Imagine you find yourself in the Central Region of Ghana, a place where beauty and tragedy collide. The coastline glistens, but the past whispers loudly through the walls. As your hand touches the cold stone of a cell where your ancestors were once held captive, a wave of emotion crashes over you. Standing in a room with twenty others, you can’t help but wonder, How could more than one hundred people possibly fit in this space?
Then you see it—the “Door of No Return.” The view of the Atlantic Ocean beyond is breathtaking and heartbreaking all at once. In that moment, history isn’t just words in a textbook. It’s real. It’s raw. And it demands to be remembered.
Well, that was me. Over Easter weekend in 2019, Daniel & I took a staycation to the Central Region—visiting Kakum National Park, Cape Coast Castle, and Elmina Castle. But nothing compared to the heaviness of walking through those dark, airless quarters, listening to the tour guide recount the unimaginable suffering of our ancestors. I realize no words, no amount of imagination, could ever let you fully empathize with their plight.
Still, something shifts inside of you. Their resilience, their survival, their story—it reminds me that our complaints are minor compared to their strength. I walk away with a new perspective on living, and quietly decide: I’m done complaining. I hope this inspires you to do the same.
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You Complain, You Remain
Before I ever set foot inside the castles, I thought living in Ghana was unbearable. My tolerance for suffering was almost nonexistent. Imagine: Things you once took for granted—steady running water and electricity, air-conditioned cars and buildings, paved roads, and public sewage—suddenly became luxuries you didn’t have. The endless bumps from holes in the road (not potholes, actual holes), the suffocating heat, the mosquitoes biting your skin, and the lack of professionalism in specific spaces have you on edge. Emotionally, you’re drained, and your patience is constantly popping like a short fuse.
And yet, Ghana has a way of holding you in a love/hate embrace. Because where else in the world can you:
The streets themselves are marketplaces—people constantly moving, selling everything from boiled eggs and fresh fruit to flip-flops, cold water, and even bed pillows. You soon realize you don’t even need to set foot in a market. Additionally, anything you want—clothes, shoes, furniture—can be handmade to your exact specifications, usually cheaper than store-bought goods.
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A Change in Perspective
Still, even with all this convenience and value, you couldn’t shake the thought that life in Ghana is somewhat challenging. But then I walked through the castles, touched the walls, saw the cells, and heard the stories. Suddenly, my perspective shifted. What once felt like unbearable challenges revealed themselves as minor inconveniences compared to the unimaginable suffering our ancestors endured.
In that moment, you chose to grow. To manage and even conquer the weaknesses that life in Ghana exposes in you. Because if they could survive what they faced, then you can surely endure these discomforts—and thrive in the process.
This new perspective didn’t just come from me walking through the castles. It also came while reading Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I realized I haven’t been responsible—response-able—the ability to choose your response. Instead of being proactive, I had been reactive, letting the climate, people’s attitudes, and my environment dictate the outcome of my day.
In the book, Mr. Covey draws on Viktor Frankl’s idea of attitudinal value—one of the three central values in life—which is your response in difficult situations. He writes,
“What matters most is how we respond to what we experience in life.”
That’s when it clicked. Eureka.
Take customer service in Ghana; it can be a constant trigger for you. It can be one of your biggest frustrations. But you must learn to reprogram your emotions so that you can enjoy yourself, regardless of the setting. If you have a short temper, and you don’t get it under control—especially while in Ghana—you’ll be miserable. Take it from a person with experience.
For example, we celebrated a personal win at what looked like a beautiful restaurant. The ambiance was warm, the décor inviting, and the waiters pleasant—at least at first. But once we sat down, the service stalled. After braving the heat and traffic, we could have let irritation ruin our evening. Instead, Daniel and I chose to practice attitudinal value. We focused on each other, on the triumph we were celebrating, and on our future plans. That choice turned what could’ve been a ruined night into a meaningful one. And to release lingering frustration, we left a constructive review on Google Local Guide, hoping it would prompt the restaurant to do better.
Final Thoughts
I’ve made a conscious decision to embrace Ghana for what it is: a land where rural charm meets urban convenience. I’ve always dreamed of a small farm for self-sustainability, but I also crave the energy of metropolitan life. Here, I can have both.
Hens, roosters, and goats roam freely through neighborhoods. Fresh produce is abundant, naturally grown, and sold on almost every corner. Every few days, you can pick up bananas, mangos, pineapples, coconuts, and papayas for under $5—along with fresh vegetables. Ghana is farm-to-table living at its finest. And while modern malls are just a short drive away, offering all the conveniences a person could want, you’ll find joy in supporting the local economy.
To enjoy these conveniences, adopting the appropriate attitudinal value system is necessary while living or traveling in Ghana. But the experience will be well worth it.
Touching the castle walls and walking through history will transform you. You will return home with new eyes, gratitude for the things you once took for granted, and a new way of living.
When you choose to travel intentionally, every experience becomes an opportunity for growth, connection, and perspective. That’s why I design custom travel itineraries—to help you not only see the world but experience it in ways that inspire change within.
If you’re ready to create memories of a lifetime and tell stories that matter, let’s plan your next journey together.
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WOW….I can get my hair done, a manicure and pedicure and eat out and dress maid all under $50. Your stories make me wanna pick up move to Ghana, but I don’t know. Those mosquito’s may run back to SC..LOL However, I would love to visit you and Daniel soon! The Castle’s tours sounds very interesting and I’m sure it would make me very emotional too.
Thanks for sharing another great story!!
Once again, you’ve outdone yourself with this article. Your descriptions of Ghana have transported me there. I feel very much apart of this journey that you’re on. Thank you, Love you, miss you!