By: Melina Mallari

As I sit on my third (and thankfully last) plane heading home, I’m overcome with bittersweetness. I’ve spent the last 5 weeks making connections abroad and building friendships from back home, exploring a new and unfamiliar world, navigating stressful situations and hardships, and doing meaningful work to benefit a community––and amidst it all, I was slowly finding myself too. But what makes the thought of coming home so exciting is that it was so hard to say goodbye. I’m still processing it, actually. I’ve hardly cried yet. Yet I know that when I return to my family and friends back home and tell them all about what I’ve found in myself and the people around me, I’ll finally feel it. That’s why it’s bittersweet. I get to share this new world that was so hard to leave with those from the one I’ve known all my life.

This is a thank you note to the ones who made it so special.

Firstly, thank you to the Ghanaians I met and bonded with along the way, who helped me figure things out while I was on my own and made it fun.

To Adwoa, the bofrot seller on the side of the street near our apartment, who took me and Laura in after meeting me once and put what little she had into making us a delicious meal. It came with good conversation, too. Thank you to your beautiful family for welcoming us.

To my coworkers and fellow interns: Peter, Anna, Emmanuel, and Seidu. You all cared so deeply for me and took the effort to make me feel comfortable, even coming with me on activities outside of work and sending me home with wonderful gifts.

To Esther, our funky fresh security guard who never failed to make me laugh. Thanks for coming to celebrate my birthday with me and for hanging out with me while I was alone on my last day.

To Janet the seamstress, who made some of the coolest clothes I own. I can’t wait to see how far you come with your new social media skills (courtesy of Sam)!

To the children from the Anani Memorial International School. You gave me such awful baby fever! I’ve never been so grateful to see smiles like yours and receive your endless hugs.

To all of the hotel staff who were so accommodating while I was in COVID quarantine: bringing breakfast to my door every morning with a fresh heaping pile of pineapple, heating up my food, always making sure I was comfortable and had what I needed, and more. Thanks for making me feel a little less alone.

To Alex, my salsa partner who I had only known while we were dancing together, but you were so kind and patient and respectful, and you made me want to keep dancing.

 

Secondly, thank you to all of the students and faculty who came on this trip with me and became some of my closest friends:

For making me laugh.

For teaching me things.

For comforting me when I was sad.

For giving me an amazing 21st birthday.

For somehow always being there when I needed something I forgot at home or some money for an Uber.

For visiting me while I was recovering from COVID.

For experiencing Wli falls with me (which stands to be one of my favorite moments ever).

For being some of the coolest people I’ve ever met.

For being some of the funniest people I’ve ever met.

 

And to everyone:

Thank you for inspiring me to be a little like each of you.

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” – Winnie the Pooh