Why did you choose to go to Ghana?
This has GOT to be the single most frequent question I've been asked whenever I let anyone know that I'll be spending the semester in Ghana (henceforth represented by "GH") so let me address it right out the gate. Explaining alllll of the reasons for choosing GH would take forever (OK not really, but ya know...) so let me bullet a few key reasons:
- As a Psychology & African-American Studies double major, it was extremely important for me to have first-hand experience in one of the countries that has influenced so much of what I learn within my AF-AM major. It's really easy to read, discuss, and judge countries, cultures, and peoples, but I felt it wouldn't be substantial if I didn't witness the aforementioned for myself.
- Ghana, for me, represents so much more than a hub for the trans-Atlantic slave trade. I'm Nigerian, and am interested in seeing how similar, or not, GH (and other West African countries) are to each other.
- I've grown so accustomed--dare I say spoiled, to Western life...and that's kind of not OK with me. In speaking with professors, advisors, and friends who've studied in GH, I got the impression that while the pace of day-to-day life is extremely slow, quality of life is extremely high. It amazes me that Ghanaian can have so little, yet be more appreciative of what small blessings they have (while we in the States complain about EVERYTHING. Case in point, the Twitter hash tag #firstworldproblems)
- Ummmm, the weather?! Yeah, 'nuff said :-)
- We all know Colby is seriously lacking in us "colored" folk. I have a feeling this won't be an issue in GH lol
- While we're on the subject of Colby, I needed to study abroad for my sanity. I think we all get to that point in which we're checked out, and ever since my aces graduated, I've been tooooo through with my undergraduate career. This semester will surely be a good break! Plus once I get back, it'll be time for me to graduate....well....almost. **sighs**
What does "Obruni" mean?
I took my favorite course thus far this past Fall. It was AY341: Culture, Mobility, Identity--Encounters in the African Diaspora with Professor Bhimull (sidebar: if you want to learn more than you ever thought you could in one class, take one w/ Prof. Bhimull. This is the hardest, yet most rewarding, class I've ever taken in my life.) Since it was an upper-level seminar course, each week, students would facilitate the class based upon the week's keyword. My facilitation week revolved around the idea of "return." We were required to read and analyze Lose Your Mother: A Journey Along the Atlantic Slave Route (Hartman, 2007). In it, Hartman chronicles her journey back to Ghana, and her experiences with being "obruni"...a stranger. Now I coulddddd go into how many Black Americans never establish a sense of "home," "belonging," or "community," (think W.E.B. DuBois, James Baldwin, etc) but I won't. Instead, I chose "The Journey of Obruni" because in a sense, that's exactly what I want to be once I get to GH. My ultimate goal is to experience GH through "obruni' lens. To learn and soak in all aspects of my stay as if I'd never been exposed to it before. I refuse to head across the Atlantic and pretend to be "coming home." Why should I? And why should they accept me in such manner? Just a thought...
When do you leave? When do you come back?
I leave on Tuesday January 17th, and God willing I'll be back May 28th!!
I'm sure I have more to include in this first post, but I'm sleepy. I'll be posting a few more entries before I leave, and will try my hardest to keep this blog updated while I'm away. At very least, I'd like to keep to one entry a week. I'll have a Blackberry with me, and WiFi set up soon enough, so hold tight, and check back for updates.
Can't wait!!!
Olisa
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