The Sense of Adventure: Going to Ghana
‘It’s a place that once you’ve been, you carry it with you everywhere and you never, ever have it let go of you’ – Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, talking about Antarctica.
Going Away
I’m not the best at going away. I’ll admit, I get homesick and I especially miss my Mum. Yes, I’m a Mummy’s girl… Always have been, probably always will be… Yet, I am often compelled to browse the Internet in search of exotic and far away places that I would love to go and explore.
I like holidays. You go away for a week, and then you come back a bit browner and a bit wiser about another culture. You share photos on social media, talk about your holiday for a few weeks and bemoan your return to the cold and wet weather back in good old Blighty. Then you move on with your life. Your tan fades, your flip flops and swimwear get pushed to the back of the wardrobe and your bank account is slowly replenished.
My Holidays So Far
The furthest from home I’ve been so far is Croatia. I went for a few nights with one of my best friends in 2011. We had a fantastic time. Did the usual, touristy things. Took lots of photos. Sampled the local cuisine. Or at least, in my case, I ate cheese that tasted different to the cheese at home and bread that is fresher than the bread at home and survived for the rest of the time of sandwiches and pizza. Being a vegetarian is can be difficult when abroad.
Aside from this holiday, I’ve been to Paris, Venice and the surrounding area, Hamburg and Spain for a cheap, tacky resort holiday when I finished my degree.
And until recently, these holidays have all sufficed. Yes, I’ve searched Google for exotic foreign trips, but the small breaks have contained my wanderlust. But now, it’s starting to become stronger.
So, in 2012, H and I are going to Ghana!
For me, this will be no ordinary holiday. It’s the furthest I will ever have travelled from home and the longest time I’ll have been away too. Ghana will be the first country I visit outside of the EU.
The Biggest Difference
We’re not actually going away for two weeks to sun ourselves and do the usual touristy things. Instead, we’re going to Ghana for two weeks with Original Volunteers, and will spend 10 days volunteering within a local community in Ghana.
This trip has come into fruition following one of my typical Google searches. I typed in ‘volunteer abroad’ and found Original Volunteers. I browsed their various volunteer projects and we selected Ghana as our destination of choice. We both was to do some good, meet some new people and experience a totally different way of life than we are used to.
I will struggle.
Like, how will I cope without cheese for two weeks?! Up until now, when vegetarian options have been limited, I’ve been able to fall back to eating bread, cheese and tomatoes. I won’t be able to do that in Ghana, which worries me.
And there are so many unknowns. Things could go wrong. Then again, things could also be amazing and this could be an awesome experience and a trip of a lifetime. I wouldn’t miss this trip for all the tea in China, and despite my nerves, I’m excited too.
And anyway, that’s why we go travelling, isn’t it?
To get out of our comfort zones. We get comfortable at home. I’ve been longing for this sense of adventure. I want to be in the departures lounge of a heaving airport, taste new foods, experience life outside of the small Welsh town I live in. This chance to do so is exhilarating. I need to do this trip, and then continue to keep creating these opportunities for myself.
So forgive me while I sign off and go in search for my next adventure. Ghana 2012 may have been all booked and organised, but there is 2013 to plan for… Where should I head next? Iceland… Canada… Volcanoes, wastelands, waterfalls and the Northern Lights… Now, where’s my bucket list again?
NB: This post was edited and the images were added 29th January 2019. You can read a little more about my adventures in Ghana here.
Original Volunteers still operate in various countries across Africa, South America and Asia. However, since returning from this trip, my opinion on volunteering has changed somewhat. I doubt I would ever volunteer again without deep consideration into the reasons behind my choice to do so. I wrote a post detailing my viewpoint on volunteering, which you can read here.
