My PCV Life in Disney Songs, Part II

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So my last version of this post was a huge hit with me, if even with no one else. Clearly a part two was required. So here we go: the toughest job I'll ever love (so they tell me) in the form of Disney songs.

1. Reflection (Mulan)

A lot of people who are living in a country that is not their own feel a degree of alienation from their surroundings. Unfortunately, there are definitely days in Ghana when I look in the mirror and wonder who is looking back. Before coming to Ghana, I cut my hair. I wear glasses instead of contacts. I even go by a new name and speak a new language. Some days, I really feel that even my closest friends here won't get to know who I really am. There are no shortage of stories I can't share and values I keep to myself because it might cause people to lose respect for me. Then again, it's not all gloomy. There are plenty of days I'm full of laughter and happiness. And then--there are the Mulan days.

2. A Whole New World (Aladdin)


Not every day feels like a magic carpet ride. But quite a few of them do. I think a lot of people join Peace Corps hoping for an adventure. The reality is that a lot of days don't feel like an adventure. I spend more days sitting at home or in my very small town than I do experiencing anything new and glorious. But the truth is, to get by in the Peace Corps, you have to at the very least pretend you're on a magic carpet ride. If you're struggling to deal with squatting over a hole in the ground, I find the best solution is just to close your eyes, pretend you're Jasmine, and enjoy the lure of a whole new world.

3. Bare Necessities (The Jungle Book)


This song is actually 90% of the reason I wanted to make a post like this, and I can't believe I forgot it the first time around. Anyway: although we're not exactly deprived in the Peace Corps, we get by on a lot less than most Americans. My "salary" is the equivalent of $200 a month, and it allows me to get food, pay for transportation to market, and not a ton else. Then there's the little matter of my latrine, which is made of mud and consists mostly of a hole in the ground. It doesn't bother me too much, but it's fair to say that we don't have much beyond the bare necessities.

4. Why Should I Worry? (Oliver and Company)


First of all, Oliver and Company is an extremely underrated Disney movie. Second of all, this song is also a great example of the attitude it takes to succeed in Peace Corps. A lot of time in Peace Corps is spent sitting around waiting for other people. If you need community members to present a budget proposal to you, or are waiting for someone from the local district assembly to contact you so you can discuss building a borehole, you are working on their schedule, not yours. And sitting around worrying about things doesn't make it better. The truth is, most PCVs will leave their communities without making too much of a visible mark. For a lot of people, that creates anxiety and unhappiness. Much better to imitate the Artful Dodger, eat some good food, and try not to think about it too much.

5. Colors of the Wind (Pocahontas)


I've lived outside of the United States a few times before this, but I have never before had culture shock like I did when coming to Ghana. I thought I was a pretty smooth world traveler before coming here. But since I got to Ghana, I've had so many days, moments, and weeks when all I could think was, "What on earth is happening here?" And yeah, I know this movie is a bit controversial now (for good reason), but I still love this song about looking for the beauty and good things in other cultures. Coming to Ghana has exposed me to so many lovely things I never would have even known about in the USA. I've heard new kinds of music, eaten new foods, and talked to people with completely different worldviews than mine. Not every day has been easy but I'm very grateful for the opportunities I've had so far--and I'm barely a third of the way through this journey.

So, that's all for now! Maybe next time I'll have something more substantive to share with you than this amazing Disney playlist. 

Miadogo (until next time)!

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