I Went To West Africa For Work And Came Back In Love With The Music

A Memorable And Adventurous Time During My Work Trip To Ghana

Bed Weighing Down On Me

I only had one full day off, so I needed to make the most of it. This Sunday morning was fierce. For 30 minutes, I lay in bed, completely wiped of any motivation. *Why even bother*, I kept asking myself. *You’re just going to be awake the whole day and be exhausted for Monday*, which was a huge work day.

I was busy visiting my student’s host families the previous day in Accra, Ghana. The experience was marvelous and nerve-wracking. I’d never done home visits before, and as a new American in town, I tried my best to squash the nervousness people had around me. My mission was simple: learn as much about the on-program experience as possible.

After some home visits, I spent the evening exploring the historic Black Star Square. One of my favorite memories from this was basking in the warm 80+ degree fahrenheit February weather. 2023 was freezing my butt off, but this work trip felt like a momentary vacation. As I gazed at the ocean shore, gratitude made my heart warm. If anything, I should make the most out of it.

Reminiscing on yesterday’s highs, I gathered up the courage to get my body up. It was time to have fun, whether I liked it or not.

The views during this hike were magnificent | Courtesy of the author

An Unforgettable Tour

When I got up and dressed, I double-checked my text conversation with the touring agent. We’ve been in contact about the departure time and pick-up location. Luckily, I saw a vital notification when I checked my phone. My driver would be a couple of minutes late. *No worries*, I thought. This pending delay would give me more time to prepare mentally.

Once the time struck 6:15 AM, I headed downstairs to find my driver in the parking lot. Walking to the parking lot, I saw him trot towards me. There was a moment when we stopped, looked at each other, and said one another’s names to check. There weren’t many people outside, so it was apparent we were the two people for the tour.

He was remarkably young and small in stature, probably in his mid to late twenties. I was struck by how similar to me he looked. If I were born and raised in Ghana, I would probably be in his shoes (I did some tour guide work in college, so that comparison is even stronger than looks).

The day was the most memorable I’ve had in years. Each hour was jam-packed with some activity, tour, eatery, hike, or adventure. I was constantly bombarded with new smells, voices, languages, and historical facts as we perused 16th-century castles and walked through busy street markets.

My group was small, with there being just three of us. It contained myself, my young tour guide, and an older lady, probably in her 40s, who was in Ghana like me on business for the week. She also had a day off and wanted to make the most of it. Her kids were also in high school, so when we talked about work, she was especially interested in the high school study abroad programs my organization delivered.

Car Tunes

On the way home, we zoomed through National Highway 1, passing local beggars, fruit stands, and burning bushes. The narrow and, at times, dangerous road was the raw and unfiltered Ghana landscape I’d read about and was grateful to see with my own eyes.

From time to time, our driver would stop by the side of the road to buy local tomatoes, onions, and bananas. The prices were incredibly cheap when you were far out from any major city, he’d say. Our driver later told us he’d share the produce with his friends and family back in Accra.

It was a long yet eventful 12-hour day, and the night sky was approaching. Our driver started playing some jams to keep our energies high and the mood upbeat. West African DJs or musicians partially performed these songs.

The other part was mainstream American classics like “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion and “It’s Gonna Be Me” by NSYNC. He was covering the top 40 Billboard hits from the last few decades. It was great.

My favorite moments were when he would pull songs from West African artists I knew. I distinctly remember when he put on “Bandana” by Fireboy DML.

*Bandana plays as the driver is bobbing our heads and singing along.*

*Music stops*

“Man, that was something else,” I chimed.

“Yeah,” Our driver agreed.

“I love that song!” I said, happily exasperated.

*Grins* “Want to hear it again?” the tour guide asked.

“Ooh, you bet!” I yelled.

*starts the song from the top and cranks up the volume*

Bandana

“Bandana” is a triumphant song about perseverance and actualizing your dreams. Fireboy DML and Asake are two rising stars in the Afrobeat genre. Leading the charge on the song is Fireboy, who channels his inner Tupac on the braggadocious tune. The emotive strings on this song add sincerity and humble elation as the rhythmic beats move the track forward. It’s a fun, colorful, uplifting tune with many sing-along moments. “Bandana” was one of the primary singles on Fireboy DML’s third album, Playboy.

The song was a confident burst back onto the scene. In it, he had a clear message: Work hard to be remembered for a very long time. The power of the singles on this album put him on my radar, and I’m having the most remarkable time exploring his earlier music. Fireboy has always been gifted musically, with impressive covers, emotionally honest lyrics, and effortless yet melodic flow. Once I heard “Bandana” in the car, I learned how universal and magical this song sounded.

The ride back to my hotel in Accra from this memorable day will always make me smile. After that, the driver and I discussed his life, aspirations, and dreams of working in Europe or America. “I need to get out of here,” he moaned at one point. That statement nearly broke my heart, but I encouraged him never to give up and continue trying new ways to work and travel abroad.

I passed along my contact information if he wanted to talk or review new music. In addition to the life talk, I thanked him for the great trip and even better playlist. He was just about the best car DJ I’ve ever heard in person. I was honored to be on his tour that day.

During the chorus of “Bandana,” the background singers, Asake and Fireboy, unite and sing, “dem never see me comin’, Mo gbe wan in is coming” at the top of their lungs. In unison with our band leaders, the driver and I raised our arms and shouted the lyrics with the same conviction and commitment. The moment felt divine like a little piece of their confidence and fearlessness seeped into both of us despite how exhausted we both were.

The electricity of the music erased his fears about being unable to move from Ghana. At the same time, it diminished my frustration about the long work week ahead. Right then and there, our futures were the brightest they have ever been, and everything we wanted to accomplish was right in front of our eyes, within arm’s reach.

During that part of the sing-along, I knew I made the right choice getting up from bed that morning.