Existential alienation

I quit my job with the West Africa Trade Hub. Friday 9 November was my last day. I haven't booked a return flight yet. I have a one-year ticket with British Airways and changing the date - initially planned on 21 December 2007 - should cost $100.

I took the decision to leave the office and Ghana and move on after I got depressed because what I was doing lately felt meaningless and useless. I was no more fulfilled. It was the same routine every day: getting up, going to office, sitting there almost all day, going for lunch, coming back and sitting more in front of my laptop screen, checking emails, replying, executing some tasks, leaving the office for home, going shopping, having dinner, meeting friends sometimes in the night, having a drink, from time to time going to Macumba, a nightclub... In brief, life was too boring.

Nevertheless, I keep very good memories from my experience with the Trade Hub and in Ghana and West Africa in general. I took part in organising a workshop with civil society organisations about competitive grants. Participants were great! I enjoyed two weekends in Lome, met Elivava, Ghanaian singer at the Centre Culturel Français. Since then, we are friends and she is trying to involve me in her artistic activities, which enables me to get exposure to music. Another artist, Nii Obodai, who is photographer, contributed a lot to my decision to make a step from the status quo.

What is ahead?
I know that I will soon go back to Belgium and see my family and Belgian friends. However it might take two more weeks since I intend to sort out a few things before going. Elivava asked me to accompany her to the SICA Festival from 20 to 25 November 2007. The event will display artists from more than 15 countries to reward the best artist or group and presenter in African culture. Like that, I get to travel and enjoy longer my African experience before I reach Europe.

On the other hand, I would like to find out more about a proposition of job with the Sustainable Tree Crops Program in Liberia. There could be a telephone interview scheduled next week. I might also decide to travel to Kumasi. Open plans...