Accra, Ghana Report of what it's like to live there - 11/04/19
Personal Experiences from Accra, Ghana
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
No, we have also lived in Ethiopia and Jordan prior to arriving in Accra.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
DC. Nice direct flight to IAD on South African Airways (codeshare with Jet Blue) that takes about 10.5 hours. Other flights usually connect in Europe or through New York.
3. How long have you lived here?
Two years.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
US Government.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
All US Embassy housing is close, within a 10 minute drive and walkable if not for the heat. Mix of compounds and stand alone houses, quite a variety of sizes and quality. We are in essentially a duplex which has good square footage (5 Bed/3.5 Bath) but is a bit narrow without much natural light and no yard. We've had a few maintenance issues but have generally found GSO to be pretty responsive. All houses have generators as during some seasons there are regular outages.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Fruits and vegetables are plentiful and good quality. Some imported items are rare and more expensive (broccoli, strawberries). There are some larger South African grocery chains that have decent selection and pretty good availability. Brands will be different but you can find stuff. This is a consumables post and we do use DPO quite a bit.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
We had a pretty good idea of what to bring, cleaning supplies and soft toilet paper plus favorite brands if that's what you need. Have been able to get by pretty well.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Delivery through Jumia is very common. There are some good restaurants in the Cantonments/Airport Residential neighborhoods that are a bit pricey. You can find quite a bit of ethnic food although they all tend to be run by Lebanese.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Ants have been an issue for us, have to keep all food sealed. Mosquitoes are a big issue when outdoors in the evenings and mornings, make sure to take your med!
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
DPO.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Quite cheap and hard working. If you don't find the right fit at first there are plenty of other options. Most folks have cleaners, some also use cooks and drivers. And of course nannies. Rates vary depending on living arrangements/transport/etc., but full-time it would probably be no more than US$350-$400/month.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
Embassy has a very mediocre gym with tiny locker space. There are a lot of active sports groups most of which are a mix of expats and locals. Running, mountain biking, tennis, yoga, boot camp, softball, ultimate disk, surfing, you name it. Ghanians are a sporty people even if that requires working around less than ideal facilities.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Seem to be widely accepted at restaurants and larger grocery stores, I avoid. ATMs are all over and are safe with standard precautions.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
A lot. Religion seems to be a major past time/industry here. Billboards and posters everywhere advertising prayer meetings/days of miracles/end of times. The culture is very religious particularly Christian with all denominations represented. Muslims have numerous mosques as well. Most services seem to be in English but are likely a mix with local languages (and tongues!)
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
Not much although to call Ghana and English speaking country is a bit of a half-truth. Quite a bit of pidgin and thick accents are tricky.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Taxis and Uber are ok, I would avoid tro-tros, the crowded minibuses that ply the major routes.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Something sturdy that can take a licking! Although traffic can be bad here at certain choke points it is not the unbridled chaos you seen in many other capitals. In addition, Ghanians are pretty chill, generally respect lanes, and let people cut in. Being in a big SUV isn't necessary but it it is nice to be up high and it is not particularly hard to maneuver in most parts of Accra. Mechanics are pretty good although you sometimes need to ship in parts.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Yes, can be set up within days of arrival.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Local providers are pretty good and cheap. WhatsApp is ubiquitous.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
One really good vet at the nearby military hospital who does house calls and is inexpensive. No quarantine, we brought a cat. There are some strays running around but not many. Our cat did pick up some sort of infection that just got worse until we had to put her down.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
NGOs or at embassies. Not easy to get a work permit but it does happen. There are a lot of longterm expats here that seem to make it work.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
Quite a few although not as easy as you might hope. Sometimes background checks required which is good but might just be an impediment put in place over the fear that volunteers do work that locals should be getting paid for.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
A lot of ties but business casual is ok. Many wear traditional dress in bright colors and prints, even non-Ghanians.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
We've felt very safe here. Usual precautions of course but very good freedom of movement. I walk around the neighborhood to go shopping, visit barber, etc. Even running through poorer neighborhoods I've never been harassed or had any problems other than getting lost.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Heat and harmattan (dust storms) are difficult for some. A lot of burning of trash but with winds from the ocean the air is, if not clean, then at least not smog. Malaria is an issue, most acute care needs medevac but we have a good orthodontist/dentist we use here.
3. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
Peanuts (groundnuts) are very popular here and, as mentioned, the dust and smoke haze can be bad for those with asthma.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Hot and muggy almost all of the time. Rainy season give a bit of a respite (July-Sept usually) but not much
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
Main expat choices are Lincoln Community School (American curriculum, IB program) and Ghana International School (British system). There is a newer Muslim school doing IB as well. We've been pretty happy with LCS at the middle school and high school levels. Good teachers, generally a good mix of challenging academics and holistic development. Impressive extracurriculars, especially swimming and other sports but also a Saturday academy for music and art lessons.
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
Have a specialist who helps accomodate different learning and behavioral challenges.
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
Quite a few, haven't used.
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
Yes, soccer academies and drama productions.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Quite large from a lot of different countries. Morale is middling to good. Some struggle with Africa, those with experience on the continent appreciate that Ghana is pretty manageable relatively speaking. Accra can be a bit sleepy, kind of a make your own fun post so that is an issue for some as well.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
Sports, the school, cultural activities. Vibrant art scene and a lot of crafts.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
Seems to be good for singles, lots of dating for all genders. There are always the visa asks just like everywhere else. Teenagers do ok, there is a mall and some kids do go out and about. Other expat parents seem a bit more lenient on the party scene than is typical for American teens so sometimes that is an issue. Accra itself can seem boring or at least more of a small town.
4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
I haven't seen overt hostility but the culture is very conservative and the "homosexual agenda" is a frequent political punching bag for all sides. As an expat probably not an issue but the LGBTQ community is not very visible out of fear of mistreatment.
5. Is it easy to make friends with locals here? Are there any prejudices or any ethnic groups who might feel uncomfortable here?
Ghanians are very friendly and outgoing. There is still some distance there though, maybe due to such an emphasis on family or tribal bonds. Have only been invited to a Ghanian home a handful of times.
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Not really although the locals complain about Nigerians all the time.
7. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Going to the Volta Region to hike to waterfalls; beach trips, direct flights to Sao Tome.
8. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Ote Falls, searching for nesting turtles at night at Ata Foah, mountain biking at Aburri Hills.
9. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Yes, kente cloth, batik and local style outfits. Monthly handicraft fair at the WEB DuBois Center near US Embassy.
10. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Safe, pretty cheap.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
Heat is really tough to deal with. Amount of trash at beaches and everywhere else.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Probably. Tough first year but things have improved as we've settled in.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Winter clothes.
4. But don't forget your:
Patience and bug spray.
5. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
Homegoing, a novel by a Ghanian-American author Yaa Gyasi.
