>
Everyday life in Ghana can be mindnumbingly (is that a word?) frustrating at times. Like today when I realize that after twenty phone calls (!) I still have three (!!!) problems with Ghana Telecom.
My Internet has been down for two weeks, since yesterday there is also no tone when I lift the reciever and finally the keys for 1, 8 and 9 are not functioning on my handset. The people I talk to say they will call me back (which they don’t), that they will send someone (but noone ever shows up), that I should “relax” (no comment) or that it is not their job to solve Internet issues/handset problems/dead lines (also they don’t know who is responsible).
I want to scream, shout and cancel all my business with aforementioned company!
But then, like the sun after a heavy rain, within minutes a van pulls up to fix my line, I can call customer service and they reboot my Internet and, well the handset still cant be used to dial 1, 8 or 9, but I feel fine. And as I go to the market area to pick up a parcel (thanks mom!) I buy two ripe mangoes, two huge avocados and a pineapple for no money and with my heavy load I get the widest smile from a trotro driver.
-Let me help you!
he says in the local language.
And finally I get it.
In the pic: The Community 1 market in Tema.