Have a word

Coming to Ghana will undoubtedly lead a number of fantastic adventures and interesting stories as a new culture, climate and continent will often provide things that you would never ever see back at home. Sometimes endearing and sometimes frustrating the one thing you can never call Ghana is uninteresting. Certainly those who come and leave Ghana will always remember the people of Ghana, generally regarded as the friendliest of West Africa. The interactions with the locals often bring some of the funniest heartwarming stories that the volunteers tell. Certainly these interactions have their impact on the volunteers who often begin using the local expressions or slang used. Here to help those who have just arrived or for those just about to are a few expressions and there meanings that were chosen by the volunteers.

"Oh Charlay" It has a number of meanings and can be used in a number of ways it is often said by Ghanaians to show a sign of shock or to basically say "Oh dear". Molly Byford

"How is it?" Basically it means "How are things going?" or "How are you?" often strangers just walking past will shout it out as greeting, the thing is you end up saying it yourself to people. Katie Morris

"Flash me" This simply means give me a missed call so I can get your number and keep in contact. When the first person i met demanded that I flashed them I was a little surprised until they explained what it meant. Jo Sorrentino.

"Tea roll" This can turn out to be very useful as in Ghana Toilet paper is called - "Tea roll" in emergency circumstances when its what you need urgently and the shop keepers don't understand what you mean when you say toilet or bog roll then you'll be glad you know. The first time I asked they looked at me with total confusion it was only after a friend told me what it was called that I knew what to ask for. David Meechan

"Ahaaaaaaaaaa" This is the Ghanaian sound indication agreement/ or understanding with what has just been said. At first I found it really irritating but then I ended up saying it myself and expecting everyone to know what I was on about. David Pike