In an episode of The Office Andy Bernard once said, “I wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” This can be applied to my Ghana trip and pretty much everything else in my life.

I knew coming in to this that we only had six weeks to be here. I also knew that it would probably fly by even when the beginning weeks seemed to drag on so slowly. But I can’t help feeling sad about leaving.

In these last few days I catch myself thinking, “If I had known the last time I was going to do this (or be there) (or see that person) would be the last time would I have paused for one second? Stopped and looked around just a little bit longer to soak it all in?” The first few weeks in Ghana were a whirlwind of new places, people, and experiences. The last week is trying to do them all again.

Time is so fleeting.

One second you are living in the moment, and the next you realize you’ve run out of time for moments. But I won’t walk away with nothing. I’ve met so many wonderful people here – my study abroad peers especially. We will always be able to share this experience between us.

To look back on my time here is a sweet sadness. Even if I came back it would never be the same. I wouldn’t be with the 17 people I originally came with, and the city would progress and look different – as most things do over time.

We may go onwards – us, the city, everything – but we’ll have the moments to keep; the pictures that freeze a second in time forever; a knowledge that we didn’t have previously, and memories we can look back on and say:

“What a trip.”