Caroline completed two Quests at an orphanage in Ghana with United Planet and then returned to her project site three times by herself. She was able to truly make a difference in the lives of the children there. Her five trips to Ghana have changed her perspective and helped her realize what she wants to do in her life. She shared some of her memories with us.
Was your Quest to Ghana your first experience abroad?
It was really the first time I traveled internationally by myself. I only traveled with my family on vacations before. I had already traveled to Kenya and wanted to go to West Africa this time.
How did you feel going so far away?
My Quest was dedicated to working at an orphanage. When I came to the orphanage, I felt a little anxious about how to start talking with kids, but a little girl named Lucy came up to me right away. She grabbed my hand, pulled me to a bench, and we started to play. That moment made me feel accepted and welcomed. I was surprised how integrated I felt on my Quest, how openly people accepted me, and how much I accepted all of them.
Tell us more about your first Quest.
My first Quest was a whirlwind of helping around the orphanage, playing with the kids, and learning about the area. It was a wonderful introduction to Ghana, which allowed me to meet many amazing people, try new foods, and experience some aspects of day-to-day life.
The two weeks passed very fast and it was not enough time. I couldn’t have stayed any longer because I needed to go back to school. But as soon as I left, I knew I was going back.
Were the children surprised to see you again?
When I returned to Ghana for my second Quest, the children were extremely excited to see me. Many volunteers say that they will be back but not that many actually return. So when I said that I would be back when I was finishing my first Quest, the kids did not really believe me. I remember how I drove up and the kids opened the gates. Then I got out of the car and all of them looked at me saying: “Is it Caroline?” It was such an excitement for me and for them. I will never forget that.
During my second Quest to Ghana, I spent there the full month at the orphanage with the kids. And that year was great because the schools were in session and I had an opportunity to go there with the kids. I was even able to help teach classes at the school. Since those two experiences I have been back three times by myself.
Are you planning to go back this year?
Absolutely. So far I have traveled to Ghana five times. I have been even considering moving to Ghana. I have been working with a local woman to raise money for kids’ school. The last two years we paid for all of the school and education fees for every kid in the house. The experience in Ghana has really changed my life completely. So much of my life now is dedicated to raising money for the kids. We are making sure that they have uniforms, schoolbooks, and funds to cover classroom fees. We want these children to have a future.
How did United Planet help you be successful in the country?
The preparation documents that the organization gives were really helpful. I remember getting the whole packet of information. It had the answer to any question that I would ever imagine asking. Also, in-country coordinators were amazing. They were always there for me if I needed help. And they were really flexible in making the experience what I wanted it to be. I will give you an example. A part of my fee covered a day away from the orphanage. That gave me the opportunity to do some sightseeing. I did the sights when I went for the first time. But for my second Quest I wanted to use this money to create an experience for the kids. I called my in-country coordinator and said that, instead of going sightseeing, I would like to rent a bus to take the kids to the beach. He arranged a bus to come pick us up at the orphanage and we went all the way to the beach. This was the best experience! I am very appreciative that United Planet was so flexible with me and helped me achieve what I wanted to achieve on that Quest.
What was the most memorable moment in your United Planet experience?
There are so many. I will share two. My favorite memory from my first Quest was walking with the kids every morning before 6 AM to fetch water from a spring in the woods (or bush, as they say). The kids would walk bare foot, fill up their big jug or bucket, and then carry it back to the house through the woods on their heads. I tried and could not carry it like that for even a second! This was also a time when the kids would chat, gossip, and goof around. I also got to meet people from the village at the spring.
And the second moment. I mentioned that my in-county coordinator arranged a bus for us to go to the beach. All thirty of us got on the bus and we started our trip. But suddenly our bus broke on the side of the road. It was just a couple of miles away from the orphanage. It probably took seven hours to get it fixed. I felt very guilty because all these kids were so excited, a lot of them have never been to the beach before and here we were sitting on the side of the road all day long. I felt awful. But the kids were wonderful. They played games, sang, and danced. They made me feel so much better. We had to walk back to the orphanage for about 3 miles and had to go to the beach another day. But just the way the kids handled this situation is another experience that I will never forget.
How did volunteering in Ghana change your outlook on life?
First and foremost, it made me really appreciate the life I have now. I walked with the kids to school and saw how these six-year-olds walk three miles each way. I learned to notice all the things that we take advantage of in our everyday life like having a car or simply having running water.
Another thing I realized is that material things that I have aren’t what makes me happy. I saw the joy these kids face from going to school, how happy it makes them, and how hard they work for that. It inspires me. When you go to school or work you forget how lucky you are to do that. This volunteer experience really made me want to work hard at school and at everything I do.
Finally, I consider these kids from Ghana to be my second family; I am very close to all of them. The love I have for them absolutely changed my life. It also showed me what I want to do in my life. I would like to work for a non-profit and do humanitarian jobs. In general, my volunteer Quest to Ghana allowed me to grow in every good aspect of myself.
Being able to help these kids reach their dreams added a full new dimension to my life that did not exist before. This volunteer experience changed everything about my perspective on life, everything about my goals, everything about everything.
If you are interested in helping to fund the education of the Drifting Angels in Ghana, please click here. No donation is too small and every donation is hugely appreciated.
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
United Planet is an international non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. We connect people who want to make a difference in communities across the world through overseas volunteer travel programs, global virtual internships & volunteering, and project-based virtual exchange programs. With opportunities in more than 40 countries, you will learn, teach, work, engage and immerse yourself in a culture outside your comfort zone. For many, volunteering abroad is the most fulfilling experience of their lives!
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