some reflections post-ghana

I don’t think I can express in words how grateful I am for the chance to go to Ghana for four months. I got to actually see and experience so much of what I have learned about during my time in college. I value the relationships I made while in Ghana and already miss being with my roommate Seguah, Laraba & Ruth at the Night Market, and the girls at Street Girls Aid. I also miss the friends I made who are not from Ghana- my lovely Canadian friends as well as girls from Elon and other students from across America. Each person I met taught me so much and I have found myself looking nostalgically at pictures. I have learned so much about myself, what I care about, and what God cares about. I have learned more about what God has called me to (although I still have a lot to learn) and have even more of a passion now for social justice, just international and national policies to be implemented, a holistic gospel, and Christians caring about the poor in tangible ways.

I did not experience too much of reverse culture shock upon returning to the US. A few things have stuck out to me – everything looks so plastic and shiny (walking into Target for the first time was extremely overwhelming), everything is SO clean, and you can go for so long without actually having to speak to anyone. Now, I am sure that is true for many cultures, but it is strange spending so much time alone here…alone in my car, in my room, having so much space when I am food shopping or anywhere in general. It is just very different to the chaotic busyness and closeness of Accra, where people are just jam-packed everywhere.

I was talking with my friends Nina and Lonnie right before Lonnie left for Canada about the ways we want to change after this experience and how so many people claim to care about social justice but do not reflect that in their lives. I fully admit that there have been - and are - many things in my life that go contrary to what I proclaim is just. I believe that these things in my life are wrong and I really want them to disappear. I have committed to myself and God to uphold the following items: whenever I get a new piece of clothing I will give away one piece of my clothing to stop the massive accumulation that occurs all too quickly (thanks Jo!), to use air conditioning sparingly (when it is under my control), and to be more careful about how I am voting with my dollar – both in terms of food items by purchasing local and organic produce and in terms of other goods by shopping almost exclusively at Goodwill or secondhand stores. I thought it was important to set these guidelines in place for myself because I know that it is far too easy to forget what I’ve seen…and I don’t want that to happen.

postscript: I know that these past few entries have been posted several weeks after I’ve returned to the US….sorry for the delay! The last few weeks in Ghana were crazy with studying for finals and having all of those “lasts” that are always inevitable when you leave any sort of long trip. However, I wrote all of these blog entries (or at least parts of them) while I was still in Ghana, and wanted to share them with you faithful readers :) I really appreciate you taking the time to read about my time in Ghana. Thank you so much – or, as they say in Twi, medase-pa!