My Story: Ghana to the USA

Tuesday, August 12 2014 is a day that will be engraved in my heart and mind forever. It was the day I made the biggest physical change and move in my life, well besides going to boarding school 4 hours from my home in Ghana at 14. As a young girl, I always loved school and I knew I would be going to school for a good chunk of my life. I just never thought I would study abroad. I planned the high school and college I would love to attend and always worked towards that.

Little did I know God was going to bamboozle me into my perfect life. I use "bamboozle" because I really thought this route was the wrong move; little did I know it was God's way of leading me right where I am meant to be. I decided to take the SSAT, apply and eventually study abroad in a bid to silence my parents. I know you're probably wondering, why would someone ever turn down the chance to study abroad, especially in the United States. Well, this girl is team Ghana and Africa forever and she had no intentions of leaving the continent; at least not just yet!

Anyway, I joined an all-girls boarding school my sophomore year. This hurt for several reasons; I would be graduating a year later than my friends back home because high school in the US is 4 years, I will miss holidays in Ghana especially the Christmas festivities and more importantly I'd see my family and friends only one period of the year. The flight was one of my longest, most painful and "coming of age" journeys. From turning around and walking towards my family in tears right after saying bye, to seeing the sadness in everyone's eyes and my mum at the brink of tears, I began to question the very decision I had become almost comfortable with. The 8 hour lay over in Amsterdam alone was just more time for crying, journaling and dozing off. Let's just say I made it safely to the US and quite honestly, the slight excitement kicked in when I saw my cousin!

My new life as "the girl from Africa, with the thick accent and super melanated skin" had started. My first "American" meal was fried okra, mashed potatoes and gravy which I absolutely hated only after trying the fried okra. In my mind I'm thinking "what have I gotten myself into?" In Ghana, okra is for soups and stews not to be eaten as a fried side. After meeting my Chinese roomate and her parents who flew across the world to bring their only daughter to boarding school, the next thing on my agenda was a long luke-warm shower, filled with loud weeping and vigorous scrubbing.

Prom Queen & Queen SA '17

Awards & Recognition

Well, I eventually got over it right? Not really, I just accepted it and decided to "make hay while the sun shines" as my mum loves to tell us. This girl made hay while the sun shone for the next three years, even when it was a little too sunny sometimes and she felt like giving up. I ended up getting into my dream college with an amazing scholarship package. Now that I am rounding up my college career, retrospectively, I am proud of myself for taking that risk years ago because I believe it has led me to this amazing path in life that I absolutely love! It definitely would not have been possible without God, my faith, the prayers, the support from family, loved ones and my motivation!

Graduation Day!!

10-year-old Adwoa is definitely proud of current Adwoa.

All I will say is, take that trip, learn that language, take that step, apply to that school and most importantly, do it in faith because things will align themselves in your favour.

I hope you enjoyed my story!

Until next time,

Be you, do you, stay you!

Adwoa.