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?

The Untold Story

Its 7:30pm, the weather is so cold(-10C) and we are waiting at a popular Tim Hotters downtown Toronto, for Paster Joe to come lead us on a "sandwitch handout" to homeless people on the streets of Canada. THE HOMELESS ON THE STREET OF CANADA?!!!!! Did I just say that?

Yes,its so cold out there,we walking, street by street, led by paster Joe and my feets and hands are so cold to freezing point with burning sensation. We walk to these homeless people who sleeps on the streets in the cold handing down sandwitches and my eyes are moved to tears!!! People wraped in sheets of rubber and blankets, sleeping on card boards out there in the cold. after 1 hour of walking, I can barely walk, my feets hurts, my coat is not helping, neither is my hand gloves doing me any good, yet people out there have to put up 24/7 with the cold, not knowing where the worth is going to come or the next sandwitch guys are going to pass by!!!

I stop by for a moment to interact with one of the homeless and all he ever needed was a look in the eyes to make him feel some worth, a chat to make him feel loved and cared for. A hand shake to make him feel stronge!! One of them had the inscription, "God created us the same but 'we' have created differences"

Is this the Canada that I have heard of? the Canada of rich people who own fancy cars,computers, phones, Tablets and of that? Is this the canada that caters for its own that no one is left behind to suffer like those on the streets? Is this the canada young people like my age in Ghana wants to badly to visit and will do all the "sakawa" to get the money and documents that they need to travel to? COULD THIS BE THE UNTOLD STORY?

Well, the cold was so severe I had to take shelter at a restaurant close by and enback on a "routine dance move" to shake off the cold!!! Then I ask myself: How many dance moves thus these homeless people have to in a day to keep warm? How many sandwitches can we handover to them to give them enough energy to fight this hash weather? How long can Paster Joe keep mobilising people to help out with handing out sandwitches? we can all be the source to warmth to these homeless people who live right at our door steps!!! Let just say 'Dorothy's sister who lives right here needs our attention too.............

SO IT CAME TO PASS......

Its 11:55am and am about to board a bus to Toronto from Ottawa. As we stand infront of the Delta City Center packing our bags into the bus, I reminiscent hours earlier how conference had been. A a memorable event I did wish will never came to an end, but ofcourse, everything that has a begining has an end. As we board the bus and drive away I can still feel the vibe, energy , enthusiasm, passion and desire in young people like myself never seen any where else before. This is like nothing ever experienced. Being surrounded by people who desire the good for others, who are living the true meaning of the word Universe-"Uni-one", "verse-spirit, heart , mind".

I can still feel the screams, telling in my head, the screams of excitment and action, one that says we are powerful beyond measure, one that says there is nothing we can't acomplish. I can still feel the challenging words from the speakers, gearing us to "fail" and not remain there, but to learn in the process and do it better and better. I can still feel them inspiring us not be satisfied with any achievement that we have acomplished so far, so that even though we are engineers without borders, we can push the borders of our failures till we are perfect.

As I ride this six hours bus trip to Toronto I envisage what lies ahead of me, and am convinced that my journey has just began.

To all the beautiful people I met, I say lets keep the spirit real and alive, lets fun into flames the fire of make the world and Africa in particular a better place to live. "mbon faa....." Mo ne y3....."

THE WAIT.......

And so on a ususal friday morning when I expect things to be regular and normal, things aren't. Well the anxiety with a mix of excitement and the "can't wait" feeling just wont let my day be normal. The thoughts of having a feel of a family expereince in Canada, making new friends, working at City of cambridge and CH2M HILL, interracting with like minds at the 2012 EWB Conference, keeps we beaming with smiles except for the fact that the flight changes is indeed going to shorten my canada experience by 4 days!!! I indeed cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!

“OGYA CANADA” Can’t Wait…….

It is 4:30 am, Ghana time and it is yet another working day after an unusually long Christmas holidays. I am already awake and wondering as usual when 6th January 2012 (If Flo doesn’t change the flight schedule……hahahaha) will arrive so I could fly out of this country to the land of the “white man”-Canada. I’m checking my e-mail every 2-3 hours, making sure I’m up to speed with every bit of information Flo or Silvia or Dan or Kate or Binnu or any EWBer would be sending down my inbox.

Days when I would wake up at dawn praying that the non-immigration officer at the Canadian embassy at Sankara Avenue here in Accra will be less critical and grant me visa are over. One phenomenon that has become synonymous with sly (the AKA of my name….. and not that I am really sly) is waking early at dawn, a time I can get access to uninterrupted internet service, (something that is regular with internet service providers in Ghana) so I could view the sights and sounds of Ottawa and Toronto, know what the weather is going to be like, what I may be wearing, the chilling places in town and what to expect. When I read about the conference and the issues that would be discussed I feel excited and wish the days left would just move faster. For a whole totally new experience awaits me!!!!!
I occasionally imagine what my family in Canada would be like: a lovely, available family that would give me the Canada experience, to learn about Canadian culture, ethics, family values and traditions, food, inspiration and fun family activities. I look forward to a family experience that would leave lasting memories on my mind. A family that I can be part of even when I am long gone. A family that is interested in Africa, whose kids will be ready to learn the AZONTO DANCE……..

I look forward to a working experience of a life time with an institution that is grounded in service delivery for the general improvement of the human race. An institution that would help me improve my working ethics, efficiency and excellence. I look forward to a practical field experience, and an opportunity to work in all departments of the institution. I can’t wait to wake up every morning and “go to work in Canada” drinking cappuccino and interacting with co-workers. More importantly I can’t wait to build a lasting network of friends who are interested in my career and are interested in building long term partnership with my institution. Through this, both institutions could share experiences and help improve the capacities of their staff. I’m looking forward to learning best practices and adapting it when I’m back to Ghana.

To my fellow EWBers, I can’t wait to be part of the BIG FAMILY; I can’t wait to meet you all. I am looking forward to an interactive time and discussions sessions that stimulates the mind, inspires change and motivates the soul. I wonder every day what the EWB motivation is, what inspires EWBers to leave the luxury of their homes and visit Africa’s remotest of places to spend their lives; but Canada I know, would give me the answer!!!!!!!!!!

I will miss Ghana though while am away, the food, the people and the radio stations. But one thing I wouldn’t miss at all is the traffic in the city of Accra.
My expectations are really high; I am aiming for space and using the skies as the stepping stone. I am anxious to make a change in Africa, and Ghana in particular, to take development to the next level and to create a new development paradigm through SYSTEMATIC INNOVATION.

Can’t wait for the GALA night, to the skating trip and to having FUN, FUN, and FUN!!!!

Indeed I can’t wait to chill till I’m frozen!!!!!!!!!!!