Posted 4:47 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012
UW-L Alum Travis Donnelly, ‘10, anticipates some major adjustments when he returns from serving in the Peace Corps in Ghana, West Africa. No more hand-washing his laundry or public transportation down bumpy dirt roads. No more goats meandering into his college classroom or persistent inquiries about marriage from Ghanaian women. But after serving in the Peace Corps for two years, Donnelly will have something he’ll will be able to take home: knowledge from his first real cultural immersion.
[caption id="attachment_2242" align="alignright" width="379" caption="Travis Donnelly, ’10, teaches Information and Communication Technologies at Tumu College of Education, a teacher training college. Donnelly says Ghanaians live on a strong, extended family system so there are always people to rely on. “I have possibly a dozen or more mothers and fathers here.”"]
[/caption]
UW-L Alum Travis Donnelly, ‘10, anticipates some major adjustments when he returns from serving in the Peace Corps in Ghana, West Africa. No more hand-washing his laundry or public transportation down bumpy dirt roads. No more goats meandering into his college classroom or persistent inquiries about marriage from Ghanaian women.
But after serving in the Peace Corps for two years, Donnelly will have something he’ll will be able to take home: knowledge from his first real cultural immersion. He knows more about malaria, HIV, nutrition and irrigation than he ever thought he would. He can make shea nuts into butter and even speak a little Sisaali.
But more importantly, Donnelly says, “I’ve learned that life works everywhere in the world; people adjust and adapt easily and we’re all in this together,” he says. “In fact, less well-to-do societies learn how to adjust much easier than an American living a coddled life. Regardless, we're all similar — everywhere in the world. We all want the same things — a bright future, a happy and healthy family, comfort … so we need to start accepting that we're all the same.”
Donnelly, who graduated with a double major in public administration and economics, has been serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana, West Africa, for about a year and plans to return to the U.S. after one more year in August 2013. His Peace Corps training group was the 50th anniversary group as former President John F. Kennedy sent the first Peace Corps volunteers to Ghana in 1961.
Since 2008, 16 UW-L students have joined the Peace Corps within six months to a year after graduation. However, this number is likely low as it only reflects students who report their service to UW-L and doesn’t include those who started their service after the first year out of college.
“I saw Peace Corps as a way to truly live in, work in, and integrate into a different culture in a developing area, and I have not been disappointed with my opportunities to completely do that,” says Donnelly.
His Classroom
Donnelly used his experience at UW-L, particularly helping solve campus computer problems with the Eagle Help Desk, to serve the people of Ghana. He teaches basic computer skills to future teachers at Tumu College of Education. This past school year less than 20 percent of his students had used a computer. He notes it has been an important subject to learn as more of Ghana has electricity, computers and Internet access. In addition, he helps with a variety of secondary projects such as malaria education, HIV awareness and de-stigmatization, dry season farming, nutrition and others. He’s also used his classroom as a forum for talking about women’s rights, family planning and sexuality.
Because the climate can reach 120 degrees in the hot season in northern Ghana where he lives — about 150 miles from the Sahara — the classroom door stays open for air flow. And it’s not uncommon for an animal to come wandering in, he notes.
“Goats and sheep are easy to kick out of the room — donkeys are more stubborn,” he says. “They just want to be in shade during the peak of the day. All the students are used to it, so it's never really much of a distraction.”
Livestock generally are allowed to roam free all the time and somehow everyone knows who owns each animal, though Donnelly has no idea how.
[caption id="attachment_2250" align="alignright" width="383" caption="Travis Donnelly helped with a youth development/volunteerism camp as part of his service with the Peace Corps. 45 youth learned about volunteerism, career development, health topics and more. Donnelly is pictured in the middle."]
[/caption]
The People
He is also learning a lot about the culture and the extraordinarily friendly people of Ghana.
“People will go out of their way to not just give you directions somewhere, but walk with you to wherever you are going,” he says. “ If you are hungry, you can knock on anyone’s door and they will invite you to their food. Life is different here; I wouldn’t necessarily say harder, but different.”
Ghanaians live on a strong extended family system so there are always people to rely on, he adds. Donnelly already has a dozen or more “mothers” and “fathers” in Ghana.
In Ghanaian culture, marriage proposals are common. And because of American movies and television and media, there is a strong assumption that all Americans are rich, so everyone wants to marry an American, notes Donnelly. As he works to dispel the myth, he also has to turn down a lot of women. On his blog, Donnelly, jokes about the phrases he has grown accustomed to saying.
[/caption]
Donnelly says because he stands out as an American, he knows he can have a lasting impact on people, which can be beneficial.
“…my position and nationality allows me to walk into government official’s offices and actually be able to talk to them, it allows me to call a community meeting and people will show up, it allows for a plethora of ways to advocate, educate, and integrate,” he says.
Donnelly says he wouldn’t recommend the Peace Corps to everyone. But, for those with the fortitude to live abroad in unknown conditions for 27 months, he says it can be “enlightening, humbling and life changing.”
[caption id="attachment_2257" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="During the nature walk they saw a couple elephants come to the watering hole."]
[/caption]
He plans to return to Wisconsin after his service. He misses cheese, which can only be purchased in major cities in Ghana. Other than that, he’s not sure where his next adventure will take him.
“I’m hoping to figure that out in the next year,” he says. “For now, anything is possible and I quite like the thought of that.”
*The views and opinions in this interview in no way represent those of the Peace Corps, U.S. Government or host country. The views and opinions are strictly those of Travis Donnelly.
*Photos from Travis Donnelly's blog.
[/caption]
UW-L Alum Travis Donnelly, ‘10, anticipates some major adjustments when he returns from serving in the Peace Corps in Ghana, West Africa. No more hand-washing his laundry or public transportation down bumpy dirt roads. No more goats meandering into his college classroom or persistent inquiries about marriage from Ghanaian women.
But after serving in the Peace Corps for two years, Donnelly will have something he’ll will be able to take home: knowledge from his first real cultural immersion. He knows more about malaria, HIV, nutrition and irrigation than he ever thought he would. He can make shea nuts into butter and even speak a little Sisaali.
But more importantly, Donnelly says, “I’ve learned that life works everywhere in the world; people adjust and adapt easily and we’re all in this together,” he says. “In fact, less well-to-do societies learn how to adjust much easier than an American living a coddled life. Regardless, we're all similar — everywhere in the world. We all want the same things — a bright future, a happy and healthy family, comfort … so we need to start accepting that we're all the same.”
Donnelly, who graduated with a double major in public administration and economics, has been serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana, West Africa, for about a year and plans to return to the U.S. after one more year in August 2013. His Peace Corps training group was the 50th anniversary group as former President John F. Kennedy sent the first Peace Corps volunteers to Ghana in 1961.
Since 2008, 16 UW-L students have joined the Peace Corps within six months to a year after graduation. However, this number is likely low as it only reflects students who report their service to UW-L and doesn’t include those who started their service after the first year out of college.
“I saw Peace Corps as a way to truly live in, work in, and integrate into a different culture in a developing area, and I have not been disappointed with my opportunities to completely do that,” says Donnelly.
His Classroom
Donnelly used his experience at UW-L, particularly helping solve campus computer problems with the Eagle Help Desk, to serve the people of Ghana. He teaches basic computer skills to future teachers at Tumu College of Education. This past school year less than 20 percent of his students had used a computer. He notes it has been an important subject to learn as more of Ghana has electricity, computers and Internet access. In addition, he helps with a variety of secondary projects such as malaria education, HIV awareness and de-stigmatization, dry season farming, nutrition and others. He’s also used his classroom as a forum for talking about women’s rights, family planning and sexuality.
Because the climate can reach 120 degrees in the hot season in northern Ghana where he lives — about 150 miles from the Sahara — the classroom door stays open for air flow. And it’s not uncommon for an animal to come wandering in, he notes.
“Goats and sheep are easy to kick out of the room — donkeys are more stubborn,” he says. “They just want to be in shade during the peak of the day. All the students are used to it, so it's never really much of a distraction.”
Livestock generally are allowed to roam free all the time and somehow everyone knows who owns each animal, though Donnelly has no idea how.
[caption id="attachment_2250" align="alignright" width="383" caption="Travis Donnelly helped with a youth development/volunteerism camp as part of his service with the Peace Corps. 45 youth learned about volunteerism, career development, health topics and more. Donnelly is pictured in the middle."][/caption]
The People
He is also learning a lot about the culture and the extraordinarily friendly people of Ghana.
“People will go out of their way to not just give you directions somewhere, but walk with you to wherever you are going,” he says. “ If you are hungry, you can knock on anyone’s door and they will invite you to their food. Life is different here; I wouldn’t necessarily say harder, but different.”
Ghanaians live on a strong extended family system so there are always people to rely on, he adds. Donnelly already has a dozen or more “mothers” and “fathers” in Ghana.
In Ghanaian culture, marriage proposals are common. And because of American movies and television and media, there is a strong assumption that all Americans are rich, so everyone wants to marry an American, notes Donnelly. As he works to dispel the myth, he also has to turn down a lot of women. On his blog, Donnelly, jokes about the phrases he has grown accustomed to saying.
- "My wife is back in the United States."
- "I'm sorry, I already have a wife."
- "No, I don't think she will let me take another wife."
- Donnelly’s personal favorite (generally to the Junior High School girls): "Awwww.. What's your name?" ..... "[NAME], that's a beautiful name, but I'm sorry, you're just too young for me. Maybe we can get married in a few years."
[/caption]
Donnelly says because he stands out as an American, he knows he can have a lasting impact on people, which can be beneficial.
“…my position and nationality allows me to walk into government official’s offices and actually be able to talk to them, it allows me to call a community meeting and people will show up, it allows for a plethora of ways to advocate, educate, and integrate,” he says.
Donnelly says he wouldn’t recommend the Peace Corps to everyone. But, for those with the fortitude to live abroad in unknown conditions for 27 months, he says it can be “enlightening, humbling and life changing.”
[caption id="attachment_2257" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="During the nature walk they saw a couple elephants come to the watering hole."][/caption]
He plans to return to Wisconsin after his service. He misses cheese, which can only be purchased in major cities in Ghana. Other than that, he’s not sure where his next adventure will take him.
“I’m hoping to figure that out in the next year,” he says. “For now, anything is possible and I quite like the thought of that.”
*The views and opinions in this interview in no way represent those of the Peace Corps, U.S. Government or host country. The views and opinions are strictly those of Travis Donnelly.
*Photos from Travis Donnelly's blog.