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Aminat A. Akangbe

Engl 1302

Professor Golden

March 1st,2019

Not All Closed Doors is Locked

Life in another country, from an outsider’s perspective, may seem interesting and easy. However, the challenges for every region are unique and customized for that specific village or region. Different people face different cultures, upbringing styles among other things while growing up in their local countries. This paper focuses on the life of Andrew Aboagye from Ghana. Andrew explanation and emotions, when asked about life in Ghana, have a lot to say about growing up and living in Ghana. This paper presents a narrative essay about the interview with Mr. Aboagye, he talked about where he was born, primary challenges he faced with clothing, how his family helped, and 0how survived in the village.

Mr. Aboagye was born in a small village at the heart of Ghana called Dago in the Akuapim south municipal which is in the eastern region of the country. Aboagye was born in this village in 1980. Andrew starts by explaining that his name is derived from the day “Wednesday” meaning that he was born on a Wednesday. Aboagye Was born to peasant farmers and his father who also doubled as the village hunter was a renowned man in the village. Aboagye was born fifth, in a family consisting of 9 children. Aboagye explains that growing up with the siblings was arguably the most difficult time of his life. With four other siblings coming too fast; before he even stopped breastfeeding the sixth child was born. School was not a priority especially for the older siblings; two of these siblings had joined them further as apprentices to ensure the continuity of their father's reputation and legacy as the farmer and hunter of Dago. As much as animals caught by the hunter and his apprentices were enough to generate good income, there was never enough food as the fourth child had chosen the education path after the third got married off early. andrew explains that there are times they would all go to be hungry and still manage to smile the next day for the entire day until their dad caught an animal in the forest.

The primary challenge as he explains was poverty. Andrew’s father was known as the most generous man in the village. Andrew would never forego a chance to donate something. Aboagye explains that he grew up knowing that you don’t need much to offer help. Growing up Aboagye was hardworking based on the upbringing. Andrew explains that from the ages of 12- 17 he had to ensure that he brought a sack full of Napier grass for the cow every morning before school and evening after school. Andrew says that failure to not bring the grass would earn him a beating or simply be denied super.

Aboagye explains that the only thing that held the family together and brought him happiness is the cohesiveness of the family members. Andrew explains that growing up he felt loved regardless of the number of siblings sharing the love from the two parents or the poverty that slowly sacked the life out of them. Growing up was not easy for Aboagye based on how much they had to work to make ends meet. Andrew explains that at 7th grade, he had to join the workforce considering that his father had been diagnosed in what they called old age sickness at the time. Andrew would get lost in the bush as he continued to hunt until morning,

Aboagye explains that his survival was inspired by the love for volunteering and working in the church. This is because most of the days they would all eat at the church before going home. Andrew mother was known for his ability to discipline her children. The villages used Aboagye and his siblings as role models for good behavior across the village. Andrew later joined the school at the age of 7 years. School life was difficult considering the new environment and the language barriers considering that he was used to talking the Akan lingua. Aboagye explains that survival throughout pre-school was the most challenging. Being the smallest in all these classes, he was bullied both at home and school. Andrew explains that bullying at the time was not regarded as bad as it is now.

Another challenge that made life hard for Aboagye was the housing problem. Considering the state of their finances, they were all crowded in a small hut between the years of 1983 and 1990 before his father took a loan from the village merry go round in 1990 and built a two roomed house with a kitchen fitted in between the two rooms. Andrew explains that his father's house was the funniest looking in the entire village. The kitchen was fixed between the two large rooms also doubled as a bedroom for a large number of children while the girls used the room adjacent to the kitchen and the parents took the other. Andrew explains that this house stands to date regardless of the years. It has however been modified to keep the animals they still own. Due to the housing issue, Aboagye would sleep on the kitchen floor on a papyrus reeds mat. As a result, he inhaled allergens that he says led to his asthma diagnosis. At his age, the condition was not widely understood, and at school, he would be criticized for the large sweaters and clothing he put on.

The most important of these challenges was clothing. Aboagye explains that he started owning a pair of trousers or shots at the ages of 6 where he had a pair of trousers and some shorts. The trouser was researched for church missions. Andrew explains that most of his clothes were donated by his older brothers and were therefore oversize which intensified the ridicule he faced as a young boy. This is what prompted him to keep studying instead of playing with his peers who had set out a mission to humiliate him. Andrew explains that even the school uniforms were donated most times.

Survival in the village is hard considering that Aboagye had to work for over twelve miles for school and trek the same distance going back home. In 1996 he won a scholarship that saw him transfer to Accra and joined Accra Academy for the O and A levels. Andrew life in this environment was fairly easy considering that Aboagye received food in plenty and also played football hence enjoyed a special diet. In 2002 he got another scholarship being the best performer in his former school, and he joined Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Throughout the interview, Aboagye constantly refers to his beloved mother who passed on before he joined MIT and his dad who developed dementia considering he was still old by the time Aboagye was born. Andrew brothers had moved on with their lives. Some of the siblings especially the older ones were now married and with children of their own.

Before the left for the states in 2002 he was only 22 years old, now at 39, Aboagye is Master of Engineering finalist at MIT having graduated with his undergraduate degree back in 2007 and did several other courses before qualifying for the master's program in engineering. Andrew explains that looking back he appreciates that as much as the poverty taught him much, coming out and making it in a foreign land is a landmark achievement for him.

Work Cited

Aboagye, Andrew. Personal interview. 20th February 2019.

Akangbe, Aminat. Personal interview