When you are starting to be an expat in AFRICA (in one of the most developed African countries such as Ghana), you will discover some nice sides which will make you thanks “god” to be there… or wondering how to escape !!!!

THE GOODS SIDES OF BEING AN EXPAT IN AFRICA…

You are used to eat cheap lobsters with french fries under an umbrella on the beach every week ends.

You are given the chance to teach many thingsyou want (even sometimes without a diploma ): french lessons, zumba, aqua gym,sewing lessons… (see activities categories on the page”my french teacher part”)
You never do cleaning except if you feel like doing it… which happens one day a year, no?
You have people who help you for everything: cooking, taking care of children, driving, ironing, cleaning… seems like you live like a star, or a princess doesn’ t it?
And yet, you do not have to wear as a princess: you take 5mn in front of you dressing cupboard to take a short or coton dress and not even necessary to put make up and steels here ! It is so hot that it will not last anyway during whole day long and roads are often with dust and sand…! you do not use pull over, gloves….whateer the season!!
You realize that you conduct like african people now… and you’re no more wondering how to cross the traffic circle of the Place de l’Étoile in Paris !
Ghanaian people are helpful and very nice
Children go sleeping very early and so you do since it’s night at 6 pm till 5 am.

You would like to be cold and put the AC at 10 ° one day to wear some pull over and put a big quilt on your bed …
When you realize that you forgot to put on your shoes -because you do not really need at home- but you have black feet because it s always dirty with the Harmattan wind and pollution even if your house is cleaned everyday.
Power outage happens everydays and if you don not have a generator you have no more light and air conditioning…
You wake up and have no water to take your shower and so you use 10 bottles of mineral water to wash yourself and kids…

You are happy to go to the supermarkets as Marina mall and Shoprite because you can meet other women expat (since there is no much more shopping to do here…)
You dream to do shopping in ZARA and FNAC even if it was in “the Halles” in Paris on a saturday crowded afternoon.
You are happy that Nespresso came in your town even if one capsule cost 1 €.

You pay an average 50 dollars the kilo for french cheese.
You try to make libanese friends (who have mostly all the supermarkets and gaz station) in order to have fuel or water just in case of shortage

Most african people with VIH , rabies, polio …are not under treatment
Mosquitoes spread malaria, from infected to healthy people :

Life cycle of Malaria

Mosquitoes in Africa…

Malaria transmission
You pay 400 dollars for a dental treatment
There is malnutrition and people beg for 20 cents to drink and eat at traffic light and you can’t help everybody and change the world…

In Africa, (ghanaian) like driving on the left side of the motorway you do not know why… and pass that car on the right….ok lets do the same…

They drive on the 2 sides of the road in one direction and do not care if you can not take the road in the other side… and you get mad!

You would like to walk in a street without sand, dust and mud on your feet, garbage and plastic bags scattered all over the ground…
You dream to go to Sao Tomé, a wonderful amazing small island for 3 days but there is only one not secured flight company which goes there 2 times a week only…