Ghana hasn't been what I expected, not that I even know what I was really expecting. There are many ups and downs and countless unforeseen challenges that have consumed some of my time here. And, to be completely honest, I've struggled a lot more than I expected I would. I've had moments of pretty intense depression, and I've become homesick for one of the first times in my life. Life here is just...different. It's not bad, it's just out of my comfort zone, which is exactly what I wanted so I can't be upset about that. I still don't regret my decision to come here by any means. I'm learning about myself, growing, and making amazing friends. In the mean time, though, I'm feeling a bit excited to come home.
Needless to say, I have 2 months left, so my attitude and comfort level still have ample time to change and I'm actively working on it.
Through the broken MacBook Pro, to a twisted ankle and countless mysterious skin rashes and bacterial infections I've been able to find God, especially with the help of my lovely friend from back in Chicago who just happens to be living a few doors down from me in Ghana. God definitely knew what he was doing there.
I wish that I could say I'm loving every minute, but that would be a lie. However, I think even more important than fully loving something is the experience and the growth taken out of it. I know without a doubt I will come out of this changed and hopefully for the better...I'm thinking for the better. For now I have 2 more months to live here and I'm going to do everything in my power to enjoy it. Because when else will I get the chance to study abroad in a place when power goes out during lectures and we continue to learn in the dark, or where I can buy freshly picked delicious mangoes for less than a dollar, or where I can buy beautiful fabrics and have clothes made specifically for me, and the beautiful smiling faces of children (or the screaming ones who are scared of me because I'm white and they think my skin has been peeled off). There are things that still seem very strange to me here, but the more I think about it these strange and different experiences are what is going to stick in my mind as a moment in time in which I was able to learn a new way of life and cherish what I've always taken for granted. I'm learning to enjoy the little things in life.
