Market Mommies

Now this is what I'm talking about!!!

Yesterday (01/07) was one of those days that I've been waiting for. We finally got to go to the market and I loved it! It was like I was back home. It was PACKED. There were people everywhere selling everything and nothing. But before I get into that, I need to comment on some health issues we discussed in class earlier.

So we had this woman come in from one of the University's to talk about family life and general health care in Ghana. She talked about the national health care system, the family structure in Ghana (nuclear, polygamous, and extended) and explained the make up of patrilineal and matrilineal lines. The first part of her talk was, for me, a little disappointing. I guess I'm using the wrong word, but the one thing that kind of bothered me was when she discussed polygamous families and kept it within the Muslim context. I had spoken to one of the staff about marriage and polygamy and was informed of the fact that many people (not just Muslims) practice polygamy in Ghana. It would have been nice to have heard this from her. It was interesting to hear about matrilineal families. I had seen this documentary on CNN International about a town in India where the women practice polygamy. Nice. I couldn't help but think about this when the professor talked about matrilineal societies. But I've digressed.

I'm still a little confused about the Nations Health Care Insurance. I don't know if it is free, or what. And it doesn't seem like everyone is for it. . .yet people have been mentioning it a lot. Another very interesting aspect of the professors discussion (regarding health in Ghana) was the increase in noncommunicalbe diseases such as cancer, hypertentions, and diabetes. She says this is because people are leading more of a sedentary lifestyle and mentioned the effects of urbanization and westernization. But malaria is still the highest cause of morbidiyt in the country. You know. . . .it is getting harder and harder for me to understand why malaria is still around. What's even funnier is the perception of malaria. In the states we see it as this terrible terrible disease that can kill you once you get it. However, if you have the flu its ok cause you just have to let it pass, sweat it out, or take some flu concotion that your grandmothers sisters husbands mother created. The flip side in some African countries: you get malaria? Eh. Its normal, everyone gets it. You get the flu? Oh, you are done for. Write you're will and say goodbye to everyone. Funny. I'm not trying to say that either is unimportant. My point is that the realities we live in vary greatly and what may seem like a huge problem in one part of the world is not necessarily the same some place else. I hope this makes sense. This needs to be addressed some how, I don't know.

So back to the market. It was fantastic. The assignment was to go into the market and interview people about their views on health and disabilities. This was a little hard, mainly because we had to build some type of rapport with people first and some of the questions were a little personal. I had a chance to talk to a woman who sold cloth. The hardest part was trying to stay focused on the questions and not look at the stuff I wanted to buy. I know. . .I can't help it. But she had some really nice stuff! Again, the place reminds me of Cameroon, especially Douala. I know I should not be making comparissons, but I can't help it. It all seems sooooo similar, even the way the market is set up: tight lanes; same products offered by different people all sitting together in a row; the smell of smoked fish, raw beef, and conch all mixed together. This is actuallly the first time I ever had to consider how a person with a disability would be able to find their way through a place like this. But people make do, no matter if they have a disabililty of not. And to top things off, entrepreneurs are EVERYWHERE. People will grab whatever they can, but it on a tray or on their heads and sell it. And I'm talking everyone: young, old, disabled. . .amazing.