Traditional Dance and VSO Call Back

This past week I traveled for the second time to Tamale, the capital of Ghana’s Northern Region, for the VSO Call Back.  I was interested in attending Call Back for the excuse to hang out with 25 or so other VSOs. Call Back is the second part of the In-Country-Training and it’s purpose is for participants to discuss and vent about all problems associated with their living situation, the local partner they work with, and VSO as well.  The discussion was at times very parochial and tedious with minute details examined in excruciating detail.  However, most of the other participants’ placements are 1 or 2 years long, and, in fairness, things that might not bother me over six months can become a far bigger nuisance for long-term volunteers. 

One interesting moment in the conference came on the morning of the second day. VSO staff thought it would be ‘fun’ if each nationality could perform a traditional dance from their country.  Fun!  So up went the group of 5 Kenyans, then 4 people from India, 4 Dutch followed, and even the Ghanaian staff took their turn.  Before the group of 10 or so people from Britain were about to perform, as the only Canadian in the room, and the only person without a country contingent, I could feel the eyes of the room turning to me.  Unable to think of any traditional Canadian dance, I frantically tried to remember the words to ‘Land of the Silver Birch’, preparing myself to pass it off as a traditional Canadian poem.  “Land of the Silver Birch, Home of the beaver. Where does the mighty moose wander at will? Blue lakes and rocky shores…..Boom-didi-a-da. Boom-didi-a-da. Boom, boom, boom”.   Or was there only one boom?!?!?!?!  Oh no!!!!  Without great certainty, I seized the moment, claiming that my Irish and British lineage should allow me honorary citizenship.  Some curious eyes questioned me, but with great relief I joined the group from Britain and happily jumped around like a fool in a British dance.  

On Saturday a group of about 10 of us returned by bus to Accra.  On the way to Tamale our bus suffered a punctured tired and we were delayed a couple of hours as a new tire was found and replaced.  The notion of ‘making good time’ is a rarity by road in Ghana, and even without another puncture the last 30km of the return journey from Tamale to Accra took over 3 and a half hours- in total 16 hours to go 700km.  The rains have arrived in Ghana and the danger of flooding means the condition of the roads will only get worse.  Thus, long and longer bus trips are in my future.  Couple the delays with the Nigerian films- overacting exemplified- that blast on every long-haul bus, and traveling in Ghana can sometimes grate at your sanity.  While it’s difficult, there’s no sense in struggling against the conditions; and complaining to the point of exasperation only makes it worse.  Trying to submit to and appreciating the experience, being equipped with a good book, music, pen and paper, and most of all time on your hands, are the best solutions I’ve found so far for travel in Ghana.