Go Black Stars!/I was on Ghana National TV
Sunday, June 20th, 2010Sunday, June 13
It was amazing to be in Ghana for the football match against Serbia (soccer to you Americans). I saw it from the GBC clubhouse (Ghana Broadcast Corporation), cause Kelvin had to film there for Haverford prof Jesse Shipley’s documentary on the world cup (Jesse is the person who connected me with Kelvin).
We were gathered around a big projection outside where there was a huge array of chairs. Few people were sitting in them, though. They were all dancing, shouting, and blowing kazoos. People kept grabbing my hand and asking who I supported. They were thrilled when I would say, “Ghana, of course.”
Some were snapping pictures, and Kelvin wasn’t the only one filming. GBC had its own video camera on site, and every now and then we would see ourselves on the screen.
When Ghana scored, the crowd went wild. Everyone was jumping up and down, running through the aisles, shouting, and waving Ghana flags.
I was having a great time, although I felt a little out of place as practically the only person not covered in red, gold, and green. And I mean literally covered. There was one man clothed only in body paint and a pair of tighty whities.
At first I was sitting toward the front with Kelvin’s friend Lexis (Kelvin was on the side filming), but later I moved to the back to get some space and write in my journal while I watched. After Ghana won, a man with a camera ran up to me and said that the man with the mic wanted to ask me a question. People were beckoning me forward. I got up and headed to the front.
The man asked me where I was from and said he was going to ask me a quick question. In a few moments, I saw us on the screen.
“We have a visitor from the US,” he said, patting my shoulder. He turned to me and asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Great!” I shouted over the crowd. “I’m happy Ghana won.”
A moment later, when I saw people from across Accra being interviewed by other people with G-TV mics, I realized that it wasn’t just us at the clubhouse watching ourselves on the screen. I’d been on Ghana National TV.
A minute later, we were up on the screen again. Surrounded by wild fans, I danced and cheered as I watched myself on TV.