Courtesy of Abby Williams
Never in a million years would I have thought I would ever be given the opportunity to travel to Africa. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I knew that one, I probably could not afford it, and two, it wasn’t a very common study abroad location. Most programs offered include places like France, Italy, and the UK. Honestly, I just never thought it was possible. I had never traveled outside of the country prior to Ghana. When deciding whether or not I wanted to study abroad for a semester, I decided against it. This was because I didn’t feel comfortable living abroad for so long. I also didn’t want to miss out on anything going on here at Conn. Although I recognize how amazing those programs can be, I realized that just wasn’t for me. However, the Walter Commons Center for Global Study and Engagement proved to have other options for students like me. As a PICA (Program in Community Action and Public Policy) scholar through the Holleran Center, the title of the trip, “Community Based Global Learning Program” caught my eye immediately. Through PICA, I have been able to connect with local New London businesses and communities. This has taught me the importance of community building. The idea of doing this type of work in Ghana was something that immediately fascinated me. The program in Ghana also piqued my interest because it was something I could manage. Ten days in Africa seemed doable for me. I had never traveled outside of the country before, so I thought this could be a one-of-a-kind first-time experience. For people who don’t want to travel abroad as a junior, I can guarantee this experience is something you may be interested in.
To put it lightly, this trip changed my life. I was so nervous before we left, but I now envy that person because that version of me hadn’t experienced the overwhelmingly touching memories that I now can look back on. Experiences like the W.E.B Dubois Museum, the Cape Coast Castle, Divine Children’s Academy, the Assin Manso Ancestral Slave River, and Kakum National Park were ahead of me and waiting to be experienced. The first night, I was already homesick. I was in a different country, with different people, and extremely jet-lagged. But what got me through it was the warm and welcoming presence of our hosts. Kwame, our main host, was especially caring and made sure to encourage questions in case we needed anything. Professor TK, Professor Litchmore, and Professor Parker all assured us that if we had any concerns or just needed someone to talk to, they would be there. This was all very comforting to have when entering a new and unfamiliar environment like Africa. Waking up the next morning, after catching up on sleep, I felt much better and was ready to take on the rest of the trip. Slowly, the group got closer, and students from Conn I had never met before became my friends. We experienced things together that I don’t think many will ever have the chance to do. It brought us close on a level that I deeply appreciated. One of the nights, we all came together to hang out in one of our rooms. We swapped stories and laughed together while eating a little bit of candy. Very quickly, I felt comfortable and ready for the adventure.
One of the days consisted of visiting multiple recovery centers founded by Challenging Heights, a non-profit organization working to mitigate human trafficking among children living in Ghana. This was one of the most inspiring places I have ever visited. We visited a women’s center at one point, where we were tasked with learning about the different trades young women and single mothers teach themselves in order to provide a way of income once they leave the recovery center. This included sewing clothes, doing hair, nails, and makeup. I was paired up with a young woman who taught me how to do nails. It was inspiring to see young women who had endured so much smiling and giggling. I could see the community they had built around them. Often, they held each other’s hands and embraced each other. You could see the love between these women who had been through so much. As my helper watched me do her nails, I often would make a mistake, but she made sure to help me and teach me. We laughed together at my mistakes and fixed them together, too. I found myself thinking of my own friends back in the US and felt myself feeling a little more at home than I did before.
Another day— my favorite—included the host family dinner experience. I came back from this experience with tears in my eyes. Tears of happiness because of how grateful I was to be on this trip, and tears of sadness because I did not want to leave at all. When I first arrived, I felt awkward and out of place. My “host mother” was an older sister whom I had met earlier that day at the Divine Children Academy. She had helped me mix red paint with white paint to make a pink flower in the Connecticut College Classroom at the Academy (which does indeed have a camel painted on one of the walls). Her little sister was shy at first and quietly observed us as we made our way to the outside kitchen area, where we would cook our food. There were also children from other homes playing around in their yard area, chasing each other around and laughing. It was all so different to me because in America, we are so disconnected from our neighbors. Whereas here, children from all over were hanging out and running from house to house. The older sister showed us how to chop up the vegetables and stir the rice while the younger sister slowly began to come out of her shell. She asked if she could touch my hair, and soon began braiding it. I was remanded by my own little sister, and how similar this little girl was to her. Again, I felt a little bit more at home. As we cooked our meal, the older sister began to show us her exceptionally talented drawings. I was amazed by her creativity. She told me about her dreams of becoming an artist in the future. Then, she started to play music from her phone, and I immediately recognized the Billie Eilish song. As we cooked our dinner and quietly sang the song together, I began to get emotional because of how much I had connected with this young woman. We listened to the same music, and yet we were living two different lives. The cards we had been dealt were different. At the end of the meal and visit, I found myself extremely saddened to leave. To think that the first night, I was encapsulated with homesickness. It was rewarding to look back at how far I had come.
I never expected to connect with so many people on this trip. It was a blessing to be able to experience a country like Ghana. Coming from a small town like Waterville, Maine, I have felt sheltered and only dreamed of visiting a place as beautiful and resilient as Africa. The trip changed how I go through life. Sustainability means a little differently to me now, as I have experienced the power outages, lack of running water, and various “inconveniences” that others have accepted as everyday life. It was inspiring to visit a country that was as historic, vibrant, and diverse as Ghana. It was eye-opening to compare what I have back here in the U.S. versus what others have in different parts of the world. Now, I see that my problems are so much smaller than they could be. I see my education as even more of a privilege than when I did before. While I used to complain about the strenuous assignments and the difficult track practices, I realize just how lucky I am to be able to do these things. I recommend that everyone travel to Africa in order to realize this for themselves because it truly is enlightening. The trip will forever stay with me as I carry on the lessons I have learned every day for the rest of my life.
