Forwards and Backwards, Team and Meat - LATE

So I wrote this blog last Tuesday, and am just getting the chance to post it now... a lot has changed since that time, but I'd still like to post this. I'll post again soon with some updates on recent changes, now's just not the best time to do that.

Forwards, because I feel confident that I have a plan for moving forward with my district, a plan for what’s possible, and a plan for how to get there.

Backwards, because I’ve spent a lot of time recently thinking about the past, both recent past here in Ghana and my overall past that has shaped who I’ve become.

Team, because I’ve been able to spend the past week with a team of incredible people who I love so much.

Meat, because I’ve eaten more meat in the past week than I have over my entire experience in Ghana. And it has been fabulous. Also meat is team backwards, get it?

Apologies for not posting in quite some time, it’s been a busy time recently, with work at the office and with travel and meetings. We’re just coming out of a JF retreat (mini vacation to Mole National Park for all the short-term volunteers) and Country team meetings, both of which involved all Ghana EWB volunteers coming together to discuss our work and our placements. It was an incredibly productive time, there’s a lot to learn from the experiences other people are having, and getting feedback on my own challenges has really helped me to create a plan for the rest of my placement.

Of the multiple days filled with amazing sessions, the time that stood out most for me was the sector strategy discussion, where all agric. sector volunteers came together to discuss our current programs and what we want to see for the future. Crammed in a small room in a Presbyterian guesthouse, choir practicing loudly in the background, I saw that every one of us has had a unique experience that will somehow help to shape the future of EWB’s work in agriculture in Ghana – I realized then just how awesome our team is, and I felt so proud to be a part of it. I also saw the value in what I have learned so far, value in the long days at the rice valleys and value even in the lonely days at the office. All of it, the discussions, the frustrations, the successes, has given me a better understanding of the realities of Ghanaian agriculture and the ways in which EWB can help develop the agricultural sector.

The sector strategy discussion, and all of the sessions for that matter, where I really listened to the ideas and input from other people, gave me a nice slap in the face – why has it taken me so long to realize the importance of teamwork? I’ve worked with many teams in the past, for school, work, etc, but I’ve never felt their value the way I have this weekend. I’ve been mulling it over, and my hypothesis is this: working alone for so long (well not alone, but working toward a particular goal alone) has made me really crave an outside perspective, that I’ve been craving ideas from others just as much as I’ve been craving rhubarb cheesecake (mom please don’t forget to put rhubarb in the freezer for me...). And now, after this weekend, I feel refreshed, I’ve soaked it all up like a sponge – I’d even go so far as to say that being part of an amazing team is more satisfying than all the rhubarb cheesecake I could eat. Ideally though, I would combine the two.

So what’s next then, you might ask. To keep things short and making some sort of sense, I’ll summarize: Moving forward in the district means creating a sustainability plan for the office, so that AAB will continue after I’m gone. I’ll do this in collaboration with the Director and officers, and everyone will have a particular role to play in making sure AAB is running on the ground; the Director, for example, might be responsible for maintaining AAB as an office priority (on agenda at staff meetings, etc) and providing AEAs with a clear vision of what agribusiness means for Builsa district. The challenge in creating a sustainability plan is finding a balance, where to set the bar for change – because while there are a lot of changes that need to happen for AAB to run smoothly after I leave, there are a lot of factors that will prevent those changes from happening. One such factor, as you might imagine if you’ve been following me through this adventure, is busyness caused by rice block farms. How can AAB be always on the agenda at staff meetings if the meetings keep being cancelled because everyone has to be at Gbedelembillisi (the big rice valley)? However, despite these challenges, I do have confidence that we can work something out – the time I’ve spent with the office staff is really going to help, since I have a good idea of what each staff member is capable of and how they will be most effective.

Last thing: a glimpse into the culinary wonders of Tamale... glorious foods I’ve enjoyed here include fresh muffins (okay, they’re a little dry...), spring rolls, cheese (deep fried), ice cream from a somewhat ice cream parlour, and to top it all off, delicious real meat hamburgers that could compete with any restaurant burger in Canada. Also, we had some amazing cake on Sunday (my birthday), cooked by Luisa (EWB long-term volunteer) from entirely Ghanaian ingredients – decorated with choco delight and chocolate covered groundnuts!

Anne