Where are you from?
I am from Ghana, the volta region specifically Whuti. I was born in Tema however and grew up half my life in Koforidua.
What was your childhood
It was very interesting, I have had equal experiences of living in the city, town and village. So if anything I would say my childhood was very educative. My dad however was super strict, we would eat little to no processed foods, curfew was at 6pm and all my friends and classmates feared him (mostly the boys….lol)
What brought you to Cleveland?
Kent State University’s Fashion program brought me to the Cleveland area.
What were your first thoughts about coming to the United States? Did those change?
I thought it was like what we saw on TV but I was so wrong. There are as much problems as there are opportunities here. I am just a little disappointed that the media doesn’t show the whole truth so we can well prepare ourselves when we make decisions to travel to different countries.
What challenges did you face as transitioning here?
I had some personal and social problems during my transition which made it a little more difficult. However in regards to fitting into the society, it was quite easy. I just didn’t and still don’t understand how and why some things are done in America.
What is your occupation?
I am a full time Fashion Design student at Kent State and I work at Red Lobster
How have other Clevelanders made you feel welcomed?
People in the Cleveland area are quite welcoming. Considering I am specifically in Kent, it is beautiful to see people from all over the world living on one campus. It was my heart.
What traditions or customs do you continue to practice?
In regards to my culture, I still cook traditional foods (my jolly is the best…lol), I dance, sing, speak..etc. Essentially I have kept every aspect my culture.
Why is it so important to welcome immigrants and refugees?
You have no idea what they have been through or what the had to leave behind to be here. Personally I want to do more in regards to making immigrants and refugees feel welcomed. It’s not easy living in two worlds and the only people who can tell you first hand are immigrants and refugees.
Why is it important to travel abroad?
There are some opportunities that you can only get when you travel abroad. Educational and career validations are very important to the growing adult and first world countries usually have more opportunities to give a person the type of validations they need to be marketable; sometimes, internationally.
