I started writing this the other day, but the computer cut out. I had seemingly important things to say about freckles, but today I have seemingly important things to say about Ghana.
Freckles are called taches in french, which translates to stains. People dont like them very much! Once, a little girl was telling me how badly she wants my white skin… but not all those taches. We need to get the stains off first! Another friend in Ouidah was asking me if theres a cream I can take to get ride of them, like how she uses whitening cream.
I was reminded of the strangeness of my freckles yesterday again in the bush taxi to Lomé: I started putting sunscreen on, and the guy next to me noticed my freckles and asked “Did Cotonou do that to you?” He thought it was the pollution or something! I then explained to him that theyre freckles from the sun, and that I think theyre nice but a lot of people here don’t. His response was, “well, at least they’re not on your face” and asked me for my number. Smooth, guy!
Now Ive made it to Ghana, and leave for South Africa tonight!! Im very excited, but I do hope to come back here one day. Ghana is like a warm hug, maybe because of how people speak. English pidgin seems to work its way into everything people say, but even just the phrasing of sentences are different. I was at the post office today, and the woman working said “Im done wiff you now”. Everyone sees my foot and says “did you fall?” and when I tell them it was an accident they say “Sorry Sorry”. I dont know how to explain it, theres just a very funky style with the spoken word here! Im also enjoying being ignored even though Im white. Here white people are called Uboni, but Ive only been called it once.
Buuut I do catch myself missing many things and people of Ouidah… Especially the french. I keep finding Ivoiriens and Togolese here though so I do get to speak french now and again.
Thats all for today, hope alls well!