By: Jake Moore

Today, I entered the courtyard of a small school in a region of Accra called Nima. As I walked through the entrance with my group members I saw the small space filled with rows of students dancing to the rhythm of drums and other percussion instruments. Other children lined the edges of the courtyard and peered out from classrooms curiously as they whispered among themselves. There was a familiar energy in the courtyard.

I have worked with the YMCA and I felt the same energy here as I often did in YMCA programs, the excitement of energetic children. Their excitement is reflected by the constant movement through the crowd of their peers. Their curiosity and anticipation is coming to a head and they aren’t quite sure how to get it out. They act out in goofy ways or sit incredibly still gawking around trying to take everything in.

After a warm welcome from the principal of the school and a dance from eight of the older students, my group was invited to form a large circle and the students filled in the gaps between us. Once the drums started the students began to dance and the rest of us followed suit. Some of my group members introduced themselves to the students around them and they seemed to hit it off immediately. A group of students entered the circle and danced and then students led group members into the circle one by one and showed off their own dance moves before returning to the edge of the circle and letting the next group go.

I was flanked by two small boys probably around the age of nine or ten. As the dancing went on I did my best to keep up and looked down at the boy to my right who wore a purple polo shirt, his school uniform. He didn’t say anything. It seemed like he didn’t know what to think. I made a short effort to try and say hello, but he seemed more shy and reserved than most of the children. I continued to look down at him throughout the dance and wondered when he would lead me out into the dance circle, but he seemed nervous. I got his attention and asked if we should go and so we entered the circle and a little girl joined us to lead us through our own dance.

Reflecting on this moment I ask myself why it was so difficult for me to communicate. I could have introduced myself immediately as he came to my side. It probably would have been the proper thing to do as I have learned that greetings in Ghana are very important. Yet I struggled to take the leap and once the music started it seemed even more difficult. After the dance circle ended individual children seemed to disappear into the chaos of excited students. Before we could start talking to the kids again we were shown to a classroom to learn more about the school.

Before leaving we took a group photo and the teachers said they would give us some time to interact with the kids. A group of boys was around me before long – including the little boy from before – and so I asked them all their names. Many names flew by in an instant, each boy trying to get my attention to share their name. There was Ali and Haziz and of course many more.

The little boy from the dance circle was there. He shook my hand, told me his favorite football player and team, smiled and made silly faces with his friends when we asked for a picture with them. It was probably much easier for him to be comfortable surrounded by his friends and who could blame him. I feel the same way. It’s this moment that made me realize after the fact that despite exchanging very few words with this boy I found something in common with him.

I don’t know what this little boy thought of me or of this situation, but I know I would have acted a similar way at his age. I know I would have been nervous to dance in front of everyone alongside a complete stranger and that once things calmed down I would have been happy to engage with my friends at my side. Clearly there are many reasons for difficult communication; culture and age just to name a few. Despite all of this and my own introversion there was a connection there and a couple images that will stick with me: The blank face of the boy when I first met him and the goofy face and peace signs he made for our group photo.