In the meantime, I grew up in the large town of Columbus, Ohio�state capital and home of the Buckeyes. I attended Cranbrook Elementary, Oakland Park Traditional Elementary, Monroe Traditional Middle and Columbus Alternative High. In the process I acquired a younger brother 8 years my junior, a strong sense of community and a Bob Marley obsession. By the time I began Case Western Reserve University, I was on my way�at least I thought�to achieve all my dreams. I grew up quite a bit those four years in Cleveland. And while it wasn�t my first choice, I�m glad it was God�s.

From Case I moved onto University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. This phase of my life has been the hardest yet�emotionally, physically, spiritually and mentally. I pray it will be the dawning of a new era in my life.

So, though I briefly mentioned the Ghanaian aspect of my life, it�s definitely not a minor player in shaping my personality. Most of my life I knew I was different. My skin was darker than the other black kids, my tongue formed words differently and my education took priority. My Mommy always told me that we came from poor people and that I had no rich uncle I could depend on, so I had to do for me. Our poverty was just a way of life really�while I didn�t really like it, like any kid I understood that was the status quo. I did know that our poverty was tied into our being immigrants. Even then, I realized that eating different foods, having a mother tongue and listening to Hi-Life meant I wasn�t like the rest of my peers. And that didn�t mean much until I attended a black/white middle class school, where I was the odd woman out. Believe me, those were some gloomy years!

At the same time, I learned to revel in my otherness. It meant that unlike many of my peers, I had somewhere to call home! I was a part of a centuries old tradition of living! How many of my white classmates could claim that? And how many of my black classmates knew where their great-great-great grandfathers lived and worked? If I couldn�t hack it their way, I could distinguish myself by my cultural heritage. Not having many African/Ghanaian friends added to the thrill and isolation. My brother�s lucky that way�his peer group is large! There are so many new Ghanaians in Columbus now that I think it should be called New Accra!

In any event, as much as I tried to define my culture and thereby shape it into what I felt was right, it never worked. I couldn�t change the fact that everyone wanted to know my business or that people poured libation before events. I couldn�t explain why all the girls seemed so submissive and the men too dominant. I couldn�t change how the parents would call out and demean their children. These were all ingrained. But I could change myself. And there was so much I could be proud of�the dark red clay that is so prevalent in the Kwahu region of the Eastern mountains, the fierce family and tribal pride, the devotion to God, the humility of persons, and the understanding that life would always work out.

I would have to make peace with my being an outsider to some Ghanaians because my Twi couldn�t pass muster and because my skin was smooth and soft. I would have to accept that some blacks would look at me askance when I spoke in what they perceived to be a white man�s accent. I would have to disregard the whites who looked upon me as some sort of exotic prize. In short, I would have to just be me no matter how many people that offended. I suggest you do the same.