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. 

    Since I've been home, not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of the trip. The first couple weeks I was home I was experiencing reverse culture shock, and nothing in my life seemed to make any sense. I was having a really hard time compiling my thoughts into anything that I could explain to others. While completing my final paper for the course I had the chance to reflect on all that I learned and write something tangible that showed academically what I took away from the course. Now, I want to exercise my brain a bit differently and write something less structured about my experience. Keep in mind that this is just that, my experience. It's my feelings, my thoughts, and my conclusions as a lens placed over a country that could not be any more different than my own. I hope you enjoy reading.

    Juxtaposition. The word kept floating around in my mind the entire time I was in Uganda. Never have I experienced such a true, undeniable representation of the word. I have to thank Mrs. Ross' grade nine English class for giving me a tangible description to cling to as I moved through such an unfamiliar place. I was desperate to make sense of what I saw and felt. My senses were constantly overwhelmed, sight and smell on high alert. The stench of still water filled with garbage was indescribable as we walked down a dusty red path through the slums. Trash and compost alike crunched under my feet as I walked, and I was  consciously aware of the tight grip I had on my backpack even though I knew I was actually in very little danger. d A tiny hand would catch my eye every 20 steps or so, waving to me, asking me gently to look its way. A child with a bright, curious smile would meet me with each turn of my head. A few more steps, and there were vendors inviting us with a grin to come take a peek at their vegetable or fruit stand. We eventually reached our destination. It was a hastily constructed building just like all the others that we had seen on our walk. I heard women shouting and yelling in a tone that I was unfamiliar with, which I quickly learned was the Acholi way of showing excitement and appreciation. We entered into the building to a spread of colours on the ground that invited us in. Upon closer look, we saw thousands of hand-made bracelets, necklaces, and anklets crafted out of paper beads. All of these women had had their lives turned upside down 20+ years ago during Joseph Kony's horrific reign over Uganda. These women were widows, and had lost their husbands in ways unknown during the Lord's Resistance Army insurgency. Although they had lost everything, they were still here and trying to make a living through their beautiful craft. The country has nothing in terms of jobs, the economy is in shambles trying to keep up with over half of its population being below 25. Still, people find a way. The walk we took through the slums to get there was nothing short of the worst poverty I have witnessed in my entire life. Despite such awful conditions, there were smiles, waving hands, and these women. 

    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