If I have to describe Wa in one color, it would be Sandy Brown. The whole city is covered with sand, and most of the buildings are also painted white or brown, so this really is the most adequate color for the city. There are trees and bushes, but not a lot, and only occasional flower trees. The northern parts of Ghana are mostly desert land, and being at Wa makes me feel like I am in the desert, hence Sandy Brown.
ワを色で表すとしたら「砂色」だと思います。街全体が砂で覆われていて、建物もほとんど白か茶色なのでこの色が一番街に似合っています。木や茂みはありますが林の様にあるわけでなく、花が咲くものは少ないです。ガーナの北部はほとんど砂漠ですが、ワにいると本当に砂漠の中にいるようなので、「砂色」と表現しました。
There are splashes of color here and there, however, that are pleasing to the eye. Take, for example, the picture of this mosque near my host family's house, which is painted yellow. My host family's house itself is painted green. It really stands out, and so people know where I am staying when I say I live in the "Green House". The women also wear beautiful scarves and skirts with bright colors, which really adds to the scenery.
とは言っても、鮮やかな色彩はところどころにあって目を楽しませてくれます。例えば、最初の写真にある近所のモスクは黄色く塗ってあります。ホストファミリーのお宅は緑に塗ってあります。とても目立つので、「緑の家に住んでいる」と言えば大抵の人に伝わります。また女性は鮮やかな色のスカーフやスカートを着ているので、更に風景に色合いが良くなります。
I thought I would share two stories today related to colors...
今日はそんな「色」に関するお話を二つ紹介したいと思います・・・
Story 1: Red Flowers
Let me start first by explaining that Ghanaians are very social, and always greet each other in passing and ask how the other is doing. I like this atmosphere a lot and find it heartwarming. Now that I am learning the language, people get very excited and happy when they hear me greet them in Walle/Dagaare.
However, at times it is difficult to tell whether the person is being friendly, flirty, or malicious. A few people that speak English in the area like to stop me and ask me to go over to their house to talk. The women are wonderful - they usually help me learn the language and teach me a few phrases. The men, on the other hand, can be tricky. They either want me to become a friend and ask for my number and escort me somewhere, or they ask me to "help them" because I am a foreigner and a volunteer. Then there are the children who are constantly calling me "Nansara Nansara" (=White person) and would not stop. Or they ask me "Give me money so I can buy cookies" and I just have to smile and say no.
第1話：赤い花
まず最初に、ガーナ人はとても社交的で、道ですれ違うときもいつも挨拶をして相手の様子を聞きます。この雰囲気は個人的にとても好きで温かい気持ちになります。特に今は現地語を勉強しているので、ワレ・ダガーレ語で挨拶をするとほとんどの人がとても喜んでくれます。
ただ、時に相手の人が親切にしているのか、ナンパしているのか、悪意を持っているのか分かりにくいときがあります。近所で英語をしゃべれる人はよく私を引き留めてお家に招きます。女性は本当に素敵です。大抵の場合は現地語を色々と教えてくれます。男性の場合は少し勝手が違います。友達になりたくて電話番号を聞いたり「エスコートするよ」と言ってくる人もいれば、私は外国人のボランティアだから当然彼らを「助けなければいけない」と言われることもあります。また、子供たちも「ナンサーラ、ナンサーラ」（＝白人）と何度も呼んできて止めません。もしくは「クッキー買いたいからお金ちょうだい」などと言われて、笑ってダメと言わなければいけない始末です。
Now, I'm not actually offended by any of these things because I can see where they are coming from. Most of the time it's not like they have ill intentions. The fact of the matter is, I am a rare foreigner in the area, it's news, and they want to be involved. I've learned to dodge their strange offers or questions, and my host family, language teacher, Sam and others have also advised me on how I can reply to some of their requests and who I should be careful of.
However, just because I don't get offended or upset does not mean that it is not tiring... I constantly have to use my head and question the intentions of the person while still maintaining a friendly and open attitude. This can be exhausting.
まあ、どれも原因は分かっていて納得できるので怒ったりはしません。大抵の場合は悪意はないと思うのです。ただ、この地域で珍しい外国人が来て、それは一大ニュースでみんな関わりたい、というだけです。ホストファミリーや現地語の先生、サム、その他の人たちにこういう状況を相談し、どの様に返せばいいのか、だれに気を付ければいいのかなどアドバイスももらっています。
ただ、怒らない、傷つかないからと言って疲れないわけではありません・・・常に頭の中で「この人に他意はあるだろうか」と考えつつ接しやすく感じ良くいなければいけないのは、少々疲れます。
Anyways, yesterday I was feeling really tired and walking home from work on a hot afternoon, when a little girl came running after me yelling "Nansara! Nansara!". I turned and she suddenly gave me a little bag filled with red flowers. I was really happy at first, and then it crossed my mind that maybe she wanted me to buy it, but she said "Take it". I double checked with her just in case... "This is for me? Really?" and she nodded, smiled, and ran off to her sister.
This completely made my day and made all the previous experiences worthwhile. Thanks to one girl who welcomed me with such beautiful flowers!
、昨日は特に暑い午後でかなり疲れて仕事から歩いて帰っていたのですが、後ろから「ナンサーラ！ナンサーラ！」と女の子が呼びながら走ってきました。振り向くといきなり小さな袋に詰まった赤い花束をくれました。最初はすごく嬉しかったのですが、もしかしたら買って欲しいのかしら・・・と考えていたら、「持って行って」と言われました。念のため「これ、私に？本当に？」と再度確認したところ、笑顔で頷いて、後ろで待っているお姉さんのところに走って行きました。
こんな嬉しいことがあったので今までの経験もなんのその、すっかり元気になりました。こんな可愛いお花で私を迎えてくれた少女に感謝！
Story 2: Black and White Integration
I have started going to ProNet North, the NGO that I will be working with, since Tuesday to learn more about the organization and get settled in. The staff have been in and out due to various projects, but I have slowly started meeting all of them. They have been really warm and welcoming and I am really looking forward to working there for the next two years.
第2話：白黒の調和
今週の火曜日から私がこれから配属されるプロネット・ノースと言うNGOに行って、組織のことを勉強しています。スタッフの皆さんは様々なプロジェクトでオフィスを出たり入ったりしていますが、少しずつ全員に挨拶しています。みなさん本当に温かく迎え入れてくれて、これから2年間そこで働くのが楽しみです。
Anyways, today I met a woman called Rabi who works in the office. As we were shaking hands, she was commenting on how black her skin is and how white mine is and the contrast of colors when we shake hands. A man who was behind me who works for a broadcasting company immediately caught onto this and took a picture of our hands. He said this was a symbol of integration and people of different color trying to get to know each other. I liked how the picture turned out so I thought I would share this with all of you on my blog.
I am not an expert on color, but I do believe that the colors that you see, notice, wear, react to, etc. say something about your character or how you are feeling. My favorite color used to be periwinkle when I was a young girl and liked to keep quiet in general. For a while, I used to say my favorite color was "Rainbow colors" because I couldn't choose. For the past few years I've found that green is the most soothing color for me. I don't know what this all means but it's definitely interesting to think about.
私は別に色の専門家ではありませんが、でも見る色、気付く色、着る色、反応する色、等など、人が関わる様々な色がその人の個性や感情を少し表すことはあると思います。まだ静かで大人しかった子供の頃は藤色が大好きでした。その後はしばらくどの色も選べなくて「虹色が好き」と言っていました。ここ最近は緑が一番落ち着く色となっています。それが何を意味するかは分かりませんが、考えてみるとちょっと楽しいです。
So what is the color of your city? What color best describes your mood? Has your favorite color changed since childhood?
Tomorrow I will finally get to see the apartment where I will be living for the next couple of years. I saw pictures and the walls are sky bule. Exciting!
Next time I hope to talk a little bit about the Sounds of Wa, or perhaps the Tastes.
Til next time!
Hikaru
あなたの街はどんな色ですか？あなたの今の気分を色で表現すると？子供の頃から好きな色は変わりましたか？
明日はやっと今後2年間住むことになるアパートを見に行きます。写真を見ましたが、壁の色は空色です。ステキ！
次回はワの「音」、もしくはワの「味」について書きたいと思います。
それでは、また！
ひかる
Have we talked before about how when I was growing up my answer was "rainbow" too? then it was blue-green or peacock-blue (not sure how to describe) for years and years. still is, but now i'm also into plummy purples and recently i really dig fiery orange-red.
ReplyDeletei like the idea of a series of sensory posts :)
Oooh, I went through a peacock-blue and blue-green phase as well, though maybe not as long as you. :) I personally think that fiery orange-red suits you well (and made me smile when I read that!)
ReplyDeleteSo, due to some unforeseen events, the next one is not a sensory post, but I would like to make that a series if possible! (i.e. watch out for later posts, haha)