Blog posts written by the 2025 cohort.
By Noah Nelson “We shall measure our progress by the improvement in the health of our people; by the number of children in school, and by the quality of their education; by the availability of water and electricity in our towns and villages, and by the happiness which our people take in being able to Read More …
By Elijah Jagne It is a strange thing, to come home to a place you’ve never been. Before landing in Accra a few days ago, I had never set foot on the continent of Africa. That sentence is harder to write out than I initially expected. In one sense, it’s tangled in shame. In another Read More …
By Kalani Chai-Andrade Before flying to Ghana, I didn’t know what to expect. I mean, sure, we had weekly classes where we would discuss the history and culture of the place, and I even spoke with someone from Ghana who worked at the place I’m interning at. But all that did nothing more than plant Read More …
By Skylar DeBose Since I was accepted into the Media in Ghana Program, I’ve felt nervous, excited, curious, and anxious about making my first international trip. For a long time, visiting Africa has been at the top of my travel bucket list. As an African American, I wanted to return to the place that my Read More …
By Anna Liv Myklebust It’s the same routine. Repetitive. Muscle memory follows a familiar pattern I’ve grown used to throughout the years. Running shorts, tank, one shoe, and then the other, they all fall in place as I get ready. My hair is up, music has started, yet the minute I step outside, it’s completely Read More …
By Kai Fontenot I had no idea what to expect when I decided, almost on impulse, to come to Ghana. My only ties to even the continent were my Somali friends I’d played soccer with and a farm in Nigeria that my birth mom had helped start before she passed away. I felt equal parts Read More …
By Everett Cento When we first walked into Anani Memorial International School, we were greeted with wide smiles and outstretched arms. The school was visibly under-resourced, but full of life. Students rushed over with hugs, laughter, and an ease that immediately softened the stress of being somewhere so unfamiliar. Still in my first week in Read More …
By Kaiya Laguardia-Yonamine Wow. After over 24 hours of travel, we’re really here in Ghana. In these first few days alone, I have learned so much about the world, about Ghana’s unique history, and about myself. While so many reflections won’t make it in this post, I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from Read More …
By McKenzee Manlupig In the small paved courtyard, a well lay before me, as it has for hundreds of years. Behind me, the bars of a “female” dungeon. In front of me, a “female” dungeon. To my left, a staircase led up to a trap door and the floor above. Looking up 45 degrees, a Read More …
By Megan Gignac If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that coming on this trip was hands down one of the bravest things I have ever done. For starters, I had never been outside of the United States before. My friends and family thought it was very bold of me to choose Africa Read More …