It's the final countdown

This past week has been busy as I realized that my time in Ghana is coming to a close. Thursday I had to say goodbye to the Swedish volunteer I worked with and ate a Ghanaian meal while dreaming of turkey and pumpkin pie (I haven't had dessert in 2 months!). Friday an acquaintance from UCSD, Joeva, came to visit me in Ho from Cape Coast where she works. That night the remaining 6 of us - 2 Americans, 2 Australians and 2 Irishmen - made a "Thanksgiving dinner" of sausage, mashed yam, plantain chips and guacamole. It was so nice (though admittedly rather strange) seeing a familiar face in Ghana and sharing Thanksgiving with a fellow American. I took Joeva around town and showed her the lush surroundings of Ho. We sat at a hotel for hours discussing Ghana, life after college, doing "good" in the world, and the neverending itch to travel. Sunday was my final day at the orphanage. I am going to miss those kids and their energy and excitement for life! I have never felt so attached to children in my life. They are so sweet and loving and playful, it broke my heart to walk away from the 35 of them knowing I may not see them ever again.
So it has come down to the final 36 hours in Ghana. And much like in Florence and at Dartmouth I am not ready to leave the life I have started here, the incredible people I've met and the family that has so kindly welcomed me into their home. I can't say exactly what I expected from this experience but I do know it was beyond anything I could have ever imagined or hoped for.  I will miss my host family (and Bea's awesome cooking), the diabetes nurses, the VAF volunteers, my Ghanaian friends, the orphans, the lepers, my town and the slow-paced yet deceiving chaotic life here. I've found that living in a 3rd world country does not equate to living below the poverty line; that aesthetics are not everything and there's no reason to get rid of something before it's broken; that you can live without running water, electricity, internet, TV, a car, a steady income and still be completely happy. I have realized just how lucky I am to come from a place where education, healthcare and a basic amenities are expected, not a privilege. Ghana is only a 53-year-old country and has come much farther than most African countries but it still has a long way to go. I may not have been able to give back as much as I took away from this experience but it is with all my heart I hope I am able to go to grad school and get a job which gives me the resources to help many more people around the world in need of healthcare. I will miss Ghana but I am excited to come home and start working towards a job with greater opportunities.

Take care and see you on the other side