Second Chance

SECOND CHANCE
If you had a second chance to do something again, what would it be?

This was the question I posed to myself as I arrived home to a hot, dusty and dry weather. Instantly I knew I was missing something!! Then the question came to me, if I had a second chance, what would I do again?
This question got me thinking……., allowing me to reach to the deeper wells of my heart bringing to memory all the experiences that I had gone through while in Canada: from the cold that greeted me at the Airport in Ottawa to my last days hanging out with Zhaodi and the crew who stuck with me all the way to the end and of cause to the last goodbye moments with Alex and Flo, the last duo, the last two standing!!!

If I had a second chance what would I do again?
Answer: I would attend the conference again, where everything started. Where I made my friends, where I met smiling faces. Where I got a wrong impression about the Canadian because the EWBer was a unique personality who broke out of his or her boundaries to close up space and to bond. Where the EWBer would walk up to you and say “Hi”. Would give you a thumps up in the hall way, at the coffee stand or on the elevator (something I dreaded being in) for a tough question well answered or a presentation well delivered and this was different when I stepped out to the true Canadian world.

If I had a second chance, I would attend the capacity building for community driven development where it was re-echoed that development should not be built on the “single story”.

If I had a second chance, I would listen to all the radio hit tracks that greeted me, every time I arrived home, from my sessions and work placements. This made me forget all the stress Flo was putting me through (though for my own good) and helped me deal with the cold and put me to bed to be revitalized for a brand new day!!

If I had a second chance, I will visit the water treatment plants at Ajax and Lakeview, I will hang out with Andy from CH2M Hill visiting all the sections of the expansion works, I will sit in the meetings of Andrew from the region Peel, OCWA and CH2M HILL, because they thought me control, collaboration, accountability and responsibility. I will sit with Rob from and Arun to listen to expertise; I will ride with Ella and get her to explain all the technical details that were overwhelming me and of course I will hung out with Dan Olsen my friend and my buddy because he thought me to stick with the challenge till the end, to stay focused and not to lose it, and though we will argue some of the times, he opened my eyes to the realities of Canadian work life and also helped me appreciate my working environment in Ghana. Thanks Dan.

If I had a second chance I would visit the City of Cambridge for my work placement. I would relive my experiences at the Grand River Conservation Authority, Lang Village and the transport and public works departments. I would meet the Mayor Craig, Jim the CAO, and all the lovely staff (Bush, George and Mark) at the City of Cambridge who took time off to welcome us and make our stay an experience to remember.

If I had a second chance, I will stay with my first family, Daniel Olsen and Luisa Celis all over again for they showed me a reason to love and why we need to be there for each other’s , carrying each others burdens and not being individualistic, so that when Luisa has to go to school or get her home work done after class, Dan can cook something for dinnar, except of course if they did stop kissing in front of me, something that made me really jealous ( In a good way). Dan, no hard feelings!!!!

If I had a second chance, I will follow Samir and Chandrika all the way to Waterloo for they both thought me to understand that life is all about companionship, for through companionship we don’t have to buy two separate cars and that we can always ride in one car to and from work. They thought me that it is in quietness that we can listen to ourselves and find our path and that orderliness makes a beautiful home. If I had a second chance I would live with Samir and Chandrika all over again because, for the first time they got me thinking about love & marriage and of course I will watch Hindu movie with them over and over again.

If I had a second chance, I will visit the Air Canada center, to see all the Basketball match and hopefully this time the Toronto Raptors will win, If I had a second chance, I would go watch the Ice hockey match with my friend Dan at the exhibition center, where skills, power and control is exhibited, where bear is taken during break and hopefully the Toronto marlies will win.

If I had a second chance; I would hang out with “the man” Zhaodi and the crew (Luke, Joe, Danis, Piyali and the others) who stacked with us all the way to the end, giving us the experience of urban Toronto, who made me see that true friendship is not about how long you have known someone but how willing you are ready to bring happiness and a smile on your friends face, accepting him or her just the way he or she is and lending a helping hand. Zhaodi and the crew, you made me dance my heart out without being judged because all we did was dance!!!!!, and of course I did spend moments with “orhhhh………..>! my friends” Elvis and Young from Malawi, “Chicken-bones” from Zambia and Herman from Burkina Faso and my own, salase from Ghana.

In life we are all given a second chance each day, so I ask you, IF YOU HAD A SECOND CHANCE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH IT?