My Last Post From Ghana

This will most likely be my last post from Ghana. I can’t believe my 3.5-month journey has come to a close. There were nights when I could not wait for this trip to be over and then there were days where I felt like I could stay in Ghana for forever!

I think the hardest part for me in Ghana was not having American food. I didn’t dislike the food, but it was so different than anything I’ve ever had before that I just could not get use to it. Also, in the US, our diet is such a melting pot of varying ethnic cuisines, so I’m use to so much more variety. Vegetables, fruit, chicken, and eggs are more expensive here so I did not get a lot of fresh food. Everything was some type of soup or stew. The soup or stew was then poured over rice, yams, noodles, bamku, fufu, or kanke that are so carb heavy. I think I put on weight from all the carbs!

The people in Ghana are so friendly that I never felt unwelcome. Everywhere you walk in Ghana, somebody is saying welcome to you. They always meant it too when they said it to you. I missed my family, but not as much as I thought I would since Ghanaians quickly became my adopted African family!

I think I was a successful volunteer. Obviously, I had difficulties and setbacks trying to implement everything I wanted to accomplish. However, I know I touched certain people’s lives. I like to think they are better off from what I was able to offer them than before they met me. I hope I’m not being too cocky.

Yesterday, I wrote about what I’m most happy about at the hospital. I think the things I am most happy about for the entire trip was the opportunity I had to train fellow therapists with Step FaR and then the follow-up visits I had at the various hospitals.

I hope within 2 years I can come back to Ghana to help instruct more continuing education courses to the Ghanaian therapists. Also, I would like to go on a durable medical equipment outreach program with Patsy and Allan Fulton.

The thing I have taken away most from this experience is the importance of volunteer work being sustainable! Africa has gone through a lot since Europeans first settled on the continent. While slavery and colonialism is no longer present, Africa is still suffering from it. Africa still has a colonial mindset in that they expect foreigners to sort of tell them what to do or how to solve their problems. I am generalizing a lot, but I’m just trying to get my point across.

Africa needs to learn to not rely on foreign aide, and foreigners must provide aide, which allows Africans to become self-sufficient. Unfortunately, I think many organizations in the past just provided money or supplies, but did not teach the Africans how to properly maintain, use, or make more supplies. Thus, a vicious cycle was created. I think there are a lot of organizations that are recognizing this and trying to end the vicious cycle. Many foreign aide programs are now emphasizing the importance of “teaching how to fish”!

A fellow therapist commented on my blog when I first arrived in Ghana. She told me Africa would steal my heart. She was definitely right! There is a rustic beauty and charm to Ghana that I’ve never experienced anywhere else in the world. It’s hard to explain the feeling, but I think I will always be a little homesick for Ghana.

The people here want me to come back immediately. I really hope that I can, but obviously I can’t promise it will happen. The Ghanaian saying I’ve embraced is “God Willing.” Thus, all I can say is God willing I will come back to Ghana!!

Please continue to follow my blog over the next couple weeks. I will be posting photos or a link to a website where you can view my photos. Also, I will be doing a lot of reflection when I get back to the US. I want everyone to know how it feels to be back in the developed world. I have a feeling I will go through reverse culture shock for a week or so.

Love, Kari