It's Nice to be Nice

This is what people in the city say when they're trying to get something out of me.

Example 1:
"Which of these paintings do you like? Just point to the one you like best and tell me how much you would pay for it."
"But I don't want a painting."
"It's nice to be nice."
"Ok but I still don't want one"

Example 2:
*40 year old grabs my hand while I'm dancing*
Me: "No thank you" *pulls hand off me*
"Hey, what's the problem? It's Friday night! Feel free! Let's dance."
"No" *pulls hands off me again*
"Hey, it's nice to be nice, right?" *Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that your pelvic thrusts in my general direction were an act of kindness. My mistake.*

On a happier note, how many people can say they've danced with Ghanaian orphans in the rain? This girl right here. Even though J kept looking at me like, "Good God, woman, is that really how they teach you to dance in America!?" Even so it was a blast. All of them are such fantastic dancers, I could watch them go all day.

Also, if you like tetris, you'll like this: we took all the kids to the beach on Saturday, and we managed to cram 30 people into one van. Impressed? Now that's the Ghana way. It's not often that they get to go somewhere, so it was fun to see their reactions. Especially F and A, who were both intrigued by and afraid of the water.

Ghanaian beauty standards: be big.
American beauty standards: be small.
Hmmm... are the most beautiful also the most difficult to come by?

My favorite things to buy in Cape Coast: fabric, lunch, yogurt drinks, mangoes. But then, I'm very privileged.

Because, you can eat all the animal crackers and cassava you want, but you're still going to be malnourished. How do you expect a child to do well in school when this is all they get?

But I can't keep giving people handouts. Sometimes I hate the way people ask me for things here. It's more like a command...
"Emily, where is my bread?"
"Emily, teach my class."
"Go away"
"Give me a biscuit"
"Madam, you are block my view!"
"Give me 10 pesewas (cents)"

But then there are special situations. Like what are you supposed to do...
If a girl says, "Emily, I haven't eaten since breakfast"? You know you have to give her some food.
Or if you say, "C, how many shirts do you have?" and he answers, "Two"? You know you have to give him one of your own.

Or if a little boy comes up to you and says, "I like you too much"? When you know you'll have to leave?
All I can say is,
Yoo, yen ko.
But really, it will be just me going.

Emily