Surreal colonialism left overs.

[When you read this blog, imagine me telling this with a shock in my face and voice! Worried, confused and overly emotional/concern about the issue!]

I have already mentioned the monthly Expat meetings organised by accraexpats.com, I went to the 1st meeting about a month ago and now was the time for the 2nd meeting! And gosh, this time it was bigger, more diverse and for me personally also rather fruitful. Nevertheless, some of the conversations I had last night made me wanna run out of the place and scream into the night! I needed some BIG DASH of LOCAL!

I met this elderly British man, who was very cheerful and has this very typical British sense of humor, that I love. He has been here for over 20 years and after having a conversation of him for about 20min, me and my friend Louisa were just rolling eyes and blinking, not being able quite grasp the contradictions he is verbalizing. He spoke all about how expats should keep together and help each other, how one should not be close friends with Ghanaians and most of the time one will not find a close friend in Ghana, as it is all about money at the end of the  night. Expatriates are not like that. How Ghanaians are not helpful, unless you pay them... [WTF?!!!!!!! WHERE HAVE U LIVED, DUDE!?] At the same time, he spoke about how he loves Ghana and he would not be here unless it wasn't so great, relaxed and safe! He spoke about how welcoming and peaceful Ghanaians are, allowing whites to experience their country and culture.

Latter that night I walked up to two couples, who have been hanging together the whole night and not really interacting with anyone else. And had yet another of my BRITISH moments [my dear British friends, have nothing against you, but some of my UK experiences had developed a certain 'love' against the typical-city-Brit].  The two men in the group both work for some big construction company and their wife and gf are stay at home  women [the one couple was in early 20ties and the other one in early 50ties]. When asked what do they do, they responded that they do keep themselves buys by cooking lunch and playing card games on Friday, going to aerobics on Wednesday and luckily they have satellite at home they can watch. It didnt sound like they engage much into the local life, nor that they seek out to meet new people even at the expat party. And it would be ok for someone who is older and perhaps isnt as open minded, but one would think that the kids from 80ties and 90ties are bit more open minded and adventurous, well no,  they are not!

And yes, you can cross the continents and find home in another country and still your old lifestyle like back at home... but the question is - why dont you just stay home?!  I still do not get it! I dont!?

Why would you make some other country your home and still pity the local people, judge them and find it wrong to blend with them. In fact, you should be bending down in front of them for allowing you to be in their country, to be accepted, to see their culture and life. And if you find it too scary, then, perhaps, you should just stay home and watch discovery channel.

I am not worried that I will ever turn in one of them, in fact I have the perfect balance of local life, local friends and local family, along with that of my own back ground, ability to blend with everyone and at all occasions. Thou a 25 year old Ghanaian that speaks English and is proud of his heritage is more likely to become my friend, that a 25 year old expat that is too proud of his own heritage that is afraid to learn of a new culture!