My unfamiliarity with the culture here made me feel more and more like a stranger, But the constant reminder from people about how i talk, my origin, the way i behave and even how i respond to situations differently can be overwhelming sometimes.
I have always imagined the experience of a new and different world from that which I was brought up with. Upon my arrival in the United States, I was very free spirited. I will be smiling and saying good morning to anybody I see on the street like how we do it in Ghana, but I realized they ignored me, on my lucky days some people will sarcastically stare at me like I am crazy then respond but I was at least glad they responded. I am sociable but not so friendly. I observe a lot and easily adapt to change quit impressively at least so have been told.
On one occasion I was at work at 7- Eleven store, when a customer asked for change for $50 note. As usual in the store we never keep big notes in the register, so I didn’t have any change right about that moment.
“Your gat change”, the customer rudely asked, shaking the $50 note in my face. I responded,” sorry sir I don’t have any change in my register right now”, raising his voice “You don’t get change” he repeated, I replied, “No sir”. He angrily picked up a candy costing 0.89 cent right In front of me and said to me he wants to buy it. I was smiling then I said to him “sir please I really don’t have change for you”. He smashed the candy in the floor as he murmurs. When he opened the door on his way out, he yelled, “you motherfucker African bitch, go back to your country”,
I was shocked, continuing my job to serve other customers I could hear these words ringing in my ears “…. Go back to your country”. I wondered why he will say that.  As I pondered over his harsh words. I was deeply hurt. He was a Black- American guy who often comes to the store so I was thinking to myself what made him go to that extent.
After weeks went by, he came to the store and this time he came to apologized. “I am very sorry for the way I acted, I said somethings I shouldn’t have said. I am sorry for telling to go back to your country”. OMG!! Putting my thoughts together and hearing him repeat those words I was just looking straight into his eyes and with a kind smile I replied, “that’s fine I have heard you, but guess what I am never ashamed of where I come from and who I am”. I continued to tell him about my beautiful country Ghana, Gave him some interesting stories. I was proud to tell him Ghana is one of the most peaceful country you can live, I said you don’t be looking over your shoulders in fear of who is going to point gun at you or something, to let him know how proud I am of where I come from.
I asked him to join me on my next trip to Ghana to experience new culture and some great tourist sites like the Boti falls, Wli water falls not forgetting the cape coast and Elmina castle to learn some history about the slave trade, where it all began and how it happened.
I was very glad to help him understand people may come from different background, look different, speak different yet we are all one people especially “US” he and I.
Lauren: Instead of just telling me, instead of just summarizing – create a scenes that SHOW me how Americans treat you. Show how they treat you like a stranger.
You have 3 scenes here:
• The demanding and rude man at your 7 Eleven job
• Your free-spirited way of being when you are in Ghana.
• The way people treat you with sarcasm and even ignore you when you act in your Ghanaian free-spirited way here in America.
Start with a story with scenes and dialogue. Start a new paragraph when a different new person speaks.
1.
Here in America, I am constantly reminded that the way I talk, my Ghanaian ways, and even how i respond differently to situations is not American. People’s rude behavior can be overwhelming sometimes and makes me feel like a stranger in this country.
On one occasion I was at work at 7- Eleven store, when a customer asked for change for $50 note. As usual in the store we never keep big notes in the register, so I didn’t have any change right about that moment.
“Your gat change[? not comma]” the customer rudely asked, shaking the $50 note in my face.
I responded,” sorry sir I don’t have any change in my register right now”,
raising his voice “You don’t get change” he repeated,
I replied, “No sir”.
He angrily picked up a candy costing 0.89 cent right In front of me and said to me he wants to buy it.
I was smiling then I said to him “sir please I really don’t have change for you”. He smashed the candy in the floor as he murmurs. When he opened the door on his way out, he yelled, “you motherfucker African bitch, go back to your country”,
I was shocked, continuing my job to serve other customers I could hear these words ringing in my ears “…. Go back to your country”. I wondered why he will say that. As I pondered over his harsh words. I was deeply hurt. He was a Black- American guy who often comes to the store so I was thinking to myself what made him go to that extent.
After weeks went by, he came to the store and this time he came to apologized. “I am very sorry for the way I acted, I said somethings I shouldn’t have said. I am sorry for telling to go back to your country”.
OMG!! Putting my thoughts together and hearing him repeat those words I was just looking straight into his eyes and with a kind smile I replied, “that’s fine I have heard you, but guess what I am never ashamed of where I come from and who I am[period inside quote]”. I continued to tell him about my beautiful country Ghana, Gave him some interesting stories. I was proud to tell him Ghana is one of the most peaceful country you can live, I said you don’t be looking over your shoulders in fear of who is going to point gun at you or something, to let him know how proud I am of where I come from.
I asked him to join me on my next trip to Ghana to experience new culture and some great tourist sites like the Boti falls, Wli water falls not forgetting the cape coast and Elmina castle to learn some history about the slave trade, where it all began and how it happened.
I was very glad to help him understand people may come from different background, look different, speak different yet we are all one people especially “US” he and I.
2. In Ghana, people are very friendly. [Create a scene showing you in smiles and saying good morning as you would in Ghana.]
3. When I first arrived in America, my friendly free-spirited way makes people sarcastically stare at me like I am crazy then respond but I was at least glad they responded. [Instead of just telling me, instead of just summarizing –What is the reaction? SHOW me how people “ignore” you. When was this? How old were you?]
I observe a lot and [I have learned to] adapt. {Now that you have learned about American ways, what do you do when someone is rude to you? Most importantly how does feeling that you do not belong effected you in your education? IN school?
SO NOW — What have you learned about yourself? About your two worlds and your identity? Has this made a difference in your educational journey?
Hey Laurencia, I’m so sorry you had to experience such a rude comment while just trying to do your job. At least he had the decency to come and apologize for what he said. And next time you go to Ghana take me with you lol. I’d love to experience the different sites.