Cultural Lessons

Twi Phrases I’ve learned:

Akwaaba (a-kwa-ba)- welcome
Me dasi (meay-da-see)- thank you
Wo ho te sen(who-hoe-tay-sain)- how are you
Mensu me dasi (men-sue-may-da-see) - I thank you also
Eye a hain (aya- a-hain)- how much is it
Me pacho(meay-pow-cho) – I beg you/ I am sorry
Ye fre wo sen(ya-fray-who -sain) - what is your name
Me din de (who-deen day)- my name is
Wo din de sen (who –deen-day-sain)- What is your name
Wo ko hen- where are you going
Ye be shiah (ye-bay-she-ah) we shall meet (see you later)
Ochena-(o-chin-a) tomorrow
Me ko (me-ra-ko)- I am going
Me ko to (me-ra-ko-to)- I am going to buy
Me pe se- I would like
Ensuo (en-sue)- water
Me pe se miware wo- I will marry you
Me him(mee-nyim)- I know
Ma bre (ma-bray)- I’m tired
Me ca Twi kakrakra(me- ca-twi-ka- I speak a little bit of Twi
Obibifro (oh-bee-bee-knee)- Black person
Me pe se- I want
Maakye (ma-chein)- good morning
Me pe wo asem- I like you
Me do wo- I love you
Wo edidi(way-dee-dee)- have you eaten yet?
Me pe wo adanfo (me-pe-woo-adan-foo)- I want us to be friends

Local Dishes I’ve learned How to cook…and will most definitely be cooking in my apartment this school year (If you’ll be in Ann Arbor, you should drop by):

Fish Stew –
Sautee onions and fresh garlic in Sardine Oil. Add half a can of tomato paste. Stir and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add hot pepper powder (use in moderation). Add the sardines. Enjoy the stew over boiled yam or spaghetti noodles.
Optional ingredients – Okra, another kind of fish like tuna or salmon, green pepper

Banku – corn dough and cassava dough, stir until the consistency is very thick

Jollof Rice – oil, onion, tomato paste, rice, water and plastic

Red Red – Fill a frying pan with palm oil and drop in chunks of ripe plantain, make sure to flip them every once in a while. Cook black eyed peas in water (easy as pie).