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REFLECTION a) Reflect on your Ghana Gold Study Tour experience, and compare this form of experiential learning to other forms of learning you have been exposed to at Tufts and in other contexts. The encounter with the Galamsey and the presidential run-off elections must be my two highlights of the Study Tour that cannot be caputred to the same degree in any other media- be it a book, documentary or lecture. While I value knowledge gained from reading, I learned the most in these experiences from the atmosphere and personal interactions with the constiuents. Africa is notorious for its political volitility, and Ghana has a history of five coup de'et and being labeled a 'failed state.' However, witnessing the peaceful transition of parties strenghthened my faith in Africa and my belief that humanity has an incredible capacity to right wrongs. After the elections results were announced, people created a symbolic dance that combined the two candidates' mottos "driving change" and "moving forward". This cultural metaphor illustrated that constituents had bought into the electoral process and it was no longer percieved as a zero-sum game. Ghana not only made strides in the presidential arena, but it also elected its first woman speaker of the house. Seeing the ecstatic expressions of Dr. Beatrix Allah-Mensah and Salamon, our bus driver, was a fulfilling experience. At times during the election Ghana bordered on the chaos, but it always managed to remain on the cusp. Hopefully, it will set a precedent for upcoming elections this year on the rest of the continent. Additionally, the interactions with the Galamsey were fascinating. Earlier, I read a compelling article in "National Geographic" about the lifestyle of these illegal workers, but the individual stories of the galamsey resonated the most. For example, one Galamsey handled mercury with his bear hands and was incredulous when we warned him about the poisonous nature of the substance. He shooed this comment, but I will forever know that I stood there passively as the roots of an illness took hold. b) How has your perspective changed as a result of the Study Tour and Spring Colloquium. I realized that mining companies are responsible to the community to a degree, but that degree itself is subjective. I began to notice that the companies are often demonized and scapegoated for their failure to build health and educational infrastructure, but the Chamber of Mines raised a legitimate point: where do we draw the line? When is this the government's responsiblity? Additionally, I noticed an overwhelming focus on the problem itself, as opposed to on deriving solutions. People focused on locating the source, not to mitigate the problem, but for whom to blame. I also noted that since Ghana has joined the Extractives Transparency Initiatve, CSR has slowly evolved. For example, this year AGA had a powerpoint presentation and public relations representatives. This is a stark comparison to earlier versions of the study tour in which the AGA represenatives were unfamiliar with the CSR policies on AGA's website.
"Ghana's Finance Secretary appeals to mining companies"
"Galamsey Miners Trapped"
Ghana Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative
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Reflection c) Describe any other significant insights or knowlege you gained that you had not anticipated. *the state of the sewage system and poor latrine system *class lines still linger and tension has not completely eroded *the significance of the black star *the expectancy for foreigners to give money *western culture has infiltrated Ghana *it is common to greet strangers in the road out of politeness *the prominence of cell phones d) Include a self-assessment of your future learning needs as well as how this experience has affected your personal development, educational goals, and/or career planning. Throughout my highschool career and up until the first semester of my freshman year, I could not help but feel a lurching guilt in my stomach as I sat in my dorm and studied at my leisure. I tried to convince myself that by studying I am investing in my own ability to help humanity, but in spite of this reasoning I still felt a need to be aiding poverty-striken populations on the most basic level. After my experience in Ghana, I realized that without the appropriate tools I can only do so much. In order for me to make a large scale impact, I need a prestigious education, experience, and hard language skills to bridge communication gaps. Given the Chinese investments in Africa, I strengthened my committment to learning the language. In fact, I am going to Beijing this summer to study Mandarin. Additionally, I redoubled my efforts in my studies and am more engaged than ever before. In Ghana, I felt futile, and I promised myself I will not return to Africa until I have something to offer.
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