On suckage, part II

November 16, 2008 at 12:07 pm · Filed under Stuff

[Note; I actually had a really great weekend between my last entry and this one. Fear not for my tenuous emotional state, loved ones! I’ll return to carebear-and-rainbow mode shortly.]

I often get asked, by strangers and acquaintances alike, for things. It comes with the territory of being white and foreign; from the “rich Obruni” stereotype. The history of missionaries in this country does not help koraaa (”at alllll”). Being asked “what mission are you from?” and “what will you give us?” in the same breath is not altogether uncommon.

Two days ago at market a random woman told me to bring her a drink. I say “told” instead of asked, because the phrasing translated to “you [will] bring me a Pure Water”, and as a Twi statement there was no danger of having heard misspoken English “would you bring me a Pure Water?” “Pure Water” refers to the 500ml plastic sachets that cost .05ghc, or “5 t’ousand” - about $0.05, so hardly an imposition. It was the principle of the matter that offended my precious senses (that, and the fact that I was tired and hot, and would’ve like a Pure Water myself, had I the spare change left in my pocket).

It’s a terrible reality on many levels: my emotions alternate between frustration and helplessness. There are times when I wish I could give whatever is being asked, but there are many many more times when I’m simply astounded by the shameless audacity of the begging. There’s an ingrained sense of entitlement that seems a part of learned culture, from early childhood on, and which serves to hold back so. much. development and progress. This is not only me venting my culturally-biased, inherently negative worldview - it’s a statement I hear made often by Ghanaian friends (my housemate being foremost among them).

Aside from being frustrating, this phenomenon is also detrimental to my ability to do my job here. Many, if not most, of my faculty coworkers have yet to take me seriously as a teacher. A lot of it is based on stereotypical descriptors (foreign/white/single/female, amusing oddity), but there is also the misconception regarding why I’m here: I’m seen not so much as a teacher (to say nothing of “3 goal-oriented PCV”), but as potential windfall facilitator. I’ve been on staff at this school since August, and already the novelty of my appearance is fading: I’ve been faced with confusion, even subversive hostility, based in large part on the “why haven’t you bought us new computers yet?!” question.

Last week, during the same afternoon that led to my previous blog entry, I had an interesting encounter with a teaching colleague. We were discussing the computer situation, and I was relating my excitement at finding so many “extra” computers. The resulting exchange upset me so much I copied it down a few minutes later (”Ghana English” and all), ostensibly ‘taking notes’ during the staff meeting.

Him: But why don’t you just buy new computers?
Me: (trying to joke it off) Oh, I’m too poor! I’m a Volunteer, remember?
Him: Ei! No no no, you are rich.
Me: Oh, why? You know I make half your money!
Him: Ok, so just call your American friends and tell them we need new computers, they’ll send them.
Me:No, I can’t do that, I am just a teacher. Peace Corps doesn’t want us to work like that.
Him: (Conspiratorially) Oh, don’t mind them. Just have your mother pick two or three computers when she comes to visit.

This conversation affected me on so many levels: my visceral reaction was a lump in my throat and clenched fists (which happens a lot at staff meetings…) — if it was so gorram easy for my mom to buy “two or three computers” then she would be able to visit sooner than later (hi mom, don’t feel guilty, I’m just making a point :) ). Close on that thought’s heels was “you have no. bloody. idea., do you?” [cue self-pitying internal monologue] you’ve never even left the country, much less the continent, and the idea of uprooting yourself from everything you’ve ever known and loved for an extended period of time, willingly transplanting into an incredibly unwelcoming and alien environment, in which you’re seen by colleagues not as an equal but as some conglomerate of gift-bearing amusement/unintelligent-lesser-being — that’s completely outside your realm of comprehension, isn’t it? [/end moment]

Closing out my mental reaction to the passing conversation was resounding emotional deflation: I’d just spent 20 minutes in conversation with this particular colleague, and was beginning to feel warm-fuzzies with the idea oh wow, maybe I’ve FINALLY been able to make a connection here!. Bubble, meet pin.

Comments (2)

Class Assignment

November 1, 2008 at 3:55 pm · Filed under Stuff

A few weeks ago I gave an essay assignment to all 4 of my ICT classes (which means I graded upwards of 180 essays; should have been over 200 but many students didn’t turn it in). The question was simple: “How do you imagine technology will affect your culture in the next 5, 10, and 20 years?”

My goal wasn’t to get anything from class regurgitated, but rather to see if they could apply what we’d discussed this term in a somewhat creative and self-aware manner. Reading all the responses gave me a whole new perspective on how the material I’m teaching will always be received in a fundamentally different manner from that which I originally imagine it is, due to our respective cultural filters. I ended up writing down quotes from nearly every paper I received; here are my favourites:

Doomsday and Roses:

• “Technology will destroy the world.”
• “Technology will make the world a peaceful and beautiful place.”
• “Technology will not allow us to live in peace in this world.”
• “The future will be very enjoyable due to technology.”
• “People use technology to tell lies, because of this in 5 years we will suffer a lot in the nation.”
• “Corruption and robbery all will end and it will be peaceful in the world.”

“…And get off my lawn too!”

• “In the olden days, you wouldn’t see West African young ladies wearing all this short dressing that we are experiencing nowadays. I suppose that it is the modern experiences that is affecting us all. In 10 years coming we will see that our young sisters will wear an underwear only and say that it is the modern thing.”
• “In the future man will leave the planet and build a mansion and stay there through technology, which is very greedy because God created men in His image and has given them the place to live and worship Him and you don’t want to establish yourself on another place which is very very bad.”

Reminders that I’m not in Kansas any more:

• In the next 20 years there will be a computer/laptop in everyone’s house. (similar statement was made in multiple essays)
• “Technology will help us to get off the planet and this universe in the nearest future. It will even help us get to the sky to see how the moon, the sun, and the stars look like from the sky.”
• “In 10 years communication will be easier and faster because at that time when you get your mobile it can call a person in America or any place you like.”
• “In the next five years cell phones will have special receivers which will pick calls and answer them in the owner’s own voice.”
• “In the future digital cameras will take pictures and print them at the same time.”
• “In the next 10 years I expect technology to be improved to produce automatic tanker systems which will provide every home with water.”
• “There will be robots and machines which will collect litters from the streets to improve upon sanitation and stop diseases.”
• “In the next 10 years mobiles will be cheap for even adolescents to buy their own.”
• “In 10 years the prices will be very cheap so that every individual can afford to get at least one computer in his or her life.”
• “In the future they will be sending text messages even if the person is just near you.”
• “There will someday be a new technique of teaching in the classroom by the aid of internet. Through the use of internet students will not find it difficult in learning and writing their notes, because theories and notes will be internetted directly into their various computers.”
• “In 20 years all feeder roads will be tiled.” (or “all minor roads will be surfaced”)
• “In 10 years time they will not use chalk to write on chalk boards because there will be a flat screen for teachers to use with the computer instead.”
• “Students will not go and sit in class to learn but rather use the internet from home.”
• “In 10 years time people will no longer need cash but can simply use an E-Zwitch card whenever they make a purchase.” (E-Zwitch is an independent debit card provider emerging in West Africa)

Comments (2)