Student Spotlight: Sydnee-Marie Edusei in Ghana
What does family life look like in your host country? Have you noticed any traditions, or lifestyle dynamics within families?
“Family life in my host country is very convoluted (in comparison to what I know). It heavily involves extended family and many things are decided by the family. Ghana is very communalistic, so there are very strong family values. Families have a big emphasis on who you choose to marry, potential future careers, and other aspects of your life. There’s a big emphasis on respecting the elderly and those who are older than you. I think there’s also heavy gender roles within families between husband and wives. People tend not to deviate from the norms or social expectations regarding their gender. Women usually tend to the children while men provide and take care of the family financially.”
How important is financial literacy in your host culture? Are there many social programs? How is wealth distributed within your host country?
“I have not seen anything regarding finances that stands out in particular, nor have I noticed any social programs regarding financial literacy. Like any other society, I think there are visible wealth disparities. In certain areas like East Legon, you can see the wealth based on the style of the homes as well as the abundance of security. In other places like Chokor, you’re more likely to see makeshift homes, no security, and a lack of sanitary conditions.”
What sustainability practices have you noticed in your host country? Are there any ways that your host country could improve or that you would like to implement back at home?
“I have noticed only one form of sustainability which were electric buses, and even those were a rare sight. I think there are informal sustainability measures that occur through social values. For example, certain communities do not fish on certain days because the nature gods do not allow for it. This indirectly serves as a sustainability measure because it allows for fish to replenish themselves and does not lead to overfishing. I'm not sure Ghana has the infrastructure to support better sustainability measures. I wish America would be able to create better sustainability measures through our social values and I think it’s something we can learn from other countries like Ghana. Despite these informal sustainability measures, Ghana has sustainability issues elsewhere that are prevalent problems that go unaddressed.”