Sleeping Under the Stars



As I walked past my neighbor sleeping out in the open air because the evening was too hot to sleep inside, I rehashed the internal conversation I was having about perceptions about Africa. Now him sleeping outside surrounded by burning citronella swirls was just cool, I am going to put that out there, as the moon shone and made everything light I wondered if I was a bit newb for having my fan right by my bed, and also for having my light disturb the darkness.

The main conversation about  how the western media portrays Africans started in the room of my colleagues’ lovely, well educated fiancé—she and I shared a scrumptious meal of T.Z and soup. It was when we were watching the Ghanaian news channel that I objected that THIS was not what I saw in Canada of Africa. THIS—as I hastily described to my hosts was an Africa where people (Africans) were making intelligent decisions, holding parliament, and conducting business. I saw men and women with power, poise, and ultimately a voice— never once in that broadcasting did I see starvation, poverty, or flies. I was flabbergasted and so was my colleague as he interjected, “well why not? Why don’t you see this?”—and he was almost offended. I said basically because this is not what the media shows us (and I might add now that I think back on it, I feel almost coerced by the media on this regard). “Well can’t you watch Ghanaian news for yourself?” this was a very valid point but I responded that as a university student there is hardly time, and plus there are many Canadians who probably don’t even know where Ghana is.

So as my neighbor lays outside below the moon, I wonder if maybe I turned off my fan and my light I could hear and see Ghana clearly.