Name: Ross Ezinga
Major: Engineering
Program: Independent Study
Traveled Abroad Before: Yes

Q: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of your study abroad experience?
A: The people!

Q: Why did you choose this destination?
A: It chose me. I was asked by Padnos International Center to volunteer my engineering skills in Ghana.

Q: What are some things that surprised you about the campus, the classes, the culture, customs or traditions?
A: Whilst I never took any classes at the University of Cape Coast, I worked through their international center. It is a very beautiful campus. It is spread out compared to Grand Valley's campus. One thing that surprised me was that there are small villages located throughout the campus.

Q: What are some things you would like students to know about studying abroad in this destination or the program provider you studied with?
A: Read and learn as much as you can about the culture, the people, getting around, the language, etc. It will help you tremendously. Go out and do as much as possible. Chat with people in the shops. You learn the most from the common citizens, not from professors.

Q: What advice would you offer?
A: This study abroad has a relatively lower cost compared to other study abroad programs. Do something different. Don't be like everyone else and go to London or Australia. They drive on the other side of the road in England and Australians have an accent, but this is so minuscule compared to what you will encounter in Ghana! Be brave and go somewhere exciting like grassroots, real Africa!

Q: What was your academic goal while studying abroad?
A: I was working with a retired professor who worked under the military dictator, J.J. Rawlings in the 1980's. We worked to design and implement alternative and sustainable car bodies as well as appropriate, sustainable food processing equipment for local women in the villages.

Question? Email Ross!

Name: Patrick Anderson
Major: Philosophy
Program: University of Cape Coast
Traveled Abroad Before: Yes

Q: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of your study abroad experience?
A: Patience. Cultural differences can be a strain on even your daily routine. Personally, I am a list maker. I like to give myself a bunch of tasks to do and I try to finish them all in one day. However, I can only do this when I have become habituated to the concepts of time and space we have here in the US. In Ghana, time is more flexible. People do not become stressed when they are "late." At first, this seems very lazy to an American, and it hinders one's ability to complete tasks. But experiences such as this allow us to reflect on what we take autonomy to mean in the US. Why is it that I have become accustomed to "efficiency"? It is not something I readily think about; it is a habit. I realized that Americans are very condescending when it comes to culture, as if we choose culture like its a "lifestyle choice" while peoples in other countries (particularly developing countries) are trapped in theirs. We are just as immersed in culture as anyone else in the world.

Q: Why did you choose this destination?
A: I chose Ghana because I did not merely want to go on vacation. Many students chose a place where they are not challenged in the same ways I knew I would be. They visit a country where the culture is very similar to the US. I knew somewhere as radically different as Ghana would push me out of my comfort zone and show me things that I could never see. I also chose Ghana because I had an interest in taking classes that would be unavailable in the US: liberation theology, African Philosophy, and African history.

Q: What are some things that surprised you about the campus, the classes, the culture, customs or traditions?
A: The student-teacher dichotomy is very strict. The teachers are seen as the knowledge givers, and the students receive. Also, comments are very public and occasionally very harsh. Sometimes US students are used to having their hands held by professors and being patted on the head; in Ghana, the teachers are very blunt and not shy with criticism. Most of the teachers are very nice, however, and do not act mean spirited in their comments. And they also give praise when it is deserved.

Q: What are some things you would like students to know about studying abroad in this destination or the program provider you studied with?
A: Be patient. Get a mosquito net for your bed. Malaria pills (no matter how much you send on them or which ones you buy) will make you crazy: dreams, mood swings, etc. Learn the taxi system ASAP. Avoid tro-tros if you can. Wear your seatbelt (when there is one). Try as much of the food as possible: its great! Vegetarians might want to be flexible. Plan ahead and learn to cook. Everything. From scratch.

Q: What advice would you offer?
A: Bring a sleep mask and ear plugs. You just never know.

Q: What was your academic goal while studying abroad?
A: I wanted to learn how other schools operate. The institutional familiarity I have with GVSU did me no good in Ghana. Learn to navigate departments, the library, transportation, the market, and the International Center.

Question? Email Patrick !