What Ghana Left With Me

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 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 structural, not personal. Volunteering in Ghana teaches you how to deal not only with field conditions, but also with human relationships.


After some time passes, I realize that some experiences, even in a short period, stay with you for a long time. Ghana did not leave me with a strong feeling of missing it, but with a quiet smile when I remember it.


Thank you, Ghana, for what you quietly gave me.


 




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