Relationship
Beyond the polished glass: everyday scenes at Accra mall trotro station – Part 1
Just outside the polished glass doors of Accra Mall, a different reality unfolds. Amid the traffic, street vendors, commuters and child beggars, the city’s energy flows in sharp contrast to the calm and luxury within.
It is 4pm on a humid Wednesday afternoon outside Accra Mall. In the traffic surrounding the mall, Toyota Corollas, Nissan Navara’s, Kia Morning, Trotros, Mercedes-Benz cars crawl bumper to bumper. They inch their way around the roundabout connecting Spintex Road to the Tema Motorway. Drivers tap their horns repeatedly as the wait grows longer. Passersby slip between the vehicles, weaving their way to the trotro station, roadside stalls or side streets leading to their destinations.
Just beyond the traffic and noise, Accra Mall rises at the heart of the city, bright and busy with shops, eateries and cinemas gathered under one roof. Inside, the contrast is immediate. The air-conditioning hums steadily, keeping the space crisp and cool while shoppers move between stores with bags in hand containing new clothes, gadgets, perfumes and other small luxuries paid for in clean cedis. At the food court, children giggle over ice cream while friends lean over pizza boxes. The smell of fresh popcorn hangs in the air near the cinema entrance.
Since opening in 2008, Accra Mall has stood as one of the city’s most visited commercial hubs. But the calm inside ends at the door. The atmosphere shifts from cool air and clean cedis to constant movement, long waits, and daily survival. Just beyond the mall, the air is thick with heat, blaring horns, and exhaust fumes. It carries the struggle of people whose day does not end with a shopping receipt.
According to MIT’s Atlas of Popular Transport, Trotros carry over 3.5 million passenger trips each weekday and remain the dominant form of public transport, serving more than 70 per cent of Greater Accra’s commuters. Even without precise daily figures, their presence is unmistakable in the routines of Accra’s residents navigating work, school, and trade across the capital.
This scene plays out daily along the busy stretch near Accra Mall, where traffic slows to a crawl and “trotro” queues stretch along the roadside. At the roundabout, beneath a weathered police canopy, a plus-size policewoman in a bright green traffic vest has surrendered to sleep. She lies stretched on a long bench, mouth wide open, chin tilted skyward, as if the whine of horns and coughing engines were lullabies. A few steps away, a male officer in a matching vest, tasked with directing the traffic, stands by the roadside with his hands buried in his pockets, eyes fixed on the parade of cars inching forward and honking in frustration.
Across the street, Accra Mall’s Street commerce bursts into activity. Makeshift stalls are lined up tightly along the roadside. Racks of ready-made African clothing sway in the dusty breeze. Sandals are arranged neatly on plastic sheets. Beaded necklaces in red, blue and gold catch both sunlight and the attention of people passing by.
Navigating social media boundaries as a couple can be a tricky task. With constant access to our loved ones’ lives that social media provides, it’s important to establish clear boundaries to ensure a healthy relationship. Here are a few tips to help couples navigate this challenge.
1. Have an Open and Honest Conversation
The first step in setting boundaries on social media is to have an open and honest conversation with your partner about how you both feel regarding social media usage in the relationship.
Having these conversations can be difficult but are essential to creating understanding and mutual respect.
2. Be Specific
When having the conversation, it is important to be specific about the behavior that bothers you and the boundaries you would like to set.
Instead of making general statements like, “You spend too much time on social media,” try saying something like:
“I feel neglected when you are on your phone for extended periods during our conversations. Can we set a limit on phone usage during our quality time together?”
3. Be Considerate
Be considerate and understanding of your partner’s points of view and try to find solutions that satisfy both parties.
Remember, setting boundaries is not about controlling or limiting each other; it’s about creating a healthy balance and fostering a strong, trusting relationship.
Social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, but when it comes to romantic relationships, it’s important to establish boundaries to ensure it doesn’t interfere with the quality of the relationship.
4. Agree on Social Media Etiquette
Creating social media etiquette guidelines between romantic partners can be a sensitive topic, but it can also be a helpful tool in maintaining a healthy relationship.
Social media etiquette is a set of guidelines that outline how you and your partner will interact on social media and what is and isn’t acceptable behavior.
This can include:
- Whether or not you will follow each other on social media
- What kind of photos you will post of each other
- How you will interact with other people online
One important aspect of social media etiquette is setting boundaries around privacy.
5. Respect Each Other’s Privacy
Respect for each other’s privacy is one of the most critical aspects of social media boundaries.
This includes:
- Not snooping on your partner’s social media accounts
- Not sharing personal information about them online
- Not posting pictures or status updates that they may be uncomfortable with
6. Don’t Use Social Media as a Measure of Your Relationship
Social media should not be used as a benchmark for the health and happiness of your own relationship.
In today’s world, it’s easy to get caught up in the constant stream of images and updates that friends, family, and even strangers share about their romantic lives.
It is important to focus on your relationship rather than compare it to the selective versions of other people’s relationships you see online. Every relationship is different and has its own set of challenges and successes. Focus on what makes your relationship unique and special.
Conclusion
Setting boundaries on social media when in a relationship is essential for maintaining a healthy and happy connection.
Key factors include:
- Open and honest communication
- Respect for each other’s privacy
- Not using social media to measure your relationship
By following these steps, couples can navigate social media boundaries effectively and strengthen their relationship.
— Source: Arkansas Relationship Counselling Centre
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Navigating social media boundaries as a couple can be a tricky task. With the constant access to our loved ones’ lives that social media provides, it’s important to establish clear boundaries in order to ensure a healthy relationship. Here are a few tips to help couples.
Have an open and honest conversation
The first step in setting boundaries on social media is to have an open and honest conversation with your partner about how you both feel about social media usage in the relationship. Having open and honest conversations with your romantic partner about setting boundaries on social media usage can be a difficult but important task.
Be specific
When having the conversation, it is important to be specific about the behaviour that is bothering you and the boundaries you would like to set. Instead of making general statements like, “you spend too much time on social media,” try saying something like, “I feel neglected when you are on your phone for extended periods of time during our conversations. Can we set a limit on phone usage during quality time together?”
Be considerate
Be considerate and understanding of your partner’s points of view, and try to find a solution that satisfies both parties. Remember, setting boundaries is not about controlling or limiting each other; instead, it’s about creating a healthy balance and fostering a strong, trusting relationship. Social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, but when it comes to romantic relationships, it’s important to establish boundaries to ensure that it doesn’t interfere with the quality of the relationship.
Agree on social media etiquette
Creating social media etiquette guidelines between romantic partners can be a sensitive topic, but it can also be a helpful tool in maintaining a healthy relationship. Social media etiquette is a set of guidelines that outline how you and your partner will interact on social media and what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour. This can include things like whether or not you will follow each other on social media, what kind of photos you will post of each other, and how you will interact with other people online. One important aspect of social media etiquette is setting boundaries around privacy.
Respect each other’s privacy
One of the most critical aspects of social media boundaries is respect for each other’s privacy. This includes not snooping on your partner’s social media accounts, not sharing personal information about them on social media, and not posting pictures or status updates that they may be uncomfortable with.
Don’t use social media as a measure of your relationship
Do not use social media as a measure of your relationship is a reminder that the highlight reel of someone’s relationship that they choose to share on social media should not be used as a benchmark for the health and happiness of your own relationship. In today’s world, it’s easy to get caught up in the constant stream of images and updates that friends, family, and even strangers share about their romantic lives on social media. It is important to focus on your relationship, rather than compare it to the selective versions of other people’s relationships you see online. Every relationship is different and has its own set of challenges and successes. Instead, focus on what makes your relationship unique and special.
Conclusion
In conclusion, setting boundaries on social media when in a relationship is important to maintaining a healthy and happy relationship. Open and honest communication, respect for each other’s privacy, and not using social media to measure the relationship are all critical factors in navigating social media boundaries as a couple.
— Source: Arkansas Relationship Counselling Centre
