The Merits of Hoarding Cheese

Living in a different culture gives one an opportunity to experience and embrace a new way of living. However, it also makes one homesick. To cope, people start sailing clubs, Irish pubs, ultimate frisbee leagues, etc.

"Special price"? Spoiler alert: $2.79 = GHC 9.

In Ghana, this happens at the most primal level with food. Where can someone get a decent cup of coffee? Which store has the best Norwegian salmon? And could you bring back some cheese when you are passing through Amsterdam?

Accra is blessed with a rapidly-increasing middle class and stores to accommodate them. Supermarkets bring forth a variety of fresh and frozen goods unimaginable ten years ago. It is said that you can get anything in Accra if you are willing to pay for it (and are not too concerned about quality).

Which brings us to cheese. Westerners enjoy cheese, but in Ghana, they crave it with an unholy desire. Any respectable party has a fresh baguette and a wedge of brie or Roquefort and any salad worth eating is garnished with feta. In addition to flying to Europe or South Africa, many plan a long weekend in Togo and a trip to the French supermarché is obligatoire.

Expat gots to have his chai latte chiller, son.

Coffee is another must-have, as it is uncommon in West Africa. Ghanaians mostly drink tea, Milo and Nescafé, with a handful of well-traveled locals enjoying a fresh brew. So expats bring ridiculous amounts to ensure that they are never in short supply to feed their addiction (this includes coffee pods, the latest craze). In fact, it was in Ghana that Mr. O first had his first cup of the devil's drink (with friends who were dying for some) and his consumption has only increased.

The strangest must-have food may be Nutella, which is ridiculously expensive. Back home, neither Mr. nor Mrs. O ever had it in their cupboard, but seeing the price of a jar in Ghana, they picked up two kilos on a trip home and now it is a regular part of their diet (and an easy treat for Little Miss).

This is all very irrational thinking. But it happens. Innocuous grocery items suddenly become positional goods and become desirable simply for their inaccessibility. So when one goes to the store in Spain, they immediately think, "This is SO cheap! It would cost twice as much in Ghana! I SHOULD, NAY, MUST BUY THIS." Eventually, one finds oneself at the airport lugging a giant suitcase of jamon iberico, kilos of gouda and boxes of instant oatmeal plus a purpose-built styrofoam box filled with a dozen French wine bottles - this does not feel strange, because every visitor is hauling their own suitcases of "essentials".

So smile at your fellow travelers and just remember: they're probably hauling just as much Nutella as you are.

This should cure Mr. O of his homesickness.