Mondo's volunteers in Ghana

During my first meeting with the board of my host organization, CoDA, someone asked about my experiences so far and whether my expectations were being met. From previous experiences, I have learned that it is best to approach projects like this with minimal expectations. Despite this, I can only say that the first month has exceeded my imagination. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, making me feel at home in a new country almost immediately. The first month was all about adaptation and observation for me. I had to adjust to a new culture, new foods, and lots of new people. We also delved into the local culture and history, emphasizing the importance of introductions. Consequently, we spent the first two weeks traveling around Kongo and its surrounding areas, meeting key figures in the community.  Engaging in conversations with everyone I meet is something my Dutch self is not used to. At first, I struggled with the language, not only Nabt but also English. However, like everyt...

Coming to Ghana has been on my mind for a long time. Interesting culture and beautiful traditions, scenic nature, friendly people and tasty local cuisine were some of the things that would pop up on Google every time I was researching the country. When an Estonian NGO called Mondo provided me with an opportunity to come to Ghana as a climate change advisor volunteer for Kongo Community Development Association (KOCDA) under the European Solidarity Corps program, I was so incredibly excited and began reading about the country even more. I wanted to be prepared for every possible situation so that I would know what to say and how to react and would not offend anyone or get overwhelmed after seeing something that may not be so common in my home country. Mondo had also arranged trainings about the country and it's culture and advised of the things that should and should not be done in the country, so I felt absolutely prepared for this exciting adventure. However even after preparing so...