An Interview with a Registered Nurse from Ghana, Who Now Lives and Works in the United States

1. What Do You Enjoy Most About the United States?

• I think it is well structured with a good transportation system, good roads, and clean environmental hygiene.
• There are good educational opportunities
• The United States has reliable electricity
• The transportation system is good

2. If you can change anything about living here in the United States, what would it be?

• All the taxes. I live in Massachusetts, which is often referred to as “Taxachusetts.” In Africa, they do have taxes, but they are much lower. There is only one tax, and it goes directly to the government. You also only pay taxes on your house once in Ghana, not several times a year.
• The problem of drug addictions.
• The bad weather conditions.
• The health care here in the United States is much better than in Ghana. What I mean are the troubles that insurance sometimes gives you when you are trying to get a specific doctor or specific treatment. The paperwork and things you need to do to get that can be complicated, and sometimes you are even denied what you need.
• There is little self-respect for others, especially the elderly. In Ghana, we give our elderly preferential treatment giving them the respect they deserve. Today’s generation in the United States lacks respect for themselves and the elderly. In Africa, young people show respect for all elders, even if they are not related. A child is raised in an extended family and learns respect.
• They would never even imagine talking back to their elders and are taught to not look in their elder’s eyes when speaking to them. This is done out of respect.
• When you go shopping in Ghana, you can always bargain the price you pay. You never pay what is written on the price tag. In Ghana, there are open-air markets where it is effortless to bargain because they have fresh vegetables and fresh meats, and they want to get rid of them as fast as they can. There may be ten people selling the same thing, and they want your business, so they are all yelling for you to buy from whoever has the lowest price, and even then, you can still bargain them down. This is hard to do in the supermarkets, but easy in the open-air markets.

3. Are there places that you can go to celebrate your African culture and traditions? If so, where?

• I go to New York City, New York City has many places where you can get real African food, and they also have places where you can enjoy African music and dance. I also find that I can connect with my African culture in the church.

4. How often are you able to return to Ghana to visit with your family?

• At least every two years.

5. Please include any other thoughts or experiences you would like to share.

• Once again, there is too much tax in the United States. Although you earn money after taxes by the end of the month, you are left with nothing.
• There is also no discipline in the United States.
• There are less self-respect and dignity and a lot of foul languages here as well.
• People in the United States need to learn good manners. We would never think of speaking badly of our elders or talking back to them in any way.

© EthLeen