The Grandparents Cometh

''Skip to the part where I get jelly beans.''

There comes a time in a young person's life when they must leave the nest and find their place in the world. Sometimes, the nest comes back to them -thus went the visit of Mr. O's parents to Ghana.

When Mr. O was a student, his parents were not the most eager to join him at the university campus. But now with fine digs, a vehicle and Little Miss, Grandpa and Grandma anxiously awaited their first trip to the continent.

Mr. and Mrs. O also anxiously awaited their arrival, as they packed plenty of goodies from the homeland, including car parts and various cheeses (mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan) - all ridiculously expensive in Accra and often of inferior quality.

Grandpa and Grandma took quickly to life in Accra, trying the chop bars, going to Makola Market for fabrics with a tailor and commissioning their own artwork: a giant wooden crocodile/oware board. Grandma wanted something for the garden and clever Grandpa realized that it could hold a dozen beer bottles for gatherings.

Both handsome AND handy.

More importantly, they enjoyed traveling throughout the country immensely, by car, plane and pirogue. They soaked up the beaches, ventured (alone!) into the massive warren of Kejetia Market and went on walking safari at Mole in the North.  This also got Mr. and Mrs. O out of the house as well . (More stories to come)

Most importantly, they got to bond with Little Miss, who took great delight in Grandma and Grandpa (especially their secret stash of jelly beans). For Little Miss, the family unit in Accra is very tight and while regular skype calls keep her memory of extended family relatively fresh, Mr. and Mrs. O still are not sure how she processes them in her head. At least they will be fresh in the mind when the family returns home for the summer. Until then, the eternal summer of Ghana continues.

Vacation at Club Med(ical facility)

Warning: actual destination may be different from the one advertised.

It has been a busy new year for the family. They just returned from travels, but before getting to that, another story must be told....

Looking at the calendar, the family had spent a few months in Accra and was hitting the point where expats feel the need for a change of scenery. In the winter months in Africa, the natural place to go is Cape Town, South Africa. As a first world city that is both beautiful and affordable, it is somewhat of a magical place for expats here. (The food! The service! The walkability!)

Everything had been arranged: plane tickets, hotel on the water and plans were made to take advantage of Cape Town's food, flora, fauna and cultural activities. Mr. O in particular had the city at the top of his list for nearly a decade.

The day before the flight, Mrs. O started to feel a bit off. As obrunis do, she quickly went to the clinic for some tests. The results would take a few hours, or so it seemed. Long waiting ensued. (The vague Ghanaian refrain "Please, it's coming" also applies to medicine)

The evening of the flight, the results finally came in and several doctors on two continents were consulted: either Mrs. O was having an off day, or she was about to have a serious medical issue that required immediate attention, including surgery. The decision was not easy, but natural - stay in Ghana and confirm the diagnosis. So four hours prior to the flight, the call was made to cancel.

The next day, the expected emergency materialized and Mrs. O was admitted to a private hospital, where she underwent surgery that day. The family's week-long stay on the water turned into an extended stay for one at a medical facility.

Being treated at one of Ghana's best private medical facilities with world class doctors is a great privilege: it includes European-trained doctors who are experts in their field, a clean, private room and immediate attention. Being a Ghanaian facility, there were still a few quirks: there was no patient chart, so none of the nurses knew who Mrs. O was or why she was there; the "I need assistance" button was out of reach, so when Mrs. O needed to use the washroom, she had to scream repeatedly until someone took notice; and hospital food is still hospital food.

Thankfully, friends and colleagues jumped in to help Mr. O: handling work deadlines, offering home-cooked meals and watching Little Miss while Mr. O went for hospital visits. In an expat environment, they say that one's colleagues become their family. This was most definitely the case for the family and they were glad to have them.

Ghanaians aware of Mrs. O's condition also showed a deep concern and asked after her on a daily basis - even the neighbour's guard who got the gossip sent some extra freshly-cut bananas. In many cultures, it is customary not only to ask "How are you?" but also "How is your family?" and "How is your health?" This experience gave a little insight into why.

A few weeks later, Mrs. O is back in shape and the family is on an even keel. While they are still waiting for their trip refund (please, it's coming), they are looking at the spring for their next opportunity for a change of scenery.