Trent-in-Ghana Participant 2010-2011
Reflecting on my time spent in Ghana as part of the TIG program, I find myself grateful for the situations and opportunities that were available to me.
In addition to my learning experiences at the University of Ghana, the Institute of Local Government Studies and the Government of Ghana, I am thankful for the strong connections that I made with many wonderful people whom I keep in contact with today.
I am also grateful that my experience in Ghana continues to influence my actions and shape my perception of the world. By enabling students to experience diverse perspectives and opportunities, the TIG program demonstrates the complexity of defining development problems, how different stakeholders’ frame development problems and consequently how solutions are approached and reasoned. In this way the program equips students with critical lenses concerning knowledge production and communication. The importance of these lenses continues to grow in my life, and for me, the continual learning that the program affords is indicative of its worth.
Like other TIG alumni, the obstacles that I encountered overseas allowed me to gain a better understanding of myself, and more broadly, development. To this end, it has played a significant role in steering my career ambitions toward the fields of policy and community development.
In light of the impact that my time in Ghana has had on my life, I hope that others will choose to undertake this exciting and meaningful experience. In doing so I am confident that they too will be grateful for the challenges and possibilities that the TIG program facilitates.