A Different Planet

As cohort 4 arrives in Ghana's Northern Region, UK volunteer Joshua Rayworth reflects on his new home away from home

Meeting the chief: volunteers from cohort 4 are escorted to the Yoo Naa palace

As I sit down to write this blog I have no idea where I will begin, let alone end up. Funnily enough this also describes my ICS (International Citizen Service) journey: development is not a linear tale, and impact can be hard to measure in the short term.

I decided to involve myself in this scheme as I had held a belief that I would like to explore opportunities beyond that offered by the UK. This avenue is a fantastic way to decide whether or not I can cope with the challenges faced living outside of one’s comfort zone.

Having been brought up in a relatively worry-free home environment I now find myself in Savelugu, Ghana – a small town 20 minutes’ drive north of the Northern Region capital of Tamale. For the first time I am experiencing what it is like to live with a Ghanaian host family, something I have never had the opportunity to do before. Having been warmly welcomed I feel comfortable in my surroundings and excited at the prospect of being part of the community over the next few months.

“You are on a different planet,” said my in-country buddy, Elvis, when we first arrived here. He dutifully reminds me of this every so often. It is fair to say he is absolutely right. Before flying out here I had constructed a fictional image of what I might expect, but the reality of it is that I had no real sense of anything.

My in-country colleagues have been extremely helpful in making us aware of what challenges are faced in Ghana from both a community and political level – in addition to highlighting the positive aspects such as the friendliness of the people and their welcome into their lives. Grasping the language, Dagbani, and appreciating the culture is vital to immersing ourselves into this new life. The in-country volunteers (ICVs) have been tremendous with their guidance.

Dynamic group: volunteers and team leaders on cohort 4

The dynamics of our group as a whole are great. I believe each person can share her or his thoughts in a fair environment and there is security in that fact. Naturally this is conducive to a good work environment. This requires us to act as parts of a whole – something which we know can be tried and tested by forces beyond our control – but the challenges will morph into achievements over the long term.

At this point it would be most British of me to inject some cynicism into this blog. However, I can’t complain about the weather, or anything else for that matter. I suppose this goes to show that although the initial change in climate, diet, and balance of work/social life can be overwhelming, it is an intrinsic part of the whole experience and necessary for our own personal development.

By the time you read this post much will already have changed in my life. Although it seems funny to write now and more so to reflect on later, I state it in the sense that no person can truly understand a new way of life in a little over two weeks since arriving. Going forwards there will be much learned and aspects likely misunderstood; yet we know this to be part of the process.

By no means does my journey stop here – who knows where I see myself in six months, one year, five years? All I know is to embrace the present and work with a great bunch of assorted friends to inspire a lasting impact on our respective projects.