It was a long journey, but I made it safely back to my parents' house in Roscoe, IL. I will be staying with them until I start my work in a month. I think it's going to be a long month. I postponed my start date to travel to Florida and S. Korea. The days in between those trips are going to be slow. While I haven't worked since mid novemeber, it's not like I just sat around all day in Ghana.
I am definitely going through a little reverse culture shock. I feel sort of numb. I need to be planning my next steps, but I enjoyed living in the moment in Ghana. I'm afraid if I start thinking about the future too much then I will be back to where I was emotionally before I left Ghana.
It's a little weird to be back in farmland USA with all white people. I keep looking around wondering where my Africans are. When I left the airport, I was amazed at the cleanlinest in the US. I didn't see any liter. The road was very smooth back home. I didn't have a sore bottom after an hour and half like in Ghana because of all the pot holes. I went to Walmart and was a little overwhelmed. I forgot to buy the one thing I needed. I left with a lot of stuff that I didn't really need. It sort of upset me when I got home because I realize how easily I will just go back to my American ways of instant gratification and wastefulness.
I feel a little guilty because I was able to escape poverty. I'm back to running water and good infrastructure. I feel so far removed from my time in Ghana now. I feel like it was a dream. Did I really live that way for a period of time? I keep looking at the different websites of the organizations I met, and realize how I can't ever let myself forget my time in Ghana. In my opinion after being in a 3rd world nation, most of their problems probably come from colonialism or westernization. Thus, I feel as a westerner, I owe it to Ghana and other nations to continue trying to help in a sustainable way. We need to train Ghanaians and Africans to take care of themselves. I think that is the only way we will end poverty.
I'm also really struggling with race relations. I keep reading the news about Trayvon Martin. It's hard for me to understand how we can continue to judge people on their skin color in this day and age. Their are so many amazing figures of African descendent that should prove that a black person is just as capable as a white person.
Also, I really appreciate experiencing Cape Coast Castle with Tiffanie. I got to understand the experience for a African American too. We can say racism doesn't exist in America and that's bull. It's not an outright public display, but it's little things like Tiffanie's patients being surprised that she is their therapist and not the cleaning person. Or Tiffanie being told to go back to Africa. I laugh at the next person that tries to tell her that. And then finally, the shooting of Trayvon Martin where the man that shot him is not charged of a crime yet because of a claim of self defense. I'm sure if the roles were reverse, someone would have been arrested.
I have friends of many nationalities and it is wonderful!! I learn so much about different cultures and religions. I don't understand why more Americans cannot take the time to open up and understand differences are a good thing. Without differneces, I think we humans would lose our creativity and innovation.
I'm so blessed for my time in Ghana. I got to experience life in a different way. I learned how to live in the moment. I learned to enjoy the little things in life, like stopping on the street to talk to people or sitting around the stove watching the women pound fufu. I think I provided Celestine and the other therapists I met with new skills for treating patients. I helped many of the patients I helped treat.
My mood is a little blah right now as I try to grasp the emotions I am experiencing. I am in the process of organizing photos. Once that is done I will post a link so you can all view them. I want to thank everyone for sharing this journey with me. I hope you learned something too! Please continue to check my blog over the next couple weeks so you can read more about my adjustment back into the US. Also, I will be providing more information on Therapists Without Borders and the other organizations so you can help me help them continue their wonderful missions!!!
Love, Kari
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