Once upon a time, Yesterday, to be precise, I had my first encounter with the famous Malaria self-test. Not for me, though, but for my dear colleague and friend Lisa who could hardly stand up in the pharmacy especially when that old guy with those shaky hands needed three attempts to pinch her in the finger and press out some blood. I stood there in the almost darkness, holding his phone in my hands in order to provide some light and then, of course, one part of the test fell on the ground. Lisa was just hanging there in my other arm and this whole scene seemed way too bizarre to be true.

Negative is positive. It was a strange and yet embarrassingly familiar feeling, staring at this little plastic stick, hoping that the second line would not show. And it did not. So we thanked the guy (that I met again today in the TroTro, surprising me by asking in a very considerate way how she would feel today; yes, he was considerate but I didn’t like the way in which he insisted on prescribing her some medicine against Malaria – why would you fight the symptoms and deceive potentially further, necessary tests just because you believe in some kind of undisputed power of pharmaceutical industry?) and left, going back to her new place, where I left some bread and egg for her to gain back some strength. How I got this is another very lovely episode:

Yesterday I started working at WACEE fair (which actually has the slogan „not just another fair“ – after two days I still haven’t found out what this apparently „very special fair“ characteristic should be) at the International Conference Centre which is close to Lisa’s former apartment. I knew that she used to get the most delicious bread and egg which is another popular street food on the same level as Indomie (or as Döner in Berlin <3). So I was asking my way thorough, telling a shop assistant about my friend who might have malaria and feels very weak who then called her daughter to take me to a place where I could get her beloved bread and egg. Her daughter might have been 14, carrying her little sister of one and a half on her arm, talking very politely with me, gathering all my tiniest Twi-knowledge together. She led me into a narrow alleyway which ended in a little backyard where half a dozen women were sitting on little stools. I explained them, half Twi, half English, Lisa's situation and said that they would surely know her, an Oboruni just like me. They did know her and called her Adjoa, the Tuesday born, they even knew how she liked her bread and egg. I was stunned. I was sitting there among those women in this private backyard and they were chatting with me and treating me like I was an old friend, not the rude and spoiled Oboruni, but somebody they like to be nice with. I enjoyed that little, coincidental encounter, paid and took the bread and left onto the street.

Luckily, Lisa is feeling better now. I am convinced it was the power of the bread and egg which is way more powerful than any item of the pharmaceutical industry. And of course, the goodwill of those women.
Ironically I am feeling quite bad now, coughing, having a sore throat, even though I was running around with a scarf all day, looking terribly ridiculous. I shouldn't have watched "Hello" again, I was crying like a Baby, sobbing onto my pillows which slowly dissolve in mouldiness and an unbearable odour.

The fair has been a lot of fun, though. It is an experience. Especially when people approach you like this: "I want to ask you a question which is not work related: I want to marry a German lady. What am I supposed to do to make this happen?" Ohhh boy. You asked the wrong German lady. It was a feast of argumentation. I was in 7th debate heaven. At the latest when I said "So you say you want to marry a German lady because they are smart. So that means Ghanaian ladies are not smart or what?" and he began to struggle and stammer and look for words I knew that there was just missing one final hit to knock him out: "I am sorry but I think your approach is absolutely egoistic and irrational. You want to marry someone just because of their nationality which means just because of your own personal and professional advantages. This is pathetic and ridiculous, I am afraid I cannot help you." 1 for me, 0 for the lonely heart guy.
Then, of course, you have the polite but persisting guys that want to convince you of having a younger husband who cannot offer you anything is just not good for you. "You know what? Women in Germany do know very well how to take care of themselves. I don't need a man for that and moreover I like younger man because they are more fun. Thank you, see ya". Throughout the fair, this thing developed in some kind of game, a little race, a surreal debate that had a very controversial foundation. I haven't really got yet why so few people on that fair behave professionally. Or why professionalism here seems to have a completely different definition. Anyways, he have talked a lot within the last two days and also made a lot of really nice and relaxed contacts. There was this Chinese guy today, Michael, who couldn't really get over the fact that I did not have a German but a British accent just because I watched every episode of "The IT crowd" (which he actually knew and THIS was extremely likable). He told me that the Chinese go crazy about this one German series which I didn't even know, starring Martina Hill. He said we all should go for a beer sometime and I said as German I would always be in for a beer.

The lines are getting blurry now. I am really starting to feel dizzy. What is this, why are those tropical diseases or infections always so weird? I think I need a shower. And some tea. And a good night's sleep.

I was also crying today when I watched this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JozAmXo2bDE
Not because I was sad or felt reminded of some dark chapter hidden in a remote corner of my past but because I was just happy to see it. Because apart from all social, political, economic or ethical issues, those people created something big and unbelievably beautiful. They really kick ass. And they deserve so much that the band is actually playing for them tonight. You really know how to rock, Cesena. And how to move me.