Alumni Blog

Superhero…. Not Yet

Going to Africa was one of those things I had always wanted to do. When I was invited by Intercordia to go to Ghana for the summer it felt like everything was finally falling into place. I discovered while I was in Ghana through the other Intercordia volunteers that everyone joins the organization for different reasons. To me Ghana was about going and making a difference in the world; I was on a mission to leave all my own issues and weaknesses behind. It never occurred to me, to be honest that I might get homesick, that the culture shock would at times be overwhelming or that my own prejudices would follow me on the experience I felt I was born to live. Looking back, I can’t pin point what made me believe I would go to Ghana and play the role of a superhero; Ghana became not about saving others but rather about discovering myself.

Spending the summer in Ghana was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life, it was also the most rewarding. Ghana is an absolutely beautiful country; the people are so friendly and welcoming. I was fascinated to discover faith to a degree I had never experienced in Canada. Most Ghanaian people don’t question the existence of a god (whether Muslim, Christian or Traditionalist), they live their daily lives with the understanding that a god is watching over them and that they are to please him. The people in the village where I lived were so excited to have a visitor; they spent the summer teaching me about their culture, their stories and their language.

Some of Ghana’s culture directly contradicts that of Western society.  At first it was devastating to witness the intense canning that takes place in many of the classrooms as a form of discipline. In our culture it is uncommon to witness such acts, and the perpetrators are not highly regarded in society. In Ghana, the complete opposite is true; highly respected teachers were encouraged to physically discipline their students. Maintaining close relationships with teachers and understanding their culture was at time difficult to do in the face of such violence; I often used my own prejudices and judged Ghanaian culture. Spending three months in Ghana was the greatest gift I could have asked for. I was given the opportunity to really understand and become a part of the culture. The prejudices and the anger I original felt at the sight of canning were slowly erased and replaced with a true understanding of why canning exists in Ghana. This is not to say that I know agree with the practice, but I no longer judge those who take part in it.

Spending the summer in Ghana has been the most rewarding experience of my life. It has altered me in so many ways; I have learned the danger of prejudice, the value of patience and the importance of acceptance. I carry with me the things I have learned and apply them now to my life in Canada. There is no experience for which I am more grateful.

Emma Gennest
Intercordia Alumni 2008
St. Jerome’s College, University of Waterloo