Coming home from any trip can be a readjustment. Coming home from eight weeks studying abroad in a foreign country is certainly a new experience for many people, me included. When you first arrive in your study abroad country, it is easy to get caught up in the thought of what you would be doing at home. In this case, it is the reverse: getting caught up in the experience you just had. It can be a bit jarring, going from walking alongside elephants and braving the bumpy and uneven roads in the classic Toyota Vitz to readjusting to life at home, unpacking and doing piles of laundry, all in preparation to moving back to Eugene. In lieu of focusing on the differences between Accra, Ghana and my hometown of Snohomish, Washington, I have decided to focus on what I learned. My “Lessons from Ghana” are takeaways that I learned during my experience and I find important to incorporate in my life back at home.
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To start, it is crucial to embrace challenges head on, but it is okay to take a step back, allowing for a reset. Culture shift, unfamiliar food, a new group dynamic, a different language… these are some things that challenged me during my time abroad. I met these challenges head on, by showing up every day, despite the lack of comfort found in unfamiliarity. While navigating the newness of being abroad, I found it important to also take breaks and do things that are familiar to me. This looked like calling a friend or family member, eating familiar food, or even taking a nap, among other things. I found that taking a break from immersion, while a privilege, was something that was beneficial for me. At home, and wherever my next travels take me, I will encourage myself to meet challenges head on, whatever they will look like. I will also remember that it is okay to focus on myself sometimes, understanding that doing so will further my growth.
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The Ghanaians taught me my next lesson, that helping others feel like they belong is a fast way to make a friend. I remember the first day of my service-learning internship, I was all alone at the basic school I was placed at. It was nearing the end of the year, so the students and staff had a deep community within each other. I was the “new kid” not knowing anybody’s name and sticking out as I was unsure of my place. The students and staff could have treated me as an outsider, but instead they embraced me with a warm welcome, asking simple questions such as my name and where I was from. At the end of my first day, they excitedly asked when I would be coming back, and the children greeted me with hugs on my second day. They made me feel like I belonged in this community that they had cultivated. They put me at ease, as I formed relationships with them and learned my place. The next time I have the opportunity of welcoming somebody new into a community of mine, I will remember the impact belonging has on somebody, and that it can all start with asking somebody’s name and wanting them to feel welcomed.
By Miriam Escoto, Diverse Ducks Ambassador
Global Health and Service Learning in Ghana, Summer 2024