One of the most rewarding parts of my study abroad trip in Ghana so far was a workshop my program (CIEE) held about a week after we arrived in Ghana. The workshop consisted of activities that raised cultural awareness of ourselves as Americans, developed our cultural literacy of Ghana, and set the foundation for us to build cultural bridges. The activity that proved most helpful for me was a small group discussion in which we used three concentric circles to map our comfort zones, stretching zones, and panic zones. The zones required me to be introspective about what environments I feel most content in, the ones I grow in as a result of challenges, and those that would jeopardize my well being in some way.
I am learning, or confirming rather, that I feel like I belong the most in strong interpersonal relationships instead of in larger contexts such as a school, city, country, or continent even, which is the same feeling I have in the United States. I have had and still have trouble identifying with groups because of the many marginalized identities I have and my lived experiences. I constantly wonder what it means to think of “home” and “comfort zones” not in terms of physical places, but actual people. What does it mean that I think of “home” and “comfort zones” this way by necessity and by force, not by choice? What are the limits and benefits to this?
This activity also captured the essence of my study abroad goals. I wanted to study abroad to not only explore concepts including belonging and identity, but to understand how these two concepts, in particular, affect each other in different spaces across the world. When thinking about themes such as solidarity and unity in my major, Africana Studies, it has felt disheartening to have built up a naive expectation, especially as someone with different cultural and educational backgrounds to not only Ghanaians, but other international students.
After the workshop, we were treated to our program’s welcome dinner. After enjoying a buffet-style meal and a live band at a restaurant, two other students and I made our way to the dance floor to join some Ghanaians. Eventually, one of the other students suggested we do the electric slide to the beat of the music and we did, capturing the eyes of everyone in the restaurant. Soon, a program staff member joined in and we all did the dance moves in unison with smiles on our faces and joyful confidence in our synchronized steps. The shared freedom we achieved through music and dance memorialized that night as one of the best ones so far.
These spaces where I feel I belong the most do not naturally exist. I realize that I actively create them with other people. So, I have come to realize that belonging is a matter of claiming kinship and emotional spaces both in the United States and in Ghana so far. Therefore, standing with someone becomes more validating, freeing, and comforting than standing somewhere. So, rather than trying to find my place in the world, perhaps a much better mission is to find my people. At least for now.
