Remembering Ghana
Looking back on lessons learned from my Africa Service Learning trip
“How was Ghana?”
Those three simple words bring back a flood of memories from my time in Ghana. Before our Africa Service Learning class left Canada, we were warned by Nicole that we would be unable to answer that question upon returning from Africa — and I definitely understand why now.
My past year has been one long roller coaster ride. Spending eight months in business school with 610 brilliant, goal-driven, and competitive classmates was not easy. I fell into the “Ivey bubble” — the Canadian equivalent of the American Dream, where the pursuit of happiness comes in the form of career success, wealth, and reputation. Living in Ghana was a drastic change for me — not just due to the 40-degree weather, unfamiliar cuisine, and African culture, but also due to the different mentalities and perspectives on life. To sum up what I learned, I will never take anything for granted again.
The Sad Reality of Inset Inferiority
One of the saddest moments of my trip was learning about the deeply-rooted inferiority complex faced by many Africans. This topic came to light when our team, which consisted of four Chinese, one Indian, one Caucasian, and one Ghanaian member — kept receiving the “celebrity” treatment. At first, we thought it was funny when strangers stopped us in the streets to take photos together. Then, it got creepy when random men made shameless advances towards the females on our team by saying what we deemed as racist and sexist remarks. I cannot count with both my hands the amount of marriage proposals we each received from strangers on the streets. One time, a man grabbed my arm after I ignored his advances, and I had to angrily tell him off to get away.
We expressed our frustrations to Ngozi, a Nigerian student who won the Field-Marsham scholarship to study at Ivey in 2014. Her brother Nuel laughed with us at first, but proceeded to tell us that the potential root cause of our “celebrity treatment” was the fact that many Africans see themselves as inferior to foreigners, who live better lives in greener pastures. Since marrying a foreigner is the easiest way to access another country, and tourism has declined rapidly since the Ebola crisis, the marriage proposals and street selfies made sense. Ngozi shared that what many Africans fail to realize is that they would still have to work hard to survive abroad, as she experienced during her semester in Canada.
Upon learning this sad truth, I saw the Ghanaian people in a different light. I became more aware of my interactions and conversations with my students because I did not want to reinforce the inferiority complex, especially since they already treated us as higher authorities (Ghanaians have the utmost respect for educators). I wanted to inspire them to believe that they have the power to change their community, their country, and even the world. Looking back, I hope I was able to achieve this goal.
The Rising Movement for Social Entrepreneurship
The highlight of my trip was witnessing the burning desire for change among the next generation of African leaders. Instead of writing a midterm case exam, we told our students to create and pitch a business idea, much like Dragons’ Den. Their presentations blew us away — all of them created business solutions to address local problems or opportunities. Groups pitched businesses for improved waste removal (litter is a huge issue), renewable energy (reducing the national power shortage), and recreational activities (replacing the 1.5-hour commute to the city). Their raw passion for social entrepreneurship was beyond anything I have ever seen at Ivey, perhaps because they live with the consequences of complacency every day.
Government corruption, poor infrastructure, and extreme income disparity are prominent issues in Ghana. In general, I observed a lack of accountability and compliance in their culture. For example, there were always insects in our dorm due to the gaps in the walls — the result of a lack of building standards. Instead of going through the process of reporting the issue and getting it fixed, residents just accepted it and moved on — a common trait in Ghanaian culture (the “someone else will fix it” mentality).
However, I sense that the upcoming generation will not settle for the status quo. If their drive for change continues to grow, I believe that they will revolutionize Ghana and Africa with sustainable solutions and new-found opportunities.
Finding Joy in Every Circumstance
The most surprising lesson I learned was how to find joy in any situation, regardless of the circumstances. Contrary to my previous beliefs, most Ghanaians are fully aware of what they don’t have (they overdose on American media as well), but yet they are so thankful for what they do have. Meanwhile, we complain constantly about not having enough to satisfy our cravings — while struggling to close the doors of our closets and kitchen drawers. Materialism, although present in Ghana, was much less of an issue than in capitalist North America. My experience made me realize that living in safety and comfort can easily become a curse if we start to forget our blessings and privileges.
I also attended church in Ghana, which was surprising, familiar, and inspiring. Growing up in a Chinese church, I am used to the reserved culture and personal worship and prayer sessions. However, Ghanaians are not shy at all when it comes to singing, dancing, and corporate prayer. They sure know how to praise the Lord with all their heart, mind, body, and soul! I stood in awe as the choirs went all out with beautiful harmonies, chilling solos, and synchronized dance moves. Looking back, I became inspired by the bold way they live out their faith in every part of their lives, despite the evident challenges and problems faced by their community and country.
Throughout my conversations with Ghanaians, I noticed a common mentality of giving thanks in trials and tribulations, and sharing struggles with the community to receive support from others. Conversely in Canada, there is a strong emphasis on being independent and portraying the best version of ourselves in public. I was taken aback by the instant vulnerability of everyone I spoke to, ranging from students to faculty to strangers that we met during our travels. People openly shared their deepest struggles, life stories, and happiest moments with me, which allowed me to understand much more about their culture and lifestyle. They were not afraid of bearing their souls to a complete stranger — in fact, they were proud to express who they were. In retrospect, I wish I was less reluctant to let down my barriers in fear of being judged, because I could have also expanded their cross-cultural knowledge.
So what happens now?
It is hard to believe that I was in Ghana only three months ago. Coming back to a demanding summer internship, my family and friends, and a mountain of ignored responsibilities, I quickly assimilated back to my usual Canadian lifestyle during the summer. However, I did not come back unchanged. My perspectives on life goals, faith, and daily attitude have definitely evolved after being exposed to a different life across the world. Although many names, faces, and memories will fade over time, I will never forget the lessons I have learned from Ghana:
Be thankful for every part of life, regardless of the circumstance.
Be inspired by the people, places, and events around me.
Be challenged to seek opportunities to impact the world I live in.
And don’t forget to stock up on plantain chips!
