As I have settled back into my American my lifestyle (rather nicely I might add) and I reflect upon my experience’s in Ghana, it’s hard to find words that accurately captivate my emotions during those 12 days. PRIVILEGED is a good place to start. Living in the United States and living a more carefree life, it’s become rather easy to over look your priorities. After visiting the children of the orphanages, seeing the girls at the Kumasi market, and dealing with all the street hawkers who refuse to take No for an answer, I definitively can say I feel privileged. The struggles and hardships that these people face day in and day out are struggles and hardships that I could never imagine.
HUMBLE, as we often take things for granted after this experience its hard not to feel somewhat humble. I don’t know if it was the children at the school who had to cook their own lunch and had to use the restroom in the middle of the yard, or if it was the people at the refugee camp who were focused to sleep in tents in order to escape the implications of war.
RESPECTFUL, the people and culture of Ghana definitively consume you and I definitively have the upmost respect for them and their lifestyles. Many work every long hours’ in the African heat for every little. Children focused to drop out of school and work in order to support their families at young ages. Students attending school with no restrooms, power, and water in order to obtain mediocrity education at best. All of these people that I encountered I don’t think I once heard anyone of them complain.
UNABLE, during the trip I continued to have this overwhelming feeling of my inability to help. 12 days and 5,000 dollars doesn’t go every far in a country with every little, and although I am proud of our efforts and contribution I cannot help but feel that we could of or perhaps should of done more.
And finally AWARE, I have always heard about the hardships and struggles that some people in the world face, and it’s easy to say you are aware of what is going on and its also easy to fall right back into our carefree lifestyles and turn an eye to our neighbor who has fallen victim to extreme poverty. But after this trip I can now say I am aware, and the first step towards change is awareness.
Neal Stanifer
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