I have been back in America for a little over a week and
while I did get sick on my plane ride back I am still happy to be home.
Now that I am home I have had some time to fully process my trip to Ghana. When
I was actually in Ghana it was hard to sit down and examine exactly what the
trip has accomplished; however, now that I am home I am able to better
understand the impact that Ghana has had on me. Simply put the trip to
Ghana was a life changing experience; however, to only say that is both too cliché
and does not capture the true weight that the trip Ghana has on my life.
While the trips and the food are fun and exotic I would not simply label my
experience as such material things. The experience of Ghana is at times a
vacation and at other times a lesson in survival. To any student looking
to study abroad in Ghana you should know that it is not an easy trip.
This trip is not for every person and before you decide to go you should
examine yourself on a very deep level, only then will you know if you can
thrive in the Ghanaian study abroad experience.
While a semester may be long enough for some programs Ghana is not one of those programs. For the person looking for the most complete experience a full year program is best. The academics may not be up to the usual CMU standards, but there are plenty of opportunities for independent research that is best done if the student is there for the full year. A semester is great in its own respects because at least you are getting a great experience. The lifestyle that I adopted in Ghana is to find more positive aspects within any situation. Also, since there are many things that do not always work in Ghana the best thing to learn is creativity in problem solving. These lessons are more valuable than any wood carving or other material items.
Being away from my family for the entire semester was very hard; however, there are plenty of ways to communicate with everyone at home. Though contacting home is necessary the other international students in my group became a makeshift family for me and I for them. We were all in a place that was very different than what we were used to; therefore, we relied on each other for the support that we needed to get through the tough days. The friends I made in Ghana were fantastic and I hope to have them for the rest of my life. The necessity of friendship was yet another thing that Ghana showed to me. While it may seem obvious to most that since we are social beings we must have friends, it seems that too much in American society we remain largely isolated from each other. This disunity and independence is a major cultural difference between Ghana and America and was an issue that I had to deal with at times.
For the individuals who need to feel at home at
least a little bit I suggest bringing some trinkets or pictures that
remind you of home. Also, I ate one meal that was not Ghanaian per week;
this was a way to change things up from just eating jolof, waakye, or
banku, and it was a way for me to feel more at home. The best way to
thrive in Ghana is to make yourself as comfortable as you can. This
means finding a routine, making lots of friends, and finding special
spots where you can go when you need to reflect. One of my friends used
a small coffee shop in Madina and a restaurant in Aburi; another friend
used Kokorbeta, it really depends on what things make you happy and
then surrounding yourself with those things.
Overall, I hope this blog has been helpful for
everyone reading it to understand a little more about Ghana. Ghana is a
place unlike any in the west and therefore should be understood in a
different fashion. The African philosopher John Mbiti said that we
should not compare the philosophy of traditional Africa with the modern
West. This is because Africa is still finding itself, and Ghana is no
exception. As a student coming in to Ghana while it is still finding
itself is challenging, but overall very rewarding.
