Ghana is authentically Africa. From the moment I landed to the time I was back on my Ethiopian Airways flight, there was a certain familiarity. The smiles, the warm welcomes, the food, the laughter, the flirtatious men … ah yes, I was home. I was back in Africa.

Many times people ask me where home is. My response is usually – wherever my parents are: Africa. This is why I can find myself in Rwanda or in Gabon or even in Zimbabwe and still feel at home. Africa is in my blood and Ghana made me feel this to my core.

So, after I landed, and cleared customs, I ran into the arms of my friends Baba and Linda. Now to give some context, these are the people I spent my vacation with. Firstly there is Baba, Ghanaian born and bred. He and I have been friends for 11 years. He’s my literal college day 1! Secondly, we have Linda: Swati born and raised, also a fellow Northeastern Husky. Linda and I have been friends for about 4 years. Finally there was Irene. Irene – Ghanaian born and bred based in Geneva was the last one to join the pack. Irene and I have known each other since I was about 17 … we go waaay back! So that was the crew … and we were all ready for a fun filled vacation.

Where to eat …

I cannot tell a lie – one of my top three things to do when back on the continent is eat. I can confidently say that there is no better food than what I ate in Ghana, granted it’s not my mother’s cooking, but boy did they come close! Part of my love for travel as mentioned in my post here is enjoying the food and story behind why the meal is considered ‘traditional’ or ‘local to’ a region. To this end, I did not eat anything that I would usually find in the states – no fries, no burgers, no food that I could get at a restaurant in Boston kissed my lips when I was in Ghana. And so, I ate!

What to See …

Ghana is such a gorgeous country and I was determined to see as much of it as I could within the 11 days that I was there, which is why I have to share my trip in two posts! We traveled to Cape Coast, Akosombo, Shai Hills Reserve, Busua and Takoradi! Yes, we covered – east, south and western Ghana in these 11 days y’all!

Cape Coast Castle

Emotional, moving, transformational, reflective – all adjectives that describe my experience at Cape Coast. I do not have any known relatives or ancestors that were traded as slaves over 400 years ago so Cape Coast to me was a place that I did not immediately associate with my family history. However, by the time I left Cape Coast Castle, I felt the cry of ancestors that were not my own. My heart broke for a people that I had never met. Walking through the slave dungeons and living through – even for a moment – the darkness that filled those holding cells where slaves stayed for months before being loaded onto ships to a world that they did not ask to be sent to had me in tears. Hearing how the neighboring communities as well as the local chiefs conspired with the colonizers to capture slaves in exchange for mirrors, weaponry and favor with the Europeans truly broke my heart. We as Africans do not seem to learn from our past. We continue to sell ourselves to the highest bidder at the cost of our neighbors … this still plays out today. Taking a tour of the castle and learning about the ‘Door of no return’ that was the last thing slaves saw before they were herded into ships to Brazil, Cuba and the United States brought this part of history to life. This ‘door of no return’ not only marked the end of who the slaves were as Africans belonging to a tribe, but it also marked the beginning of a treacherous trip to an unknown land that none of these men and women asked to be sent to. If ever you get to go to Ghana, this is a tour I recommend as the narrators are extremely knowledgeable about the history and in some cases are descendants of slaves.