Not another Peace Corps blog: Treasure Island

Recently I have gone to Sao Tome, a small island nation on the equator in the Gulf of Guinea. A simple 1.5 hour skip, hop, and jump from Accra on the plane, and you are in a Portuguese-speaking fresh-seafood paradise.

Sao Tome and Principe islands were originally uninhabited and were discovered by the Portuguese in the 15th century during the Columbus era of sea voyaging. The islands were later inhabited by the colonizers and slaves who were brought from the mainland Africa (a Ghana connection -- Portuguese had a slave castle in what is now Central Region, and the town, Elmina, is still around). It was also a good place to ship all of the undesirables -- for instance, a large group Jewish children was shipped there to fend for themselves. Sadly, almost all of them died. Later on, when the coffee and cocoa plantations grew, servants from Angola were brought in to till the land. The people and languages mixed together with time, and now there is a distinct group of SanTomeans who love flowers, coffee and wine.

The colony gained independence from Portugal in 1975, but its culture remained to be influenced by this small sea-faring nation. The houses have intricately carved beams, all meals get seasoned with vinegar and olive oil, and music is a gentle mix of Creole and Portuguese tunes.

It is simply a treasure island, especially if you are a hungry and broke Peace Corps volunteer.

Some observations and comparisons: people walk faster and wear less conservative clothes than Ghanaians. It is also quieter here, no booming speakers or street preachers. But men still whistle and hiss at you, yelling "Amiga!" or "Branca!"