And all of a sudden, here I am on my last day in Accra. Our flight leaves
at 9pm tonight, and I am extremely excited to get home and see all of my family
and friends (and yes, partake in some Tim Horton’s treats!).
This has, as everyone predicted, been the adventure of a
lifetime. Everyday had its ups and downs, and it was not all seeing elephants
and eating FanIce; some days it was really difficult to be away from home. They
say that homesickness is a good thing, because it means that you have a home
worth missing – but that does not make it much easier! Some days were very long
and hectic, when you just felt too hot and crowded and prayed to just be able
to walk down the street without attracting attention. However, I gained
experiences from this journey that I would not trade for the world. I have
learned to problem-solve in a whole new way, to work in a professional
environment in an entirely different culture, and I have been exposed to a
world I never thought I would get to see in person. All of these experiences
have challenged me mentally, emotionally, and physically, and for that I am
grateful.
I feel as though I have become a very patient person.
Frustration still happens of course, but not without perspective. When I found
myself wanting to complain about a long trotro ride or foiled plans, it was not
hard to remind myself that I am living in Africa
for the summer, and things cannot always go as planned. Also, for every
negative thing that may have happened, at least five positive things did. I would
think “wow, I am tired”, but then remember that the day before I had hiked a
waterfall, met a new friend, or even held a monkey. This made everything a bit
easier. There was always something to look forward to or reflect happily on. It
has never escaped me how lucky I am to be here in Ghana.
As much as I hate to admit it, I will miss walking down our
massive hill each morning, as being greeted by neighbours and goats along the
way was definitely worth it. I will miss laughing as we would squeeze into a
trotro, buying food out of the windows of vehicles, and chatting up taxi
drivers. I will miss being so close to a beach, and being able to travel from a
busy city to a lush paradise each weekend. I will miss the acquaintances we
would run into on our route each morning and our seamstresses; but most of all
I will miss my colleagues at the Gender Centre. I felt truly welcomed and part
of a family there, as if I had at least five mother figures at any given time
willing to offer advice or assistance. Going to work each day only improved as
we became closer to each person at the office, and I will definitely miss our
chats with them every morning.
In short, almost every adjective could be used to describe
this trip – exhausting, exhilarating, frustrating, thrilling, challenging, and
even relaxing. It has gone very quickly (perhaps too quickly) and it will be
strange to re-adjust to my Canadian lifestyle. I am very much looking forward
to applying the knowledge and skills I have learned during my time in Ghana to my
studies and my life in general as I enter my final year at Acadia. Thanks to
everyone who has supported me throughout this process and who have read this
blog and enjoyed it. I had lots of fun sharing my stories along the way, and I
cannot wait to tell some in person!
Until next time!
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