Traveling without expectations

I’ve never been to Africa before. And to be honest, I don’t really know what to expect.

I’ve seen pictures from friends and acquaintances who have been to various places on that continent before, but not to Ghana. So what I can expect, I really have no idea about.

Still, I feel a strong urge to go there and experience everything the country has to offer. I’m going there the way I often do: without a plan, without knowing much about the culture, or really anything at all.

I’m not doing this because I’m unprepared, but because I enjoy the unknown. Being able to travel to a completely new place without any expectations is something I really thrive on. And it’s a big plus that I don’t have to plan so much since I’m traveling with Kulturstudier.

After I went to Nepal with Kulturstudier 2 years ago, I stopped making long checklists before I travel. I make sure I know the important things, like which visa I need, the best flight to my destination and things like that, but I rarely know much more.

When I travel without any expectations, I am more open, and the possibility of being disappointed disappears. It’s impossible to be disappointed when I don’t know what to expect! In addition, I am more open to all the adventures that await me.

This time the journey goes to Ghana, more precisely Cape Coast.

New place, new country, and new continent. I know it will be different. I know I’ll most likely experience culture shock during the first few days, but that’s okay.

It won’t be the first time, and hopefully not the last! Because there is so much beauty in encountering the unknown, feeling all the emotions, and experiencing everything with an open mind and within safe boundaries.

These safe frameworks are something Kulturstudier creates for us. They give us space to explore a new country on our own, while at the same time providing structure in everyday life, since you have classes to attend and various activities organized by the school.

So even though we are there for school, that trip is about so much more than just what we learn in the classroom.

We go on excursions I wouldn’t have gone on by myself, and in Ghana we even get to do fieldwork in different parts of the country! This is a completely unique opportunity to learn more about the things you’re especially interested in.

Another great thing is that the whole time you have a contact person you can ask all your questions to, and local people you’ll have a good chance to get to know during your stay.

When I traveled to Nepal, it was my first trip alone outside of Europe. At that time, I hadn’t traveled much and wanted the security of traveling with someone, but also the opportunity to explore.

Since then I haven’t looked back! And last year, during the flooding we experienced in Vietnam, I really felt the security of having a contact person in the country you’re staying in.

I think many people wait to travel until they’re completely sure and feel 100% ready. But for me, it has often been the opposite.

I travel because I do not know.

Because I want to get to know a place on its own terms. Not through the expectations I’ve gotten from watching way too many videos on social media about how the stay is going to be. Because usually it doesn’t turn out quite like that.

So I’m traveling to Ghana in February without a plan or any expectations. I’m going with an open mind and a desire to explore. And right now, that’s more than enough!