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Ghana: Student Comments
“EAP revolutionized the way I think about life, myself, and my goals. Ghana was truly a gift.” —EAP Student “My EAP experience in Ghana was the best experience of my life thus far. Ghana is wonderful! But on top of that, being abroad has given me a heightened sense of independence and greater confidence in myself. A major goal in my life has been accomplished and it sets precedent for my future.” —EAP Student “My time on EAP is truly valuable to me. I was able to expand my personal horizons by seeing a different environment. I realized what 'difference' means. I became more aware of the global perspective and what it means to be American and what is thought to be American.” —EAP Student “My in-class experience was rewarding, but what really made my time here most satisfying was being immersed and welcomed in the incredibly warm and friendly culture of Ghana.” —EAP Student “My experience in Africa permitted me to travel extensively and compare different African cultures. It stimulated my own artwork and historical research, and has resulted in me becoming an active member of the Accra Committee of the Chicago Cultural Affairs Department, which deals with cultural exchange between Chicago and her sister city, Accra. I have given docent training and lectures at the Cultural Center on exhibitions from Ghana. I received my MFA from the University of Illinois, Chicago, in 1996. I am currently working with the Accra Committee in coordinating events surrounding the arrival of Ghanaian artist Kofi Setordji and a show of toys made by Ghanaian children. Little did I know that my EAP experience would lead to such a rich future in promoting cultural exchange between our two countries.” —Laura Dalrymple Anderson, UC San Diego “My stay in Ghana was challenging at first: adapting to a novel culture with different food, mannerisms, history, and human relations was very exciting, but also required constant effort. Classes at the University of Ghana are run differently than those at UC, but courses like drumming and dance are exciting and popular among most EAP students. You will also get to take a Twi language course, which is perfect because you get to practice it all the time and improve quickly. Gradually I became more and more familiar with life in Ghana, and I started to feel comfortable making new friends, traveling around, and letting myself get lost in a culture so rich that I can't wait to go back!” —Vanick der Bedrossian, UC Santa Cruz “Following the annual Fetu Afahye festival in Cape Coast thousands of people gathered in an open-air courtyard awaiting the arrival of President John Kufuor. We EAP students had only arrived two weeks earlier so our minds were filled with incredibly novel sights of culture, life, and tradition. As we were awaiting the arrival of President Kufuor three of my fellow classmates and I had luckily made our way (with our cameras in hand of course) to the inside podium, where the president was going to greet the people. Following the president's speech and his traditional ceremonies with the local chiefs of the Cape Coast region, I was close enough to motion to President Kufuor and gestured whether I may come and shake his hand. He smiled and motioned for the four of us to come to the stage to greet him. We started to walk and of course we were grabbed by the Ghanaian military security. I pointed the security guards to the president, who in turn motioned the guards to release us. And the four of us came up to the podium to greet Kufuor with a smile and a handshake. The entire festival was incredible to say the least-new sights, so much to learn, so much to see-and finishing the day with a meeting with President Kufuor only made my experience in the beautiful country of Ghana that much better. ” —Craig Edelman, UC San Diego “I did a storytelling project in a small town in Ghana where I collected stories, then facilitated a workshop with future teachers at a training college. The process of collecting stories was incredible. I learned that it wasn't so much the actual story, but the moment of its telling that taught me the most. And that is what I find so wonderful about living in a different place: You are asked to live in the moment, and the fact that someone else can share that moment with you-that your seemingly insurmountable differences can come to a common meeting point-is truly magical. I was able to do this project through a Theater for Development class at the University of Ghana. I found that simply because you are a foreigner, professors, administrators, everyone is willing to accomodate you and help you out. Those moments have shaped me. Travel abroad with no expecations but to make yourself vulnerable enough to question who you are, and strong enough to make that effort to step forward and meet someone new, a new culture, a new idea. All of these quotes you read will by no means prepare you for your travels. I think everyone has to experience a new place for themselves on thier own terms. All I can say is go! Get out of here!” —Anya Kandel, UC Berkeley “I feel like time is going by really quickly. I've made really great friends and I feel like I have finally just gotten used to everything-familiarity with places, food, prices for bargaining, personality traits and habits of Ghanaians. I'm really sad that we only have two more months. If any of you study abroad, I suggest staying for a year. It's one thing to travel somewhere as a tourist, but it is another to actually live there. To have to get used to a new way of life is difficult and sometimes frustrating, but now we're used to it and it's a great feeling that we're able to adapt to the point where it's almost natural to us now. It really does open your eyes-really wide!” —Lisa Kim, UC Irvine “I had to do an independent study project and so I studied the music of an Ewe community. Try to make good relationships with the professors who are mentoring you with your research. The slow-paced and calm Ghanaian lifestyle is what I liked best. You can learn to take things slow and when you go back to the U.S. it will be too fast for you. My favorite memory was in Princess town! A lot of people don't go, but it's one of the very few unspoiled beaches left in Ghana” —Edlin Lopez, UC Irvine “During spring break, our Study Center Director took us to Togo and Benin. We went to this snake shrine where there was a room with hundreds of snakes inside. I actually walked inside of the shrine. For years I have been frightened by snakes. I could not even watch them on TV! But this day, I was able to take a picture with a python around my neck. Since that day, I have not been so frightened of snakes. The experience helped me get over my phobia.” —Ajeenah Shakir, UC San Diego University of Ghana, Legon, 2004-05
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