For a first tour foreign service spouse, August 6, 2009 was a regular yet unforgettable day for me. I stepped my foot and came to know, feel, smell this West African country called Ghana, beyond guidebooks, photos and Wikipedia. The day also meant a new beginning: thousand miles away from a familiar environment, friends and family and the place we have called home for years. Looking back, the journey has been rewarding, judged by the adventures we embarked, friendship we developed, growth and learning we gained, and changes we witnessed both inside and out. All these were not achieved without challenges. Some of them are change related, more are god’s will. However, we can’t live in the past. Elegantly spoken by Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah, “we face neither the East nor the West, we face forward.” Looking forward, I would like to share with you my experiences:
- First, over-deliver, under-promise. Ask yourself, How many people have said WOW! because you went extra and they are pleasantly surprised? What one thing you would like to hear people say to you, behind your back? I hope it’s nothing short of super, v-power is certainly better.
- Second, take charge and drive change. It’s so easy to just take a ride and get comfortable, while forgetting you can learn to drive and change the course for better. We are always busy, tend to do a good job within our duties, become a good parent for our kids, and take a good care of the elderly. However, I encourage each of you to step forward five inches each day, not only playing a role, but becoming a role model. As the time goes by, you will be surprised by the difference the small small extra you made: people appreciate you for improving their skills, colleagues smile because you make their life easier and what’s important, you grow taller and learn faster than ever.
- Keep your passion alive and your head down. The most precious thing I have come to realize is this burning desire called passion. If there is something more important, it will be guarding the fire and keeping the flames long and strong. There are so many others, with unintended negativity, trying to persuade that you are not worthy for what you have been dreaming about. Run, don’t walk away from these people like plague. However, be humble. Before you cross the finish line, just remember that you may have to put 10,000 hours of deep practice, sometime they are dull and you are alone. The things that sustain the journey are lowering your head and keeping eyes focused on tasks on hand.
- Last but not least, do all of these and more with less. We are blessed everyday with the resources we use, the work we do, the people we come across and things we tend to take for granted. Along the journey, we build a career, a family and relationships. However, the relationships also include one between human beings and the nature. Things change so fast that sometimes we simply consume but forget our power to create, aim for bigger and faster at the expense of a balanced living. In a word, we forget the interdependent relationship between humans and nature. Yes, resources are there for the use, but if they can be of multiple use, and generate lasting results, everyone will be happy at the end of the day. So, recycle, reduce and reuse.
There is a proverb in Ghana, “only when you have crossed the river, can you say the crocodile has a lump on his snout.” I can’t yet tell the crocodile by such a detail, but the path crossed, the relationship developed and changes we witnessed has rewarded so much more. I thank you for the companionship, friendship and relationship, and Meda se.
(I will soon hit the road to see more of Ghana, including places that I have yet seen for the next one month and half. After that, I will transition to Dhaka, Bangladesh. The posting will be sporadic, if none at all. I wish everyone a good summer and many thanks for your support during my two year stint in Ghana.)
(photo credit: http://latrendasankofa.blogspot.com/2011/01/farewell-ghana-hello-america.html)
