Day 11: Accra Artist Market

Yet another early morning. Breakfast was at 8AM and we left for the Artist Market at 9AM. I’m tired, but I don’t want to miss a thing! The Artist Market, I’ve heard, can be very overwhelming. It is similar to a flea market with several stands in a small space. The difference being the selling technique. These sellers are quite aggressive. They will grab your hand and try to pull you into their shop, they will follow you through the market and try to sell to you and if you so much as look at an item or touch something they will basically put it on you saying “it’s yours.” (But, it really isn’t because when I walked away with it and said “thanks!” they weren’t too happy. Who knew?!) Also, as in many developing nations, the norm is to haggle for prices. Being an obroni (white, tourist) I will always get quoted a higher price – sometimes a ridiculously higher price. You have to barter and haggle to get to the price at which you’re comfortable buying. I’m not much of a fan of this process. At any rate, I ended up with some wood carvings, a drum, a dress, 2 bags, a shirt, and loads of jewelry. I keep telling myself some of it is gifts…I just don’t know which items because I want it all for me!

When I came out of the market, I was looking for my bus and realized I had been left! Luckily, another bus from our program had just rolled up so I caught a ride back with them. We drove the Accra Main Square to purchase some other items and it was a crazy madhouse. Tons of people everywhere – on the street, on the sidewalk, in the street. People selling everything from Raid roach killer to tennis shoes to kebabs. There wasn’t anything I have ever needed in my life that wasn’t for sale on that street. After an hour there we headed back to the hostel.

I went for a walk with a friend here and decided to get my hair braided. We walked past a woman in a field who was doing hair and asked her if she could do my hair and how much. Yes, and 7 cedis. I choose a brownish-red weave and sat down. Three hours later I now have me some fancy braids. I like to fit into the culture I’m in. Plus I am going to a wedding tomorrow and I wanted to have something ‘fancy’-ish for it. Woo!

I enjoyed a later dinner and made plans to go out dancing. Plans were foiled and I ended up hanging out in my room again chatting it up – which is OK because tomorrow I have to be up early, again. The wedding is during church service so we must leave by 9AM. Wish I could have one day to sleep… I guess I can do that back in Austin. For now there is fun to be had and experiences to experience.