The Last Stretch

Here it is, less than a month left to go. So very much has happened. 

Joy 

tears

pain

sickness

comfort and discomfort

rashes

mosquito bites

amazement

And just pure growth.

This experience has been nothing like I thought it would be, not that I really had many expectations. But it was really so much harder than I anticipated. Some didn't struggle as much as me while others struggled more than me, we all coped with the cultural differences in our own way, and we all struggled with certain things to different degrees. There were times where I felt weak, like I had lost all bravery I thought I had. I felt like I had failed, because I thought I could tough out any situation and adapt and learn to love anything. 

First lesson: life isn't that easy.

But that's okay, if it was easy how could we learn? The struggles I've faced have helped me to see who I am as a person, where I need to grow, and how I am stronger in certain areas of life than I thought I was. Ghana has awakened passions in me that were underdeveloped prior, and it brought people into my life that have inspired me to push towards what I suppose I always knew God was calling me to. (I kind of officially declared a social work minor). 

I've learned I highly doubt I'll live in a developing country for an extended period of time, and chances of me going into the peace corps like I had once plane are very slim. My views on so many things have changed, and hopefully for the better. 

Although I'm 100% ready to head back to beautiful Chicago (minus the freezing cold) there are definitely a few things I will miss. I'm going to miss...buying dinner for the equivalent of 25 cents, holding the hands of sweet 14 year old Abigail (a vendor at the market) as she tells me about her day and gifts me with water and mangoes, I'm going to miss the random thunderstorms that blow in within minutes whipping us with wind and rain. I'm definitely not going to miss the blasted red dirt, but I am going to miss watching the cute children play in it. I'm going to miss the beautiful tropical flowers and the bright orange sunsets. I'm probably not going to miss Ghanaian man time (GMT)...I'm too punctual for that life. However, I'm going to miss all of the amazing people I have met here. They are some of the most amazing, intelligent, and inspiring people I have ever met; so full of compassion and drive for a better world. Cliché, maybe, but very true. They have taught me so much and have helped me believe in myself in ways they may never understand, all through their kind words and constant encouragement. I still can't believe I have to say goodbye to them all soon and suddenly this post is becoming more emotional than I had planned. 

Therefore, in other news, I'm leaving for Spain in a week! Yup, last minute beautiful plan. I'll be there for a week, then I go to Togo for another few days, and then I'm staying in Accra for another week before making my way back to the tundra of Chicago. 

The things I have gotten to experience, and am still experiencing, during my time abroad just leave me in awe. Never did I think my life would look this way, studying abroad and experiencing different ways of life was always just a far away fantasy. I could have never known as my 18 year old self that I would end up dropping nursing, picking up a new degree, and then sign up to live in Africa. It's times like this when reflecting on your life that it's extremely hard to doubt God isn't up there orchestrating amazing things. 

So here's to roughly 3 weeks left, two of which I will be spending away. My time in Ghana is basically gone, and I'm forever grateful for all it has taught me.