Ghana

After traveling through Benin and Togo, two of West Africa’s Francophone countries, it was nice to arrive somewhere English-speaking, where everyday life felt a little more familiar. After exploring the capital, Accra, I visited a workshop where Ghana’s famous fantasy coffins are made. Rather than traditional designs, they’re handcrafted to reflect a person’s life or passions, from fish for fishermen to books for teachers and even bundles of cash for successful businesspeople. It was a fascinating reminder that cultures don’t just celebrate life differently, they mourn differently too.

I also made my way to Cape Coast Castle, one of the most important sites in the history of the transatlantic slave trade. Walking through the dark dungeons where countless Africans were imprisoned before passing through the infamous “Door of No Return” was one of the most haunting experiences of my travels. It’s impossible to stand in a place like that without reflecting on the unimaginable suffering that unfolded there and the lasting impact it continues to have on the world.