CHAPTER TWO

Nelly Sarpong

by Nelly Sarpong

Story
Germany, Ghana

Before we continue, let’s clear up any confusion about what it means to be a German-born Ghanaian. No, I wasn’t born to German parents, and no, I don’t have a German passport, at least not yet. Am I Ghanaian? Yes. Was I born in Germany? That is also a yes.

I made my triumphant entry into the world in Aachen, at Luisenhospital, on 3 August 1992. My mum loves to recount how I made quite a dramatic debut. Amongst my siblings, I was her only natural childbirth, a fact she never lets me forget. She knew from that moment I had a mind of my own.

My dad was a medical student and my mum juggled various menial jobs. I often wonder why, out of all the nations, I was born in Germany. My father explained it with his typical blend of logic and faith: he applied to twenty-five schools in over twenty countries for scholarships, praying that the first to respond would dictate his destination. And guess what? Germany won that race. The UK was a close second, but Papa, being a man of his word, packed his bags and off to Germany he went.

My early childhood in Germany is mostly a blur, a haze of memories just out of reach. Thankfully, my parents’ obsession with taking photos means I have a gazillion snapshots proving my existence in Deutschland. Thanks, Mama and Papa! Oh, and I also have a birth certificate as evidence.

The first language I babbled in was German, but family legend has it that as soon as we moved to Ghana when I was almost four, I forgot every bit of German the moment I tasted banku and fufu. They tried speaking German with me, but I’d always reponse in Twi or English, which I had just picked up. In hindsight, I wish I’d kept up with the German language. Now, I can’t claim it as my Muttersprache because I speak it with the structure of an English speaker, much to the amusement or horror of native speakers. But don’t fret: I’m on a mission to reclaim my linguistic heritage with some intense German studies.

This chapter might seem like it’s all about my parents, but that’s because I lean heavily on their stories to fill in the gaps of my early years. My parents lived in Germany for a significant chunk of time, contributing to society in their own ways. By the time I was born, they were already plotting our grand move to Ghana with my big sister and me in tow. Papa felt a strong calling to return to Ghana to help improve the health sector, believing that good doctors were needed back home. So, we packed our bags, bid farewell to the Fatherland, and embarked on a new adventure in the Motherland.

We arrived in Ghana on a fateful summer night, and the contrast between where we had come from and where we had landed was staggering. Little did I know, this was just the beginning of an adventure that would challenge, transform, and define me in ways I never imagined.

© Nelly Sarpong 2024-07-19

Genres
Biographies
Moods
Adventurous, Hopeful, Informative, Inspiring, Reflective