I found love in Ghana, now what? I offer 3 tips!
I had a wonderful time in Ghana and I even fell in love with a great man! I didn’t want to go home at all! And now I’m going to save hard to fly back to Ghana. I hope he can come to visit me and my family as well!
I have heard these stories often, in many varieties. That’s what you get when you run a guesthouse, mentor volunteers, and like to listen. Lovely, such a crush! And despite the resistance you can expect from the people back home, sometimes things go well! Sometimes the Ghanaian man eventually moves to Europe or the US and sometimes the western lady comes to live in Ghana. And of course, you also have couples who choose the best of both worlds, who partly live abroad and partly come to live in Ghana.
The beginning of a Ghana love story
You came to Ghana for a while and you volunteered. One day you saw him, that beautiful guy, that man with that beautiful smile and that beautiful body. Because honestly, a lot of Ghanaian men have beautiful bodies. You knew right away, I’m in love, but I’m in Ghana. What’s the next thing?
You put your worries aside and think let’s let’s enjoy being together during the time I’m still in Ghana. Of being in love in this beautiful country with its beautiful beaches and nature. Enjoy the freedom and joy while we are in love in Ghana.
The inevitable goodbye, you go home and he stays behind
Time is up, your ordinary life at home awaits you. What are you going to do? Are you forgetting your boyfriend in Ghana, or are you going to have a long-distance relationship? Whatever you decide to do, it’s not easy. Why did you have to meet this nice man in Ghana and fall in love?
When you choose to leave the crush in Ghana, it’s nice to say that clearly to your boyfriend. To avoid that you will soon feel bothered at home and to avoid creating expectations that you are not going to live up to.
When you do choose a long-distance relationship, you have to stand firm. Fortunately, the world is getting smaller thanks to our phones, but you do live in 2 different worlds.
In Ghana you were so in love, but how will it go in a distance relationship?
Your boyfriend sometimes doesn’t understand your busy life and that you can’t make a phone call or app during your work or during college. As you know, in Ghana you can almost always pick up your phone and it is not seen as something rude when you are on your phone during a conversation. Perhaps it is a logical thought of your boyfriend in Ghana that you can do the same in Europe, a consequence can be that he starts to doubt your feelings. And a Ghanaian man almost always draws conclusions when in doubt. Fewer fun conversations follow than.
And when you have time to finally call after a busy day, he might not be so happy. Or maybe he’s doing nice things. Things you would also like to participate in… You remember those fun reggae nights where you went together when you were in Ghana. Or look each other in the eye at that nice campfire on one of the beautiful beaches in Ghana. Of course, there are also couples in love who absolutely do not recognize themselves in the above situations. I draw on the experiences I know.
Yes, you’re coming back to Ghana, on vacation this time
You’ve saved enough and you have a few weeks off, so you book your ticket. Ooooh, You can’t wait to see your boyfriend again and to feel the love again, while enjoying the nice weather, the food, and your friend.
In addition, you also see this period as a kind of test. Is the love real or was it a feeling of being in love because of all the excitement of a first time in Ghana?
Often during such a return holiday, everything is great in your relationship. You are happy and enjoying yourself and are starting to plan for the future. I also sometimes hear that the first cracks arise, maybe because the man is possessive in your eyes. Or because he lives like this when you feel like you’re working hard for your future. Yet the relationship usually survives the first holiday.
From falling in love in Ghana to living together or marrying your Ghanaian love
Are you moving to Ghana for love or is he coming to Europe? This choice depends very much on the situation and in which European country you live. I don’t know anything about the regulations on residence permits and visas, but I often hear and see that it is difficult to get your Ghanaian friend to your home country. So another option is for you to come to Ghana.
For both situations goes that being in love in Ghana is different than living with your Ghanaian partner, and vice versa the same applies to him of course. Your upbringing, your culture, the role of women in both countries are so different, it can often be challenging. Communication is the answer, but what if your partner isn’t so keen on talking? After all, he’s not used to that at all. Does he have to change himself because he’s in a relationship with you?
Does our intercultural relationship have a chance of success?
Of course, your relationship has a chance of success! First of all, I’m sketching out some examples, but we’re all different. Maybe you don’t recognize yourself at all in the Ghana love story I’m telling here. And secondly, there are many things you can do to make your relationship a success. After all, you have to work in every relationship to make it successful. I’d like to give you a few tips.
Tip 1: Work on your expectations
Every relationship faces pressure when certain expectations are not met, and especially a relationship like yours. You have fallen in love in Ghana and come from two completely different cultures. Your expectations in your relationship are not equal to his.
Tip 2: Don’t feel the need to do everything together
Many European relations are focused on the nuclear family. First as boyfriend and girlfriend and later with the kids. You spend a lot of time together and work together as a family. In Ghana, this is different. Firstly, the extended family is just as important, and secondly, men and women keep many things separate. For example, many Ghanaian men grew up without eating with their mother and father at the same time.
Tip 3: Immerse yourself in Ghanaian culture
Ho, wait a minute, shouldn’t he delve into my culture, too? Yes, that would be fair. And often he does, whether he likes to or not. We European women are quite talkative and because of that he already hears a lot. However, there are many influences from the Ghanaian culture that directly affect your relationship. Consider, for example, the caring nature of many Ghanaian women.
How can I help you?
I can help you in many ways during your love in Ghana adventure! Did you know, for example, that I wrote an E-book about Ghana? This E-book guides you in Ghana, I describe a lot about the culture and about the differences with Europe. After reading, I’m sure you’ll be able to relate more clearly to certain things your boyfriend does!
Thanks to the bonus with the E-book, I’m probably going to see you and your love in Ghana in real life!
When you purchase ‘Everything you need to know when travelling to Ghana’ you’ll receive a free night’s stay with a delicious breakfast at Moon&Star guesthouse. Click on the button to read more, or to order now.
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