      |
Student Comments There are only a couple of trips in a person's life that have this type of impact. This trip has changed my life forever. Seeing everyone in Ghana so happy with so much less than me really had an effect on me. I now appreciate everything I have. Ghana felt like home. My journal will help me remember the spiritual, educational, and phenomenal journey I experienced. I will cherish it all of my life. I have really grown from this trip. All my views of Africa have changed. All the stereotypes left my brain. I appreciate everything so much more now and I thank God I was able to go on this trip. To say that Ghana was amazing is an understatement and I have found it hard to relay my experience to anyone that has asked. This trip released an appreciation for life and culture that I have never felt and I feel honored to have had such an adventure in my lifetime. It's sad it had to end because I want this trip to last forever! I'll just have to find a way to bring myself back. The Ghana trip helped to expand my understanding of God and spirituality beyond the narrow borders of denominational limitations. Ghanaians are deeply, purely spiritual. Ghanaians are beautiful and great. Ghanaians are rich in all that really matters most. Overall, this was a life changing adventure for me that I will always remember. My experience in Ghana got better every day. Can you imagine being treated nicely everywhere you went, everyday, wow how wonderful! For me, going to Ghana was a life changing experience; to actually see, smell and stand where my ancestors stood. I believe everyone, no matter what his or her background or goal in life should touch the soil of the Motherland, the cradle of civilization, once in his or her lifetime. It's a MUST DO! I hope if I bring one thing back from Ghana, it will be the memory of the good people there. I want to practice their values in my everyday life. I will truly miss Ghana and hope to return with others one day. This trip has opened my eyes so wide. This was such a rich experience. There are so many lessons I learned that I have taken in my heart and will live by. I now want to continue to travel.and take back lessons learned from traveling to make me a more well-rounded person. My journey has been such a positive one and I would encourage everyone to take the opportunity to visit the Motherland. When we left Ghana I was sad. I felt like I left a part of me. My trip in Ghana has allowed me to witness the splendor and beauty of its rich cultural and ethnic diversity. The Ghanaian people I met have taught me three things: respect for everyone including family and friends, humility, and kindness towards others. I really placed myself out of my own comfort zone so I can experience everything and it was worth it. Everyday was an adventure which brought the group together to experience NEW experiences to share with one another." Africa is now in our blood. We came to Ghana wearing conservative, business wear and left in the brightest Dashikis we could find! We have become more enlightened and culturally richer. This was the best trip I ever been on. The people out there have nothing-- no expensive cars, big houses or a lot of money but they manage to be happy and smile. The Ghana study-abroad program was an enlightening experience that extended my knowledge on world affairs and the entire continent of Africa. Unfortunately, growing up in America and educated through the public school system, the history and culture of Africa has always been featured as an obscure backdrop to the various adventures, battles, and sometimes, nefarious deeds of Western culture; however, the trip to Ghana opened my eyes to the vast array and richness that this continent has offered to the world and how privileged we were to experience it first-hand. My return home left me with a bittersweet feeling, and I keep thinking of the Grateful Dead lyrics from "Box of Rain": "Such a long long time to be gone and a short time to be there." I already miss Ghana and its people. Two weeks was all it took to fall in love. I fell in love with the sweat of traveling without air conditioning. I fell in love with the omnipresent Ghanaian handshake. I fell in love with the relaxed attitude of the entire country--most of all though, I fell in love with our small group of travelers who made my trip greater 100-fold. We went through all the same things together and we share the fact that only we can understand the things we saw, heard, and felt. I will miss them terribly as I will miss my "family" back in Ghana. Until I make it back (and I will make it back). I give a final farewell to the red soil of Africa. I can't get enough of Ghana! The trip was the most exhilirating, amazing and wonderful 2 weeks experience of my life. I have learned that life is precious and sometimes you just have to slow down and enjoy the moment like the Ghanaians do.
|
|||
 |