By: Brady Doran

My first week at the Daily Guide was nothing short of exciting. As someone who had never worked as a reporter, I had no idea what to expect going into a reporting job in West Africa. It is safe to say I hit the ground running. Not only did I go out in the field on my first day, but I also got to cover a press conference held by presidential candidate Kofi Koranteng. The pressure I felt from being an American in a room full of Ghanaian journalists was unlike anything I had experienced in my life, but the speech was so fascinating that I soon forgot why I was stressed.

Ghanaians do journalism differently. As an intern reporter at the Daily Guide, an NPP-owned newspaper, writing about an independent candidate that despises the party isn’t going to cut it. That being said, I learned the intricacies of the nation’s political system. Although I could not publish my first piece, I had a fantastic time researching the economic instability of the country and the accusations of corruption that are constantly thrown back and forth between opposing parties. People care deeply for their nation, and the strong influence the government has over the people parallels our own country’s political system.

Later in the week, I had the opportunity to visit the Parliament of Ghana. There, they announced their new program to eradicate malaria from Ghana completely. It is a step forward for the nation that was never thought to be possible until now. Being a Ghanaian is so important to these people, and it was refreshing to see government officials genuinely caring for the health and well-being of their people. The sheer size of parliament blew me away. I left the hearing around noon but didn’t find my way off the property until an hour later. It’s pretty unusual to see a confused American boy aimlessly walking around Ghanaian Parliament, so friendly workers lent me a helping hand. However, they did laugh doing so. I was personally escorted off the property (willingly) and even given a ride back to my place of work.

While I haven’t been given much direction, I have had crazy opportunities I never imagined. Few people can say they saw any parliament, especially Ghana’s, firsthand. My goals for this week are to get out of my comfort zone at work, write and publish my own story, and try and fix our washing machine.