Every time I write a blog post I try to compile something that will be groundbreaking, earth shattering. I want to put into words the feeling I get every time I wake up before the sun does, every time I see a child smile, every time I hear a squeal of excitement when I attempt to converse in Dagaare. I want to embody the kind of emotion which sparks immediate desire for someone to throw caution to the wind and finally become the change THEY want to see in the world (I mean a girl can dream, right?). But what I’m starting to realise is that: 1. I’m honestly not that good of a writer (like ok when did I died and think I became Earnest Hemmingway??) 2. If that actually was my plan I should be telling you about the amazing people I come into contact with everyday here (instead of worrying about putting my experiences on some unrealistic pedestal).
This post is a shout out to friends, my colleagues, and those who were forced to ‘adopt’ an unruly and slightly lost girl from the big bad state of New York; for these people will empower me to break ground which I have never walked on before and have already began to shatter my Earth (in a good way of course) and allowed for me to grow in ways I could never imagine.
Thus Far these new faces have come in all shapes and sizes, some have shuffled into and out of my life quickly, while others have choose to linger. Some are looking for camaraderie, while it's clear others are just looking, well to look at the white lady. Each and every one of these people, the ones I have conversed with, the ones I am beginning to love and care for, the ones that brighten my day, and even the ones that have rubbed me the wrong way, have all, in their own way, taught me a lesson. Some lessons were in my face, ones that I was forced to understand in an instant. Others have taken time to develop and will stick with me forever. The latter of those lessons are the ones we should learn to cherish the most; for these lessons are the ones that help to shape us into the people we will become, hopefully creating a better version of ourselves for the future.
Anyways, I digress, the point is….These people are the reason why I get out of bed every morning, they are the reason I choose to embark on this journey across the pond. They are the reason I have something to write home about, they are the reason i have food in my belly (because y’all know I can’t feed myself without a microwave or a Wendy’s down the street), but most of all they are the reason why I wake up with a smile on my face everyday. So this post is for them, a letter telling them how much they mean to me, even if we’ve only known each other for a short (yet somehow so long) six months:
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To my Counterpart:
Ugh my counterpart, I don’t even know where to start. This man has helped me more in the last three months than I would have ever expected (of course not because he’s not capable, but because I'm just well….annoying and needy). This man is only in his early thirties and he has finished university, is better at english than me, owns 3+ farms (upwards of 20 acres each), has worked for an NGO, started his own NGO, and is an expert on Moringa Trees. His amount of knowledge on any (and all subjects) never ceases to amaze me. But it's not just his knowledge that impresses me, it's also amazing to see how much he cares about his community. The village where I live is about an hours moto ride from where he resides and my entire site integration he has made a point to stay with me in the village to make sure I feel comfortable and to help the integration process easier. This is not a requirement for him and it was certainly difficult during Ramadan, because I live in a Christian community, so for the entire month of June he was surrounded by food constantly, and I never heard him complain once. He has such a kind heart and the warmth that he projects is infectious. Every night we sit together and eat TZ (and groundnut soup—which is my favourite) and he asks me about my day. He is my go-to in most situations and because he is ok with this, I will forever be grateful to have him.
To the Nurses:
While my counterpart has without a doubt helped me integrate into the community, the nurses in my local clinic have helped me integrate into my role as a health worker. The first couple of weeks at site I was nervous that I was just going to be in the way, because honestly, I didn’t go to school for health, in reality two weeks of training does not make me a health professional. In saying all of this though, they never once made me feel inadequate, if anything they did the complete opposite. They were excited to hear what (little) advice I had to offer, they were keen on implementing programs that I thought the community could benefit from and they were excited to show me the day to day workings of a local village clinic. They make fun of me when I say I’m going to take lunch at 12 everyday (because they don’t understand how I can be hungry at the same time every single day) and they invite me to their compound to show me how to make TZ and my favourite soup. But I think that my favorite part is that they consider me to be one of them (even though I have significantly less intelligence in this subject field), they never make me feel incompetent or unwelcome, and for that I couldn’t be more grateful. Also s/o to Nurse Samair for giving me all the latest Ghanaian music so I can pretend to look cool in front of all the kids in my compound.
To the Pito Ladies:
So for those of you who don’t know what pito, its ferment millet (I couldn’t even pretend to know how to describe millet, so please just google it) and in Ghana (or maybe just the upper west, or maybe just my village) they drink it at ALL hours of the day, which of course I am NOT complaining about. The pito ladies (to be honest I’m not really sure who makes it but they all love to pass it out like candy). I know most of these women from the VSLA (village savings and loans association) in my village and they never cease to make me feel as comfortable as they can. Most of them don’t speak english, but like alcohol is really its own language, amiright?
To My New Host Family:
Honestly I think I should be writing a whole blog post about them because there are so many of them and they help me in their own individual ways (give it time and I will). But I do want to give a s/o to one of them. Her name is Fosty (most likely not how you spell it but you get the point) because she is the most amazing and selfless human I have ever come into contact with. She is 19 years old, and can do leaps and bounds more than I could ever do at that age (or at this age for that matter). During my three months at site integration, she was studying for hours every single day for her SHS exams (exams to get into high school), sweeps our compound and fetches water from the borehole about 1/4 a mile away for 15 people to bathe before school starts at 7am every single day, comes back home during lunch time to cook for everyone in the compound, goes back to studying and then comes back at night, fetches water once again for 15 people, and cooks dinner for 15 people (and honestly there is most likely so much more that she does that I just don’t see). I would pay to see anyone else be able to do 1/4 of those things in a day without complaining, or honestly DYING BECAUSE IT'S UN-HUMAN ITS SUPER HUMAN WORK. She is so soft spoken and kind and caring and honestly just so thoughtful. She has gone out of her way to make me feel comfortable and included in the best way she can, and I love her for this.
To The Kids at the Borehole:
So I'm planning on writing a post about the somehow nightlife that goes on at the borehole but I want to talk about the kids who always follow me to the borehole and how much they offer to help me. Every week I lug my clothes every week to the borehole (because if anyone knows me they know I still haven't mastered how to carry buckets of water on my head, and you also know I never will), and I attempt (air quotes so hard) to hand wash a week's worth of clothes. I love them because they will follow me all the way to the borehole, watch me fill my buckets and let me ‘wash’ at least 4 things before they giggle at me and take over (of course re-washing everything that I washed already). I love them for this because they let me attempt to do stuff on my own, I like that unlike some of the adults (which of course I’m also grateful for all the help I get, don't get me wrong), who always want to do everything for me, they let me struggle, they let me learn, they let me step out of my comfort zone. The ‘borehole kids’ are also the ones who come around every night and hangout with me, they don't know much english so we don't communicate a lot but it's just nice to know that they care, that they want to be around me, help me learn and grow.Their smiles brighten my day, their laughs are contagious, their spirit is something that makes me to be the best person I can be. Its because of kids like these that I am here in Peace Corps, I want to help them, I want to learn and grow from them and vice versa, these kids are the future and I couldn't be more excited to see what that future holds for them.
To the Upper Best Volunteers:
Guys, remember when I lost my phone and we met that D**g Lord who said he would spend all night looking for it? Honestly I feel bad for the 15 people who are in the Upper West with me because they really have no choice but to hang out with me. In saying this, each and every one of them have gone above and beyond to make me feel welcomed. From showing me all the best chop bars, helping me navigate the overwhelming Wa market, teaching me that akpeteshie is not as fun (or safe) as moonshine, and mostly just offering an ear when I need to vent, or ask about projects. Each one of the volunteers is different from each other and definitely different from me, but somehow we all mesh and bond over this new and insane experience, and for that I’m so thankful that I have these upper best peeps by my side.
To My Favourite 8:
Ugh I mean where do I even start. These 8 helped me stay somehow(?) level-headed and sane during training and they have kept me laughing even through the tough three months of site integration. These people are honest and real (and kinda mean) and that's why I like them. They tell me when I'm being a bitch and I tell them when they’re being annoying, and it all just works out. They say that the people in your training group are ‘government-issued’ friends, but I honestly wouldn’t trade them for the world. The Gr8pes of Wrath will forever be my first and best friends I made in Peace Corps Ghana and because of this (whether they like it or not) we will be friends for life.
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So yeah, as I’ve said before I plan on elaborating on certain groups, but I just wanted to provide a little snippet about all the people who mean the most to me here in Ghana with all the people who mean the most to me all over the world.