How would I describe my year?
My year in Ghana was a difficult, but beautiful year. I can recall moments of frustration, of anguish, and of self-doubt, yet I can also recall moments of great happiness, of contentment, and of clarity. Moments of tears and despair, moments of laughter and excitement. Strong friendships that I still enjoy that gained their strength from being tested and profound experiences whose influence continues today.
What did I learn?
I can clearly recall that I left for Ghana with questions. And I think I came back with even more. But that’s ok because I’ve come to realise through my experience in Ghana and other experiences that learning is not always about answers, that it is about approaching issues from different perspectives, about understanding the complexities inherent in every issue and about learning that there are many answers to every question, each of which can be valued in its own way, and each of which begs more questions.
What did I gain?
I gained an increased appetite for learning and exploring the world I live in, a better appreciation of the complexities and diversity of that world and a stronger understanding of the its global interconnections. I don’t think we can afford to live as global citizens in a global society without an understanding of other ways of knowing and living, and without an understanding of the global inequities that we live amongst. I guess what I really gained was a greater understanding of my place in the world. Who I am. Where I stand. What changes I will advocate for.
What did Ghana gain?
Thinking about what I gained caused me to stop to consider what Ghana gained from the program, from my presence. Certainly, the participation of the Ghanaian students in the program was a learning experience for them, and it is likely that the research I undertook had a positive influence. But ultimately, the program was balanced in my favour. That’s an observation I made in Ghana that caused me to question my participation to some extent, and one that I continue to grapple with. It was a profound and wonderful learning experience for me, but was it fair for my Ghanaian hosts? As a result of my experience I am a more informed ‘global citizen’ and consider the people of the south in my day to day decisions and actions, but where is their opportunity to learn about the north?
To illustrate these emotions, I will end with an excerpt from a field trip report where I am confronting the reality that, whether I like it or not, the western society I am not always so proud of is a development goal for many Ghanaians and that trying to suggest otherwise may be unfair. It is somewhat bitter, and representative of the emotions I was confronting at the time but illustrative, never-the-less:
“Perhaps it is selfish to wish that Ghana could avoid western-style economic development. There are human costs associated with the poor economic conditions that might be relieved such development.
“Ghana’s economic condition has taken its toll on many, and continues to do so. This may be in the form of the life of a young person who has moved to the city in search of work and finds only a life of poverty. It may be taken on the children who assist at the market when they should be at school. It may take the form of the strain of a head load on a young girl’s back. It may be seen in the weary, bloodshot eyes of a tro-tro driver who has forfeited sleep for longer hours of driving or it may be embodied in the vulnerability that keeps a roadside seller praying for continued good health.
“It would be unfair to deny anyone the level of legislated safety, health coverage and basic education that we enjoy in Canada but I hope Ghana finds a way to circumvent the environmental degradation, dog-eat-dog competition and social isolation of capitalist society. I hope the opportunity is available to take only the good and try to find a way to avoid the bad.
“Is Ghana doing this? Selecting only certain aspects of western development? Or is it looking blindly at the ‘promised land’ and refusing to see its faults? “Perhaps the saying ‘It’s always greener on the other side of the fence’ is appropriate. More people need to see for themselves what is really on the other side of the fence. The grass may be green, but what does it taste like? And is there water in the pasture?
“I guess that’s what this Trent program is all about. Canadians learning about Ghana and going home as better citizens, informed about other parts of the world. Unfortunately, it’s one-directional. The Ghanaians in our program won’t see Canada this year. But I guess that makes sense, CIDA spending isn’t really about Ghanaian interests, it’s about Canadian interests. A sad reality, but a reality never the less.