By: Keisha Nagorr, Douglas College, winner of the Winter 2025 BC Study Abroad: Stories from Abroad Scholarship
Study Abroad Destination: Ghana
Being a week into my nursing field school in Frankadua, Ghana, I learned many unexpected and meaningful lessons. Initially, I came on this trip prepared to observe a wildly different healthcare system to Canada—adapting to limited resources and facing cultural differences with curiosity. What I did not expect was how much I would learn from the locals in terms of presence, community, and the beauty of human connection.
From the moment I stepped foot in this rural town, I sensed the incredible warmth of its people. Despite occasional language barriers, I was welcomed with smiles, kind gestures, and open arms. A moment that stood out for me was during community wound care. A few classmates and I visited an older gentleman with a chronic wound on his lower leg. Although I was not providing hands-on care for the man but assisting my classmate on helping to consolidate her knowledge and skills, the appreciation in the man’s body language and the look in his eyes made it clear that my presence alone mattered. It was a quiet but powerful reminder that nursing is not solely based on skills and what we do but rather how we are and how we interact with our patients.
The community here truly lives in unison. People share what little they have, with a sense of responsibility one another’s wellbeing, something I am not accustomed to in my own communities in Canada. From the community garden that provides for the local orphanages to the locals who helped us distribute donations and supplies, every action feels rooted in mutual care and respect, fostering collective resilience and ensuring nobody is left entirely unsupported.
Professionally, I am learning that flexibility is an essential skill, both professionally and in healthcare. Care does not always follow the textbook to perfection, and seeing the nurses here work with unimaginable autonomy and resilience is inspiring and eye-opening. Currently, I am learning how to let go of perfectionism, be more present in the moment, and lean into uncertainty for new experiences. My current advice for those doing this trip after me, or those doing any field school would be to come ready to be challenged. The things that feel unfamiliar or out of your comfort zone may end up being the most meaningful parts of your journey and growth, as a student, a professional, and a person.