When I first moved to Accra, I found the city boring, dusty and event-less.
Three years on and counting, I am not sure if it is the city that has changed or my network that has grown. Maybe both?
Yesterday, I knew of five interesting events happening simultaneously:
the Ghanablogging November Meet-Up I arranged at cozy Cafe Dez Amis (former Afrikiko), a discussion evening with entertainment for diasporan Ghanaians and others at Golden Tulip Hotel. There was also a fund-raiser coctail at Bella Roma Restaurant in Osu, a first meeting for the new expat network InterNations at Rhapsody’s and the High Vibes music festival also opened… (click on link to see program for the following week!)
I smiled to myself as I hurriedly left the first event for the second, smiling because I felt like this was the first time I was actually missing out on something in Accra…
I only resent that events often are announced short in advance (some less than 48 hours !) and that there is no information central for finding out about “all” events (if there is, please let me know!). I believe that makes Accra rather boring for a newcomer.
What do you say, is Accra boring?
4 Comments
I think that until we learn to where to find the information we want, every city can be boring. I think it’s awesome that you go out of your way to find those events, and that you attend. People in Barranquilla, Colombia, usually complain that nothing is going on–when the truth is, that so many events are going on, it would be impossible to go to all of them! And they are announced with a fair enough amount of time… what happens then? People don’t want to find out. I think Kiel, Germany, is awesome, and not so much happens. But then again, life is what you make of it. With lemons, do make lemonade, or margaritas? 🙂
Hi Kajsa, as a newcomer to Accra (4 months) I too have found it challenging to find out about events that are on. I would love to be able to find out how to tap into things that are happening around the place. I am now a member of Accraexpat but the events there are obviously limited to those for expats. I have started blogging only this week, so maybe I will make some connections this way and I would love to join your blogging group when I am eligible. I was however delighted to discover the yoga workshop this weekend and am very much looking forward to attending that! 🙂
Hi Kajsa, yes sometimes Accra can be really boring. Occasionally there are pretty cool events out in town and its always fun to attend, I must say there are some cool places too you can have fun: celsbridge (Labone), La palm (La), Novotel (Tudu, with lot of events). But the saddest thing is that you expats are really boring. Expats come to Ghana and would want to hang out with expats!. You would find the city exciting when you socialize with the local folks.
Many expats are boring, agreed! However, I should probably write a blogpost about my own relationship with the description “expat”. As someone who belongs to a Ghanaian family and “socialize with the local folks” when I speak to my husband, have lived in Ghana for 8 years, work in a Ghanaian company…I am not sure it fits. But likely, I am still a bit boring, thanks for your tips!