Lessons Learned in Ghana - Part 1

I thought it would be fun to compile a list of "lessons" that we have learned over the course of our two weeks here in Accra. Some of these may shock you and others may not seem odd at all.

• There are very few street signs, so we're going to have to learn how to get around pretty quickly... especially once we have our own vehicle. Thank goodness for Google/Apple Maps.
• Cab drivers are not familiar with street names, due to the lack of signage. Thus, you usually have to give them a landmark that is close by to where you want to go. For example, the Bistro 22 restaurant we went to, we told the cabbie Zenith Bank which was across the street.
• There are no real addresses or personal mailboxes. Our apartment lease literally states the address of our compound as "Off (insert street name), Opposite (insert landmark or noteworthy place across street)". All of Dan's coworkers get their personal mail delivered to the office.
• The US Embassy is laughably large... unnecessarily massive. We really want to go in to see what they have in there taking up that much space. I'm certain we will at some point. Future posting on that? Likely.
• Cabs are prevalent where we are currently living. There are no sidewalks here, but if you are walking down the side of the street, open cabs will often honk at you to offer up their service. Also worth noting, cabs do not have meters so you should always negotiate the cost of the trip up front before getting in.
• Ghanaians speak English with a British twist. They use British vocabulary and their pronunciation is decidedly British, but with an African accent. This makes it slightly more difficult to communicate with locals as the American accent makes it hard for them to understand what you are saying (and vice versa for that matter).
• Dishwashers and Dryers are NOT common appliances here. Very few apartments come equipped with them. Washing machines, however, are considered a standard kitchen appliance and are often located in the kitchen or in a small utility room off the kitchen.
• The "nosh" (you're welcome, Gram) of choice here is toasted peanuts. These are what you get to snack on when you order a drink while seated at the bar.

That's all for this installation of Lessons Learned in Ghana. Something tells me there will be more like this one haha!