The Promise of California
“Would you young ladies like to visit us in California for 2 weeks?” , asked the two elderly ladies.
“We would love to do so. However, as students, we don’t have any money. We couldn’t possibly afford the trip,” we regretfully replied.
“That is not a problem at all. We will fund your trip,” they graciously replied.
We were totally dazed! A fully sponsored trip to the United States of America? We couldn’t believe our good fortune!
I couldn’t wait to tell my parents the good news. When I got home I announced to them dramatically: “I’m going to America and you don’t have to pay a pesewa!”. They were pleasantly surprised.
This was the genesis of a sponsored trip to Los Angeles, California in the United States in 2002. My friend, Akua and I were students who were working as tour guides for a travel and tour company during our vacation. The tourists were in Ghana for two weeks through a collaboration of the travel and tour company with “Elderhostel “, now referred to as “Road Scholar”. This is a not-for-profit organisation in the United States that offers educational travel adventures.
Akua and I were responsible for accompanying the group of about twenty tourists (from mostly the United States and Canada) to various tourist sites in Ghana. We were also in charge of organising programmes whereby experienced lecturers would teach the tourists about the subject matter in question.
For example, we visited the Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle in Cape Coast and Elmina respectively in Ghana. Thereafter, a lecturer from the University of Cape Coast gave them a lecture on the slave trade.
During the stay of the tourists in Ghana, we went the extra mile to ensure that they were all very comfortable and happy. Thus we knew that they were all very satisfied with our services. However, this did not prepare us for the wonderful invitation from Delora and LLana, two African American ladies in their 60s and 70s respectively. We were in our mid-twenties then.
So, to America we went. And we had such a wonderful experience! (Incidentally, it would take me another twenty years to visit America again.)
We were, first and foremost, so impressed by their very kind gesture of inviting us there. This is because they were just regular folks who were being kind to us from the goodness of their hearts. They were not giving to us out of the abundance of their wealth. They were two friends who lived together in a moderate two-bedroom apartment. As such, Delora had to move from her bedroom to sleep on the sofa in their living room during our two-week stay. That was so touching.
So, where do I start? Firstly, they took us to the Hollywood Walk of Fame! The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognised top tourist attraction in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame comprises terrazzo five-point stars inlaid into a charcoal-coloured terrazzo background. The name of a celebrity is inscribed in each star. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce manages the Walk of Fame and they add new stars to the Walk each year.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
We also went to the Guinness World Records Museum. This is also a tourist attraction at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I took a picture with the wax figure of the tallest man in the world.
With the tallest man in the world
On another day, they took us to the Disneyland Resort, an amusement park at Anaheim in California. It was simply amazing! Akua and I went on several rides. Whereas some were pleasantly entertaining, others were very exciting and somewhat scary. We almost felt as if we were going to fall off some of the rapid speed coaster rides and we were screaming at the top of our lungs. It was an experience! This reminded me of Parque de Atracciones, (Park of Attractions), an amusement park that I visited in Madrid, Spain in the late 90s.
Disneyland in the background
A ride in a teacup
We also took memorable pictures with the Walt Disney animated characters, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. Unfortunately we couldn’t take a picture with Cinderella as she was busy.
With Mickey Mouse
With Minnie Mouse
We also had the opportunity to visit Los Angeles Zoo. There were so many animals to see and we had fun.
With a zebra in the background at Los Angeles Zoo
One evening, they took us to the theatre to watch a play. I was not following the story line so well because of the accents of the actors. I also couldn’t appreciate the jokes they were telling because of the cultural connotations which I didn’t understand. As such, I was dozing off from time to time, regrettably.
Llana was visibly annoyed with me. She complained that after spending so much and making such an effort to bring us to the theatre, here was I, dozing off. “All that you girls are interested in is clothes and shopping!”, she chided. “If you were shopping for clothes, you wouldn’t be dozing.” I took her rebuke in my stride and dutifully apologised. I knew that because of the generational gap between us, we were bound to have our differences.
On the whole, we had a wonderful time in Los Angeles. What I learnt from the whole experience was that, you don’t have to wait until you have so much before you help someone else. What may seem to be a little inconsequential gesture to you may mean the world to someone else. A little kindness that you practise today may go a very long way. You can bless someone with the little that you have today.
The word “Los Angeles” comes from the Spanish language and means “The Angels”. I firmly believe that Delora and Llana played the roles of angels in our lives. May God bless them wherever they are!
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