walk, ate bananas for breakfast and then did my wash. When I wash finish, I was hanging out outside, reading the New Yorker (still pretentious) and Gilbert (the old man who owns the rooms where I’m staying, just behind his house) came over and said he wanted to “serve” me “on the porch.” I didn’t really know what that meant, but I was game, so went. It was so nice! He brought out slices of cake and Maltas (a soda that Guinness makes and tastes exactly like Raisin Bran) and we just chatted for about an hour and a half. We talked about education, his family, what I do, etc. It was just really really nice of him. I felt very taken care of. It was like hanging out with my grandpa (shoutout grandpa!) When the sun started to beat us, I went to the smoothie place (“NourishLab Smoothy’s”) and studied for a while, sometimes breaking to watch a little bit of Madagascar, the Pixar movie, that was on the TVs there. And that was Christmas. Talked to Andy, talked to the fam. I really didn’t feel bad/sad at all. Like, yes, it’s Christmas and I’m in this huge foreign city pretty much alone, but that’s okay, I feel good.

Yesterday I had another very pleasant interaction. There is a lady who sells delicious kenkey near to Gilbert’s that I like to patronize. I went to her the first night I got in and then again last night. She doesn’t come until late – around 8 – so I was just sitting there waiting for her and people watching. When she finally came, I got up but let this man go ahead of me because he seemed like he was in a hurry. This man said that he would pay for me (about 1.30 – kenkey is the cheapest thing you can buy, basically) and then told the lady that she should give me the change. He paid with a twenty and then left. I got like 15 cedis in change! That’s a lot of money! I was very surprised and grateful. Accra can be very expensive and more money is always better. Also while I was waiting for the lady to show, this young man came at sat down by me. He was very loquacious and told me he wanted me to be in his music video? What? Who knows. I think he might have been high. When I asked, he said no, that if she was, he would be singing a thoughsand songs about me and I would love it. I said that that was debatable. See? Young Ghanaian men are ridiculous. I feel like I should have said earlier than the guy who sent me the silly text isn’t creepy or threatening at all, just….a young Ghanaian man. He called the other day and I talked to him mom annnd his sister. While not creepy, he still is kind of annoying. I might stop picking when he calls….whatever!

I just got done taking the GRE and I don’t know what to think. 690 verbal, 630 quantitative. I thought that those were bad scores and got upset, but then when I got here to the internet cafe and looked it up, it doesn’t look so bad. Ideas? I’m just glad it’s done!

Christopher comes tomorrow! His visa situation is somewhat unknown, so we’ll see how that goes!

Ghana  —–LOVE——> America