When you visit another country whether it is for a fun adventure or exploration, you’re usually there for two to three weeks maybe four, and while you can get a lot of touristy things done in that time frame, let’s be honest; there are certain things that you will not get to fully experience in terms of the lifestyle and culture of the place.
I’ve been in Ghana a little over three months and what started as a trip for both my sister’s wedding and Detty December turned into an extended stay that has opened my eyes and mind to so much about this beautiful nation.
In this series “Diaspora Diaries” I will highlight noticeable differences in culture and lifestyle compared to life in the United States. Some things will be deep, and some will be as simple as “Wow Ghanaians eat a lot of eggs, and the eggs are not refrigerated!”. Actually, let’s start with that one.
Ghana isn’t the only country that consumes copious amounts of eggs. Granted. In fact, according to Helgilibrary, “based on a comparison of 165 countries in 2021, China ranked the highest in egg consumption per capita with 22.0 kg followed by Mexico and Japan.” So there are 165 countries that have high consumption of eggs per capita and Ghana isn’t even in the top five.
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Living in Ghana, however, you would think that the statistics are incorrect, but you must factor in the size of the country as well as the population.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love eggs and my favorite is the boiled egg with pepper and onions sandwiched in between but, I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a culture shock seeing them sold as delicious snacks on the side of the road. Speaking of said egg-pepper snack, it is oddly similar to “deviled eggs” in the States (but these taste way better).
Another egg-related culture shock is the fact that eggs do not need to be kept in the refrigerator. I was a bit skeptical of even eating them at first until I had fried eggs and sweet bread one morning. The “Chibom” as it’s called was one of the best things to ever touch my tastebuds.
I did some research and found out that in many countries it is normal for eggs to remain unrefrigerated but in nations like the U.S., it’s the law that eggs be refrigerated because of bacteria and Salmonella.
Being one of the less costly alternatives to protein, it is understandable why Ghanaians love their eggs and find creative ways to enjoy them. It is most definitely a strong part of the culture, and I am embracing it with open arms.
This is just an opener to the many experiences I have had in Ghana. I will be sharing all of them with you so keep your fingers crossed.