Life and Experience

After a little more time than I had anticipated, I finally feel like I can call this place my home. I feel as if can say I am settled in; not just into my house, but overall I am becoming more and more settled into my new environment. I was cautioned time and time again that coming here was going to be a huge change, and a big culture shock. Even after all these warnings, I haven’t really experienced this ‘shock’ that was apparently awaiting me. Surprisingly, since the beginning it hasn’t been super rough adjusting to being here. The toughest part has been adjusting to the fact that I am in a foreign and unfamiliar place without the things and those people who I am so familiar with surrounding me; it’s not the ‘foreign culture’ but instead what’s missing. Obviously there have been nights where I wake up and want to be in my own bed and in my own surroundings back at home, but as time goes on I don’t have these nights as frequent anymore. I am starting to build a routine and as time goes on it is beginning to feel like real life again. The next couple of months here aren’t going to be a holiday as many people have suggested to me; I’m continuing with life and living it. I am still working, and studying and doing other day-to-day activities that I did when I was back home in Canada. I’m just living it in a different part of the world, which means living life differently, but still living it.

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

                                                   (Joe Lewis)

Since I have been here, I have had more time to actually think (it gets dark at seven every night and there’s not much to do after this time). Looking at the big picture of my life, I am going to be here for three months but the impact is going to last the rest of my life. The experiences and memories that I make here are going to ones that never leave me, and ones that most people will not have the chance to make. I most likely won’t have this same opportunity, so it’s important to savour and admire every moment that I get here. I the grand scheme of life, the home sickness and the ‘hard’ times are going to be nothing in comparison to the impact that it’s going to leave. Live love laugh and experience life.

What I get to wake up to every morning....amazing.

Kibaale

After many years of fundraising and sending other supports off to Kibaale, I finally got the opportunity to go and see the school that I have ‘helped’ to build. Kibaale Community Centre is a compound located in the city of Kibaale, within the district of Rakhi. The centre has a nursery, primary, secondary and vocational schools on its grounds, along with other projects and facilities such as a community medical centre. For a more detailed background on the centre: http://www.kibaale.net/

It was amazing finally getting to see this place after all these years of hearing constant updates on the status of the school and the students there. So after the hour and half drive along a bumpy road, we finally arrived and I got my first taste of ‘real’ Africa. The reason why I use the word ‘real’ is because to me, this centre is a reflection of what I always thought Africa to be like. The centre is very close to the more rural town of Kibaale, which is why I think it’s a different kind of Africa than what I have experienced thus far. It was much more rustic and village-like than what we had experienced before. Being there, the community is more intertwined with the people living there. It was like being in a totally different world. I think I can say this now because until this coming week, we haven’t been really involved with the Timothy Centre and the school on our campus. We are living in a place where there’s more of a Canadian flavour. All in all, it was really interesting how different this place was from what we had experienced thus far.

'downtown' Kibaale

a primary class having lessons outside

Though I knew that Kibaale was going to be different than what I was used to, it also struck me as being a lot different than I had always imagined it to be. I don’t know how I pictured the school to be like in my mind, but when the rain storm ended and we finally got the chance to walk around the campus I was pleasantly surprised at how different it actually was. I think that what I expected was something closer to the North American version of what Pacific Academy had been like, and it’s definitely not this. I know this sounds silly because the school is located in Africa, but I always thought it would be essentially a copy to what we have at home, but the school was definitely more African than North American. I think just being in the school setting that I had grown up in, I just assumed that because the Kibaale Centre was a vision that PA had created it would be a lot the same. But the place oozed of Ugandan culture, and I think this is why I really loved this place. It definitely does not have the same comforts or amenities that the Timothy Centre has, but I love it because it’s a different type of place. The difference between these two places I think is going to be a good balanced experience of the Ugandan culture.

The Top Unexpected (so far)

The Difference between Technology and Lifestyle. It’s obvious that when coming to a place like this there are going to be ‘stereotypical’ images; like the rundown houses, the dirty streets, the little markets that are not only filled with food but also with dirt and bugs. But what really surprised me is the contrast between the technologies and the lifestyle that they have. Walking into Masaka for the first time the other day, I was expecting to see this stereotypical Africa that everyone assumes, but there was an element that really surprised me. What surprised me was the number of people walking around talking on cell phones. You would think that they wouldn’t be available to this type of population, but EVERYONE seems to have them! It’s definitely something that I never expected.

The Amount of Things Accessible. Coming here I thought it was going to be ‘goodbye’ to a lot of different things I have at home, but there’s actually more here than I thought there was going to be. When we were at the grocery store, there were so many of the same products here that we have at home (though it is give and take a bit). I was even able to get my honey nut cheerios. Though it is available it is still limited to the major cities, and we don’t have as many of the same products within the smaller cities, like where I am living. But it’s nice to know that I can get most things that I want here.

The Accommodations and Luxuries that We Have. What surprised me the most is how amazing the place that we are staying is! We have (almost) everything that we need at our fingertips. The buildings are brand new, we have electricity and running water, our own water filtration system and wireless internet. On the weekdays we also have a lady who comes and does the basic cleaning of our house; it’s almost like having a surrogate mom. Coming into this I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I am very excited about the amenities that we have for us here.

Apparently the Rainy Season is Actually REALLY Rainy. When I heard that I was going to be here during the rainy season it didn’t bother me too much because I am definitely used to it (living in Vancouver will definitely get someone used to rain). But I assumed that rainy season would mean a couple minutes of rain every other day, or something along those lines. But since we arrived here, it’s rained every single day but today (I don’t want to speak too soon because we still have the evening). And some days it POURED. Its definitely a different kind of rain; a lot more tropical and slightly more enjoyable. I just never expected this amount of rain.

The Different Ways of Giving. When we were in church on Sunday it came time for the offering to be given. Like in Canada, people brought their money, but there was one woman who brought something more. Instead of bringing money she brought a live duck to give as her offering for the week. Apparently this is pretty normal, but I have never seen anything like this before. I thought it was pretty interesting to have a live duck in the church service though!

The Beginning - Some Pictures

 Here are a few pictures from my trip thus far. I have taken so many but because you arent able to do albums on here and have to post the pictures individually its time consuming. So there will be lots more to show when I get home. :)




FINALLY landing in Uganada.

There are these guards everywhere. They are on almost ever street corner in gorups. Apparently you arent allowed to take their picture, but at the time I didnt know this.

Driving into Masaka. The roads here are sometimes confusing because of all the pot holes, people drive everwhere to try and avoid them. And you're sharing the road with cars, trucks, motorcycles and bicycles.

A picture on the outskirts of Masaka.

Another picture of what life here in the 'city' is like.

Standing on the Equator.

Change

The biggest thing that I have noticed about Africa thus far is the fact that life is so different than ours over in Canada. It was something that was expected, but what surprises me is how in many ways it is so different, BUT there are also some ways that life here is so similar to that in Canada.

The biggest difference that I have been finding is how relaxed and (dare I say it, but with lack of a better word) “unscheduled” life is here as compared to what it is like at home. At home the pressure to ensure that you get ten million things done in a day is a part of daily life, but here a totally different attitude exists. This attitude seems to always be “if not today, then tomorrow”. There never seems to be a set time for anything, and if this time is set it often gets pushed back or forgotten and moved to another time when it is remembered. I am grateful that I somehow managed to lose my day planner because if I hadn’t I am sure that I would be much more bothered by the fact that life is so unscheduled as compared to what I have grown accustom to. I am mostly grateful for this way of life, because I am such a procrastinator that it seems like the way I would normally do things day to day is more acceptable here than it was at home. And as a side note, I am not in any way bashing this ideal, but even with my procrastination, it is still something that is foreign and different than what I am used to and it will most definitely need some getting used to.

What I do love about this place is that the basis of what they do here is ultimately the same as it is at home. Every person here is striving to live up to their full ability. People work hard to do what they need to accomplish, but it is just done at a different pace and in a different manner. I guess what I can conclude is that human beings are set out to find the same means to their ends, we just all do it in a different way. And here, it is in definite contrast to what I am used to back in Canada.

The bonus to this different way of life is the fact that I am able to live it and (eventually) become accustom to a different culture by becoming adapted to their different way of life. The only way to fully experience another culture is by living the way that they do. And I think with enough experience of this new lifestyle I can become accustom to this culture through living it every day.

The Beginning

After only being here for a few days I have already experienced Africa and what it holds for the next couple of months. The place where we are living is amazing. Our house sits on the top of the hill looking over the wetlands. There are birds and crickets constantly chirping and even though it’s the rainy season it’s still warm and humid. The place we are staying has all the comforts of home; running water, showers, electricity and even (sometimes) internet. Soon enough it will feel more like home, but as of right now it still feels like I’m living in a dream.

Though here we have almost everything that we have at home, it all still feels so unfamiliar and somewhat unreal. I know it takes time to get settled in to a place that’s so new, but it feels like it should be happening faster. My bags are unpacked and my room and house is set up exactly the way that I would want it, but it’s still sinking in that I am actually here and will be here for the next couple of months.

What’s most unsettling thing about this trip thus far is the fact that that it still feels so unreal. I don’t know when the reality will sink in and it’s frightening to think about it because I am already missing home and not having those familiar things around me; like my boyfriend, family and friends. Everything that was so accessible to me at home, but now it is so far away and I do really miss it. I am just worried that once this reality does indeed sink that it’s going to be too hard for me to be away from home and I won’t be able to experience every moment of this trip like I should.

With this being said I think that these feelings are just so overwhelming because everything is so new. I have never done anything like this before, and I just need some time to adjust. These next months are going to be trying, but I know that it’s something that I need to experience. I know that home is always a phone call away (and I even have my own cell phone out here). And, most importantly, I also know that everyone that I love is at home will still be there when I get back.

…and so the adventure begins.

Im leaving on a jet plane....but Ill be back in December again!

Heres a brief schedule of where Im goig to be and when Im going to be there.

leaving Vancouver September 01
landing in London September 02
leaving London September 12
landing in Uganda September 13
Leaving Uganda December 01
Landing in Zanzibar December 01
Leaving Zanzibar December 08
HOME December 09