Journey

Ever wished that you were black? Ever wished that you were white? Well I have. And throughout my time (back) in Africa, I hated the “whiteness” of me.

For several of you, this is the long-awaited update on my trip back to Africa. As a matter of fact, this won’t just be an update on Africa, but rather, my journey these past couple of months. I’m going to break this up into several entries. Everything at once is too much. So without further ado, here’s the first section. The intro if you will.

Reversal Culture Shock. It’s an odd thing.

The first week back was intense. I wasn’t sure what to feel or expect (to feel). As some of you know, I didn’t want to go back, not yet. Being a “white Christian girl” in an Islamic influenced area was not easy, to say the least.

I was completely distressed the first couple of days. I noticed that there were more “whites” there than when we left. It was unsettling to watch these “white” people casually walking around; obviously more comfortable to be there than I was. I didn’t like it one bit. I grew up there. “I” was the one who should’ve felt at “home.” Who the heck did these people think they were? Raggae-gangsta lookin’ wannabe’s. Do they have any idea how slutty they’re dressing? Or how ridiculous they look? Ahem.

Ghana has changed. I’ve changed. I was thrown back into community. Something that I think a lot of Americans have either forgotten or would rather not do. Be a community. We get so caught up in our self-satisfactory ways. In Ghana, when someone visits you, you don’t shoo them out whenever you *feel* like it. You let them stay for however long they want...

So what started out as pages and pages, didn’t even fill up a whole page. They’re several incidents that happened while I was there that deserve to be given their own space. I tried to sum it all up in one. Well, that didn’t work.

My emotions about this change as time goes on. That’s why it’s taken me so long just to write this much. This is what I’m clear on. There’s a lot more on the way. It’s going to take me a while longer though. Apart from the “processing,” I have limited access to the internet.

More to come on race, marriage proposals and relationships, among other things. Like trying to explain what the KKK is/was to a friend (it didn’t go so well). I’m also thinking of coming up with a comic strip.

Having said all that, all questions are welcomed. I’ve probably already answered some of those in my future entries but if you have a question go ahead and ask away.