I've had a number of people ask me what my time in Ghana was like, and so I thought I would post it here for everyone to read. I really can describe it in one word: Indescribable. But, I will try to do more than that.
From the moment I arrived to the moment I left I have never felt so loved and accepted in my life by people that I have never met before. They wanted to carry my bags everywhere we went, I never walked to my hotel alone (it was always with around 5 other people) as they wanted to be sure we were always safe, I was fed for free by people who normally charge for the food, I was "adopted" by a family and given a family name of "Nartae Nartey," everyone wanted to say hi, all the kids would wave and want to talk to you. It was such a wonderful feeling, and I really felt as though I was a member of their society. People had the attitude of, and would constantly say, "We are one world, and we are one people." They didn't care about your life story, your color, your situation, they just genuinely loved you. I came to see that that was a trait of the Ghanaian people towards any visitors, not just those that are of a different race.
At the same time, I felt very humbled and simple in my way of life there. I bathed in a tub with buckets of water as we didn't have any running water. At the end of every day I was so dirty and sweaty that the water ran brown as I bathed. Walking through the streets and dirt paths I felt as though I was one of those people. I ate like them, lived like them, and even learned a bit of their language.
Outside of going through and listing out everything that I did and saw, the trip was absolutely amazing. If anyone ever has the opportunity to go, it is not something that I would ever want to miss. You will not be disappointed. I was so impressed by the people and their desire to help me and my friend who I joined over there. In only a weeks time I came to love a people and a place so very much, and I am so very grateful to have been able to go. I hope to be able to go back soon, and to go back often.
