An International Experience

The only time that I did feel like a real outsider was when Ghana played the US during the World Cup. Being in Ghana during the World Cup was truly incredible and reminded me how much it means to truly feel a part of something. In fact, despite getting called "the enemy" numerous times during the day of the Ghana-US match, I found myself secretly rooting for Ghana to win because I could feel how much it meant to the entire country. Advancing in the World Cup would mean being in the public eye for something positive which is not something that many developing countries experience.

For the rest of my time, despite not knowing much about the local culture or how to speak the local dialect, I felt completely accepted. While all of these things terrified me at first, I ended up learning so much more because of it. First and foremost, Ghanaians as a whole are eager to learn about the world. Most of them have never been given the opportunity to travel out of their region in Ghana, let alone to the Western world. However, instead of fearing those who come into their lives from the West, they cherish every opportunity to learn. I do not know if it was there shear love of Obama that made them so accepting (see picture to the left) or their own genuine interest, but either way I felt completely welcome in a country that was so foreign to me.

There were times where I felt somewhat taken advantage of because people assume that the color of my skin meant I had endless resources. However, after talking to my host family and other locals, I learned the reason that this happens and that most Ghanaians do not mean it in a threatening manner. The Ghanaians saw the opportunities that I had and couldn't help but try. Yes, I was hassled and asked to buy everything from crackers to bootlegged DVDs to second hand clothing, but in a way, it is all they know. You see children as young as three or four walking the streets alone selling products on their heads. After living lives of adversity, most Ghanaians have learned to run after every opportunity that comes their way. So yes, I was followed around and yelled at from across the street, but what Ghana needs is to be taught to chase after their true dreams instead of trying to adapt to "Obama-land." 

As sad as it is to admit it, I originally naively thought that Ghana was an underdeveloped country that had no hope without the Western world. However, after two months, I learned that it did not matter how present the Western world is in Ghana. The only way that Ghana is going to move forward in development is to feel empowered to do so. No matter what the source of empowerment, Ghana has hope for the future. They do not need constant outside support. Instead, they need the motivation to educate their people in order to prevent the downfalls that can occur as a country attempts to develop. Ghana has already made huge strides as far as developing countries go. However, the country's recent history has been highlighted by a plateau of development. The next step is to move past the excuses and gain the knowledge necessary to create the world they want to live in.