As said in my last post, I recently spent all of last month in my home country of Ghana. This was my first time seeing some family and friends for the first time in 14 years. This was a long time coming and at times when I was sitting down in my room over there I couldn't believe how unreal the moment was. To be able to see my mom after 14 years and also meet my 10 year old brother whom I had never met. At times when I was riding around my city of Berekum, I looked around just reminiscing on how different life was over there now compared to how it was when I left to come to the United States at the age of 10.
One thing I realized was how much people walked. We have all kinds of transportation but it seemed like the majority of people were always walking. I always talk about how everyone has their own journey and how one's journey may be different from another person and to me that was a perfect representation. To me each individual was walking towards their destinations whether it been school, work, to the market or just taking a walk with some friends. One thing I instantly noticed in comparison to the United States was how these individuals walked. Each of them whether male or female walked with a Sense of Direction. They walked with the intent of going somewhere or knowing where they were going and you never saw their heads bent down as they walked.
This is very interesting because here in the United States I come across some people who walk with no confidence or walk without a sense of purpose or direction. This can also be used metaphorically in that they know where they are going or what they want in life. In the United States I see the opposite. Some people walk around with no motivation and with a sense of just taking what life gives to them. They are not actively seeking the best for themselves or breaking walls or whatever is in their direction to achieve success. It was interesting to see how different it was in Africa. Most individuals walked around daily selling items like food, water, drinks, clothes, etc. just to provide for their families or survive the day.
They were willing to run, yell or chase after customers if it meant being able to make a sale. I know a huge proponent of this difference is the living circumstances when it comes to countries in Africa and the United States and how the economy over there is way different than here. There are lots of people who starve daily and don't have a place to stay. We should actively know what direction we want to go and walk with a sense of purpose and direction. We have to be aggressive and take what we want out of life and not just settle for what we are left with. People in Ghana and other African countries get this and are actively seeking what they want out of life. They will stop at nothing if it means achieving a means of survival.
Here are some pictures from my trip and examples of life in Ghana
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