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Some days I feel as though I just stepped off the plane and other days I feel as though I have been in Ghana forever. I have my favorite ladies at the market and I buy the same things from them a few days a week, so we no longer need to bargain for a good price; my colleagues are very kind and occasionally bring me local food that they have cooked (and changed up the recipe, so that it’s vegetarian friendly). I am enjoying my time in Accra, going to the beach, the art gallery, various markets and working on my Capstone project. It’s always a bittersweet feeling saying goodbye to new friends and new places, but I’m missing my family and friends in Canada, my bed, a bathroom that I don’t have to share with fifteen people (that’s right, as of this movement I have fifteen roommates), I miss eating my foods, brushing my teeth with tap water, driving myself to any destination, high speed (and reliable) internet, hot showers, bubble baths, not sitting in my own sweat all day, not being an outsider, I’m getting tired of haggling for prices…long story short…it’s time for me to go home…but I will miss my afternoon naps! Ghana has really taught me the importance of a healthy work/life balance, the importance of family, community and truly valuing the small things in life. I’m grateful that my employer granted me educational leave so that I could have this amazing experience and looking forward to going back to work, implementing my new skills and of course making money. My intention with my international field placement with the Department of Social Welfare in Accra was to learn what the values, ethics and professional identity of a Social Worker in Ghana were and what ethical dilemmas they face; I learned that Social Workers in Ghana and Canada share similar values, however, the professional identity still needs to be refined as there is no licensing body and unfortunately due to the history of colonialism, Social Workers do not have a very positive image in the community; as well, many individuals in the community are not aware of the various roles that Social Workers play. I also wanted to learn what is considered best practices in regards to intervention strategies as Social Work in Ghana is divided into four pillars: orphanages, schools, hospitals and NGOs. What I learned is that intervention strategies vary significantly based on which pillar one finds themselves; however, one thing that all intervention strategies have in common is a major role that religion, family and community play to ensure that the client is successful in their goal(s). The biggest learning from this field placement has been seeing first-hand the importance of involving the whole family and community in the work that we do as Social Workers. The importance of family in Ghana cannot be stresses enough, even in the language that is used…I am often referred to as auntie (by someone younger than myself) or as sister (by someone around my age). The role of the community is also very important as there are limited resources and access to resources is often restricted…the community must come together to support one another. Being a foreigner in Ghana, I relied on the kindness of the local people…Ghanaians are some of the kindest people I’ve ever met, they really go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and safe. Being genuinely curious, willing to learn, adapt to new surroundings and being flexible were things that I did on a daily basis, after all I do not consider myself an expert, but rather a student. Lessons that I have learned both personally and professionally: 1) I am stronger and more resilient than I give myself credit for 2) I am not the expert, but always the student 3) How to live simply 4) That there are generally more good people than bad, and it’s worth trusting them 5) That I cannot do everything alone and the importance of community 6) Traveling alone is not too scary 7) It’s worth trying new things! It’s been a pleasure sharing my journey with you!