The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I’ve always said that this blog would be an open window into my life overseas. My passion, my work, my everyday life, the cultures and the people I meet along the way. However, I think the stories about colourful umbrellas and cute old ladies selling matchsticks are a bit misleading. They paint a rosy picture of a life in development, and so I’m going to set the record straight here and now.

I’m in Accra. I flew in on Friday morning for emergency dental work after a night of tooth pain and mental images of Tom Hanks clutching volleyball in one hand and an ice skate in the other. In addition, I’m working on my Malaria record (now up to 3), and on top of that, I’m practically losing my mind.

I’ve taken a week off to decompress, relax, and re-evaluate my work, my life, and the universe. Up until a few minutes ago, I was contemplating getting on a plane to come home early.

I guess at the end of it all I’ve come to a few realizations…


1) You only have control over one thing: yourself

2) Accept failure as a learning opportunity, even when failure is not an option

3) Sometimes you have to make do with what you have, re-evaluate your expectations, and move in a new direction

4) Take care of yourself, then go ahead and save the world


Like any industry, there are people working in development who are incredibly dedicated, and those in it for the money. Some work hard, and some slip through. But when you talk about passion, I don’t think any other field compares. My friends in Canada and across Africa are a constant source of inspiration. These are the kinds of people who devote themselves 100% physically, mentally, and emotionally to their work and to their communities. However, with this kind of dedication also comes a price.

In my time in Africa I’ve met mostly wonderful people, and then some that were not so wonderful. I’ve seen corruption, extreme selfishness, and intimidation. My favourite Nigerian gospel singer, Sister Gloria Oluchi, has a special name for these kinds of people: “Enemies of Progress”. When you’re driven by the passion and desire to create something bigger than yourself, these kinds of people can bring you down fast and hard.

The back story to this is pretty long, convoluted, and probably skewed by my own biases and interpretation of what actually happened. If you want to know, buy me a drink when I get back; a large soy latte, to be exact.

But the moral of the story lies in the 4 points I mentioned above. You may find yourself in situations you didn’t imagine possible that will shock you, maybe scare you, and make you lose all motivation. In such times, it’s your leadership, strength, and judgement that will determine the outcome. Or rather, you may have little control over the outcome, but you can control how you will feel about it in a week or in five years.