On Getting To Ghana (2018)
After over 18 hours on the road, we finally arrived our destination at 5:29am local time here in Ghana. Remember how I told you I was promised an amazing experience if we traveled by road? Well, let’s just say that was a very big understatement. Let me tell you a little about it.
The journey began in a very unusual way. Out of nowhere I began to feel dizzy and very uncomfortable with an headache. I felt like puking and rolling on the floor at the same time. Mind you, I was very fine and active before getting into the bus so I was very surprised by all that was happening. It was crazy so I said a little prayer and hoped for the best. I got the best!
If you didn’t know, there’s somewhat of a “little” rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana; something like what you’ll find between brothers. Throughout the course of the journey, three amazing Ghanaian women blessed us with back and forth chatter on the subject matter.
The conversation gradually moved from throwing little jabs here and there to very educational content. I tried to get what I could on camera but will unfortunately not be able to share right now.
I was also given a very cute Ghanaian name; Kojo. That’s the name for a guy born on a Monday. You can ask @gee1 for the full lesson notes. She showed what a great student she is by writing down almost every word that was spoken during the trip.
So I thought FanMilk was just a Nigerian company. It was a pleasant surprise to find this building in Togo and a very beautiful one in Ghana (no pictures of that).
I have come to notice that I have a fascination for water bodies and love to take pictures of them. Luckily, I was blessed with three but I got pictures of just two; The one above is at Badagry in Lagos and the one below is at Cotonou, Benin Republic
This trip was my first experience with international land borders and all the checks involved. We passed through Benin Republic and Togo before getting into Ghana.
My assumption that I can use my MasterCard anywhere in the world as so far been debunked by Ghanaian ATMs but we have a capable host in the person of @richforever 😊. We arrived late and getting food was not feasible so we had to settle for some street food; smoked tilapia.
We’re currently at the SteemUp Ghana event and I’ll be posting about it soon 😊
Nations are a fiction. They are real, but not in the same way that the bus you drove on is real. Instead the are real in the way that money is real, or corporations or law. The bus would continue to be a functional bus if we all stopped believing in it, but the others would cease to be. Nations are an extension of tribes, where genetic closeness and common genetic interest is replaced with shared culture and history, common personal interest and buy-in to a functional civilization.
Because they are a fiction, I think we can see more abstract kinds of 'nation' arise. There is no 'Facebook' nation, but there is something more close to it on Reddit, where Redditors have shared culture and certain values are common. There is something like it on tumblr and some other sites as well. However it seems stronger in crypto, where it is almost like supporting a football team. Only arguably there is even more buy in, because we literally buy into the cryptocurrency with our time, work, attention and/or our money, and we have a real common financial interest. Every one of us is affected by the same rise and falling price, and that's in a very material way, more than sports where wins and losses are ultimately just a game (unless you actually own a stake in the football team).
I am going somewhere with this meandering comment. I was thinking about this at Steemfest as I see the same thing here. The community (or national) spirit on Steem goes further than even other cryptocurrencies. There are meetups for other cryptos certainly, but they are not happening on the same scale as Steem and they are not as widespread. You do not have groups of people crossing borders, all over the world, to meet other Dash people. Other Monero people, etc. At least not to the same degree. I think the common purpose and common culture on Steem is so much stronger, and that is what drives things like this, and Steemfest et al. I think we are seeing a kind of 'Steem Nationalism' that combines both the common culture, experience, interpersonal bonding of an online community like Reddit with the true common cause and purpose of a nation or a cryptocurrency.
Am I off base with this?
You’re not off base at all. I fully resonate with your points. One thing I realized as we went through Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana was that they all looked alike. I couldn’t help saying “this place looks just like nigeria!”
Without labels and tags, we’re all fundamentally the same (I believe). And the vibes we’re getting here in Ghana is as strong as can be imagined. Communities, the type we have been lucky to find on Steemit, is rare as you say and I’m sure it can be an example to many others once we can tell our stories well.
This is like a road trip. I bet it would be more fun than taking a flight and miss out on all those experiences and sights of the country as you guys travel along. This is the time that your vlog dream would come pretty useful :)
Welcome to Ghana. ✌️
i wish you were here in Ghana too
Exactly! It’s been so much fun over here 😁
Wow, Ghana! that's really massive. but its just a start for you bro. More ahead.
Steem on!
Yes bro! Thank you
Fun trips are the best part of our life so enjoy it very well. Thanks for sharing this lovely place
Ghana is such a nice country. You are right about the fun one gets traveling by road. It's really an understatement. It gives me headache, I don't know what's fun about it. Maybe because the times I traveled, I was alone and on 1 occasion, the journey wasn't smooth at all.
Hi Kojo, I'm also Esi in Ghana, female born on Sunday. You should take out time to go see places in Accra and there are nice tourist sites in Cape Coast too. Akwaaba.
Hi Esi! 😊 Work is done. Now we explore. Wait on what I have in store for you all 😂
Lol, will be expecting.
Omg this is awesome, I wish you safe trip back.
After this, the next is steemfest
There are many more stops before Steemfest! Thanks for the best wishes bro
WIsh you safe return home. We are proud of you as a Nigerian
Amazing ride guys. This is indeed the development. Thanks stars for safe trip.
I believe the Ghanaian guys will have alot to learn from you all.
More power to your elbow.
I’ve learned a lot from them already. Amazing set of people.
Indeed. Don't forget to taste the Jollof rice. And please give report on how it tasted. Thanks.
amazing friends, fun trips and lots of stories that can be told, thanks for the information ...@fisteganos
Out of curiosity... Oya tell me how the road is? Hope the road was smooth and we'll tarred?
Very well tarred and super smooth!
Super awesome! Cos Bad roads is the only reason why I hate travelling on road. (as if I've ever travelled by other means:).
thank you for coming. And im glad I could help
i can see you liked our tilapia
You’re welcome. Yes I love the Tilapia. Its probably still my best yet.