What better way to start the experience of a lifetime than by going to the motherland? If you’re like me, you’re an over-thinker and an over-planner. We do not miss a flight that we’ve planned for months and thought about for just as long. Especially not a flight this important. So I arrived at the airport four hours early, impatiently telling my Uber driver that I was late. The truth wasn’t important in that moment; he just had to get me there and driving 20 miles per hour in the morning while having an entire conversation about his life was not cutting it. He was distracting my focus and I kept telling myself “I will not miss this trip, I will not miss this trip, I will not miss this trip”. Even if I had to hysterically cry my way out of the situation, the plane was not going to leave me. That was me overthinking and being dramatic.
It wasn’t until I got to the check-in desk, checked in all three bags after struggling to get them out the cab that I realized, Oh #$@&%*! This flight is really 20 hours. I was about to embark on a journey to be 20 hours and 3 different time zones away from my home. I didn’t know whether to go to sleep or to wake up, I was so nervous— I’m talking palms sweating nervous. I knew that this experience was going to be amazing, life changing, and exciting. Everything was wonderful and even though I wasn’t the same person I was a year ago, not even a few months ago, why did I still question myself? I still questioned my own capabilities too. Don’t get me wrong, I am so blessed to have the opportunities that I have been given and thankful to have met the people I have throughout my life, but I know that I can’t be the only person who has to pinch themselves every time something good happens. Like, is this really happening to me? I didn’t think I could ever be here especially after being told many times over that I should just pursue a plan B. But why have a plan B? Having a plan B to me is believing that you can’t achieve plan A and accept that there is possibility for failure therefore making said failure imminent. I don’t know... after losing my father in high school, working two full-time jobs to support my family and myself through college, then to come out as a first-generation college graduate, failure was not and has never been in my vocabulary.
So what did I get myself into? Well let’s see... miles away from home, eating different food, learning a complex language (mostly nodding my head every time someone speaks Luganda as if I understand), a completely new environment, and fully immersed in an intriguingly interesting culture. I’ve realized that while I may not have full control over every aspect of my life, I do have control of my actions and how I perceive myself- and that’s okay. If you are like me, you are a well put together overachieving mess. Although I have had many triumphs throughout the beginning of my newest journey, I still get sweaty palms here and there- even as I type this! I guess this is what an adventure is all about and that 20 hours of traveling was worth every minute.