You’re Invited!

I love that Ghana is a very communal country, especially when it comes to food. Ghanaians love to eat! If someone you know or have met is eating around you they will always use the key phrase, “You’re Invited”, and allow you to take part in their meal. At home people can be a bit stingier at times lol. With that being said, I want to tell everyone about my Ghanaian friend Priscilla.

            Priscilla and I met in my Community Organization class. I sat by her on the first day and we immediately became friends. She was so sweet and accepted me as her friend right away. I told that I had a friend in the U.S. also named Priscilla and she said, “Well then we are already friends”. Ghanaians are also very hospitable people. Whenever someone is a visitor in their place of residence, they will always offer anything that they have to give. When I visited Priscilla’s dorm room for the first time she was sad that my friends and I had taken water with us because she wanted to offer it to us upon arrival. Instead she gave all of us fresh pineapple. :-)

            At the end of our visit she invited us over again to cook lunch together, and yesterday that’s exactly what we did. Unfortunately, I had to miss most of the preparation because I had class =/, so I’m a little jealous of my friends Brittany and Baindu for experiencing the fun part. The girls made Kontomere  (a local dish very similar to spinach) with egg and bean stew, boiled plantains, and boiled yam. It was extremely delicious! When we were all full Priscilla told us that we didn’t eat enough! Lol. She is such a sweet, wise, and fun person. I know that our friendship will go beyond my time here in Ghana.

            It’s so great the way food brings people together. Whether it’s for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas or just enjoying a meal with some friends late at night or on a Saturday afternoon. In Ghana it definitely contributes to the overwhelming sense of community that is embedded into their culture. When someone that offers their food to me I know they have accepted me. I like the phrase so much that I know it will stick with me when I go home. So if you ever see me with some food be prepared to hear the words, “you’re invited!”