That's a Wrap

That's a Wrap 11/13/2016

     This experience from start to finish was one of the most challenging things I've ever had to endure. It consumed moths of my life. Planning it all out, surviving it and adjusting back to my old life.

     I believe that the more we are challenged, the more we grow. I am rich with with personal growth, and beautiful friendships. I can't imagine having has this experience without the company of my new found friends. Who knows if I'll ever see my friends again? Who knows if I'll ever feel the rains of Ghana on my skin again?

     I do know that I am grateful for the experience, I am grateful that I was challenged to blog about my adventure and I'm so glad I kept a very detailed journal. It is my hope that all of these things will help to keep my memories vivid in my mind.

Hind sight is 20/20 Part 2

Hind Sight is 20/20 Part 2 11/06/16

Have you discovered new music while abroad? Oh my goodness, yes I have. Music is an intricate part of the Ghanaian culture. The rhythm is hypnotic and it will swallow you whole!
What have you done abroad that you don't do at home? I don't necessarily like using the word submit, but that's kinda what I did. In the states you do "x" and "y" happens. If you do "x" in Ghana, "L,M,N,O, and P" are gonna kick you in the face. Nothing goes as planned, there is no protocol. You need to immediately learn how to roll with the punches. When I was in my hostile phase, this drove me up the wall. I learned to embrace it, I took it home with me and now I cherish it. The little stuff doesn't even pop up on my radar any more. I feel so much more present and relaxed in my life. 
What do you do differently?  In Ghana, I don't work, I don't pay bills, I don't maintain a house. I live my life, make friends, I study and I enjoy every moment of my life. 
Who do you spend your time with? I have met a few Ghanaian friends. They are all so welcoming and so happy to share their culture. I Mostly hung out with the friends I made in my study abroad program. 
Are you meeting new people?  All day, everyday. Ghanaian's are so outgoing, social and self-confident. Nobody is sucked into their stupid electronic devices. Their culture works because the people work, and they work by working together. 
What does your university/classroom look like? When I first arrived it was overcast all the time, it was just the season for it. I am from Northern Arizona so I'm only used to sunshine. It reminded me of my dreary life in Chicago! After a few weeks the sun came out and it never quit. I loved it! I also loved walking around campus because it was alive, it was alive with fragrant flowers, a chorus of birds, and the most vibrant people you ever did see. Everything here is outdoors, our tutorials were held in a garden. I was often distracted by the birds, millipedes, the beautiful woman that wore a ripe pregnant belly as she nursed her toddler daughter and sold water and bananas to the students that were coming to and from tutorials. All of my classrooms had gigantic doors and windows that opened up to the outdoors. I was always outside while I was in Ghana and that's my favorite place to be in the whole world.
What is your favorite thing about your host university? The people. My American friends because we all depended on one and other for so very much. The locals because they were so generous, genuine, helpful, thoughtful and caring. 
Favorite trip or excursion? Going on safari in Mole National Park. Holy crap! I went on safari!! I slept on the rainforest floor. At night, my friends and I made poor life choices and together we crept down to the river in the dark. We sat in silence for hours, not a word was said. We gazed at the stars, listened to the wind in the leaves of the mammoth trees, and we were all on edge, terrified that a predator would devour us. Thankfully, we survived to tell the story. Best nights of my life! 
Is there a secret spot only locals know? A million. Internet isn't really a thing there yet. You gotta meet the people and get out there. There is so much to see and do.
A landmark of personal significance to you? The slave trade castle. I still don't have words to explain that experience, I don't think I ever will.
What are your favorite sights, smells and sounds of your study abroad neighborhood? The smiles on peoples faces. The smell of sweat on the trotro, the music everywhere you go.
What tips would you give a student who wants to meet the locals? Bring a travel coffee mug from home. Fill it with instant coffee because that's the only coffee you'll find there, then sit anywhere. People will approach you. You can do this on campus, at the mall, in the market, anywhere. UNPLUG FROM YOUR PHONE :)!!! Open yourself up to engaging with others. This works stateside too!
What are your favorite words from your host language? I did not learn the language, but there are a few phrases I liked. If you don't want something, you say "no please". Everyone is very polite.
Who inspired you to go abroad? My cousin Bill. I had only met him a few times in my life because he was always overseas on some grand adventure with the Peace Corps. During the holidays his parents, my aunt and uncle, would pass pictures of him around the table and share his stories. 
Who do you want to thank? I want to thank my cousin Bill for inspiring me and I want to thank Mariel my advisor for making it happen!
Does being abroad make you think any differently about what it means to be "an American"? I still don't know what to make of it. A large part of me is so ashamed. I feel that as an American I am so far removed from everything that really matters in life. We create these superficial problems to worry about, like who has the greener grass, while people in other parts of the world are legitimately just trying to stay alive. I love warm showers, I love having a voice as a woman, I love that I have never needed to dial "911," but if I 
need to, I can and they will be there for me. I hate that I get upset if the grocery store is out of Fuji apples, so what? Pick one of the other 10 varieties available. I love that my health is easy to maintain. But I am sad that my life is so regimented, I am sad that there are a million American expectations that dictate how I should live my life. 
What's the best thing about being home? Having choices. I only had cold showers overseas. You could only have the fruit that was ripe, you could only have what was available. This went for anything, the most basic things, food, water, transportation, clothes, everything. Everything was done out of necessity, not choice. Now that I'm back, I have these choices. However, they seem less important now.
What's the hardest? Ghana is done. I feel like the anticipation of an adventure is one of the best parts. When I was there I tried to stay present in each moment and enjoy it to the fullest. However, we all know time flies when you're having fun. I woke up every single morning facing my window and smiling to myself thinking "I'm in Africa!" Every morning! Now I am back. I don't get to wake up that way anymore. Also, everyone would enthusiastically ask, "How was it?" I would respond with, "It was great!" 
How was it? How can I sum any one part of it up? Seeing our waste as Americans was hard, how we waste food, water, resources, everything. Seeing how much we all take everything for granted, not just or food and water, but our basic needs and our human rights, or standard of living. That is the hardest!
How was your experience different from what you expected? I really didn't know what to expect, so I went in with an open mind. Only thing I can say, is that the experience as whole was far better than anything I could have ever wanted.
What stereotypes did you have about your study abroad destination? 
I'm not sure. I know most folks in my social circle were shocked to hear that I didn't live in a grass hut. 
What do you wish you'd done differently? Not a whole lot. I think I would have tried to make stronger friendships with my Ghanaian classmates. 
How did studying abroad impact your future? I have so much more self-confidence. I feel comfortable navigating the globe, if I can make it there, I think I can make it anywhere. It has probably saved me from a premature heart attack. I am so much less stressed in my daily life, because I learned that everything really does work itself out. It has definitely made me tougher. It also looks super good on a resume and I'm pretty sure that experience helped me get the dream job that I currently have.  
Have you changed the way you live as a result of your experience abroad? 100% Yes! I appreciate what I have so much more. I have a new found value for my basic human rights as a person and especially as a woman. I am calmer. I also have a gigantic sense of pride knowing that I did something amazing with my life. Most people want to do something extraordinary but are to scared or lazy to make it happen. Just because my life is pretty complicated, this was an extremely challenging and time consuming process, making this adventure happen. But I fought tooth and nail and I made it happen. I'm very proud of myself. I've also learned to take that sense of pride and accomplishment and I apply it to every other facet of my life. I know I really can make anything happen if I just try hard enough.  
What did you learn about yourself? I am strong. I have courage. I'm good at rolling with the punches. And when I get knocked down, I will get back up. I really, truly love people. I really, truly love Ghana. I learned how fortunate I am that I had an experience like this.
What do you miss most from abroad? The people and being there. If I could, I would go back in a second.
What does "reverse culture shock" mean to you? It's like fitting a square peg into a round hole. I left my home as a round peg and I was really vulnerable overseas. There were so many new experiences and between the vulnerability and the new stuff, I really had to change and adapt quickly. I was busy just trying to survive, I didn't realize how much I had changed until I came home and tried to fit back into my life. I wasn't the same. I had a hard time with everything. The produce section of the grocery store was overwhelming, hot showers were mind-boggling, everything was sensory overload! I honestly hardly remember the first two weeks back. I was in a daze, I was seeing everything with new eyes and I wasn't sure how the new me fit into my old life. I would say that it took a whole month until I got my groove back. Then I was better than ever!
Do you think of America any differently now that you have returned?
Trump was elected while I was overseas. That was pretty humiliating being laughed at by pretty much everyone I met in Ghana, Togo, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Palestine. I took a week to travel while I was there. Sometimes I feel ashamed of how ungrateful we are for the most part. But I also really do appreciate all of the rights and privileges we are afforded. I have a long list of how I think of America differently now. Education, here I feel like we take education for granted. Most people have access to education in the states. Most people don't have access to education in Ghana. In the states you hear people all the time complaining about class, and homework. In Ghana it truly is a privilege to go to school, you will never hear a student complain about school. 
How do you plan to get involved in other international activities?
Ugh, I'm old. I need to do that whole, get a real job and plan for your future thing. I'm just grateful that I had the experience and maybe one day I'll find my way back :)
What's your general advice for students preparing to go abroad? 
Just do it! Ditch your expectations and just go. Make friends, be free, make it happen. Plan ahead and get some scholarships, like "Go".
How about for students going on your study abroad program? Only bring one bottle of bug spray. Journal, journal and journal. It'll be only a distant memory before you know it.

Hindsight is 20/20 Part 1

Hindsight is 20/20 Part 1 10/31/2017

    I need to take a moment and thank my home university, Northern Arizona University. It was their amazing staff that inspired me and assisted me on the path of pursuing the biggest dream of my life. I would also like to thank GO scholarship. I have kept a journal for 5 years now. I have never missed a day. GO scholarship asked me to create a blog and I'm glad they did. I was inspired to create more of a keepsake in addition to my journals and it is so easy to share not only with my university, but with my family and now the friends that I have worldwide. Here is a list of questions and prompts for my Go scholarship. 

(one of the top 2 moments of my entire life, showering in the rains of Africa.)

Why did you choose to study abroad? As a child I remember hearing stories of my cousin Bill's world travels. I only met him a few times in my whole life and that was because he was always bopping around the world. Bill was my inspiration to travel. I was too scared to travel to Africa all on my own, so it made sense to travel through a study abroad program. 
Why did you choose your study abroad program/destination? I always knew I wanted to go to Africa, I was happy to go anywhere I could. I traveled to Africa through the USAC program. This program appealed to me because they will hold your hand as little or as much as you need. This was a huge endeavor for me so I was grateful for all of the support I received.   
How are you preparing for your study abroad experience? This was the hard part. There were a handful of times that I wanted to throw in the towel and cancel my trip to Ghana. I was working full-time and saving as much money as I could. I was in school full-time. I got rid of everything I owned, except for what I could fit in my Jeep. I had to put my life on hold for four months. This was not an easy thing to do.
What do you want to get out of this experience? I was looking for a challenge, I was looking to grow, I was looking for the adventure of a lifetime. 
What are you most looking forward to? The unknown! 
What are you most nervous about? I was most nervous about getting there. I felt so overwhelmed with everything in life, I could only focus on the next step.
What are your goals? My goal was to have no expectations and to make an effort to be mentally present during my grand adventure.
What do you want to do with your time abroad? I just wanted to be selfish and focus on myself. I wanted to marinade in every moment.
While in the host country tell us about a challenge you faced while studying abroad, how did you overcome it? How do I narrow it down? I wasn't on vacation, I had to learn how to function and live my life in a developing country. Every moment of every day was a challenge. Honestly though, the biggest challenge was adjusting to how classes were run in Ghana. In the states you receive a syllabus on the first day of class and every single assignment and expectation is spelled out for you. At the University of Ghana it was totally different. The teacher's don't show up for the first two weeks... Most assignments were assigned by word of mouth... Sometimes the meeting place of the classroom would change and you would have no idea until you show up and you were the only one there... I learned really quickly that I can stress about these struggles or I could just roll with the punches. Either way, the situation will get resolved. Everything always works out. It's a true story. I learned to go with the flow, it was a lot easier then having the American state of mind where you're constantly stressing about every detail of every day. This go with the flow attitude is something I am trying to apply to my life now that I'm back stateside.
What advice would you give to others experiencing the same challenge? Honestly, just roll with it. Things may not always go as expected, but that's OK. Maybe you'll have some new experiences that will open your eyes to other ways of doing things.
Your favorite or most interesting cultural experience while abroad?
Kindness and generosity. I had an adventurous group of friends and every opportunity we got, we escaped the big city and explored the more rural villages. In these villages the people have nothing. They reside in homes made of mud that wash away about every 5 years. They have a shared well. They don't have electricity. But, they have gigantic smiles and kindness in their hearts. Ghanaians are so proud of their rich culture and they are so happy to share it. They will share their food, their homes, their music, their dance, everything. They have less than anyone I've ever met stateside and are by for the most generous people I've ever met.
 What's your commute like from home to class? It was a long, hot walk that I miss now that I'm home. Jumping over Obruni traps, dodging tro tros, hearing music, watching athletes practice their sports. Passing the night market and visiting the woman with the crazy hair and buying fresh fruit from her and getting a hug from her beautiful daughter Gloria.
 What do you hear/see/smell on the way? Along the way I heard traffic, music, laughter and birds, tons of birds. I saw people doing life, like anyone else. People working, growing, socializing, people helping one and other, the people are my favorite, everything about them is so beautiful. I smelled polution, sad but true. Many peole burn their garbage because there are not a whole lot of other options for waste managment.  
 What's your living space like? Life changing. I came with only one suitcase. I had the least amount of possessions and the smallest amount of space I'd ever lived in and it was the best! I wanted for nothing and it was easy maintaining such a small space. I did pay extra and get a private room. Best decision ever!!! I love people and I am super social, but I love my alone time. Daily life was very stimulating and great, I really appreciated my quiet time at the end of the day. Another part I loved about Ghana was that every building structure was directly connected to the outdoors. My windows were just slats of glass that opened up to outside. There was no blocking the sun, wind or rain out completely. I was always connected to nature. 
Who do you live with? In my hostel I lived with all international students, many of which I will always consider some of the most dear friends I've ever had. But... in my room I am alone and so happy with that.
How is your home abroad different from your home in the US? As a returning student, I am older, I have owned several houses. This was actually my first time living in a dorm setting. That being said, I cannot tell you how grateful I was that I decided to get my own room. It was honestly really refreshing to be removed from the responsibilities of being a homeowner for a little while. I did miss refrigerators, I missed hot showers. I missed reliable electricity. I missed the internet. But at the same time, I was happy to be freed of those things and I was happy to be present in my life rather than hiding behind all of the typical amenities in my American life.
What did you pack that you wish you'd left behind? Bug spray and sunscreen. Even on safari I NEVER used either of them. Maybe I had four mosquito bites the whole time and I even cowboy camped while I was on safari, no tent, no sleeping bag, I just slept on the rainforest floor. Best life moment ever!!! Looking back, perhaps not the safest life choice ever. As far as the sunscreen, I'm pretty pasty, I was super close to the equator and for some reason, I never got burnt. Ha, maybe it had to do with all of that pollution from burning garbage.
What do you wish you'd packed? I wanted for nothing while I was there. I was really enjoying the "less is more" thing. And, there was a mall about 20 minutes from campus, so if I "needed" anything I could just go there.
Does your host culture have a different concept of time or space than you're used to? Absolutely, neither of them exist there. Time is only a suggestion and personal space isn't a thing either. People will touch you just because you have white skin. You are crammed on a tro tro sandwiched in between a whole bunch of super sweaty people. I miss it. Stateside people are afraid to touch one and other. Call me crazy, I miss constant physical connection to other people and to the outdoors.
What's your favorite food you've tried so far? I am not a picky eater and my stomach is tough as nails! I was not a fan of the food there. Maybe that's because I am hungry all the time and I eat all the time. I workout a ton and I want to get as many calories into my body as quickly as I can. I don't want to be slowed down by bugs in my food, bones, mysterious, identifiable bits of matter, cow hide, "bush meat"(whatever that is?), and so on. That being said, the avocado was life changing, pineapple stateside is now ruined for me. I never knew I loved coconut so much.
What have you accomplished while abroad that makes you proud? I crushed two life goals; I finished college and I got the opportunity to live in Africa, if only for a moment. It's something I wanted my whole life.
How do you spend your free time? This is a common thread in my life. I feel that everyone has that one thing in which they excel; some people are really great at math, some people have a great sense of direction, some people are savvy with finances, whatever it is, most people have their area of specialty. Mine is my ability to connect with others. I pride myself in my ability to attract amazing people into my life. The first day I arrived in Ghana, I met the friends that would very quickly become some of the best friends that I ever did have. They loved to play cards and board games, they loved to explore, travel and take chances. They loved to laugh, they loved doing the unusual, and they loved doing stupid things with me, like getting matching tattoos from a shady parlor behind a restaurant on my birthday, not sketch at all... having survived it all, I say it was well worth it and my experiences were all that much better because I was able to share them with some pretty stellar folks. 
Is it different from what you would do in the US? Yes and no. Stateside, I am always looking for any excuse to get the heck out of Dodge and disappear into nature. I feel like in the states, it's a bit more safe to wander off on my own. I did miss my alone time in the wilderness while I was overseas. I'm sure I could have gone off on my own and been just fine, but I'd rather be smart and not take the chance of having had ending up in a compromising situation. 
Are you making progress with the language? I love language. I have studied both French and Spanish. I am pretty confident in my ability to pick up new languages. A part of me is sad that I did not even try to learn the language, but I did get along just fine without taking a  Twi language class. I know that I missed out in some regards because learning a new language adds a ton of beautiful insight into a new culture. I know the only reason why I didn't sign up to study Twi was because of time. I wanted to spend as little time as possible in a classroom and as much time as possible in the culture and local community. I know I could have gained something by actually studying the language, but I know that my adventurous attitude and adventurous group of friends afforded my so many learning opportunities that I would have never gotten inside of a classroom. 
What are you learning in class? So, I feel like you could study math in any country in the entire world and the rules are the same. One and one will anyways make two. However, studying social work at my home university and in a developing country... holy smokes!! I cannot even begin to cover all of the discrepancies. I don't think I've ever felt so emotionally charged about basic human rights in my whole life. The things that are just simple, common place things in life in the US vs daily struggles and injustices in Ghana. I really cannot get into it, it's the longest laundry list you'll ever see, but I can guarantee it'll make you appreciate home that much more.
What are you learning outside of class? Time is what you make of it. It can dictate every moment of your life, or you can be present in every moment of it. I've been home nearly 6 months and the world's most punctual gal ever has graciously submitted to time. 

Things that Confound Me

Things that Confound Me 10/23/2016

     The top two things that confound me here in Ghana would have to be toilets and time. I don't understand how either of them work here and based on the signs I have featured in this post, I know I am not the only one here that is confused about how to use a toilet. Here I have urinated in female urinals, I have peed on tiled floors with a slanted foundation and a hole in the corner of the stall, I often find myself squatting in a puddle of urine, half mine, half who knows who else's urine it could be, equal parts splashing onto my open toed sandals. Toilet paper is non-existent. Things like sinks, never mind working sinks, and hand soap are luxuries that are hard to come by. It is like one long backpacking trip, only thing is I don't have to dig a hole. Only benefit to digging a hole, is that you can pretty much relieve yourself whenever nature calls. In rural areas of Ghana, you will find many people doing just that, minus the digging a hole thing. Since my snow-white little tush would stick out like a total sore thumb, I unfortunately am not afforded that opportunity. Proper bathrooms are few and far between out here, so I also developed a bladder that had the capacity to hold twice the urine as it had stateside. 

     Time and toilets transitions: People are not on time because they have to say hello to everyone they know. They also shake hands with everyone they know, but god forbid, you shake with the left hand! Because in Ghana, the left hand can be, is, used in lieu of toilet paper, perhaps, at times.
    

     If you are early, you are on time. If you are on time, you are late. If you are late, don't bother showing up. This thought process does not exist in Ghana because time does not exist here. That being said, I am still confused why 99% of the Ghanaian population wears watches and only 65% of those watches actually keep time. As I've said before, the folks here in Accra are impeccably dressed all the time, right down to their watches. You would think if so many folks wore watches that people might be on time for certain events. 

     For example; on a good day your professors will only be an hour or two late for class. Yes, you are expected to wait endlessly until they finally show up. Luckily, I was somewhat conditioned to this, as my professors never showed up for the first two weeks of class all together. I was so confused, especially because my home university was waiting on receiving a copy of the syllabus for course approval by my advisor. 

     To make a long story short, I learned a lot about patience. There was another huge life-lesson I learned. It wasn't letting go, it wasn't submitting, it really was "Hakuna Matata." Yup, quoting Disney here. No worries. Everything works out, perhaps not as you or I planned, but somehow it does.
     
     As proof, I am sitting here typing this and you are sitting here reading this, so let's face it, good or bad, up until this point EVERYTHING has worked out. I can either stress about it, or I can just stop worrying and there's an excellent chance that by not worrying the end result will most likely waste less effort on stressing and will put more efficient energy into a more effective outcome. 

Ghana Broke Me

Ghana Broke Me 10/9/2016

    

    I didn't pack a lot of expectations when I set out on this journey. I spent 35 years of my life living with expectations and that was one thing I wanted to leave behind. I thrive on a healthy social network, I lost that when I arrived in Ghana. I had nothing but one suitcase and one carry-on bag. I have never made friends so quickly and wholeheartedly in my whole life. I pride myself on my ability to make friends. I learned how to do this specifically when I left my friends and family in Chicago and moved to Phoenix, Arizona. I learned it again when I moved to Flagstaff, Arizona and didn't know a soul there. Building a friendship takes time. You need to learn a persons strengths, their weaknesses, their sense of humor, you need to meet their friends and family, you need to cry together, laugh together, you need to have moments where you fall and they pick you up and this goes both ways. It can take years to establish this level of friendship. 

     I experienced this at super warp speed in Ghana. I know my fellow colleagues and I all signed up for this wild ride on our own freewill, but I never anticipated what it would be like to nurture these relationships, it wasn't even on my radar. I was happy with the thought that I was going to be alone here. I wanted to spend time with myself. Flashback to the previous paragraph where I stated that I wasn't bringing expectations. 
     We were all plucked from our homes, our friends, our families and our creature comforts. We were thrust into the unknown and we needed to rely on each other for everything. We were all struggling, we were all displaced, we were all alone. We quickly united, one persons weakness was another's strength. We pulled together, pooled the only resources we had, the ones that come from inside each of us. We wove them together and launched ourselves into the unknown, stronger than we were when we left the comfort and security of our homes. The bonds we formed were stronger than most friendships I've spent a lifetime building.
    I am so grateful for these friendships, my time here wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining without my new found friends. We needed to depend on one and other for everything. 
     For example; an adventure here isn't complete if your transportation doesn't break down at least once. Back home I would have panicked. Honestly, the first few times it happened here I did. But guess what? It all worked out. I got to my destination a little later than expected. But it all worked out. Now an ordinary ride in a tro tro has a great memory attached to it and I got to share the adventure with some great friends!
     No joke, every task you do, everything you try to accomplish, something will go wrong. I admit, I have the tendency to be controlling, high strung, stubborn, and a perfectionist. In other words, I'm a brat. I want what I want and I want it now! This often took a little work but this was the norm for me in the States.
     Ghana beat this out of me. I put up a good fight. Maybe that's why the hostile phase lasted so long for me. I still haven't found the words to describe the transition that happened within me. It was some combination of me learning to submit, letting go and relaxing. This honestly was a huge internal struggle, letting go. Think about it, we have all faced adversity or disappointment at some point in out lives, right? Historically I would immediately work myself up into a tizzy, I would panic, I would obsess and lose sleep until I got my way. But I always got my way. Here I learned that the problem WILL always get solved, I WILL always get my way because I am persistent. I can still get what I want but I learned how to do it with out freaking out and being so stressed. IT WILL WORK OUT! Let's face it, I'm here, it doesn't always go exactly as planned, but I promise you, someway, somehow, it all works out, it always does. Even the things in the past that have totally fallen apart, they have led me to where I am today. 
     Ghana broke me. She beat me down. She did the impossible. Thank you Ghana. I am excited to take home my souvenirs and photographs, but I am most grateful for bringing back my new me. Because Ghana beat me into submission I feel rejuvenated, I feel more present, I feel less pressure, I feel happy. 
   OK, OK , one more thought. If you suffer from OCD, if you're a germaphobe, if your personal space bubble is too big, if you have too much confidence, if you think you know it all, if you think you have it all, I challenge you. Come here, Ghana will cure you of all of this. It's quite liberating. 
(Photo above: Ghana also landed me in the hospital with some crazy unidentifiable rash!)    

Westernization

Westernization 10/2/2016

     This is a topic that bothered me while I was living in Ghana. I meant to write this blog while I was still in Ghana, but as time does, especially in Ghana, it slipped away. I wanted to visit Ghana because I wanted to experience a culture unlike anything I had ever seen before. There I found a culture that was rich with their rhythmic music, their unique foods, the brightly colored clothing, the traditional gatherings associated with weddings and funerals. 

     These are some of the things I hold near and dear to my heart about my experience overseas and kills me to hear so many Ghanaian people wanting to become westernized. I of course understand the need for clean water ways, electricity, healthcare and so on. 

     I loved the markets, I loved the unique businesses and establishments. Families own these. It was a constant bustle of beautiful people, earning a living side by side to take care of their loved ones. Then, there was the Accra mall. It was just off campus and I visited it only as a last resort. The mall was a bitter reminder of everything that I dislike about America and it represents what many people from Ghana aspire to live like. 

     Now that I am home, it brakes my heart driving through America, down streets lined with all the same stores. I could be at my place in Arizona, visiting my folks in Chicago, or friends in California, Starbucks, Walmart, CVS, McDonald's, Taco Bell, Subway, Bed Bath and Beyond, right? It sickens me. Good luck finding two of the same restaurants or stores in the markets of Ghana.

The market that I love

The mall that makes me crazy!

This is me

This is Me 9/25/2016

         This is a little one. For four months I didn't have a mirror in my room. I didn't have makeup. I didn't have a blow-dryer. I didn't have a flatiron. I hardly shaved a thing. I never plucked anything. I didn't have a bathroom scale. I had about one week's worth of clothes. I had 4 pairs of shoes. My entire life fit in one piece of luggage. I rarely had internet. And, I didn't care. I felt the most beautiful I ever have in my life. I felt liberated. I felt like me, for the first time.