Reflections on Uganda
Hi everyone! I am resurrecting my blog to share some of my thoughts on my recent trip to Uganda. I was there from the end of July to the beginning of August for 2 weeks for a political studies study abroad. Among 10 other students, I learned, I laughed, I cried, and I saw some of the most amazing things that I have had the privilege to see thus far in my life.
Years and years of political turmoil and violence has left Uganda in a vulnerable state. Whispered promises of reconciliation and transitional justice mechanisms provide hope, but as every official we met with informed us, implementation struggles have a much louder voice. Peace processes struggle to strike a balance between Western notions of retributive justice and local restorative justice procedures. This implementation gap has only grown further as the years have gone on. Time compounds with generational trauma equalling a nasty situation with a lot of literature, but little action. Children born in captivity during the LRA insurgency still suffer from the stigma of being born to captive mothers. A few former child soldiers shared their stories with us, courageously telling about their capture and showing the scars that they bear. They wait in earnest for reparations, struggle with post-war displacement, and want their stories to be heard. Before each one spoke, they praised God after saying their name. I was reminded of what a privilege I have to live in a society that is going through the death of religion. To not have to cling to a divine being as my only source of hope is an immense entitlement that I never want to take for granted again. I challenge anyone who questions our freedom in Canada to consider what could be. These women spoke from such a courageous place as they described the horrors they had endured and I will forever find inspiration in them.
Not everything we did in Uganda had a sad undertone. It was easy to move the women's stories to the back of my mind as we gazed at Murchison Falls, the most powerful waterfall in the world. We saw the source of the Nile River and enjoyed so many laughs together dancing to our new favourite songs with our new college friends from the University of Kyambogo. As my pictures showed, I saw so many amazing animals and beautiful nature. One of my favourite memories is when we were welcomed so graciously into an Acholi village in Gulu, Northern Uganda. A short walk through fields and huts brought us to a group singing and dancing to an original song as they welcomed their "dear visitors" to their village. Our gracious hosts served us a traditional meal while we all laughed our way through trying to communicate with one another. The heat from the sun felt different that day, like a warm hug emulating the energy that group of people showed us. From the minute we stepped foot in the village, we were assured we were family. And I can't think of a truer sense of the word. The way that Ugandans treat a stranger will follow me for life.
This trip opened up my world in ways I did not think possible. My two weeks in Uganda were nothing short of amazing, and I gained a cultural appreciation that I did not anticipate. The experiences had and friends made are invaluable and certainly not replicable in a classroom. This trip exceeded my expectations ten-fold, and I had more tears and laughs in 2 weeks than I thought I would, for sure. Thanks for reading if you got this far, I hope you enjoyed.
Kathryn
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