Black Privilege is a Thing.

Here in Ghana, Black Privilege is a thing. 

On average, I see two white people per day.  The only diversity that exists in Ghana is the different tribes that are represented:  Akan, Ashanti, Fante, etc.  It is becoming easier to figure out the different tribes, but only very slowly.  When someone sees me and another white person at the same time, they automatically assume we are related, "you look alike."  Ummm, you mean we have the same color skin?  Because that is the ONLY thing I would say is similar.

Black Privilege is manifest in many ways and is typically exact oposite of White Privilege.  Black people get MUCH better prices on just about everything from taxi fares to food and wares.  I have learned how to fight with the taxi drivers to get a fair price, but it is really hard when the difference is a couple of bucks.  It means almost nothing to me, but it A LOT of money to them.  When Zak hears that I paid 10 Cedis for something that should have been 5, he gets irrate.  But we are literally talking about $1.67 and I just can't fight over it.

Everyone assumes that because I am white that I have a money machine in my bag that prints money at will.  I can see how their perspective would make them think that.  To me, a couple hundred bucks, while substantial, isn't a life-altering amount of money.  However, the equivalent to a typical Ghanaian is food for his family for half a year. 

For example, take my experience yesterday at church distribution.  Due to subsidies, the price of garments at Deseret Clothing is drastically reduced in Africa.  Rather than try to find a way to wash and dry my garments, I took the opportunity to get some new ones.  I stopped at an ATM on the way to the temple and took out the equivalent amount of money I would need to buy a weeks worth in the US, a couple hundred Cedis. 

I got what they had and they rung me up the total:  26.76 Cedis, roughly 9 bucks.  WHAT?!?  I thought there was an error.  Nope.  I told them how much we would pay in the US and the sister nearly fell off her chair.  She said that even paying just under 2 Cedis ($0.60) per piece is a trial for most of the saints here.

A few days ago we stopped for some beef kababs.  Zak told me to wait while his cousin went to buy them.  Why??  If they see you, they will charge us double.  Zak says this happens when we are getting a taxi together, but he has no shame in arguing for the buck or two.  It's part of his Black Privilege.

One of the other things that is so interesting is how many men want to be my "friend."  Some are appropriately friendly, some jump the shark early and ask me to take them to the US within the first three sentences of our conversation.  If I lie and say that my Ghanaian husband would not approve, then they say they are looking for a white girl to marry.  As if I have access to a whole slew of white girls who want to marry Ghanaian taxi drivers.  I am so grateful that I do not have a local number, because I get asked for it ALL the time, by men I have met for like 42 seconds.  But never when Zak is with me.  Again, Black Privilege.

Ghanaian women will only talk to me if Zak is not around.  If they see that I am with a Ghanaian, they give Zak dirty looks and say things like, "what? Ghanaian women aren't good enough for you?" Or, "oh, you have a white girl and now you think you are better than us."  If they don't know that I have a Ghanaian boyfriend, they are the happiest and friendliest women.  So wierd!