Diaspora Diary Donnalee Donaldson

Maame Adjei is one of Ghana's golden girls. Since returning home after a childhood stint in London, and school and work in Philadelphia, she gained national and international claim as a star of the hit series, An African City. As a fan of the series (which I've blogged about before), I was excited to connect with her when she visited Kigali. We talked about her work on the hit series, her travel show, and passion project, Girl Going Places, the joys and challenges of repatriation, and her recommendations for a fun trip to Ghana. 
SHOW NOTES
3:00 How she got over imposter syndrome and got comfortable identifying herself as an actress
7:20 Growing up across three continents, and how that made her identify as Ghanaian even more.
9:27 The big move home
18:48 Maame's advice for young actors trying to break into the industry, and her thoughts on the Ghanian film industry
22:34 Her role on "An African City", in front and behind the camera. Plus, how similar is she to Zainab in real life?
29:10 Her webshow, "Girl Going Places" 
36: 13 Tips for moving to Ghana, whether as an repatriate or immigrant
45: 20 Her goals for the future, and vision for success
RESOURCES AND PLACES MENTIONED
Favourite places to visit in Ghana - Cape Three Points (featured in her vlog above), northern Ghana - especially Tamale Favourite restaurants, hotspots in Accra - Tea Baa, Carbon, Chez Clarisse (And yes, I did go to Tea Baa and Chez Clarisse based on her recommendations, and they were great!) Places in Ghana to purchase her Girl Going Places merchandise - Elle Loko, and Untamed Empire Favourite books -The Bluest Eye - Toni Morrison , Part of My Soul Went With Him - Winnie Mandela

Michelle shares her fascinating journey from Montego Bay, Jamaica (my hometown!) to pursuing a career as a homeopath in Tanzania and Uganda - both in East Africa. She explains the benefits of homeopathy compared to modern medicine, and how she came to start her own line of products under her brand, Zuri Medicine. She talks about the challenges of living an ocean away from her four children, and shares a hilarious anecdote about the stereotypes she encounters as a Jamaican.

Over the past 6 years Jeanetta Craigwell-Graham has gone from being a corporate attorney in New York, to being a transactional advisor at the Rwanda Development Board, to co-founding a gym, which is now working on making the premiere fitness and lifestyle brand in the region. We talk about how her Barbadian heritage prepared her for this kind of life, how she made her professional transitions, and what it's like living and doing business in Rwanda.

 
This is a quick introduction to More Than Regular. More Than Regular is a biweekly show about ordinary people, living extraordinary lives. From creatives in Rwanda, to entrepreneurs in Jamaica, the featured guests and dynamic conversations show us that there are many paths to success, and we all have the power to design, and live, our best lives. The host, Donnalee Donaldson interviews achievers, entrepreneurs, creators, innovators and gamechangers, most of whom beat the odds and defied the status quo to get to where they are. If you’re interested in learning about how to travel more, build your own business, overcome obstacles, and set yourself apart, More Than Regular is that dose of inspiration for you! Visit DonnaTruly.com for show notes, follow me @donnatruly on social media, and say hello at donna@donnatruly.com.