Culture Shock in Ghana
Expats arriving in Ghana for the first time will be pleasantly surprised by the smiling, helpful locals (once they get through the chaos of the airport!)
The degree of culture shock experienced may be quite different for those who have never been to Africa at all, however. Many expats find the stark differences overwhelming and respond by isolating themselves in small enclaves of expat ‘safety’. Though these insular spheres can be comfortable, it means missing out on all that Ghana culture has to offer.
Ghana's capital, Accra, is becoming quite a modern city with shopping malls, movie theatres playing the latest Hollywood hits, and restaurants catering to any taste and budget. The smaller cities and villages, however, are quite traditional and culture shock may be much more extreme.
In Accra, there is no dress code to abide by; expats will see traditional Ghanaian sewn ornate outfits alongside jeans and t-shirts.
Women are encouraged not to wear short shorts, but more and more this notion is mostly only true in villages.
In the workplace, the dress code can be quite formal. Westerners melting in the heat will be surprised to see their Ghanaian colleagues dressed up in full suit and tie for work and corporate events, cocktails and receptions.
No matter where you are in the nation, Ghanaians are openly friendly and commonly approach an expat stranger to start a conversation. “Welcome to Ghana! I want to take you as a friend”. Women will find that Ghanaian men exclaim their love in a first meeting. All of this can be taken lightly and every expat moving to Ghana must get used to this friendly banter.
Any unwanted advances can be deflected through witty conversation and a firm goodbye.
Expats will also find that a common greeting is "Obroni!", which translates as "white person" or "foreigner". There is no offence meant and it is usually followed by a warm welcome.
Ghanaians definitely love their traditional food. The cuisine is quite different from what most expats will be used to (especially if they have not been to Africa before), and some dishes are definitely an acquired taste. Each meal consists of a main starch (in the form of fermented maize meal, yam, plantain or rice), with a meat/stew or soup (usually quite spicy!) accompaniment.
The national dish is fufu, which is a pounded ball of starches, plopped in a large bowl of soup. Utensils are not welcome and sharing one bowl between friends and family is common. Prepare to get messy!
Ghanaians love their meat, and are not shy about eating every part of the animal, including eyes, bones and skin/hide. Some expats will wince to discover that in certain parts of Ghana cats and dogs are common fare, along with rats. Overall, there are many tasty and interesting dishes to try, and expats are encouraged to be adventurous.
English is the official language in Ghana, though there are over 30 local languages. In the cities, English is widely spoken but in some rural areas many people speak only their tribal language. Twi is the most widely spoken local language, and many phrases are quite easy to learn. Expats who try their tongue at twi will find that the response by the locals is well worth the effort.
Bargaining is a cultural institution in Ghana and the social meaning is as important as the financial benefits. Particularly in markets and in hailing a taxi expats must master the art of bargaining and engage in the banter. The seller announces a price, the buyer retorts with a remark about how expensive that is and offers a counter (usually less than half the amount), and then the back and forth ensues until a price somewhere between the two is agreed. Everyone is happy.
There are a few specifics in cultural etiquette that are imperative to know:
The degree of culture shock experienced may be quite different for those who have never been to Africa at all, however. Many expats find the stark differences overwhelming and respond by isolating themselves in small enclaves of expat ‘safety’. Though these insular spheres can be comfortable, it means missing out on all that Ghana culture has to offer.
Ghana's capital, Accra, is becoming quite a modern city with shopping malls, movie theatres playing the latest Hollywood hits, and restaurants catering to any taste and budget. The smaller cities and villages, however, are quite traditional and culture shock may be much more extreme.
Clothing
In Accra, there is no dress code to abide by; expats will see traditional Ghanaian sewn ornate outfits alongside jeans and t-shirts.
Women are encouraged not to wear short shorts, but more and more this notion is mostly only true in villages.
In the workplace, the dress code can be quite formal. Westerners melting in the heat will be surprised to see their Ghanaian colleagues dressed up in full suit and tie for work and corporate events, cocktails and receptions.
Meeting and greeting
No matter where you are in the nation, Ghanaians are openly friendly and commonly approach an expat stranger to start a conversation. “Welcome to Ghana! I want to take you as a friend”. Women will find that Ghanaian men exclaim their love in a first meeting. All of this can be taken lightly and every expat moving to Ghana must get used to this friendly banter.
Any unwanted advances can be deflected through witty conversation and a firm goodbye.
Expats will also find that a common greeting is "Obroni!", which translates as "white person" or "foreigner". There is no offence meant and it is usually followed by a warm welcome.
Food and cuisine
Ghanaians definitely love their traditional food. The cuisine is quite different from what most expats will be used to (especially if they have not been to Africa before), and some dishes are definitely an acquired taste. Each meal consists of a main starch (in the form of fermented maize meal, yam, plantain or rice), with a meat/stew or soup (usually quite spicy!) accompaniment.
The national dish is fufu, which is a pounded ball of starches, plopped in a large bowl of soup. Utensils are not welcome and sharing one bowl between friends and family is common. Prepare to get messy!Ghanaians love their meat, and are not shy about eating every part of the animal, including eyes, bones and skin/hide. Some expats will wince to discover that in certain parts of Ghana cats and dogs are common fare, along with rats. Overall, there are many tasty and interesting dishes to try, and expats are encouraged to be adventurous.
The language barrier
English is the official language in Ghana, though there are over 30 local languages. In the cities, English is widely spoken but in some rural areas many people speak only their tribal language. Twi is the most widely spoken local language, and many phrases are quite easy to learn. Expats who try their tongue at twi will find that the response by the locals is well worth the effort.
Bargaining
Bargaining is a cultural institution in Ghana and the social meaning is as important as the financial benefits. Particularly in markets and in hailing a taxi expats must master the art of bargaining and engage in the banter. The seller announces a price, the buyer retorts with a remark about how expensive that is and offers a counter (usually less than half the amount), and then the back and forth ensues until a price somewhere between the two is agreed. Everyone is happy.There are a few specifics in cultural etiquette that are imperative to know:
- Extending an invitation to someone in Ghana insinuates you are paying
- When greeting a group of people, handshakes go from right to left
- It is expected that any visitor is offered a glass of water as a common courtesy
- Time is not a strict concept and a meeting set for 9am might happen at 11am – an aspect of life here that does take a lot of getting used to!
