As I think back to this exact day one year ago that I stepped off the claustrophobic plane and onto the Uganda pavement I was pathetic. Freaking out about the taxis swerving into the road, the boda's pushing in your mirrors so they can pass and of course all the black people. I remember as we drove from the airport we got pulled over by a traffic police. He began threatening Corey he was going to take him to jail, confiscate our car and take his license. I was in the back shaking. Literally. My knees were trembling and I was whispering to Corey to just pay the stupid money in fear that he legitimately would be taken to prison. Now I'm the one threatening the traffic police telling him if he asks for a bribe I'm sending him to jail! (Actually we've got the twist of things now and have made fake drivers license!)
I've thought many times whether this journey has really been worth my time. Obviously I've missed a lot of opportunities I would've had if back home - making memories with friends, getting a job and all the glory of that first world. But weighing out what I could've done and what I have done, there is no comparison. The experiences of Uganda and living aboard in general exceeds everything I would've learnt and done this past year in Canada. I will admit I'm a little drained somedays, just wishing I could blend in, be equal, be normal. The staring gets old real fast, the yelling, the whistles, the kissing imitations and clapping are just another part of my life. And though I've lived with it for a year it is something I will never enjoy. But depending on my mood I usually just do up my window or I'll stick my head out the window and flip at them. (I've learned the useful Lugandan works. Such as "Tokikola!" aka "What are you looking at!" Works like a charm.
Obviously I can't name every experience that's happen in the whole 365 days, nor can I recall every small detail of my life here. Instead I'm going to highlight five of my favourite things about life here.
1. The Kids. Back home kids are so isolated from society for their own protection. They walk hand in hand with parents, never go out alone and are taught not to talk to strangers - which is good. But here all those safety precautions are dismissed and the kids run wild and free! Adults can be pretty boring sometimes with such a serious outlook on life. But when you're walking to the Bakery and pass a group of toddlers building sandcastles in the dirt laughing their heads off over absolutely nothing and can have a quick conversation with them it brightens your day and reminds you to just enjoy life and not stress.
2. No Pressure. From this I don't just mean living an easy-going life. But rather on a more personal scale. Back home there is an enormous pressure on looking, acting and basically appearing perfect all the time. Especially for teenage girls. I hated the burden of doing things I really didn't enjoy because that's what everyone else did! I didn't realize the heavy strain I had on my shoulders in regards to 'fitting in.' I thought I was living a life separate from everyone else back home because my confidence level is fairly elevated. But once I removed myself from the scene of that life I could actually hear the voices inside my own head! I just enjoy waking up and having the ability to decide what I'm going to do and wear without any interferences from opinions of others. I love the freedom from that load of expectations we have for people in our world...with or without noticing it!
3. Free Time. Back home I got enough time to pursue my passions in music and writing as well as spending my afternoons at the barn and my mornings doing schoolwork. But since moving to the most laid back country on this universe - which has it's pros and cons, I've realized how insanely we're rushed! And usually for no reason! We create a lot of 'stuff' and stress in our lives without even knowing it. But here everything is so chill. I completed the First Unit of English 12 in one week but for a puzzling reason it took me a month back home. I accomplish a lot more but I still feel I have spare time to just watch the sunset or stroll the neighbourhood. I know it'll feel like I'm running a marathon when I go grocery shopping back home! Not looking forward to that accelerated speed we constantly are geared in!
4. Opportunities. Sure I fart a lot about the lack of entertainment and activities Uganda provides, but then again there are more things to get involved in here than there was back home. And you know that whatever you do here in Uganda will really make a difference. If I wake up feeling like being pessimistic one day I just go to the orphanage and there's the cure. In a year I've had the opportunity to rescue three dogs - though we've only kept one that we rescued from birth because the males were a little too aggressive. I've also had the opportunity to share my musical talents at a young teen pregnancy centre as well as Sanyu Babies Home on countless occasions. (And of course church meetings). I've gotten to visit Watoto and see some of the amazing work they're doing there, and have spent the entire year working at Sanyu's which has been an outstanding experience. I've heard a lot of stories, seen a lot of mud huts and learnt a lot about the culture of Uganda. Also in the process of learning a traditional Ugandan instrument, learning Lugandan, driving a clutch boda and a standard car. Plus when you move across the world with nothing but family for company it forces you to stretch your comfort zone and try to make friends with people from all over the world - mostly Europeans at Sanyus and other mzungus we bump into.
5. Last but certainly not least, the lesson of charity. I'm happy. So content and gratified with where I am and what I'm doing. Somedays I'm tired and not in the mood of giving giving giving - which is required every single day. But the majority of days I wake up with a smile for service. You see your neighbours weaving baskets from dawn 'til dusk and decide to take their two little boys to the shop for a treat. You carefully scan the sellers at the market to find the most tattered and battered so they won't go hungry tonight. You stop to have a conversation with a group of kids walking home from school which they'll probably record in their journals tonight. You buy an expired pancake at the store to feed the hungry stray dog or carry some biscuits as you walk to give to all the cute toddlers wandering around.
Life here is so normal it's not to think of something that might be interesting to those of you back home! I search my mind constantly for new stories to share or cool experiences I've had, but now they're blending together in the category of normal, leaving less of a mark on my mind and just getting lost in the pile of memories that linger in my brain!
And my apologies for not blogging lately! I suppose my paragraph above explains the reasons well enough but I promise I will get going again! I like my posts to have pictures attached by with limited internet I'll wait weeks before the chance to upload, hence why I often don't! This time I made an exception of no picture :)
Cheers
Obviously I can't name every experience that's happen in the whole 365 days, nor can I recall every small detail of my life here. Instead I'm going to highlight five of my favourite things about life here.
1. The Kids. Back home kids are so isolated from society for their own protection. They walk hand in hand with parents, never go out alone and are taught not to talk to strangers - which is good. But here all those safety precautions are dismissed and the kids run wild and free! Adults can be pretty boring sometimes with such a serious outlook on life. But when you're walking to the Bakery and pass a group of toddlers building sandcastles in the dirt laughing their heads off over absolutely nothing and can have a quick conversation with them it brightens your day and reminds you to just enjoy life and not stress.
2. No Pressure. From this I don't just mean living an easy-going life. But rather on a more personal scale. Back home there is an enormous pressure on looking, acting and basically appearing perfect all the time. Especially for teenage girls. I hated the burden of doing things I really didn't enjoy because that's what everyone else did! I didn't realize the heavy strain I had on my shoulders in regards to 'fitting in.' I thought I was living a life separate from everyone else back home because my confidence level is fairly elevated. But once I removed myself from the scene of that life I could actually hear the voices inside my own head! I just enjoy waking up and having the ability to decide what I'm going to do and wear without any interferences from opinions of others. I love the freedom from that load of expectations we have for people in our world...with or without noticing it!
3. Free Time. Back home I got enough time to pursue my passions in music and writing as well as spending my afternoons at the barn and my mornings doing schoolwork. But since moving to the most laid back country on this universe - which has it's pros and cons, I've realized how insanely we're rushed! And usually for no reason! We create a lot of 'stuff' and stress in our lives without even knowing it. But here everything is so chill. I completed the First Unit of English 12 in one week but for a puzzling reason it took me a month back home. I accomplish a lot more but I still feel I have spare time to just watch the sunset or stroll the neighbourhood. I know it'll feel like I'm running a marathon when I go grocery shopping back home! Not looking forward to that accelerated speed we constantly are geared in!
4. Opportunities. Sure I fart a lot about the lack of entertainment and activities Uganda provides, but then again there are more things to get involved in here than there was back home. And you know that whatever you do here in Uganda will really make a difference. If I wake up feeling like being pessimistic one day I just go to the orphanage and there's the cure. In a year I've had the opportunity to rescue three dogs - though we've only kept one that we rescued from birth because the males were a little too aggressive. I've also had the opportunity to share my musical talents at a young teen pregnancy centre as well as Sanyu Babies Home on countless occasions. (And of course church meetings). I've gotten to visit Watoto and see some of the amazing work they're doing there, and have spent the entire year working at Sanyu's which has been an outstanding experience. I've heard a lot of stories, seen a lot of mud huts and learnt a lot about the culture of Uganda. Also in the process of learning a traditional Ugandan instrument, learning Lugandan, driving a clutch boda and a standard car. Plus when you move across the world with nothing but family for company it forces you to stretch your comfort zone and try to make friends with people from all over the world - mostly Europeans at Sanyus and other mzungus we bump into.
5. Last but certainly not least, the lesson of charity. I'm happy. So content and gratified with where I am and what I'm doing. Somedays I'm tired and not in the mood of giving giving giving - which is required every single day. But the majority of days I wake up with a smile for service. You see your neighbours weaving baskets from dawn 'til dusk and decide to take their two little boys to the shop for a treat. You carefully scan the sellers at the market to find the most tattered and battered so they won't go hungry tonight. You stop to have a conversation with a group of kids walking home from school which they'll probably record in their journals tonight. You buy an expired pancake at the store to feed the hungry stray dog or carry some biscuits as you walk to give to all the cute toddlers wandering around.
Life here is so normal it's not to think of something that might be interesting to those of you back home! I search my mind constantly for new stories to share or cool experiences I've had, but now they're blending together in the category of normal, leaving less of a mark on my mind and just getting lost in the pile of memories that linger in my brain!
And my apologies for not blogging lately! I suppose my paragraph above explains the reasons well enough but I promise I will get going again! I like my posts to have pictures attached by with limited internet I'll wait weeks before the chance to upload, hence why I often don't! This time I made an exception of no picture :)
Cheers
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