Mondo's volunteers in Ghana

After 4 months of waiting, things are finally moving. It has been almost 5 months since I arrived in Ghana for my volunteering mission. I came with some anxiety about work, as I have no academic background in the humanitarian or development fields, but also with hope, expectations, and a strong willingness to learn. Through this mission, in addition to immersing myself in a new culture, I wanted to discover a field that I might be interested in pursuing professionally, and potentially consider going back to my studies if that turned out to be the case. Thus, I have to admit that I felt quite disappointed during those first four months, as I was not really included or involved in my host organization’s activities. The days felt long and were filled with self-questioning. The fact that one of the four of us was even planning a premature departure for this reason was also mentally challenging. Fortunately, everything changed after an unexpected field visit. I was invited by my local me...

 When I look back today, Ghana is not a “project country” for me; it is a turning point. What I experienced there did not stay only in that time. In every step I took after, the sounds, colors, and faces from Ghana stayed with me. I think this is the most real outcome of volunteering: an experience you cannot put on a CV, but also cannot erase from yourself. For this experience to be meaningful, expectations matter. If you come to Ghana to “change the world,” the responsibility can feel very heavy. But if you come to understand a small part of the world, this experience can change you in deeper and more lasting ways. Of course, the reality in the field is not only about the place. Like any team, the structure here is not homogeneous. You may meet different personalities, different working styles, and sometimes challenging communication. This should be seen as part of the volunteering experience. What matters is protecting your personal boundaries and understanding these moments as ...