“I’m not ready to go back,” I confess while advising Juana, whose wizened hands masterfully craft the petrified cocoa seeds and emblem made from bullhorn I’ve selected into an artful, organic necklace. Yet, I’m not gloomy about returning. I’ve learned a lot about myself, my identity as a leader and the intersections shared between Dominican and U.S. American culture.
I just want to spend more time encountering daily life.
I know what the stereotypical American looks like. The country of my birth identifies me as African-American. My own country misconstrues my national identity. However, a passage in my passport “requests all whom may be concerned to permit the citizen/national of the United States named herein to pass without delay or hindrance and in case of need to give all lawful aid and protection.”
This is especially contemplative, considering how people of color are treated in the U.S. Traveling abroad, I am no longer a suspicious, hyphenated or sub-American — I become a fully embodied U.S. citizen.
Dear Ghana,
I cannot thank you enough for making this one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for myself. You’ve welcomed me with open arms and an open heart. You’ve allowed me to explore who I am and what I want in life.
You’ve taught me that I’m stronger than I think (physically, mentally and emotionally) by putting me to the test hiking Mt. Afajato, challenging me with unexpected blackouts or rainstorms and even bargaining in the markets or with taxi drivers.
You’ve taught me to live in the moment and appreciate every given day, which should be lived to its fullest.
Last weekend, we took a trip to Cape Coast, which was one full of many emotions and memories that I will never forget. Cape Coast is the capital of the central region, in south Ghana. It became heavily influenced by the British due to being used as a trading port and its role in the transatlantic slave trade. Although the city is healing from the trauma, it is still struggling economically.
I have been studying in the U.S. since I was 14 years old. In the beginning it was not easy to be in an unknown country. The language seemed unusable, the people different and – for me – it did not make sense to be in a country that was not my own. Little by little I started to understand the opportunities of living in the U.S.
The global experience, as told by SDSU students 