It's so important to be able to go out
into the field because you're there...
you're seeing it, you're experiencing it.
Everything gets put into context.
The group of us that took this human
geography module were all really excited to...
go out and really get a feel for what it
is like in Ghana and nothing could...
really prepare us for what we had ahead of us.
It was amazing to speak to people,
especially of a similar age and relating...
what they do and what you do and
building a rapport with the...
people you're interviewing and having
a laugh with them and joking around.
When you're out there you are able to
really relate to what other academics...
are saying and kind of bringing in your
own interpretations and I think that's
also why you write a field diary, because
you're bringing in your own...
interpretations and own emotions and
noting down how they would
impact the data that you're collecting.
You pack a lot into those eight days
that you're there, you are able to see...
how people in the global south enjoy
leisure, religion, education, their homes...
how people utilize their spaces and to
make money and it's all these different
aspects that come together to create a rounded picture.
The PhD students at the University were
helping us while we were on the trip.
They helped us to communicate with the local people and then helped the local people...
understand what we were doing and put both us and the people we were
interviewing more at ease.
As part of the program we are able to
visit Elmina castle which is the slave fort.
It's definitely an emotional experience.
it's so important to learn about another...
country's history anyway but it just
puts everything into context as to why...
things are the way they are.
It was a pleasure to be able to meet the
Chiefs and Queen-Mother.
The welcome that we received from them was incredible...
but at the same time they were still so relaxed and happy to see us...
and they wanted to help us to learn the
way in which communities are run...
within Ghana.
You learn to take into account other
people's perspectives on things and...
different opinions and just gaining a
deeper understanding of why people do...
things or why they live that way or how
what they do now inspires them in order...
to achieve their aspirations.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime
experience that's for sure.
There's definitely a lot more passion behind wanting to learn more and understand why...
and as a group we all bonded over the
fact that we were able to experience it.
you
you
