Life as an obroni

When you are a white in Ghana, you can nothing but expect some special treatment. The most obvious thing is the children who in a robotlike fashion turn their heads with their eyes wide open and chant "Obroni!". When Ghanians get older they, in most cases, manage to control themselves and not chant but to a certain extent the headturning is still there, even though they try to mask it as just passing by.

When you speak to a Ghanian person you can always expect them to smile at you. Sometimes it is because you say something funny or that they just happen to be happy, but I suspect that they actually think you look kind of funny in your mere apperance. It's not hostile in any way, but sometimes I get the feeling I could get away with saying anything, it's always slightly amusing and never troublesome.

You will also get used to a lot of honking. Taxi drivers seem to think that you always want a ride and honk to make sure you notice them.

I have even managed to spread some of my whiteness to Mrs. Just by walking next to me at the fishing harbour she automatically attracted women carrying baskets with huge fish that they wanted to sell to her, being white I obviously could pay. All the other women had to walk up to people before being offered fish, and often much smaller fish aswell...

Basically you feel very welcome but sometimes, it must be admitted, the honking gets on your nerves...