Katie
Ghana
I have been traveling all my life, my parents are avid travelers, and they passed along the traveling gene to me. I first studied abroad as a sophomore at Normandale Community College to Oxford, England. I spent three months living with a family, and traveling Europe on the weekends, easily the best months of my life. My first study abroad experience only added to my desire to study abroad again. So the summer of 2009 I traveled to Ghana through SCSU. I chose a short term study abroad experience, because it was a little easier on the budget but just as much adventure.
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The Ghana program is through the community development department, and the attending SCSU faculty is Professor Ckuks Ugochukwu. Before departure Chuks advised us to pack for an extended camping trip. So basically this meant, I packed everything. Our flight first took us to Amsterdam, and then after a short layover we flew to Accra, Ghana. Accra is the capital of Ghana, and has a population close to 1.5 million people. Once we got off the plane, and retrieved our luggage, we were greeted by many Ghanaians trying to help us with our bags and bring us to taxis. I have to admit it was very overwhelming at first, but I came to realize that the people of Ghana are just that friendly and they truly want to help you and make sure you are alright. I packed a lot, but by the end of the trip I donated most of my clothes and toiletries, so the over packing was useful in the end.
While in Ghana we stayed in hotels, or guesthouses, as they are called there. The first guesthouse was the Diamond Palace in Accra, and the DP truly became home. The accommodations were nice, not five- star, but very comfortable. The DP was run by Ahmed, and his family, and the first night there we were presented with a Ghanaian feast. The food in Ghana included a lot of fruit, the mangos and pineapple were delicious, fish, and rice. Some of their traditional meals included fufu, which is made of cassava, jollof rice, and fried plantains! After a well needed nights rest we embarked on our first day in Accra. We spent the first week in Accra, volunteering at Kokomlemle Primary School, and the Osu Orphanage. The children were adorable and would yell abruni, whenever they saw us which means white person.
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We next set out on an 11 day journey around Ghana. Our group was small, just 7 students and Chuks, so we were able to take a small bus. We visited Kumasi in the center of Ghana, then up north to Tamale in the Muslim region, and then even farther up north to Paga to sit on crocodiles! Next we ventured to Mole National Park, for a safari. The hotel in Mole National Park was set up high on a bluff, overlooking two watering holes where we could see elephants basking in the sun. The view was serene. The monkeys would come right up to the hotel and try to steal our fruit! The last leg of our journey was down south to Cape Coast right on the ocean. In Cape Coast we really got to “vacation”, hang out with the staff at the Hexagon guest house, go to the beach, and even go on the only canopy walk in Africa high up in the rainforest of Kakum National Park. To finish the trip, we headed back to Accra; it was almost like heading back home.
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Throughout our time in Ghana we visited three slave castles, where the people of Ghana were held waiting to board ships to the new world. Viewing the slave castles was eerie, because the structures themselves are majestic and beautiful, but their purpose was anything but.
The school requirements for studying in Ghana included either taking 3 or 6 credits. I chose to take 3 credits through the community development department, and 3 through the mass communications department as an independent study. We did not have traditional classes while in Ghana, however education takes places every day because your whole environment is your classroom. We were required to journal everyday, which is truly beneficial because years from now you can look back and reflect on your travels. The following semester we are also required to present on the research and observations conducted in Ghana. My independent study consisted of a photography project, where I photographed the children of Ghana. The departments at SCSU are very helpful in making sure your study abroad experience counts towards your major, minor, or elective requirements.
One of my favorite memories of my time in Ghana is spending time with the staff at the guesthouses. We really got to know people at the Diamond Palace, and the Hexagon and those relationships with people across the world are truly special, and unique. We even had the chance to shop at one of the largest outdoor markets in Accra, to cook dinner for the staff. I also became very close with my fellow travelers from SCSU. When you spend a month traveling with people, facing unexpected challenges, your relationships deepen to a whole new level. Ghana was a once and a life time opportunity, and traveling through SCSU made it happen.
