Interview with Adja[sic]
I first met Adja in my logopaedi group,in which, we, and two others, took turns making faces at each other, and into a mirror, and reading aloud tongue twisters. His English was quite good, and I quickly learned he's from Ghana. I do not have a photo of Adja and I'd urge him, if he's reading, to please send me one, along with any corrections he'd like to make. You see, Adja(sorry) has been released, this is why I'm spelling his name, I'm sure, incorrectly. Take it from me, he looks not a day over 35.
Me: Hi Adja (it's pronounced like that) What do you do for a living?
Adja: My mother is a goods handler of clothes, jeans, T. shirts etc, and a big time business. We have consigns in Germany, America and London.
Me: And that business is in Ghana?
Adja: Yes, every month we load a 40 ft container. We want to make a very big business. My brother and sister are in Ghana, I want to go live there. We come here pick the clothes and go to Ghana to distribute
Me: What happened you when you had to come here.
Adja: A good question, I had a stroke, this happened at work and fortunately able to get a pension.
Me: Let me understand, you had a stroke when you were at work, and because of that you can go back to get a pension?
Adja: I am a pensioner in four years. I can go back to work but, I have to stay home for two years and after that I can go back if I’m fit, so they give me a pension for that two years.
Me: That’s very good, Germany are suckers.
Adja: I believe myself I won’t go back to work, I will continue with my business and collect my money too (pension).
Me: Where did you live before this?
Adja: I am a postman, I lived in Hamburg.
Me: And where did you live before that and when did you move to Hamburg.
Adja: I was born in Tottenham, my father sent me to Ghana when I was five years. I came back to London at 18 yrs of age. Five years later my father sent me to Ghana, it was better ……some boys were criminals in London…..Stayed there, and when I was 27 I travelled to Hamburg, and have been here ever since.
Me: Do you speak German?
Adja: Yes, very well.
Me: I hopefully one day will be the same.
About Ghana – Is it an interesting place for holidays?
Adja: Ghana, Yes, interesting and peaceful, first country to get Independence. There are two types of English, Grammatic and Comprehensive. You know Prince Charles went to school in Ghana …… I love the country, I want to go back, and my children are here, two daughters and a son. Ages 20yrs, 19, and 18.
Me: What do you think of Germany, how do you compare to Ghana?
Adja: Can’t compare – Now, Germany to America, Can’t compare Britain to Germany, A lot of ….., like if a person is sick like me, they look after you [in Germany], not like that in America or Britain….;…..
Me: Name a city in Ghana.
Adja: Accra.
Me: What’s the night life like?
Adja: A 2nd London. - If you go to Ghana or London they are communists…., bullshit, you are always under somebody. Germany you have your flag; you have your freedom to see something. Britain is democratic but they are communists and capitalists. If you have money you are o.k. if not, you are not….
Me: Communists and capitalist are two opposite things.(I was trying to understand the point)
Adja: Britain is controlled by the Throne; nobody has more money than the Queen, but here it’s democratic – people power.
Me: Were your children born there?
Adja: No, here, Britain are cheaters, before [Irish] Independence, Irish working hard for money …..British don’t like to work, Irish working long time in Britain…..British are stealers[sic]… Royal Family are stealers. I learn a lot. …..If you overcome them they will try to conquer you.
Me: Thank you that’s very good.
Adja: Going home tomorrow at 9 o clock
What followed was a personal chat, in which Adja invited Claire and I to holiday in Ghana, which I accepted, graciously.
Me: Hi Adja (it's pronounced like that) What do you do for a living?
Adja: My mother is a goods handler of clothes, jeans, T. shirts etc, and a big time business. We have consigns in Germany, America and London.
Me: And that business is in Ghana?
Adja: Yes, every month we load a 40 ft container. We want to make a very big business. My brother and sister are in Ghana, I want to go live there. We come here pick the clothes and go to Ghana to distribute
Me: What happened you when you had to come here.
Adja: A good question, I had a stroke, this happened at work and fortunately able to get a pension.
Me: Let me understand, you had a stroke when you were at work, and because of that you can go back to get a pension?
Adja: I am a pensioner in four years. I can go back to work but, I have to stay home for two years and after that I can go back if I’m fit, so they give me a pension for that two years.
Me: That’s very good, Germany are suckers.
Adja: I believe myself I won’t go back to work, I will continue with my business and collect my money too (pension).
Me: Where did you live before this?
Adja: I am a postman, I lived in Hamburg.
Me: And where did you live before that and when did you move to Hamburg.
Adja: I was born in Tottenham, my father sent me to Ghana when I was five years. I came back to London at 18 yrs of age. Five years later my father sent me to Ghana, it was better ……some boys were criminals in London…..Stayed there, and when I was 27 I travelled to Hamburg, and have been here ever since.
Me: Do you speak German?
Adja: Yes, very well.
Me: I hopefully one day will be the same.
About Ghana – Is it an interesting place for holidays?
Adja: Ghana, Yes, interesting and peaceful, first country to get Independence. There are two types of English, Grammatic and Comprehensive. You know Prince Charles went to school in Ghana …… I love the country, I want to go back, and my children are here, two daughters and a son. Ages 20yrs, 19, and 18.
Me: What do you think of Germany, how do you compare to Ghana?
Adja: Can’t compare – Now, Germany to America, Can’t compare Britain to Germany, A lot of ….., like if a person is sick like me, they look after you [in Germany], not like that in America or Britain….;…..
Me: Name a city in Ghana.
Adja: Accra.
Me: What’s the night life like?
Adja: A 2nd London. - If you go to Ghana or London they are communists…., bullshit, you are always under somebody. Germany you have your flag; you have your freedom to see something. Britain is democratic but they are communists and capitalists. If you have money you are o.k. if not, you are not….
Me: Communists and capitalist are two opposite things.(I was trying to understand the point)
Adja: Britain is controlled by the Throne; nobody has more money than the Queen, but here it’s democratic – people power.
Me: Were your children born there?
Adja: No, here, Britain are cheaters, before [Irish] Independence, Irish working hard for money …..British don’t like to work, Irish working long time in Britain…..British are stealers[sic]… Royal Family are stealers. I learn a lot. …..If you overcome them they will try to conquer you.
Me: Thank you that’s very good.
Adja: Going home tomorrow at 9 o clock
What followed was a personal chat, in which Adja invited Claire and I to holiday in Ghana, which I accepted, graciously.
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