The nerves were at an all-time high that first day of work. Everyone woke up at the crack of dawn to get ready. None of us really knew what to expect. All spring term was meant to prepare us for the moment that we walked through those office doors, but until it actually happened, we were left to our own imaginations.

Not to toot our own horns or anything but we all looked good that first day of work. We had on our best professional outfits and beaming smiles. Although we may have felt nervous on the inside, on the outside, we looked ready for business. After everyone eventually made their way downstairs, we took a group picture to commemorate our first day; it almost felt like kindergarten all over again.

When we walked outside, the usual Accra sunshine was suddenly replaced by ominous gray clouds. Going to school in Eugene, Oregon none of us are strangers to overcast and rain, so we didn’t really think much of the weather. Besides, our internships were our top priority in that moment.

We had two vehicles that took us to our internships. My group boarded the bus with the most people and headed in the opposite direction. As we turned onto the main road, we were greeted by the Accra traffic that has grown to be a normal part of our everyday lives. As our bus came to a standstill a rush of rain met the sidewalk. Soon rain began to fall at a rapid rate and started to flood the streets.

We were caught in the middle of a monsoon.

I’ve never seen rain fall like that in my entire life and I’m from Seattle, so that says a lot. The cars parked in the shoulder lane were fully surrounded by the water. Motorcyclists were forced to pull over to the sidewalk and wait out the storm. The people waiting for tro tros were forced to take cover under flimsy umbrellas and street vendor carts. The bustling city of Accra was put on pause as everyone looked at the storm raging outside of our car windows. The storm didn’t last longer than a few minutes, but its presence was felt by everyone who experienced it.

Luckily after it finished, traffic slowly began to move and we eventually all made it to our internships. Fortunately, I packed my rain poncho just before leaving so I was saved from the leftover rain that covered Accra the remainder of the day.

Needless to say, the first day of my internship in Ghana is one that I will never forget.