Oh, Mama! I’m going to Ghana!

So, why did you decide to go to Ghana?

Nearly every single time I have told someone I’m going to West Africa for a semester, I get this question. Sometimes it sparks from genuine wonder and occasionally, from the more adventurous, jealousy. More often that not, it has tinge of bewilderment and even dismay.

I suppose it’s hard for people to understand why I want to go to a place where UNICEF estimated in 2007 that 260,000 people live with AIDS, a place where sexism and gender inequality is a way of life, a place where running water is inconsistent, a place where I will spend the first two weeks trying to adjust to the blistering heat and humidity, and a place where malaria is prevalent.

Many of my friends are traveling to Europe with EAP and I think that they will also embark on fantastic, life-changing journeys of their own. However, I’m looking for a different experience.

Africa has always fascinated me. In my senior year of high school, I went on a special school trip to Washington D.C., where I learned a great deal about world issues. What resonated with me the most was what I discovered about the crisis in Sudan. Prior to the trip, I had very little knowledge about this issue and, if I hadn’t gone on the trip, I probably would have never broken out of that ignorance.

After D.C., I did a lot of independent study about Africa. My interest in Africa was part of the reason why I switched to a global studies major with an African emphasis. Since then, I’ve taken classes on globalization and world connections in general in addition to classes specifically about African history. Much of the information I learned was hard to swallow: genocide, corrupt politicians, AIDS, starvation, slavery, colonization.

However, what I also discovered was a group of humans who are so resilient, a culture that is so old and rich, and an absolutely breathtaking landscape.

So, why did I decide to go to Ghana? I’m going because I’ve wanted to travel to Africa for a very long time. I’m going because I want to immerse myself in its spectacular culture. I’m going because it will give me the opportunity to travel to a vast number of countries. I’m going because I want to appreciate the things I have at home in the States and because I think it will be a unique and, if nothing else, humbling journey.

On July 24th, I will begin my adventure. First, I’m taking a group flight from SFO to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. After spending 12 hours in Dubai, I’ll jet off to Ghana—my home until December. While I’m gone, I’m going to blog about my experiences in Ghana and the other West African countries that I travel to. I hope to include some interviews with Ghanaians about different social issues and I’ll be sure to post plenty of pictures, and possibly a few videos.  I hope you’ll follow along and share my journey with me!