It was life changing

KLM lost my baggage. Again :-)

I'm gone. Gone from Ghana and back to Europe. Those rare moments, when things change are never easy. They bring along uncertainty and fear of the future. Yet those are the most precious moments, when we are faced with decisions and have the options to make a difference, learn, and influence our lives the most. It's a test you take but also a lottery. And at the end of the day, you might fail and lose... But you might also pass and win.

Those were my thoughts about one week before I left. I was questioning the future, myself and if I did not become too involved. There was, however, one more week to come. And that one answered everything - I do not regret a single second I spent for AIMS, or its people.

Team Nancy (Lord, Hoby, Nancy and Sofi)

Chicken dance (Tomiwa, Tchila, Christian, Buri, Olivia, Thabo)

AIMS has been more of a dream, far from the reality I had been used to, now slowly resuming. It is a place, where you never feel alone. Cause the moment you do, a guy known as Costa will come from behind and shout "Sinomos Fero!" :-D . Or Cyrille will pop his head from his room and ask "Comment ca va?". Or the always positive Sofi would come to discuss Costa's article (now a whole different Costa :-)). Buri would pass by with chicken-like moves supposed to be the traditional Ghanian dance. Alassey will sing Abba songs in the distance and Tchila's unforgettable laugh will echo around the institute. Amsale will come and bring a pineapple, and Setho will show up in the door with frozen yoghurts. And every morning, two minutes after sending the riddle for today, Bemsi would come by, the look on his face saying "So? Was I right?" . Of course he was.

On Toastmasters, Maryam would take any challenge just to help and Joseph would be forever remembered as the first president. Indeed, first cut is the deepest, as Thabo narrated, while Solo would remind us that we are good. And on Saturdays' practice sessions, I can't but vividly remember Michael's big smile and his hand stuck in my face, saying "play four" :-), the rest of the choir moving around in the most lively and funny choreography..

On AIMS Ghana Toastmasters (toastmaster Michael, president Cyrille, Solo and Lord)

On Sundays, Lord would make us think with his preaching before we enjoy the pancakes for breakfast. Mihaja would come to borrow my guitar and play nice background Madagasy tunes. And everyone passing by would say hi, and just underline the friendly atmosphere around here...

The choir (Emmanuel, Hoby, Olivia, Thabo and Michael. Bemsi was not around for the picture)

I will miss AIMS. The feeling of doing something that makes sense, using all of myself to overcome everyday challenges, the lively stereotype, which was never the same. The morning rides on a bike to AIMS, kids shouting "obruni" while the sun of a new day would be already scorching the ground. And the cool evening rides home during a power cut, piercing the pitch black darkness only with a small bicycle torchlight, startled by sudden occasional voices around. It's a whole different world here, but it's absolutely and uniquely magic.

with Thabo, Bemsi and Alassey

I've thanked many times, but let me do it one more time. Thanks to Zuzka for telling me about this wonderful project and to Prince for giving me a chance to be part of it. Thanks to Benedicta and Sarah for helping out coming to Ghana and greeting me at the airport. Thanks to Kwame, Kafui and others for keeping this place running despite many challenges. Thanks to the cleaners who always kept the place nice and clean, and to the kitchen staff, for their most wonderful job, considering the resources they have (and the best chicken and porridge I've had). Thanks to professor Allotey for protecting AIMS Ghana under his wings and to Neil Turok for his most amazing wish to find next Einstein in Africa, and his grit to turn it into reality.

Colleagues Amsale, Tomiwa and Seth

Thanks to all of my colleague tutors, especially Setho, who helped a lot at the beginning, explaining everything. Thanks to all the lecturers, for choosing to spend 3 weeks (or even more) at AIMS and thus making a huge difference in many lifes.

And last - but most of all, thanks you students. Your liveliness, friendliness, good in heart and positive spirit, never-faltering belief and persistence is something I had an awful lot to learn from.

All in all, I can't but be grateful for being given a chance to be part of this project. I've enjoyed every single second of my stay...

And as I said - it was not easy - but it was life changing :-)