Things are getting pretty repetitive here. Not the best way to start off the blog... but hey! No experience like this is ever perfect.
Its hard to describe how I feel right now. I had no idea this trip was going to turn out this way. Well by this way, I don't mean anything bad, I don't mean anything in particular.. how do I say this. I guess I had all these preconceived ideas about what it meant to participate in a volunteer program who's mission is to develop just and harmonious societies both in Canada and in a country over seas. This is so different than what I ever could have imagined. I came into this program expecting to see myself make a concrete difference in someway. I thought Id truly see a concrete change in the societies I was going to work in. But now that I'm in the program its not even about that anymore!! Its a cultural exchange. Its such a unique program, in 10 DAYS TIME I'm going to be fully immersed in Ghanaian culture. I think to really see a country, to really count it as somewhere you've travelled, you have to see and understand the culture of it.
Jess always says after we've had an argument, "this is why the UN never get anything done" and we all understand what she means!! To make a decision as a group, Canadians and Ghanaians, it takes about ten times longer then it would if it were just the Ghanaians making the decision, or just the Canadians. Learning and working cross culturally has taught me so many things and skills that I know will help me later on in life. Take respect for instance. It has given me a whole new perspective on what it means to respect someone. You think its so easy, you simply use the morals you've been brought up with to know if what your doing is respectable. You use those same morals to decide whats hurtful, whats offensive etc. WELL working with another culture, not only Ghanaian but Albertan, Quebecois, British Colombian and so on, all those morals, all of what you were brought up with and used to gets thrown out the window!!! Ive learned you have to be humble, you have to constantly be watching, looking for little ques that you've said something that's offended someone. You have to understand, just saying "I didn't mean it that way" only works a couple times. For instance, you know how I talk alot? I have alot to say, I have strong opinions, (which is all fine), in a discussion in English class it was totally acceptable for me to butt in anywhere with my opinion, everyone else did! I never realized it was something bad, because no one ever considered it to be one, until now on this trip. Little things like saying your opinion without asking permission to do so (putting up your hand) REALLY annoys, hurts, and bothers people. Ive had to tone down things, to also earn respect myself. Ive had to change alot of things about me, the loudness of my voice, what I say/do in public, my dictating personality, Ive even tried to tone down my excitement for the littlest of things. Why you might ask? Its me, its how everyone recognizes Jillian right? I'm doing it for my own good. I want to be respected, I want to have the best impact possible on the people I live and work with. Maybe you could call it maturing? I'm not really sure id call it that but some might. I just want to do the most I can to gain the respect of people. IN CONCLUSION If I were to act the same way with everyone i meet around the world as I do with my Orillia people, I wont be respected as I would like.
I get really distracted from my original point don't I? Hope you are following OK
GHANA IN 10 DAYS lets get to that. Everything is wrapping up here in Moncton. 3 days left of work! I feel like we've accomplished so much here, but everyone is pretty ready to go. Priscilla bought a bag that I could easily fit in in order to bring all of her clothes and shoes to Otuam. I'm getting stuff together to send home, things like my big coat, wont be needing that!!
Anyway, enough is happening here getting ready to leave that I'm not having too much trouble along the lines of missing home. I do think of everyone everyday though.
I love you all, Id better go, gettin perty hungreh!
Hope everyone is doing great, and to each person that reads this, I miss you <3
Pumpkin Juice and Love
Jillian xo
