 All right, hello and welcome to another episode of the vlog. It's not just another episode because we have a new setup, as you can see from Gabi's face. Yes, I have my camera. She has a camera. And we have a camera. Yes. I'm very excited. Good. OK, so as you can see from the title, Elaine is going to be talking about the advantages of living in Ghana. As a Dutch person. OK, so the context is somebody in a C-section. No, don't let this thing become a thing. If it is already a thing. I'm going to make a T-shirt with C-section. See you in the C-section. No, no. Somebody in this comments, commented, whether I can talk about the advantages of living in Ghana as a Dutch person. Yeah. OK, cool, duly noted. And I can talk about that. However, I cannot speak for all Dutch people. So it's weird to me to say like I'm going to speak as a Dutch person on why Dutch people should live in Ghana. I can share my experience. You're going to talk about your experience, yeah. That makes sense. And of course I can compare Netherlands in Ghana, but I'm not representing the whole country. You know. Yeah. So why? OK, for me, it's not like I was always destined to end up in Ghana. So how it happens. You think so? Yes. Maybe I was destined for it, but it evolved over time. So I came here first for my master's research to do for my thesis. So I worked at a radio station where this man also worked. That's how we met. And that was a really great start because I lived on campus at Lego on Compass, which was really nice because then you meet a lot of people of your own age. So I could really get to know, OK, what are young people doing in our craft? Also a lot of international people, so it was a cool mix. And then the work at the radio station was also very nice because every day I would learn so much because the news would break. I would literally be in the newsroom all day. The news would break. We would discuss it. If there was anything I wouldn't understand because, yeah, I'm a foreigner, I could just ask because journalists really like to talk and they really like to answer questions and they really like to discuss. So it was always very lively and it was very dynamic. So the beginning of your journey was immediately you found community, both on campus where you lived and where you work as a city. And I think also the fact that I started in the newsroom gave me a lot of background into why things are the way they are in Ghana, what are current issues, like why are things not changing or are changing. And it was just a great introduction. Very immediately into the deep. When if you come to as a tourist, then you only see the nice places. You probably meet a few Ganeses, but you don't have in-depth conversations because it's just brief moments. But now I was actually working somewhere. I was actually living on Composier. I actually had the time to dive in deep. Not to say I understood everything, but at least it was a good introduction. So that really helped. I found community really quickly, yes. What I also like is compared to Netherlands, in the Netherlands we like to plan things. You have to get ahead. So this is point two. Point two. Planning versus. Spontaneity. Yes. In Ghana you can, you don't plan too far ahead, which gives you this flexibility. It makes you way more flexible because you wake up on Saturday and you're like, what do I feel like today? Do I feel like going out? Do I feel like watching a movie? Do I feel like, I don't know. You can just be more in the moment while in the Netherlands you plan maybe one week ahead or two weeks ahead. Or maybe some people even plan a month ahead. And for me, it kind of goes against my nature because I want to be really excited about what I'm gonna do. And if you plan that far ahead, how do you know that on June 22nd, you want to go for dinner with this and this and this friend? For me, it doesn't really worked that well. I think in the Netherlands I also didn't plan that far ahead. So you were a Dutch person who had a broken calendar? Well, after the first time in Ghana, I definitely went more into being in the moment and what do I want to do right now instead of all this very much planning in your head like how will the day go? It's also makes you a bit stuck because you're not flexible and like, okay, you know, like at 11 I'll do this, at 12 I'll do this. It just makes you a bit stuck in your ways. One thing I admire is the commitment when people plan. Oh yeah, that's true. Yeah, I mean, what I've seen at least when they do show up even though they plan like three months ago, they are very much, or they were very much looking forward to it and they are in the moment, they are very present. They are very like, you know, this is something I have to do. I think there is more commitment in meeting people because in Ghana, things are spontaneous. It's also like, oh, can you hang out tomorrow? Like yeah, and then on that day it's like, oh sorry, something else came up and then it's like, oh. So that's true, that's another side of the commitment but I do like that I'm more in the moment, more in tune with what I feel like doing. I still plan things but it's a bit more low-key and so when I came back to Ghana I moved for a job so that makes, that gives your job a bit more weight because if you moved countries for like your work, it better be good because otherwise, if you're being miserable in another country, like that's a whole other ballgame than when you just have a job you don't like in your own country or comfortable in your life. So what I really like about Ghana is that in the workplace it's relationship-oriented. So there's always time for, and how are you, like how's the family, how are you really doing? I think that there's like focus on the person instead of the task makes it easier for me to settle in and to see the added value of working here because the people I meet, yeah. So the relationship-oriented approach to life is really nice. You network very quickly in Ghana. People are quickly like, oh, we should do something or let's go do lunch, especially in the workplace. I have, I actually, of all the places I worked, I always left with one or two friends because you bring yourself into the work. Wow, I feel in the Netherlands for the time that I worked there, it's very task-oriented. We're like colleagues, we're colleagues. It's uncommon for colleagues to be friends, friends. Yeah. Than it is in Ghana that colleagues can see each other after work or do more than just... Yeah, and especially if you're a foreigner and you moved your whole life to be in a place, it's nice, it's gonna feel like, okay, I'm actually adding value in my work but also in the workplace. So that also helps to make you feel at home. And in general, I believe that it's good for anybody to live outside of your own country because the fact that you learn about, you will learn a lot about yourself. Yeah. About the ways you have grown up with. Yeah. Because in the Netherlands, everybody is kind of in a Dutch setting. So you do think it's a certain way. It's just how things are. But once you step out of your own country, you suddenly realize, oh, why are, like, oh, they're doing it different here. Why am I actually doing it the way I was doing it? Yeah. Does that actually like... Is that the right way? Or I can... Is that for me? Yeah. And then I shift it maybe to like a mix of how they do it in Ghana, how they do it in the Netherlands, or do I like the Ghanaian way more? So it forces you to really grow and also step out of your comfort zone because nothing you know is common for you. So you have to learn. I think it's very humbling. And also the fact that suddenly you are the other and in Ghana, they call you a prunee. That's also very humbling experience because it's... So if you like your comfort, then don't... If you like your comfort, if you like your routine, if you like your realities as they are, then... But then even if you like all that, I think you should still live abroad or live somewhere else, even if it's just a different city. Really. It exposes you to, okay, how do I do things? What do I like? What do I don't like? It kind of reinforces you to question all these things that you normally wouldn't question. So it gives you a better sense of self. Okay. Because suddenly you're in a different context. You're like, hmm, how does this actually work for me? Instead of what am I used to? So you really have to step out of your... Comfort zone, yeah. Yeah, and I always say, if friends come to visit Ghana or visit us here, I say, you come to Ghana for the people. You don't, honestly, I think you don't come to Ghana for the safari, like the Moli National Park or the elephants or these things. You come for the people. When you go from A to B, that is what adventure is in Ghana. Yeah. Like, who will you meet? How will the journey go? Even if something... Everything is so... It's almost uncertain, like... It's very uncertain. Yeah, and unpredictable, not in a bad way. Yeah, but that's the interesting thing about Ghana. You don't know how you're going to get from A to B. Let's say you're going to travel to Acozombo. Let's say you want to go by Churchill. You don't know who you're meeting at Churchill, but you might end up with a really nice conversation or you might end up with somebody who later on you're like, oh, you exchanged numbers and later on you meet and I cry and it's a friend. It can happen like that. And even if things go wrong, like I've had ones that I was here with my mom and my sister were visiting, we're at Cape Coast. Just outside of Cape Coast, we were on our way back to Acozombo. The car broke down. In the Netherlands, ah, you go, call the, I don't know, the service line. Yeah, then the other bus will just come and pick you up. Maybe like two hours later, they'll come and pick you, but you will definitely not move with that car quickly. Ha, we found a mechanic. You fixed it. My mom was sitting in a chair. Everybody was trying, like everybody in the shop was trying to accommodate my mom because she was like, senior, senior. So she had to sit and get water and all these things. People make sure you are comfortable in there. Garnets are very warm in that sense, very polite. If they see you looking around, at least if you look for them like me and they see you looking around, they will come to you and say, are you okay? Like, do you know where you're going? Are you lost? Yeah. Especially when I was in Kumasi, people would always come to me like, because I would go look for things and I couldn't find them. And then they were like, where are you actually going to? So it's a good thing. Yeah. It really, the warmth of it is really nice. And I'm not sure if Garnets value that as much themselves, but because I look from the outside in, I appreciate that. I think as a Garnet, it happens for Garnets as well. However, most Garnets would attest to the fact that when you are lost at a place in Ghana, it's more the demeanor and how you relate to the people who could help you, that will get you helped. As opposed to when you're a foreigner and they know you're a foreigner, they come towards you. But as a Garnet and when you're lost in a place and you came to pass three times and they didn't greet anybody. Yeah, okay. No, but it's just how you're going to get help. But it's just funny how quickly, like even in the most remote places, you will get help. Yeah, it's like, it's a weird thing. Like, yeah, I never actually really thought about it, but for your car to break down in a place where you think it's like nowhere. Remember when we went to meet me there and there and the car overheated and we went to the side. It was just before Kitta. Yeah, the first car, yeah. And out of nowhere, a mechanic popped up. Like we asked, there was a house there and then I think he went there to ask. Yeah, and one of the chances that the house, the cargo spot in front of, we asked whoever was there and oh, I know someone or I am a mechanic myself. Yeah. Like what? But even this week, so I took a boat to work, then I sit in the boat, we start to drive, then the car stops working. I'm like, oh, sorry. He's like, okay, I have to get this fixed. I'm like, okay, kindly cancel, it's fine. Do you need any help? He says, no, I'll be fine. So I was like, okay. Then I went to do the house to wait for the next car. Then I come out of the thing and there's a mechanic under that boat. Yeah. And it was like 620. In the morning. In the morning. Within the eighth minutes that I ordered a new car, there was a mechanic under the car. And this was not the neighborhood. At 620 in the Netherlands, if it's not a 247 service, which you're gonna probably pay double for, yeah, you probably have to get a train and leave your car there. Yeah, so that's kind of, I know that sense of community that also has disadvantages because people also look at other people like, what are you doing? So there's a bit of, there's that as well. But for me, it's wonderful that people are looking like keeping an eye on each other. And if you need help, whether it's with your car or whether you are lost or you need to use somebody's phone because your phone is dead, it will happen. You don't know how you're gonna get there but it will work itself out because people are so warm. I think that's really nice. Yeah, so that's one of the things as well. Is there any other that you wanna share or that's about it for now? Okay, I'll ask you what, this will be the final so that we can just wrap it up. What kind of Dutch person do you think should explore living in Ghana? I mean, wherever you're gonna live, be open-minded. So be like willing to learn about yourself and also about Ghana. There's not of course not one truth about Ghana or living in Ghana but for me, I really enjoyed like talking to so many different people from the taxi driver to people at work and be curious. I think it's very important. Be curious without assuming that you know the answer because the longer you are in a... I'm gonna put on the screen. I'm gonna put on the screen. This one I'm gonna put on the screen. Be curious without assuming that you know the answer. Yes. She likes me to put stuff on the screen. But also, I lost my train of thought. I had a really good point. Sorry. No, it's gone. It was really good. OK, yeah. So be curious, open-minded. I think that's the most important thing. Anywhere where you live. It's not about Ghana. I apologize. Yes. That's what it was very important point that's most. What kind of people? Yeah, open-minded is the most important thing. And try to really reflect. Because even though you think, oh, I'm coming here to do XYZ. Because you're one, you're a foreigner. Yeah. Two, you bring whether you're white, black or anything. You'll bring that along in your interactions. I'm a woman. So for me, I'm a foreigner. People see me as European. I'm white. I'm a woman. I'm young. That all brings interactions. Yeah, and then the expectations and the reactions from people. How do you navigate that? I'm more aware of my appearance now because I've lived in Ghana. I know what I bring along in every interaction I have. And I'm aware of it. And it's good to be aware of it because then you can navigate it better. Well, if you're always in your comfort zone, always in the Netherlands doing what you're used to, you'll not grow. You never get to experience these things, yeah. It's important. So I think open-mindedness is the most important thing. And yeah, people always, when I sit in the boats or the taxi, people, I like to ask how long I've been here. And I was like, since 2019, for a little bit, and they're like, ah, that's a long time. Are you married? And I think it's so funny because, yes, I'm married to Ghana. It is a very important thing of why I'm here. But it wasn't not initially the reason to move to Ghana. But people don't believe that. Often people think that you came because you found somebody here. Yes. You came back because you found somebody here the first time you came. Yes. As if love is the only good reason to stay somewhere. It's a great reason for work and experience. Yeah, it is more than just that part of my life that makes me want to stay here. Don't come looking for a partner. Yeah. OK, so I think. I hope that answers your question, guy in the C-section. Please, if you have more questions for me, drop them. Or for Kwame, that's fine too. OK, so yeah, we're going to end this one here. I hope she sold Ghana enough for you. Please come to Ghana. Come to Ghana. Yes. It's a beautiful place. Yeah, and yeah, we're going to end this video here right now. Oh yeah, I didn't even talk about beautiful, how beautiful Ghana is, like outside of the people. Yeah, I mean, locations that you do see. I think you should put some filter rage in the scene. No, no, no, I'm not going to do that. You check out some of our vlogs. Some of the places that we take. Yes, we have a lot of travel vlogs that show how diverse Ghana is. Yes, check out some of those. I'll put them in the link. Check it out. Put them in the link. Put them in the link. OK, bye. Thank you for watching. If you have more questions for us, please let us know. Then we'll check the C-section and we'll go from there. Lord, I'm out. Thank you. I'm out. Bye-bye.