Callofduti

A full pack of spicy seafood instant noodles would generally contain around 450 to 500 calories. And that’s just the noodles and seasoning no additions. That’s not a lot, but it’s not small either, especially when it gets polished off in five minutes during a lunch break or midnight craving. The flavor is robust, a bit salty, sort of addictive. Though your mouth may be on fire and your nose may be running from eating it, it still seems like something quick and easy to make at home. That’s the trap.

A 155 pound person, approximately 70 kilograms may need to run for 45 minutes to burn 500 calories. A long walk requires twice as long. Naturally, most people don’t go do that after a noodle meal. We will just go straight back to sitting at the desk or at the couch. That’s something no one thinks about the numbers behind the snack. It’s not about guilt. It’s just math.

Sometimes it’s not even about the noodles. It’s the reflex of going for something quick, hot and salty. It becomes automatic. Until you stop and count, you forget how frequently it occurs. One pack on Monday, perhaps another one on Thursday. Or two in a day, only because the second one happens to be there. It’s adding up before you even realize.

Rice water is something that you grow up with in many Ghanaian households. So it’s a very basic breakfast, white rice boiled with a lot of water to soften and make the water goes cloudy. It's nothing fancy. But it smells like your favorite something even before you dip in a spoon.

The texture is up to you and depends on how long you cook it. Some prefer the grains whole but plump, others let it boil down even more until the water and rice are creamy and the rice is starting to break apart. There’s no fixed way. Some people never stop stirring, others don’t stir too. Either way, it’s good food. Not too heavy, not too thin. Somewhere in the middle.

Most people eat it sweet. A little sugar and sometimes some salt, followed by milk, generally evaporated, sometimes powdered. That milk is what provides that creamy, velvety sensation that brings the entire dish together. It’s not luxurious, but it’s comfortable. This is what I would get for breakfast then launch would be the Gob3 I should you yesterday.

You may see someone drinking it from a mug, a child perhaps or someone pouring it into a bowl and eating it gradually, spoonful by spoonful. Just rice, water, fire and time.

The short process of making Gob3.

In much of Ghana, particularly around the country’s numerous university campuses and busy towns, Gob3 has become more than just a plate of food. It’s beans and gari, occasionally served with fried plantains, boiled egg or a spoonful of red oil. It’s cheap, it’s filling, satisfying and most importantly it’s easy to find. To younger people, particularly students out to make their cedis go a little bit further, on some days Gob3 is like the only intelligent choice.

The name Gob3 is derived from the way the locals call gari and beans informally. And even if it is simple, I believe it says a lot. Some purchase it from the same woman every week, standing in line, gossiping with strangers. The rest of them eat it in plastic bowls, on wooden benches outside roadside stalls, just before lectures or work shifts.

There’s a kind of food that doesn’t bullshit. You can be sure of what you’re getting. There’s no hype. But there’s nutrients in that. There’s also a certain kind of quiet pride, pride in the knowledge that you are surviving, and keeping full, but also that you can still eat something that tastes good. Some say the beans help you feel more full, which is important if you’re skipping meals or saving up. Ever so often, though, Gob3 feels like a product of the times. The price of everything goes up, but Gob3 is still almost the same, although recently when cedis messed up, it affected even Gob3. It’s not exactly glamorous, but it's the most convenient full meal in the country. And for many young people in Ghana, that’s what makes it feel more like a thing than just a food, it’s a part of the daily culture.

When I walked through the Royal Golf Course in Kumasi, I felt like I left the country I was in. I just came from Accra where there was so many people, so much movement and way too much sound everywhere and I'm suddenly somewhere different.

I noticed it so clearly in a filmed six seconds where I thought deeply about something quiet and meaningful. Sometimes it's when you finally leave the place, watch all the shots and recordings, then you get a better perspective of everything.

The course has existed since 1921. Older than my parents. You can tell everything is tended to. The grass is flat and smooth, the trees are tall and proud and the people that live there. The cleaners do a good job of cleaning things up too. It's located in Nhyiaeso, Kumasi, but somehow feels tucked away anonymously like because the people barely make mention of this place. Perhaps they're so used to it, it would take a visitor who hasn't been there before to notice it.

It wasn't silent in cold way. It was a nice peaceful silence. Like respect kind of silence.. I can see how they hold important golf tournaments there.

This is a place I would want to return, but from Accra to kumasi is way too long a journey to do it often. There are car dealers who send cars from one region to the next on a regular basis. I wonder how they cope with that, because I doubt I'll be able to do this for a living.

But it is very good to travel. It gives you a fresh perspective to life. Staying at one place ain't always good. You lose a lot of experience which is meant to make you better.

This is more of a test of my first video upload on blurt Media. I would like to thank my friend Charles, @thecreed for helping me out. I just DM the guy, took the day off and all I saw was him tell me to check my mail because my login has been sent. Also I'll thank the team behind blurt Media for giving me an account here.

For my first video, well it's something about today and a while ago.

Today, I sat outside and noticed a gentle breeze come across my body. That breeze reminded me of the special time I spend at the beach, usually during the holidays or when I get a vacation from work. I miss the waves crashing, the salty sea air and the warm sand on my feet. I know I'm not the only one that enjoys the beach experience. Not the water per say, but the air is very different because of the sea.

The beach is truly one of my happy places, I love the way it feels and makes me feel in general. The beach allows me to calm my mind and suppress all my worries from life's struggles which we all go through.

I recall walking along the shore, watching the water move and feeling the chill of the wind on my face. When I am at the beach, I can forget my issues and just sit and relax. I love watching the sun sparkle off of the surface of the water and seeing the kids swim, laugh, and run along the beach. In this video, the winds were a bit strong so people were advised not to get too close for safety reasons. So even if you'll take a video or selfie, it must be a bit distant. Although, technically we were still at the shores.

It has been a long time since I have gone to the beach, maybe a year, maybe less but it's been a long time. However, in two weeks, I will be going on vacation. Maybe I will get lucky and go back to the beach again, I hope so. I miss everything about it.

Sometimes, just thinking about the beach puts a smile on my face. I already can hear and see the waves crashing and feel of the breeze. I look forward to going back, sitting next to the water and having a quiet moment with the sea.