Echoes of Africa – Lessons from Ghana

By Lisa Hollis

I arrived in Ghana Monday morning on January 8, 2007. I was looking forward to this day for months and had prepared myself financially by working two, non-rewarding jobs as a bartender and waitress. I was so anxious the entire flight, because coming to Ghana was my first time out of the country. When the plane landed I couldn’t wait to breathe in the refreshing air of Africa, and see the smiling faces of welcoming Ghanaians. People were certainly smiling, but the air wasn’t so refreshing. <I arrived while the Harmatten winds were blowing down from the Sahara and a layer of dust and smog lingered in the air. My nose became stuffy, and my eyes stung and swelled. The air had an unfamiliar feeling and smell, and I then realized I was definitely not in Oregon anymore. This was the beginning of an adventure like nothing I had experienced in my life.                                                                                                                                              First thing in the morning, my supervisor Renae, another volunteer Danielle, and I headed to the volunteer house in Cape Coast. It was a three hour drive, and while they made small talk, I was busy staring at the scenery trying to fathom the fact that I was in Africa. This journey was no longer something I had just talked about as a plan of mine, it was a reality. I made it happen and was proud of myself. Once arriving in Cape Coast, we stopped by the office. I knew I would spend many days working inside these confined walls and decided to walk around town and explore the market. Although I felt intimidated to walk through the narrow path, surrounded by unfamiliar faces and smells, the market allowed me to see Ghana’s true culture. In the market I was able to learn about the kind of food Ghanaians eat: all the different spices, nuts and beans; the smoked fish—that really looked rotten; pig hooves–never did try this dish, and the bananas, mangos, pineapples and tomatoes that were all so rich in color and flavor. I was enjoying myself, but had a tendency to walk fast, because I remember being so repulsed by the smell of rotting fish, pig and sewer fumes.                                                                                              Before I left for my internship in Ghana, I was told people go to Africa thinking they will change it, but in the end Africa changed them. They were right. I remember many instances where I was feeling frustrated but was quickly reminded of human kindness. In Ghana, I found what was most important for me in my life. I saw people living in extreme poverty, but also saw how beautiful life can be in simplicity. Life in Ghana is about family, the earth and love. They work so hard everyday just to get their next meal, and because of that they live in the moment. Completely separating myself from a life that I have always known was an amazing experience. All the volunteers I worked and lived with came from different backgrounds, and I just was not use to that life. Because of this atmosphere, I saw the positive in all types of people and learned to adjust out of my comfort zone.                                                                                  Outside of my head, I was adjusting as well. Eventually the sewers no longer overwhelmed my senses, and my body adjusted to the heat allowing the midnight sweats to end. Living without running water for seven weeks allowed me to appreciate the resource, and soon showering was for vanity rather than necessity. With the instability of electricity, we had rolling blackouts once a week and fluctuations every now and then. Water and electricity are necessities for development, but Africa taught me how to survive without these resources.                                                                                                After returning home from Africa, I became overwhelmed with trying to figure out what was next in my life. I finished college and just experienced something so amazing, but what was next? When I get overwhelmed, I remember Ghana, and how Africa is so alive, so colorful and so confident. It may take me a while to find that dream job, or to really feel that what I do each day is my destiny, but at least I can feel that I am on that path. Africa reminds me to slow down and to make the most of what I am given. After experiencing Ghana, I try to make a conscious effort to live in each moment and give back to those less privilege. I now have the gift of an amazing life experience and an education and will never take that for granted.