Starrene Rhett-Rocque is a born-and-bred New Yorker, and a well-known entertainment and lifestyle journalist. After taking a DNA test and learning that her ancestral heritage lies partly in Ghana, she was naturally curious to visit and explore the land of her distant forebears. AFKTravel recently sent her on her first-ever trip to the country, from which she produced these six fascinating articles.
Click through to read about the culture, safety, and history of Ghana, as seen through the eyes of a slightly anxious first-timer.
Part 1: Doin’ Accra: Six Ways To Catch Some Culture In Ghana’s Capital: Starr blazes a trail through the capital city of Accra in search of culture, history, music and dance. Here is what she found.
Part 2: Staying Safe In Ghana: A First-Timer’s Tale: As a first-time visitor to the country, Starr had some fears and concerns going in — but found out that the reality was much different than she expected. Here she gives the low-down on the safety and security situation in Ghana.
Part 3: Shopping In Accra: Five Places To Get Your Bling On: Our writer goes shopping in Osu, one of Accra’s most fashionable districts. An avid shopper, Starr investigates boutiques selling fabric, jewelry, t-shirts and crafts and more, including fair-trade stores that benefit the less fortunate.
Part 4: Gettin’ Wild In Ghana: 5 Attractions For Nature Lovers: As a New Yorker, urbanite, and self-confessed “non-outdoorsy type,” Starr was nervous about venturing into the wilderness, but put her aversions aside and managed to revel in Ghana’s truly wild and wonderful flora and fauna.
Part 5: Off The Beaten Path: Four Places Worth Finding In Ghana: Starr ventures off the well-worn tourist path in search of lesser-known attractions. In addition to a stilt village and a bead factory, she also visits a slave heritage site, which caused quite an emotional reaction.
Part 6: Coming Full Circle: Tracing My Roots In Ghana: Starr gets mistaken for an Ashanti and reflects on her heritage, the African diaspora, and the differences — and similarities — between herself and the fascinating people she met on her trip.
