On the subject of Friendship...

I like to think that I have made some friends here. Ghanaians are very friendly, and go out of their way to say hello. But yesterday I had a very upsetting experience. I have a friend, let's call him Nana Kojo, and he is one of the few people here I feel somewhat normal around. We were having a conversation yesterday, and he started bringing up how he wants me to help him. By this he means, help him get to America. Apparently, someone from America came to Ghana, and married a Ghanaian to get them into America, then divorced them. But the visa was good, and now that person is now living it up in America. Well, that American was evil, because now every Ghanaian believes that all Americans owe this to them. For two hours I argued with him that I was NOT going to marry him, and that I would like to help him, but it will not be with my ring finger. He was angry, and confused, as to why I wouldn't do him this small small favor, since he was willing to pay for all of it, and said that I was not his friend if I do not want to help him. I countered, that marriage, even if done strictly as a business matter, is not small small, and I do not have to take him back to America with me to be a good friend. I explained that if and when I marry someone, it will be someone I love, and that I do not want to be divorced. Now it's not like I haven't been proposed to before, I'd say I've racked up well over 200 marriage proposals, from men AND women. But that my intelligent, young friend, was willing to sit in my house and argue with me about it for two hours is very upsetting. I asked him why he wanted to go to America, when he has a good job in Ghana. He said America is where he can get rich, even if it is by mopping floors. I also suggested that instead of leaving his country, why not stay and help build Ghana into the country he wants it to be? He kept repeating the phrase 'there are many ways to kill a goat', and I'm still not sure if he was referring to the many ways to go about getting him to America, or a threat of the many ways of killing my dog, Nala. It makes me wonder if I will ever be able to develop a completely genuine friendship with anyone here; one where they are not expecting something in return. Sad.