Editor Note: Jonatan Arriaga, the Deputy Manager of Projects Abroad in Mexico, is spending the next couple of months in Ghana working with our staff and volunteers. He will be sending in regular updates of his time in Ghana and we are devoting the next week on the blog to Ghana Week! We hope you enjoy it!

By Jonatan Arriaga,

Have you just arrived to Accra and you feel as if you were inside of a crystal maze? Lost in translation and lost in direction? Believe me, I was feeling like a newborn in communication during my first two days but during the third day I started learning the basics. I have been here a week and I feel like I’m at home already.

Here are my suggestions:

1. First and most important…smile and say hello to everyone!

2. Learn the price of taxi and other transport systems and make the correct conversion according to your currency, this way you can save and administrate your money in a better way.

3. Draw a map of the different junctions that are near the places you will visit the most as well as the name of the area where you live. Taxis and public transport will charge you depending on the area; they don’t really know the name of all the streets. Taxis and public transport are really safe.

4. Always have small notes in your wallet. Believe me, it is very useful.

5. Exchange money according to your needs; do not carry all your cash with you. And remember leaving your passport at home when you don’t really need it.

Don’t you forget to let me know your top suggestions if you are around Ghana!