As the first week working as an intern is now over half way through, I find myself reflecting on the past few days and the experiences I have had. If I said it was easy, I would be lying. And if I said I didn’t cry every day when I got home, my nose would grow a couple inches.

My internship is at Citi FM, Ghana’s #1 English radio station. The building is a soft purple color that is very distinguishable. In fact, so distinguishable that it is the site for the lead character of a Ghanaian TV series’ (“An African City”) workplace. The people are friendly and everyone seems to remember my name even though I can’t remember all of theirs yet.

The plan for me here is that I get the full experience of every department and an understanding of what it is like to work at a media outlet in Ghana. But… I’m not a broadcasting or journalism major. And I’m not into politics. Or business. Or sports. So being in this environment feels weird and I don’t feel like I fit in at all. The hardest part of it for me is that I get to see everyone else in this program placed where they fit in – advertising agencies, newspapers, sports radio – and yet I’m here, doing absolutely nothing related to what I want to do in the professional field. It has been extremely frustrating because no matter how many people I approach and ask to be taught or just sit beside and observe, everyone is too busy trying to make sure that the #1 English radio station doesn’t lose its #1 spot. I don’t think I will be able to exercise my design skills much or develop any portfolio work, but I’m going to keep trying to push it because I would also like to be able to give back and provide them with valuable work in return.

But Alex, a friend of Professor Williams (the man who let us stay in his home for the six weeks), said, “You can’t let it get you down. You have to take all the bad things and turn them around and make good things out of it. If you let it get you down, you won’t get anywhere.” So that’s what I’m trying to do. After all, it has only been three days and I have four weeks ahead of me. 

I’m not supposed to be here till 8:00 a.m. every day, but I’ve been arriving at 6:30/7:00 a.m. so that I can go sit in the live studio and listen to them talk on the morning Breakfast Show. It’s nice just sitting and relaxing while I keep trying to feel my way around the station. It’s now 7:51 a.m. and I have a full day ahead of me. Today will be better – at least that is what I am telling myself!