Each semester, several students take advantage of Ashesi’s study abroad partnerships to explore new opportunities. Four students share their experiences studying in some of Ashesi’s partner institutions over the last academic year.
My Semester as a Gopher – Mercy Weguri Guriyire ‘17, University of Minnesota
After spending a semester at the University of Minnesota, it was bittersweet coming back home. I was glad leaving the constant ‘minus temperatures’ but nevertheless deeply saddened leaving friends behind. Friends who became family in a foreign land.
I went to the University of Minnesota with no expectations at all but to completely immerse myself in a culture completely different from mine. And it was nothing short of a remarkable experience. I was constantly in awe of the new things I had to learn. Simple things like learning the basic rules of the game of football, which was not the regular football or “soccer” (as it’s called there) I knew so well or trying to swallow a spoonful of butternut Squash soup for lunch or learning to longboard. Read more about Mercy’s experience.
Jennifer Saarkwah ‘18, College of Wooster
I had an engaging and exciting semester abroad: one that will be hard to forget. I was both amazed and excited by the differences and similarities that Ashesi and the College of Wooster share. All in all, I had a great experience studying at the College of Wooster in the fall semester. I was not shy to be myself for once! Instead, I proudly represented myself, Ashesi, Ghana and Africa at the College of Wooster. This opportunity exposed me to a voluntary community service at Wooster, new friends, great professors and finally helped me to break some of the African stereotypes shared among some Westerners.
Out there, it was very exciting to meet new people and interact with professors who were always willing to help bring the best in their students. Throughout my stay abroad, I met different kinds of people who were excited to meet new people as well. I used this opportunity to make good friends that I intend to keep for life. I asked questions whenever I needed to listened carefully. One important lesson I learnt was in communication. There was the tendency to try to ‘sound American’ so people did not have to deal with my accent. However, it was difficult to keep up with conversations with forced accents. This taught me to stay true to myself even in the way I communicated with everyone. Read more about Jennifer’s experience.
Daniel Bempa Quansah ’17, Macalester College
It didn’t hit me that I was going to spend the last 4 months of 2016 abroad until the American Airlines flight I was on started preparing for descent into Minneapolis. And this was happening after I had already spent over a week in America. I was in-between waking and sleeping, Kanye West playing in my earphones, when I heard the pilot’s voice come up on the intercom, announcing that we were about to descend. I looked out the window and after counting more than ten lakes at least, I wasn’t surprised the called Minnesota, “The state of 10,000 lakes”. It was then that I realized I was miles and miles away from home and everything I knew, and this wasn’t going to change for the next 120 days or so. I was excited, a little apprehensive, but more excited than anything.
If you are willing, there would be a number of new experiences you would come across. Without compromising your values there is always a gem hidden in every experience and allowing yourself to reasonably interact with everything is how you learn and grow. Also specifically, Macalester has very nice staff and faculty with a lot of programs that are all for you too. Do as much as you would like, and most importantly, don’t be scared to have mad fun! Read more about Daniel’s experience.
The Evolution of My Consciousness, Beryl Nana Ama Akuffo-Kwapong ‘18, Wheaton College
My study abroad experience was an opportunity to find myself. Having been at Ashesi for two years, I felt my life was becoming mundane, routine and for some reason, I was finding comfort in it. I just focused on the overwhelming school work and rarely had the chance to have that “college experience” that is promoted. That realization took a toll on my mental health of which I knew a change of environment would help. Then, eventually, I was able to spend a semester outside the walls of Ashesi. It was a refreshing, invigorating and revolutionary for my thoughts.
When I left, I was able to immerse myself in US culture enough to understand what it meant for me to be a dark-skinned, cisgender-heterosexual, African woman in the US. The issue of race was grueling; I had never had to deal with being “black” and in the “minority” for a long period of time. The sudden realization of how privilege, power, oppression and prejudice play a crucial role in all of our social interactions — was one hard journey on my rise to consciousness. I have, thereafter, fallen in love with learning about Africans in the Diaspora and getting informed about my continent and its people. Following and exploring my interest in social justice was crucial for me. Thus, after the election of the new US president, I attended a “Love Trumps Hate” rally to show solidarity with a diverse group of people POC (People of Color) here, I watched them embrace their identities and find love and solace during the dark times they were experiencing. Read more about Beryl’s experience.
Learn more about Ashesi’s international programs and partnerships.