I was lucky enough to grow up in a household where we were not afraid to talk about privilege. I didn’t grow up in the richest household, but I definitely had it easy compared to some of the people around me. One piece of advice that I was given by my parents that has always stuck with me is that “there will always be someone who has more and there will always be someone who has less”. I think these words of wisdom have been especially helpful for me while I have been exploring a country that differs vastly from America in terms of privilege. I have made a list of some things that I have found to be considered a privilege, while also giving my own personal before and after outlook.
- Wi-Fi
Before Ghana: I believed that most of the Wi-Fi I had been exposed to was very slow. While this may have been true, it was nothing compared to the Wi-Fi here in Ghana. Almost everywhere I have been that has Wi-Fi, it has been significantly slower than what I am used to at home.
In Ghana: It hit me that it is a privilege to even have Wi-Fi at all. Not only is it a privilege to have Wi-Fi, but it is also a privilege to have a device that even needs Wi-Fi in the first place. I have come to accept the Wi-Fi that we have been given because I know it’s more than what most people have where I am.
- Hot water
Before Ghana: At my apartment in Eugene I am constantly complaining because on average I only get around 10-15 minutes of hot water in the shower.
In Ghana: I have spent almost three weeks in Ghana and I have taken only one hot shower the entire time I’ve been here, and I am certain that will be the only one for the whole 6-week period I am here. It is difficult to get yourself into an ice cold shower, but I have come to the understanding that hot water is another privilege that I often take for granted. Unfortunately in Ghana it is normal to see see hundreds of people, if not more, who most likely don’t have access to water at all. It saddens me to say that water, both hot and cold, is a privilege that I am beyond lucky to have access to. Gaining this insight has made the cold showers here seem a little less harsh, and I am sure I will appreciate my hot showers more than ever when I return home to the U.S.
- Laundry facilities
Before Ghana: In the U.S. I have to pay $1.50 to wash my clothes and $1.50 to dry them. I hate having to pay for laundry and it drives me crazy having a communal laundry room for all the residents in my apartment complex. I dread laundry day at home because I have to get up early enough to beat the crowds and pay for my laundry.
In Ghana: While in Ghana I have had to hand wash my clothes in cold water from a bucket and hang them up to dry in the 95% humidity. It takes around 2-3 days for my clothes to dry completely, depending on the thickness of the clothes. While being here I have opened my eyes to how lucky I am to even have a bucket to wash clothes in, and even to have clothes that need washed. I have seen many kids with no clothes and even those who do have clothes to wear, I am unaware of how often they are able to do laundry. I don’t necessarily mind hand washing my clothes but I don’t think I will be able to complain about my laundry situation at home any more. Laundry facilities are a privilege and I am incredibly lucky to have access to a washer and dryer.
- Air Conditioning
Before Ghana: I have had access to air conditioning for my entire life, so I think it is definitely a privilege that I have taken for granted for most of my existence.
In Ghana: I have especially missed having air conditioning while I have been in Ghana, where the weather is around 80 degrees and 95% humidity every day. I have been lucky enough to have bus rides that are air-conditioned and two nights in a beautiful resort that has air conditioning, but that is basically it. Even though I do not have access to air conditioning in the house I am in, I am still thankful for those short moments in the air conditioned bus or van. When we are in the bus driving past the roadside markets and villages I see so many houses that don’t have windows or doors, and it definitely makes me feel guilty and sorry for those people. We are visiting Ghana in the cool season, so I can’t imagine what the summer season is like here with out some way to cool down. When I return to Eugene I think I will cherish my air conditioning unit even more than I already do.
- Dishwasher
Before Ghana: I have never been fond of doing dishes, even when I have a dish washer to do all the work for me.
In Ghana: Here in Ghana we are required to hand clean our dishes in the sink. All I can think of while I wash my dishes in the sink every morning after breakfast is that I am so lucky to have food to eat and dishes to eat that food on. When I commute to work it is not uncommon to see children at the window of the taxi pointing at their mouths because they are hungry. It breaks my heart that there are so many people here who don’t get to eat sufficient meals everyday. When I return to Eugene and I am doing dishes, with the help of my beloved dishwasher, I think I will always have those Ghanaian children in the back of my mind and I think it will make me appreciate what I have more than I ever have before.