Carrie Beattie (left), Lewis Cox (right)Before coming to Ghana, I had bought the Bradt guide, which I believe is the only guide which focuses purely on Ghana – the others cover all of West Africa, and thus cannot be as in depth. I recommend you buy this guide too, as it contains some great

insights into the culture and some pointers on being a good tourist and volunteer.Ultimately the first rule of thumb about coming here is to keep an open mind, and not to instantly assume that situations you find yourself in here are comparable to situations at home.

People here are incredibly friendly, and will go literally miles out of their way to direct you to where you need to go. This can be disconcerting when you’re from a culture where people are in such a rush to get to their destination that they won’t pass the time of day.  Ghanaians are very sociable, and you can expect a lot of interest from them as you walk through the towns or villages. 

I found all the attention to be positive, the people I met on the street who were interesting in chatting with me made me feel very welcome and helped me ease into the culture.  By a great distance, it is the connections I’ve made with shop owners, or neighbors, or colleagues, that have made my stay.  Because of the Ghanaian temperament, it is important to remember certain cultural differences between us, “the west”, and Ghana.  Returning greetings is very important, if someone starts speaking with you, it is considered very rude to ignore them.  If the attention is unwanted, simply wave goodbye, or say “later”.  As you walk through the town, especially small towns, a simple “good morning”, or “how are you” is a nice touch, and will always be returned.  Even a smile and a nod is often enough. 

As the country has a large Muslim population, it is important to observe certain taboos which could be offensive.  Passing or receiving things, especially money, with the left hand is considered rude, and should be avoided as much as possible.  Ghana is a very religious country, and short shorts, uncovered shoulders or low cut tops can create a scene, especially in the north or if you plan on entering religious buildings. If this seems daunting, don’t worry, these are all things I picked up on whilst in the country, and the Ghanaians understand that you’re a foreigner and will give you a huge amount of leeway. 

The main thing to remember is to make a positive impression, you are in their country, and you should accept the differences and alter your attitudes accordingly.I’m sure you’ve heard of, or are worried about culture shock.  All the volunteers I spent time with in my 2 months here said that they were far more shocked about how easy it was to become accustomed to life here.  I found that the lifestyle in Ghana suited me far better than the lifestyle in the UK, and at the time of writing – 3 days before I leave -  I’m wondering how easy it’ll be to lapse back into the way of life at home. If you feel like you are suffering from culture shock, the worst thing you can do is retreat into your room and try to wait it out.  The only way to get past it is to immerse yourself in the everyday goings on outside – just walk to the nearest fruit stand (probably very close) and chat with the owner about the providence of their mangoes or pineapple.

You’ll find that everyone is so willing to talk to you about what you’re doing here.  Life here is very laid back, and as such you must be prepared to abandon any western ideas of planning everything down to the last minute. It simply doesn’t work.  You’ll get used to this, and eventually, I’m sure, learn to love it.  Ghana is a very varied country.  In the south, where I spent my time, it’s tropical – hot and humid, with unpredictable weather patterns in the rainy season (loosely May – August, but don’t count on it).  In the east, the Volta region is lush, verdant and cool, and in the north it becomes hotter and drier as it nears Burkina Faso and desert.  Because of this variety, it is worth thinking hard about what to bring in terms of clothing. 

I packed very light, bringing only a camping backpack and a smaller day-to-day backpack.  Following Philip Briggs advice in the Bradt Guide, I brought two t-shirts and a light linen shirt, three pairs of shorts, plus swimming shorts, and a pair of light cotton trousers.  I’d avoid jeans, as they’re heavy, hard to wash and take time to dry, however many other volunteers have lived in them, so I suppose it comes down to personal choice.  In terms of footwear, I brought flip-flops, a pair of trainers (sneakers) and a sturdier pair of sandals, all of which came in handy at various times.  A hat may be a good idea if you’re prone to sun-induced headaches. 

A more conclusive packing list:-   

A mosquito net, vital.
-    A decent first aid kit, containing, at the minimum
•    Antiseptic wipes
•    Plasters/”Band-Aids”
•    Sun cream, of a high factor
•    Insect repellant with a high DEET percentage
•    Painkillers
•    Imodium, or other anti diarrhea medication
•    Antibiotic eye drops, especially if you wear contact lenses.  On top of this I’d recommend bringing your glasses also, as it can get dusty.
•    Tweezers
•    Alcohol based hand sanitizer
•    A needle and syringe kit, with accompanying medical note (in the UK you can buy these from Boots).
•    Rehydration salts, for recuperating post-diarrhea-    Toiletries are easy to replace in Ghana, so there’s no need to stock up, but to start you off:•    Soap
•    Shampoo
•    Toothpaste
•    Toothbrush
•    Deodorant
•    Razor and shaving foam
•    Nail clippers or scissors
•    After-sun lotion, or aloe
•    Cleansing wipes
•    Anti-itch cream, such as CortisoneNote that outside the major cities (Accra and Kumasi) tampons and sanitary towels can be hard to find, tampons even in the major cities, so be sure to bring enough to last your stay.-    Other useful (but probably not necessary) things to think about:•    Torch (flashlight)
•    A towel, I brought a quick drying towel (chamois towel) which proved incredibly useful, as it is so small and light
•    Penknife
•    Mobile phone, one that’s unlocked to use abroad, but you can buy a phone incredibly cheaply out here if you don’t have one
•    Playing cards
•    Plug adaptors, note here that Ghanaian sockets take UK plugs, and work on the same voltage so we Brits needn’t worry.  American volunteers must remember adaptors for both shape and voltage.
•    Antihistamines if you suffer from allergies
•    Moisturizer
•    Talc
•    A camera, although if you’re like me, it’ll be the first thing you packed
•    An iPod, plus charger
•    Sunglasses
•    A pen or two, plus a journal
•    Books, to help pass the time.
•    Laptop, there’s free Wi-Fi in the Humanity World International Accra house
•    Water flaskTravelTravel inside Ghana is easy and I found it to be very enjoyable.  The only thing to remember is not to expect to get anywhere in the time it’d take at home.  I found that small journeys, especially when you must negotiate traffic leaving Accra, took laughably longer than they would in the UK (it took me 27 ½ hours to travel approximately 350 miles), but that said, the journey is as much of an adventure as the destination if not more so, and I enjoyed every minute of them.  A huge bonus of Ghanaian friendliness is their willingness to help you.  If you find yourself unsure of directions to a bus stop, or which bus to take, anyone you ask will help get you on safely and expect nothing in return but a bit of friendly conversation and possibly an email address. 
Given that you will have weekends off, you should try to travel as much as possible around Ghana.  I travelled to the north, to Mole National Park (hence the 27 ½ hours travelling) which is well worth it if you’re here for a reasonable amount of time.

Other highlights are Cape Coast, where you’ll find two slave castles as well as a canopy walk 40m above the rainforest at Kakum National Park. I recommend staying in Sammos Guest House where a shared room cost 6 cedi (¢) per person – at this point that equates to £2.40/$4.  The Volta region is, in my opinion, a must.
Travel to Hohoe to visit Wli water falls – the highest in West Africa, Mt. Afadjato and Tafi Atome monkey sanctuary. We stayed at the Matvin Hotel, which cost I think ¢8/9.  It is also a wonderful place to spend some time just soaking up the atmosphere which is very different to the hustle and bustle of Accra.
There are many amazing beaches in Ghana, Labadi beach in Accra is a great place to relax, so long as you can suffer the Rastas who will try desperately to sell you their beads, but out of town the beach at Ada-Foah is quite incredible and a must see.

Aburi botanical gardens are a good day trip out of Accra, and the bike hire shop at the south gate is a great way to enjoy the views so long as you’re prepared to get hot and sweaty.FoodFood in Ghana is very different to that which you’ll be used to at home.  Expect a lot of rice in varying styles, as well as local dishes such as fufu or banku.  I enjoyed almost all the food I sampled in Ghana, but certain dishes take a little getting used to.  Eating on the street is an accepted thing, and ensures you are never without food for long.  Exercise slight caution when eating certain things, but don’t get hung up on it.  I didn’t get sick once in Ghana, and I ate many different things from many different places, but others found that certain food upset their stomach, especially salad or coleslaw. 

It’s important to keep things in perspective; food is a very important thing in Ghana.  When offered food, refusal can often cause offence, so I recommend at least trying what they’re offering.  If you worry about getting an upset stomach over everything you eat, you’ll starve.  Instead be prepared for whatever happens and I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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