I was a camp counselor at a sleep-away camp, so these past three months shouldn’t have been that hard, right? Easy peasy! ... Coming into this I had so much confidence, and I still do, but now it’s a different level of confidence and reassurance. To tell you the truth, it’s been hard, difficult, and challenging all wrapped in one. I would be lying if I said life here has been easy when in all honesty it hasn’t. I tear up inside every time I see children walking from school to fill their jugs with water because they don’t have a constant supply of water at home. I feel the same whenever I see someone walking with no shoes or torn clothes and during my time here, I have taken a lot of walks and even with all those little trips I am still out of breath and complaining within two minutes!
The luxuries we have back at home are real and should not be taken for granted. Many of them are things we encounter every day and don’t even think about it because we are jaded in a sense. Things like clean water, electricity, access to hospitals and healthcare, sidewalks/traffic lights, and even sanitation.
I even get emotional when someone comes up to me and thanks me for just being there, when there is so much more I wish I could do.
Picture: VHT member Polly Bukenya
This experience is unconventional and my last few weeks here have been the hardest. It’s like the world knows that I’m close to going home, so time is going extra sloooooooooooow. Just like the feeling when you have to use the bathroom but didn’t know that you really had to go until you reached your front door shaking and are struggling to find your key. I am torn between wanting to go home to start my “real life” as a graduate student who is currently unemployed because that’s what most students are haha... always in search of a job that can work around a school schedule. But, then again I’m scared because I’m not sure if I am going to miss it here or not. This isn’t my home but some of the people that I’ve met have touched me in some way and it might hit me all at once when I get back to America. It took a while to build relationships with the people here, which is understandable because I’m a foreigner. I’m only here for a short time and then I leave just like a chalk outline. So, why build a relationship with someone who will eventually leave? I am just thankful for those who took the chance to build one with me and it is those people that I will never forget.
Picture: Immaculate (left), Me (middle), Beatrice (right)
Picture: Me (left), Emma (right)
Picture: Joe Joe (far left), Dan (left), Immaculate (middle), Me (middle), Beatrice (middle), Elizabeth (right), John John (far right)
The most difficult part about studying abroad depends on your needs, who you are as a person, your reaction to stress, and what your life is like outside of being where you are right now. From my experience being in Uganda, the most difficult part of this experience was being asked, “What clan are you from?” Looking back, this question made me think because although we bear resemblance to one another, there is still the silent detachment that is hard to be oblivious to. You wouldn’t be able to feel it unless you are experiencing it. It was a feeling that I came across during little interactions.
The most challenging part of this experience has been understanding their culture, and I am pretty sure they could say the same for them understanding mine. It’s been hard to distinguish between what is really culture and what’s not and maybe that’s why there are so many problems in the world today. Taking the time out to understand a culture that is not yours is an extremely high hurdle to jump on its own and can be even more daunting if you are not fully aware of how your own culture affects you if you’re even aware of it at all. However, regardless of what race, ethnic group, or social class you come from, I’ve learned from my experience here that while establishing relationships with people, it is very important and beneficial to all be involved. But most importantly, establishing a relationship with yourself is the primary foundation for all other interactions.
I just hope that I’ve made an impact no matter how big or small it may have been.
Picture: Me (left), Elizabeth (right)
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