Reflections On My Time in Ghana

A participant from CYL is doing a project in school on successful role models and asked if she could interview me. It was really touching and I definitely went overboard with my answers as it gave me a wonderful opportunity to reflect. I would like to share those reflections here:


1. What was your reason for going to Africa?

There were a few reasons that I decided to go to Ghana, a country situated in West Africa.

The first was based on a desire to do something about the HIV/AIDS epidemic that has swept across Africa. In my last year of high school, I did a project on the epidemic. Prior to starting the project, I had no idea about what was happening there. From that point on, I wanted to do something to help. I wanted to bring education if nothing else.

In the summer of 2006, as Co-ordinator of the Co-operative Young Leaders (CYL) Program, I shadowed a presentation given by Karen Timoshuk, an International Development Educator for the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA). It was the presentation that I delivered at your session of CYL. Being passionate about co-operatives and the difference they make in people's lives, especially developing countries, I was very interested to learn more about CCA's Youth Experience International (YEI) Program that the video on HIV/AIDS in Ghana spoke about. In the following year, I began to read up on the YEI Program and decided that following my completion of Teacher's College at the University of Ottawa, I would apply for the six montn internship experience in Ghana as the HIV/AIDS Education Intern. Based on my experience and skill set in education and as a qualified Math teacher in particular, CCA determined that I was better suited for the position of Youth Savings Intern and worked directly with the HIV/AIDS Education Intern.

I also wanted to go to Africa because I feel that I was born into privilege and with that brings the obligation to give back. I did not choose where I was born to, it just happened. And since I have the skill set and opportunity to give back, I should.

Africa is such a vast continent that I knew very little about, aside from the horror stories you hear on the news. I wanted to see the poverty with my own eyes, take in the radiant people, and put my life into perspective. I knew that going to Ghana would be the opportunity of a lifetime and that I would learn so much about its people, about the world, about myself.


2. While in Africa, what changes did you have to get used to and how did you cope with the new lifestyle?

When I was in Ghana, there were many changes that I had to get used to: the heat, the sight of poverty everywhere I went, the Ghanaian accent, the difference in culture, being "other" and standing out. At first, it was very overwhelming everywhere I went because I wanted to take in as much as I could - the sights, the sounds, the smells. It was sensory overload. But I quickly began to settle into my life there and to adapt. There were days that were certainly easier than others.

In terms of the heat, I coped by wearing a lot of nice, flowy skirts! It made a huge difference. The harder things to deal with were the poverty, the difference in culture, and standing out. Everywhere I went, I would see people in the streets begging for money. They were dirty, sick, and often disabled. They would reach out as I passed and it was very difficult to see these people in need and not constantly give them money. But I had to walk by because I could not help every one. If I had left over food ever, I would carry it with me to give away. The difference in culture was very difficult to deal with.

The work environment in Ghana is very different than in Canada. The business world is dominated by men and if there are any young women in the organization, they are working as secretaries. Trying to get things accomplished was very challenging because I had to be very diplomatic in how I approached my supervisors. The Ghanaian culture is based on respect of elders and those in positions of authority. As a result, you are never supposed to question them or come in assertive as you would in Canada. I had to be very passive and timid in my approach. The pace at which things are accomplished is very slow. Compared to my jobs in Canada, it was painful how little got accomplished in a day. People do not exert themselves as much. Family and relationships take precedence over work. I don't completely disagree with this; in fact, I think Canadians could learn from their priorities. However, the amount of work that takes place in one week in Canada is probably equivalent to the amount of work and progress that takes place in six months in most organizations in Ghana. In order to deal with this, I had to become very apathetic and not care. This is something, as a bit of a perfectionist, that I never mastered that artfully.

The weirdest phenomenon for me that I had not really considered prior to my arrival in Ghana was that I was "other". Being a caucasian (white) female, I had never encountered that before in my life. Women in Canada hold a lot of power. We are almost equal to men, although there is still some progress to be made. And so, I have never been stared at, isolated, different. In Ghana, everywhere I went people would call out to me "Obruni" (white man). I would get stopped in the tro-tro station (where we picked up transportation) and men would tell me they loved me and ask me to be their wife. Little kids would run after me chanting "Obruni! Obruni!). I stood out. At meetings, my Ghanaian Supervisor would parade us around: "Meet our people from Canada!". It was bizarre and I mostly laughed all the time for lack of a better reaction. I kind of felt a bit like a movie star initially and eventually it got a bit annoying. But as I became more comfortable there, people could tell I had been there a while and began to leave me alone.

The hardest thing that I had to deal with, by far, while I was there was finding a man bleeding to death on the way back from lunch one day. Maya, the other Canadian intern, and I were coming back from our walk to get food and found a local alcoholic man lying in a pool of his own blood outside our workplace. As if that was not difficult enough, our co-workers seemed to think it was funny when we told them he needed help and when we learned of his death the next day. I was so angered at their reaction until I realized that they laughed because death is so commonplace and they do not grieve it the way they do here. As my time went on there, I saw many funerals. They are a celebration of life in Ghana, not a sorrowful time of mourning.

There was much to get used to, but each scenario allowed me to grow and gain a better appreciation for Ghana.


3. How did the trip change the way you live in Canada?

I would like to think that I live a less wasteful life than I did before I went to Ghana. I try to be more mindful of products I buy to ensure they are fair trade. I am less consumeristic and materialistic than I used to be; I lost a lot of weight while I was in Ghana and upon returning home, I did not rush out to buy all kinds of new clothes. I make due with what I have and I question every purchase I make. I will never be perfect because we live in a society that breeds the need for "more". We always want bigger, better. But after seeing the living conditions of people in West Africa, I have a hard time allowing myself all of the excess.

I am also more understanding of other cultures. I was fairly open-minded before, but I feel that I am even more so now. I have lived life in another's land. I was the one who had to adapt. I have a whole new appreciation for new immigrants who are trying to live their lives according to their values while adapting to a new country and set of values.

The most important thing that I have changed in my personal life is taking time with my family and friends. Ever since my return, I have tried to make trips home more often, visited with my grandparents, laughed with friends, told people how I feel about them. Work is important to me and I enjoy my job, but I used to put precedence on my job because it was something I was paid to do. Since my time in Ghana, I have realized that life is too short to always put work first. Jobs come and go, as does your working life. The people in your life are there throughout it, if you are blessed enough to have them around for the long haul.


4. Did you learn anything while in Africa?

I learned so much while in Ghana. About the world, about cultures, about myself. I learned that the way you view and deal with a situation completely changes the outcome in your mind. I learned that poverty does not equate misery. Although people have very, very little, they are so friendly, happy, and thankful to be alive. They will invite you to their home and offer you their food, even though they hardly have enough to feed themselves. I saw it all the time at work. People who had very little to eat for lunch. And yet the first thing out of a Ghanaian's mouth if they have food? "You are invited" You are invited to share their meal with them. It is truly a co-operative way of living. Entire families would sleep together on the floor in their one-roomed huts. And yet here we are in Canada with our huge homes with often one or two people living in them.

I learned that community is still vibrant and well in the world. People do not pass one another on the street withouth greeting one another. I learned to pick that up again. Who cares what the other person's reaction is? For some people, it may be the only interaction they get that day.

I learned that sometimes it is better to take a day off work to take your friend to the hospital or the clinic - what is more important: work or your friend's health and well being?

I learned that people living with HIV are just like you and me. The children who are living positive are cute, cuddly, and adorable. They did not choose this life or make a decision that affected them; they are stuck with this condition and their poor families are now doing all they can to support them.

I learned that although I sometimes get frustrated with men, the treatment of women in romantic relationships is much better in Canada than in other parts of the world. Although adultery in Canada, at least it is not well seen in society. And I do not have to worry about ever being part of a polygamous marriage, whereas in other cultures this is acceptable. That does not fit in with my value base, but I now have a better understanding and can respect people who practice it after having discussed with a young man from such a family.

I learned that I don't have to wear makeup, wear trendy clothes, do my hair all perfect to be considered beautiful.

I learned that breaking out of my North American shell and experiencing another part of the world, another culture, another lifestyle was one of the best decisions I could have ever made.


5. If you had the chance, would you go back? If so, would you go for the same reason(s) or different reason(s)?

If I had the chance, I would go back in a heartbeat. A return trip would be to visit and catch up with old friends, see what changes have been made in terms of infrastructure, access to water and health care, education, and treatment of HIV/AIDS.

If I return, I would like to go work on a building project and contribute towards the construction of a school. I would also like to volunteer with Light for Children, an organization that provides retroviral treatment, nutritional supplements, school fees, and support to children that are HIV positive and their parents or the relatives that care for them.

When I was in Ghana, I went around to secondary schools and colleges participating in the Youth Savings Clubs and educated them about the importance of beginning to save, no matter how small the amount. If these youth get a head start, they will be more successful later on because they will have money set aside to pay their school fees, pay for registration to post secondary education, pay hospital bills or to cover other unexpected but necessary costs. If I could return for a substantial amount of time, I would love to see where that program is at and assist in its delivery.


6. What do you hope people will think and feel after listening about your journey?

I hope that when people hear about my journey, it inspires them to act. Whether that be by taking a trip overseas to a developing country or by re-examining the way they live their life or by reading up more about the HIV/AIDS epidemic or Africa as a whole. We often lump all of the African countries together because we know little about them individually. I wish that more people took an interest to learn more about the countries themselves too.

I hope that people will be inspired to follow their dreams, pursue their goals.
I hope that people will try to get out of their small town or city and see the world to put some things into perspective.

It is my belief that every privileged person should venture to a developing country at some point in their life. By privileged, I do not mean rich. I am someone who went through University on student loans. I owe a huge amount of money and my parents did their best to get by, but they have a significant amount of debt to their name. But we are privileged. We can afford luxuries. I want everyone to see how people in other parts of the world live. We take for granted that when we turn on the tap, water pours out of it. Some families in the world do not even have taps. They walk far distances to obtain water. Shelter is decorated here. Some families in the world are lucky if they have four walls and a roof over their head. Some sleep in mud huts. There is such a vast difference, yet in North America, we still want more. I have a magnet on my fridge that reads "To have more, desire less". That is something that is just unheard of in most North American homes. It is my hope that people realize how fortunate they are.


7. Are you happy with what you're doing? Do you think success has anything to do with being happy?

I am very happy with what I am doing. I am currently the Education Manager at the Ontario Co-operative Association. We are the apex organization for co-operatives and credit unions in Ontario. Co-ops and credit unions are all about empowering their members and the communities they serve. They operate under a business model that is about the PEOPLE not the profit. I have seen first hand the impact that co-ops and credit unions have on people in developing countries. And I know that they greatly impact the lives of their members here as well.

Co-ops push to be innovative and sustainable and they support fair trade companies, ensuring that workers of the companies they do business with are receiving fair wages for the work they do.

Co-ops arise where there is a need and they meet that need, whether it be financial (credit unions), health oriented (health care credit unions), or otherwise.

I know that I am working for an ethical organization that supports a way of life. It is very empowering to be a part of the co-operative system.

My two passions are co-operatives and education and my job allows me to combine both of those passions in the project areas I work on.

I absolutely believe that success has everything to do with happiness. But I think that there are many different ways of looking at success as well. Success is not money. And if that's how you think, you need to re-evaluate your definition of success. Because some people who have all the money in the world are still miserable and empty. You need to determine what really makes you rich.


8. What advice would you give a grade 10 student whose planning their future?

I remember how difficult it was to determine what I wanted to do with my life. First off, do not be discouraged. Some of the happiest people I know had no clue at your age what they wanted to do. They figured it out while at University or College and changed their study path or even once they began their careers.

What do you want to be remembered for when you die? What legacy do you want to leave?

Picture yourself ten years from now. Complete picture. Where are you? What are you doing? Do you have a family? A career?

Picture yourself retired. What do you do with your days? Where do you go? Who do you spend time with?

Work backwards from these things. What do you need to do to get to that point.
If you died tomorrow, what regrets would you have? Try to live your life so that if tomorrow is your last day, you die with no regrets. Work should not be a meaningless chore for you. Choose something you are passionate about. Something that makes you smile. Something that makes you feel worthwhile. And have a good balance.

My advice to you is to take care of your body. As someone who just changed her lifestyle and now eats and exercises properly, I have noticed a huge difference in how I approach life - with a smile on my face.

Also, take care of your mind. Lose yourself in a good book. You may not have the money to take off around the world, but the more you read, the more you form opinions, the more you learn about yourself. If books aren't your thing, there are some great documentaries out there.

Always be true to yourself. Follow your hear and if you aren't happy, change things in your life.

And most of all, never give up. It can be really overwhelming to have all of these decisions in front of you. And I remember feeling like it would be disastrous if I chose the wrong thing: it won't be. I made wrong decisions, a few time, with my career path, etc.. But you learn from those events in your life. Sometimes you will even pick up on other passions.

Always treat others with Love, Dignity, and Respect. And demand nothing less. If we all lived like this, the world would be a much better place.