During my time on Semester at Sea, I was able to visit Ghana for a few days. Our ship, the MV World Odyssey, ported in Tema, Ghana for three days and Takoradi, Ghana, for three days in October.
My time in Ghana was very enriching and allowed me to fully immerse myself in the culture. In Tema, I explored the local fishing markets and produce markets. From there, I visited the capital of Ghana, Accra, for two nights. I spent my time exploring the city, visiting various landmarks such as Independence Square, and enjoying the beautiful beaches. I was able to better understand the economy in Ghana by learning more about the currency and cost of living. After returning to the ship in Tema, we sailed to Takoradi and stayed for the next three days. Takoradi was a wonderful experience as well. After extensively studying the history of Ghana and the slave trade in my Global Studies class, I was able to see some of the things I had learned about. My friends and I spent a day with a tour guide and visited some important stops. We first headed to Kakum National Park and got to see the unique biodiversity first hand. We also got to cross seven canopy walkways over the jungle. After leaving Kakum, we stopped by a cocoa farm and learned about the process of growing and harvesting it. Our last stop was definitely the most meaningful and important stop. We visited the Cape Coast Castle, a key landmark on the gold coast of Ghana. It was extremely saddening to visit and see the brutal realities firsthand. I will say that it opened my eyes and left a lasting impact on me. Our tour guide, Jerry, was very informative on slavery as he published a book about the Transatlantic Slave Trade that I was actually able to purchase. Jerry was an amazing tour guide and I was able to learn so much about Ghana from him.
Overall, my experience in Ghana was super impactful and meaningful. I feel as if I was able to completely immerse myself in the culture and better understand the locals. I hope that someday I am able to return to Ghana and continue exploring all it has to offer.
