- thank you. - very excited. we're gonna go talk to people about happiness. - oh, oh, beautiful. you guys are going to like it. - are we gonna find some happiness here? - of course. - yeah? - i can feel it. - ok. - trust me. [chuckles] [horns honking] - if the point of this journey is to find happiness, i need to force myself out of my comfort zone. so i'm visiting one of the statistically most optimistic countries on earth. this place is an avalanche of smiles and cheeriness. i--well, i can't get past the feeling that all this positivity is gonna be the end of me. ♪ ♪♪ [nicky blitz' "blast off"] - ♪ getting too close, better pull on back ♪ >> what if i travel the world, - what if i travel the world, explain what makes some places happier than others? i'm looking at the ways that where we are effect who we are. it has been said that [inaudible] is the chief force of unhappiness. well, that is okay. i'm already unhappy, so i have nothing left to lose. holman le pen >> here's something you don't see every day. beans, everywhere. i found cases. >> i am baffled by ghana's capital city. if we take the annual rankings at face value, ghana is not a very happy place. 2022, it rained a 111th in the world happiness report. amongst the bottom third in the international scale. >> sleeping here, there's a lot of challenges. >> support -- >> it's too stressful. it's not easy. >> but there's something remarkable happening at this west african nation of 82 million. the happiness report fast boats to protect their happiness in the coming years, the metric known as future life evaluation, a crowd was amongst the next on earth. earth. so i've come to ghana to find out how much of our happiness is a matter of perspective. [laughter] to get started, here i am hailing a random taxi. - hi, how are you doing? - i'm good. how are you? - fine. - until you notice that my driver is already mic'd up before i've even gotten in, so clearly, this was planned. - are you comfortable in here? - i'm very comfortable. - leg room? - yes, this is beautiful. - so my name is esenam. - esenam. - and i'll be your driver for the day. - wonderful. today, my driver is esenam nyador, otherwise known as miss taxi. she might just be the most delightfully charming revolutionary i've ever met. you see, miss taxi was denied entrance by all of the male-dominated taxi unions in ghana because parts of the country still operate as a patriarchy. so she said, to hell with all of you, and started her own all-female transportation service. [upbeat music] ok, so this is accra. - to our right-hand side, that's the bank of ghana. - bank of ghana, ok. - you do know that if we are short on cash-- - ok. - you know-- - we're gonna rob that? - i didn't say rob. - well, you kind of hinted rob. you kind of were like-- - but if you're caught, i don't know you, honestly. - i have documentation that you actually do know me. it's on camera. - [laughs] ♪ ♪♪ - i'm gonna make a little documentary on my phone. freedom and justice, 1957. - exactly. for me, this space is very, very important. it's the majestic space of independence. ♪ ♪♪ such a breath of fresh air. ♪ ♪♪ - hey, how are you? you're selling sunglasses. - whoa. that's a rap star. - too elton john. - [laughs] - you know elton john? - this looks a bit feminine. - what do you think about this one? i'm ok with the divine feminine. i like to express my femininity. - oh, i like it. - all right. here we go. oh, what do we got here? - oh! - oh, beautiful. i'll take one of those. - thank you. - keep the change. - medaase. - medaase. - [laughs] - thank you. ♪ ♪♪ - tell me about your life as a female taxi driver. - for me, being a taxi driver was my statement of gender deviancy. the taxi unions i spoke to wouldn't let me in as a female taxi driver. but i stood my ground. it motivated me to give other women the opportunity to be trained in the transport industry in ghana. - so how does your family feel about this struggle that you've undertaken? - i'll tell you something. what my sons see me doing today actually informs their perception about life as they grow. my sons see a gender fight being fought here. - right, right. - and this space says it all. the black star, it's actually the star and guidance for africa's freedom and unity. - mm. ♪ ♪♪ for 150 years, ghana was the center of the british slave trade, with millions sent across the atlantic from these shores. from timber to gold to cocoa, ghana's rich soil led to centuries of that wonderfully european arrangement in which the colonial power pillages all the resources from a place and gives nothing in return. but in 1957, ghanaians banded together and kicked out the brits... - ghana is free forever! - making them the first sub-saharan nation to gain independence from colonial rule. ghana has maintained a stable democracy since 1992. and today, miss taxi is the cheerful symbol of the incredible progress being made around here. - i would say ghanaians take their joy from helping others. - yeah. - seeing my fellow women have a space to explore their talent and not be limited by who they are for the sake of gender, for me, that's bliss. - study after study tells us that investment in something bigger than ourselves is crucial to a happier life. the root of miss taxi's happiness is the meaning she derives from helping others. have i been going about this journey all wrong? perhaps i should be looking for something bigger than myself, chasing meaning, not happiness. for answers, i'm going somewhere to get my ass kicked. are you a new at&t customer looking to upgrade your phone? you're trapped! locked into your contract for three years... introducing the easy unlock. bring your at&t locked phone and t-mobile will pay it off and give you one of the latest 5g smart phones free! free your phone now at t-mobile! ♪ chevy silverado has what it takes to do it all. with up to 13 camera views. and the z71 off-road package. ♪ you ok? yeah. any truck can help you make a living. this one helps you build a life. chevy silverado. sleepovers just aren't what they used to be. this one helps you a house full of screens? basically no hiccups? you guys have no idea how good you've got it. how old are you? like, 80? back in my day, it was scary stories and flashlights. we don't get scared. oh, really? mom can see your search history. that's what i thought. introducing the next generation 10g network. only from xfinity. goli, taste your goals. percussive music] goli, taste your goals. pulsing across every city block in ghana, there's momentum. [all singing] - it's as if everyone here knows that the full potential of an entire nation is about to be realized. hello. - hi. - and nowhere in accra is this more apparent than in the teeny-tiny neighborhood of bukom. [upbeat music] this village is no bigger than a few football fields, yet it has somehow produced more world champion boxers than anywhere else on earth. from joshua clottey to the professor azumah nelson... - he's down! the fight is over! - bukom is boxing's mecca. ok, we're gonna do some training. i'm meeting with legendary trainer carl lokko, who promises to introduce me to a ruthless up-and-coming fighter who just might teach me a thing or two about optimism. you're--you're the boxer? - yeah. - uh, ok, hi. - hi. - i'm rainn. - don't let her pint size fool you. carl's 13-year-old daughter najat is a decorated boxer with a brutal left hook... ♪ ♪♪ a left hook i'm about to put my face in front of, apparently. just hit the ac there, carl? that'd be great. - ok. what made you want to box? - how did you know that najat was talented? - i can see clear that she's fond of doing everything with some kind of different energy. - what is this? ah, that's like a running man. that's a dance. - [laughs] - now you're going to come try the workout, right? that's it. ♪ ♪♪ - yes. - what are you laughing at? - [laughs] - come on now. i'm pretty badass. you gotta admit it. [groans] - push it. push it down. uh-huh. - i have a big melon. - [laughs] [bell dinging] - go on, go on. - ok. what if i just go like that? she can't hit me. oh! - yes. get close. - oh, she got me. - get close, go. get close, go. - i'm already exhausted. - no. no, go on, go on. - can i throw up in this helmet? well, i guess it will come... - go on. - right out the bottom. how is this? what are you gonna do about this, huh? - that's it. - i'm gonna pull that down over your eyes. - good, najat, good. - i'm gonna pull that over your eyes. [grunts] - uh-huh, nice one. - her left is so fast, ah! [laughs] - stop. [bell dinging] - ok, ok, i give up. ding, ding. - yes. [laughs] - oh, my gosh. all right, all right. - oh. - [grunts] - whew. wow. so that was intense. i'm ready to pass out. i don't even see a drop of sweat on her. - [laughs] - you're an amazing athlete. what's special about the ghanaian boxers? - they always believe that they can be somebody. they are making ghana proud by winning world titles for ghana. najat now is going to fight for ghana. - and where do you hope to go? what do you hope to achieve? - ok, so you want to do it for ghana, not for yourself, not for your dad? jab, jab, right. najat's dream isn't wearing a medal around her neck. it's having the whole country rally behind her. - good. - the national pride here is so inspiring. no wonder everyone feels so optimistic about the future. - yeah, keep it up. you're doing good. - but what does all this positivity even get you? i feel exhausted. - no. - can i get a smoothie? well, ok, fine, a lot. it gets you a lot. the gold standard for measuring optimism is known as the life orientation test. it asks people how strongly they agree or disagree with a series of statements like, "if something can go wrong for me, it will," or, "in uncertain times, i usually expect the best." researchers from harvard tracked female nurses over the span of four decades and found that those who reported an optimistic outlook had a 30% reduced risk of mortality versus the pessimists. the optimists were less likely to die from everything from cancer to heart failure. fortunately, optimism is proven to be contagious. and nowhere is that more apparent than in ghana. hello! - hello. - you must be deijha. - i am. - meet deijha gordon. deijha's family is from jamaica, where countless ghanaians were sent during the slave trade. so after moving here in 2019, she started a food truck serving jamaican delicacies to return a piece of ghanaian culture to its people. and she hasn't looked back. so tell me your story. you're from brooklyn. - yes. i'm from brooklyn, new york. and i used to work for the post office. - uh-huh. - and i visited for the first time in 2015. and i was sold right away. i had a vision that i started a restaurant. it was so profound for me that i felt like i had to follow that calling. - and it brought you here. - yes. - deijha packed up her life, moved to accra on her own... [car horns honking] and made her vision a reality. - do you know what it takes to move across the world, get a food truck built, start a business? hey, come to my food truck. but the love is real here in ghana. - you're here, baby. - so what was the difference you felt coming from the united states to ghana? - so i didn't realize the pressure that i had as a black woman living in america, right, until i came here, and my skin color wasn't a thing for me. i'm able to create my own identity and be my true, authentic self, and not have to worry what anyone thinks of me. and then also, a lot of ghanaians love the fact that i gave up my western world to come to their country. they welcome me here. - people from all over the world are flocking to ghana as the country capitalizes on its year of return campaign. 2019 marked 400 years since the first documented slave ship landed in virginia. - over the past year, the country marked the anniversary by hosting cultural events. - in 2019, over a million people visited ghana during the year of the return, an effort by the nation to unify members of its diaspora. your ancestors, how do you feel a connection to them? what would they be saying to you right now? - whew, you are my wildest dream, for sure. i just imagine what it was like for them. you know, they're living in their homeland, and they get stripped of their identity, and there's no return. but i returned. so for me, that was so powerful to pay that respect to my ancestors. and i think they'll be pretty proud of me. ♪ ♪♪ (dad) we got our subaru forester wilderness to discover all of the places that make us feel something more. (vo) subaru is the national park foundation's largest corporate donor, helping expand access for all. when my doctor gave me breztri for my copd things changed for me. breztri gave me better breathing, symptom improvement, and reduced flare-ups. breztri won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. it is not for asthma. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. don't take breztri more than prescribed. breztri may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. ask your doctor about breztri. i'm saving with liberty mutual, mom. they customize your car insurance so you only pay for what you need. you could save $700 dollars just by switching. ooooh, let me put a reminder on my phone. on the top of the pile! oh. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ sweet pillows of softness! only pay for what you need. this is soft! holy charmin! oh! excuse me! roll it back, everybody!! charmin ultra soft is so cushiony soft, you'll want more! but it's so absorbent, you can use less. enjoy the go with charmin. wayfair has nice prices, so you can have nice things. um kelly? we have champagne taste... on a hard seltzer budget... wayfair's got just what you need! what... y'all this is nice. salad plates? kelly clarkson? i'm fancy now! i have always wanted statement lighting. get nice things at nice prices at wayfair! ♪ wayfair, you've got just what i need ♪ - all right, thank you. i'll bring it back later. [upbeat music] there's no mystery to why ghana ranks low on the happiness scale. a quarter of the country lives in poverty. ♪ ♪♪ only a third has access to clean water. and yet people here have an uncanny ability to focus on the good. the goats are adorable. [goat bleating] and i want to figure out where it all comes from. [goat bleating] a little over an hour outside of accra, just beyond the shadow of its modern skyscrapers, there's a whole other ghana, prampram, a small fishing village and home to an absolute legend in these parts. i heard someone refer to you as like the mayor. you're the unofficial mayor of this place, is that right? - yeah, kind of. - anny osabutey is a writer who was born and raised in prampram. he won an award as an african journalist of the year, attended the prestigious columbia school of journalism, and has since been recruited by the world's biggest news agencies. but his devotion to this place drew him back home in 2017 because for him, returning here wasn't a choice. it was his duty. now, you have an amazing story. you could be working anywhere in the world. why did you move back here? - yeah. in my life, i've lived in about six different states. i don't have the same reverence for any one spot like anny does with prampram. but anny is not alone. the time-honored fishing community which keeps prampram afloat, it's comprised of hundreds of others who share the same determination of doing what it takes to help this place thrive. - ok. i don't think i would make much of a fisherman. - [laughs] - but we're going to find out. anny explains that we must first pay our respects to the tribal chief, a widespread practice in much of west africa. - ah, wonderful. thank you. - go ahead and take a seat. - amee. - amee. - now, whatever that we are here to do in the town should be very, very successful. - [speaking akan] [soft music] ♪ ♪♪ - for the second time on my international quest for happiness, i find myself involved in an aquatic-based activity that has me terrified. but this time, if i'm going to drown, at least i'll look good doing it. it's like sexy traffic clown. ♪ ♪♪ safety meeting. ♪ ♪♪ how are you gonna-- how am i doing this? one, two, three. - ok. - ok. ok. - hey-o. - ok, i know. ok. - some rough seas, huh? - [shouting] - this is absolutely nuts. - hmm, that's not good. - then, just like that, everything changes. a collective calm. ♪ ♪♪ - all right. whoo! it's dinner. [thunder cracking] a storm is on the horizon, so we head back to land. ♪ ♪♪ but before i go, there's something anny wants to show me. fort vernon, built here in the 18th century by the royal african company. hell on earth fashioned from stone and swish. countless ghanaians were sold into slavery from forts like this, shipped across the atlantic, never to return home. - yeah. and this would be the path that they would walk. ♪ - it's absolutely just terrifying and heart-wrenching to think about all of those families being kept here. ♪ - anny's traveled the world, found success, and yet prampram called him back. thank you so much for welcoming us here. - absolutely. thank you, thank you. - like most americans, i've always viewed the pursuit of happiness as an individual quest. but ghana has opened my eyes. i saw it with miss taxi, with carl and najat, and now with anny and prampram. happiness is utterly intertwined with other people. nor'boa, togetherness, based on past, based on present, and based on future. at pnc bank, you can find us in big cities and small towns across the us, where our focus is to always support the people who live and work there. because you call these communities home, and we do too. pnc bank. my most important kitchen tool? my brain. so i choose neuriva plus. unlike some others, neuriva plus is a multitasker supporting 6 key indicators of brain health. to help keep me sharp. neuriva: think bigger. ♪ tourists tourists that turn into scientists. tourists taking photos that are analyzed by ai. so researchers can help life underwater flourish. ♪ (fan #1) there ya go! that's what i'm talkin' about! so researchers can help life underwater flourish. 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[rooster crowing] - hi, goat. hi, i'm new here. - [laughs] - i wonder, is it possible to become more optimistic? hello. hi. as it turns out, optimism is partly genetic, up to 36% according to one study. beyond that, our worldview is an active choice we make, which means, doing some quick math, 64% of me is choosing to worry about every stupid little thing. and who's this guy? hey, buddy. hi, sweetie. does he have a name? - sunipa. - sunipa? - yeah. - sunipa. - sunipa. - sunipa. - yeah, sunipa. - [laughs] - fear human being. - fear human. - sunipa means fear human? - yes. - hmm, ok. i'm not quite sure how i feel about that. but how do we become more optimistic? [both singing] - i need inspiration from someone who, like me, hasn't always had such a rosy outlook. that's amazing. wow. so i've traveled several hours northwest to the town of kofi pare to meet doris korkor nyame... i can't wait to see your farm. thank you for having us here. a cocoa farmer who only later in life found her true calling. doris, you move so fast. - [chuckles] - i'm gonna put the humidity at about 98% right now. - can you carry it? - yes. - ok, so can i help you? - on my head? - yes. - not like this? ok, here we go. [grunts] all right. i think i'm pretty good at this. don't you think i'm pretty good? - yes. - would you hire me? - no. [laughter] now, did you grow up being a cocoa bean farmer? - for most of doris' life, she felt stuck. but that's when she found the thing that truly makes her happy. and now everything's coming up doris. recently, you ran for assemblywoman of the area. what prompted that? - so much of what you do is about giving. and i've noticed this so much with the ghanaian people. it's giving back to the land. you give to your family, help support your family. you're giving to your community. [metal crashing] - emmanuel, we're trying to make a movie! - i'm sorry! - oh, man! [laughter] - [indistinct] - research tells us that if you want to become happier, more optimistic, then find your purpose. here we go. one, two, three. ready? look here. think long and hard about your personal gifts, and ask yourself if you're making the most of them. doris questioned whether or not she was living the life she wanted. and when she found the answer was no, she searched for greater purpose. that's intense. and it makes me wonder, have i failed to discover my own full potential? - [laughs] - do you need a campaign manager? - yes. - yes? - yes. - ok. - yes, i want-- - we're gonna start with yard signs. "doris now." "think doris." "join the chorus. vote for doris." - [laughs] - boom, there it is. but i think we could go even bigger. i'm thinking television ads, ok? we start on a cocoa bean. we pull back. it transforms into the world. and then that transforms into your head. i don't know. i'm just--tons of ways we could go with it. 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[cheers and applause] - that's amazing. tonight, i'm invited to join a local theater troupe for one of their weekly hangouts. - one. - i think i saw the kids playing this. - two. - what's it called? - ampe? someone teach me. - and then do i want to try and mirror your leg? - ok, so-- yeah. - hey. yes! i feel like i've been transported back in time to the happiest era of my life. in high school, i'd stay up half the night with my fellow acting geeks in someone's basement, playing theater games and doing monty python routines. ok, ok, i can do it. [cheering] oh, my god. - something like that. - all right, i'm out, i'm out. [laughter] - whoo! - tell me about drama queens. what is drama queens? - drama queens is a youth-led organization that uses arts for social change, particularly in the lenses of feminism, lgbt rights, pan-africanism, and environmental activism. - mm-hmm. - this squad of brave actors has performed together since 2016, tackling subjects that are taboo in many parts of ghana. - who's the best actor? - actually-- - i think myself. - [laughs] you volunteered yourself for that? - yes, please. - ok. [laughter] - but these days, the drama queens are forced to conduct their meetings in secrecy, changing locations every week for the sake of their own safety. how important is it to create a safe space, and what are you up against? - for the most part, the notions in the ghanaian community is that it's either queer people do not exist or are in hidden spaces and should stay in hidden spaces. we always have to be very, very conscious about, how are we prioritizing the safety of people that we are going to invite to this space? there's been cases where queer people just meet up, and they've been arrested for-- - arrested? - arrested, exactly, then-- - so is it against the law in ghana? - it's not, but-- - it's complicated. - it is complicated because all of this was crowned by the introduction of the anti-lgbt bill, the proper ghanaian family values bill. it's an anti-lgbt bill that targets people who identify as homosexuals. - members of the lgbtq community in ghana say their lives will become a nightmare if a new bill is passed into law. - promotion of proper human sexual rights and ghanaian family values bill, that's the name of it. - it coerces lgbtq ghanaians to choose between jail time and so-called conversion therapy. - it even goes further to say that if a person supports or shows sympathy to a queer person, you would be penalized for five to ten years. - so what you're doing right here, right now is dangerous. - it's dangerous. [soft music] - these are extraordinarily difficult circumstances to play games under. - [laughs] - for lots of queer people in ghana, they come into their self, their sense of self, in solitude. and so the work we do lets them know that they're really not alone and that there's more than just sadness and darkness. ♪ ♪♪ - one of our themes this year is joyful resistance, which is like, be intentional with joy. let's let the spaces that we are creating be more fun, be more celebrated for ourselves. the world will provide you millions of things to be sad about, to be depressed about. but in the darkness, will you allow yourself to find any glimmer of light? - mm. that's so beautifully sad. ♪ ♪♪ this, of course, pisses me off. whether it was theater, or my love of dungeons & dragons, or playing the bassoon, i've been labeled an oddball and a misfit my entire life. i discovered myself in those years, goofing off with the so-called outcasts in classrooms and study halls after school. in their company, i found my voice, my artistic curiosity, and my passion. i felt most at home with them, and i still do to this day. for raku, michaela, and the rest of the drama queens, the simple act of being in each other's company may soon be criminal. yet even in the face of blood-boiling injustice, there persists an undeniable hopefulness in this group... - ah! - more powerful than anything i've witnessed on my journey so far. a yo-yo. - yes! - spinning a yo-yo. [laughs] do you guys ever play the game zip zap zop? do you know that one? - oh, yeah. - you have to say it in this order, zip, zap, zop. the drama queens maintain a genuine conviction that as long as they're in each other's company, they are strong, they are determined, and they are worthy. ♪ ♪♪ i head back to my cushy hotel, a world away from everything i just witnessed, but i can't sleep. and i'm still trying to make sense of it all. i'm just so incredibly moved by what i saw tonight. and that phrase stuck out to me so much, joyful resistance. joyful resistance. that's really what we need, isn't it? we need a joy rebellion. i've met so many people here in ghana that are on that mission, that bring joy, feel joy, share joy. and it's remarkable. it's a remarkable place. when you smell the amazing scent of new gain flings... time stops. ♪ (music plays) ♪ your heart races. ♪ ♪ your eyes close. and you realize you're in love... steve? ...with a laundry detergent. new gain flings. seriously good scent. and now, 50% more fresh. that's love at first sniff. (vo) ninety-two percent of students in high-needs schools can't afford essential school supplies. and now, 50% more fresh. subaru and our retailers are there to help by giving millions of dollars in funding along with school supplies students need. we call it “the subaru love promise” and we are proud to be the largest corporate supporter of adoptaclassroom.org. it's just one of the reasons forbes ranked subaru the number one automotive brand for social impact. subaru. more than a car company. ♪♪ when you have chronic kidney disease... there are places you'd like to be. like here. and here. not so much here. if you have chronic kidney disease, farxiga can help you keep living life. ♪ farxiga ♪ and farxiga reduces the risk of kidney failure, which can lead to dialysis. farxiga can cause serious side effects including dehydration, urinary tract or genital yeast infections in women and men, and low blood sugar. ketoacidosis is a serious side effect that may lead to death. a rare life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking farxiga and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this bacterial infection, an allergic reaction, or ketoacidosis. farxiga can help you keep living life. ask your doctor for farxiga for chronic kidney disease. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. ♪ farxiga ♪ goli, taste your goals. to help. (inspirational music) - [narrator] wounded warrior project helps post-9/11 veterans realize what's possible. with generous community support. - aaron, how you doing buddy? - [narrator] we bring warriors together and empower them to become stronger inside and out. - it's possible to begin healing - to get the help you need. - to find peace. - [narrator] and as each warrior's needs evolve, so do we. because these last 20 years are just the beginning. - [narrator] and as each warrior's needs evolve, - i think this is it. ghana is shaking me to my core. it's incredible how a place with so many real concerns fo today maintains a cheery outlook for tomorrow. -- maintains a cheery outlook for tomorrow. >> hello. >> the canadian people put a positive spin on literally everything, even the thing that frankly, scares me the most. erica jody is an artisan creating the rare kind of art that you can take with you, even after you're gone. >> migrants at, he was the one who started the idea of designing -- i know some people would say fantastic, but i wouldn't say fantastic often because -- >> the fantasy, it trivializes it. it makes it too funny, too light. what are some of the designs you've made over the years? >> so many, i mean, like the sea horse. i mean -- >> a machine gun coffin? >> the thing is, we do everything. you just bring a picture and. >> i'm really afraid that guy is going to slice his finger off. >> he's been doing that forever. >> that is a crazy technique. i've never seen that before. >> eric runs a seven year-old family business designing coffins in the shapes of lions, fish, and airplanes, and different kinds of fish, and condoms, and a rooster, and a twix or upper, and a third variety of fish, and pretty much anything else you can imagine being that -- it's all part of a tradition to spend a charity of a coffin modeled of your profession here on earth, or reflecting or aspirations for the next world. >> what's going on here? >> looks like it's going to be a race car? did this man pass away? >> yeah. >> and this was his car? >> this was his car. so he's a taxi driver, so we made a taxi for him. >> you think he was in a taxi his whole life, he'd want to be buried in like a boat or something. >> actually, he worked all his life doing that to take care of the children. >> an homage to him and the work that he does. we >> this is of your bottle? >> yes. >> so you know how that person died. this is for someone who really liked corn? >> a corn farmer. a corn farmer. >> and then we have the shoe over there. this could be -- >> a cobbler? >> not really. a gentleman. >> a gentleman? with nice shoes? he could be like daniel de louis. >> one thing i always tell people is this is the thing you have to get for yourself, because that is the only thing you get to do. >> so, your coffin would be shaped, perhaps, like a coffin? >> yeah. i actually built one for myself. >> you did? >> yeah, i did. but i made it in a cabinet so my tv was on top of it. there were some jurors and stuff where i put stuff. >> that's a good idea. coffins that double as tv stands, i'll tell you that. and then boom, this might be something you take on to shark tank. >> look in different cultures around the world, death and the rituals of funerals are very different. and in the united states, it's a very solemn, you're supposed to have a very nice casket, it's very sad. but it seems to be a little bit different here in ghana. >> yeah. people more -- we try to put in more fashion and celebration and stuff to it than just crying. >> oftentimes a ghanaian funerals are epic celebrations, filled with pots of joe law, live music, drinking. and it's unlike anything i've witnessed back home. let the my father passed away two years ago, and he was a painter. and i'm thinking now, we had a very plain wooden coffin for him. but, it would have been great to have maybe some of his students paint some of his paintings on the coffin itself that would have been a really nice testimony to him. i've struggled since my father's death. i was a toddler when my mom left, and he pretty much raised me. he shared with me his love of storytelling, he wrote science fiction novels like this one about an android sent to earth to redeem humanity and fight giant bats. there's something absurdly a wise about the guinea and relationship with a death, and it brings me joy, imagining the giant bad themed coffin my father might have been buried again. >> embracing death, the reality of death, the natural-ness of death in a celebration of a life well lived is an important part to finding meaning. >> yes. whenever family shows up here, i spent between an hour and two with them. and it's all about stories. i mean, like what the person was doing, how life was and they don't go out crying. but they go out smiling. >> grief is hard work, no matter how you choose to experience it. i'm realizing now that we have gone up figured out all wrong. we use the words interchangeably, but positive psychology makes a distinction between optimism and pope. optimism is the belief that everything will work itself out in the end. hope, on the other hand, is the belief that through our own unique actions, we can make things better. canadians aren't optimistic, they're hopeful. they're actively fighting to make this a better place. >> i'm someone who loves to help others. and in a country like ghana, with so many problems, that always motivates me. that makes me feel like this is the right place i'm supposed to be. >> everyone helps me here, everyone is welcoming me here, and that's happiness to me. >> yeah. a little bit, yeah. >> i think the biggest piece i'm taking with me from ghana is how connected our happiness is to other people. our family, and our neighbors, and taxi drivers, and yes, even our coworkers. my visit here has been a much needed reminder of just how much choice i have in all of this. in how i choose to view the world, in how i choose to make my days worthwhile. our happiness, or the lack thereof, is never a foregone conclusion. it is just something that needs to be fight for. the deeper down the rabbit hole i go in search of bliss, the more things become complicated. happy places, sad places, places that seem happy despite having plenty of reasons to be said, it's all a bit overwhelming. liu [speaking in a non-english language] >> tonight on the mehdi hasan show, debunking the trump defense, the ex president's legal team is straw manning, what abouting, and straight-up lying in response to the third indictment. then, the other coconspirators, they might not be on jack smith's naughty list, but we are calling out trump's republican enablers in congress. and the sad circus. how the gop chairman of the house committee chasing after hunter biden was kind of humiliated by his own star witness. ♪ ♪ ♪

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