July 8, 2009 (continued...)

I’ve officially been awake for 24 hours. I woke up at 5am this morning Ugandan time and now at 10pm in Washington D.C. I have been awake and active for the entire span of a day. I’m on an emotional high, I get to see my family after 3 weeks of being gone. I just walked through Dulles Airport by myself and discovered I’m more nervous than expected, but that might also be due to the 24 hours of being awake and the fact that I was by myself. It’s so strange being back in the states, it’s so weird being in the majority. I really enjoyed being the odd one out. The joy I found in Uganda isn’t here in the U.S., it’s really sad to come home and come to the realization that although we have so much privilege we are much less joyful and happy than the those who have so little. The people in northern Uganda have been through so much but the laugher they share is so wonderful it makes anyone who hears want to smile.

But I’m going home, I’ll sleep in my bed tonight. It’s so strange.

My cell phone is dead and I just realized I’m on a different flight than I’m supposed to be on. I don’t know what I’m going to do - I’ll figure it out some way, some how. I’m hoping there’s somewhere I can charge my phone on this plane. We’re waiting on the runway for takeoff right now. Getting home may be more stressful than I thought if I’m on the wrong flight. It’s going to the right place though... Boston, MA. But if there’s no one waiting for me and my parents find out my phone wasn’t charged I’m in big trouble!

Back to thinking about the past three weeks, I feel my eyes starting to tear up - I didn’t want to cry in front of everyone at the airport. But I’ll cry now. The girl sitting next to me is sleeping and I doubt anyone will notice the silent tears falling down my face. Time to let my emotions pour out...

I just want to go back.

Uganda. Is. Home.

July 8, 2009

I’m sitting on British Airways Flight 062 on my way to London to get a transfer flight to D.C. where I will board a U.S. Airways Flight at 10pm - destination: Boston, where I will be reunited with my parents. I’m so excited to see them. This whole trip, this entire experience has been absolutely incredible. There’s no other way to say it, it truly has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life and promises to remain just that long after I return home. Years in the future I will look back to this trip as one of the pivotal time periods of my life. I’ve met some of the most resilient people who have gone through traumatic experiences but are learning how to recover one day at a time. I’ve walked the streets of Gulu, I’ve ridden a dirt bike across the north, visiting villages and having conversations with people through translation. I’ve made connections with people I never would have met if not for this trip. Although I can’t keep in touch with the students I’ve met - I will never forget them. For instance, Irene, who I met at Keyo, made an impact on my life. She has been through so much, but she keeps pushing forward - she wants to help others - she wants to make a difference. Then there’s Isaac, a student at Atanga, he was part of the Invisible Children Club at his school called “Bright Star” and wants to be a Doctor when he’s older.

Students like Irene and Isaac have so much motivation, so much determination, so much passion - it’s so inspiring, and it makes me want to work so much harder to raise awareness when I return home. Heaven forbid violence were to return to northern Uganda again by means of Kony or some other rebel group... I shudder to think of the consequences. Having been there - having met the students, those who have worked and are working towards a better future, I can’t imagine not knowing if they were alive or in grave danger. I truly hope they never have to suffer the unspeakable horrors they’ve dealt with in the past ever again.

I hope I’m able to return to Uganda again - it is an absolutely amazing place. But I also hope I’m able to travel to other places and see more of the developing world. It really is important. I live in a nation that has so much - and although we shouldn’t just give handouts (creating dependency) it is important to realize the connection we have - person to person - human to human. We’re all connected...

3 hours, 5 minutes till we land in London. I’m getting closer to home!

July 7, 2009

It’s been 2 days since I’ve written! Unbelievable! I guess I’ll just have to begin where I left off. When we left the intern house - destination: Murchison National Park, I wasn’t feeling all that well and ended up sleeping the entire drive. When we reached the park we were officially in Safari Zone where we saw antelopes, giraffes, and other Ugandan Wildlife. We kept driving and ended up at the Nile River where we took a ferry (dock with a motor) to the other side. There we took the bus up to the top of the hill (thanks to a kind man who offered us a ride on his bus for free) where we ate at the Red Chile where I ate chipati and baked beans. We then walked down to the base and boarded our boat tour on the Nile. We saw hippos, alligators, and the beautiful Murchison Falls. I slept the majority of the time though (I really wasn’t feeling well).

The tour finished and we were dropped off where we started. We again boarded our bus and drove back through the park sighting an elephant along the way! We arrived at a small tenting lot in the middle of the park and discovered that was where we were to sleep - in the middle of the Ugandan bush!

I really wish I wasn’t sick.

The next morning we left and made our journey to Adrift in Jinja. Again, I slept the whole way. When we arrived at Adrift - I slept on the couch, ate dinner, and was the first to bed. I don’t think I’ve ever slept so much in my entire life.

I thankfully woke up this morning feeling much better - I think I slept off the worst of it!

We rafted and swam in the Nile today (Class 5 rapids!) AMAZING. We only flipped once but it was incredibly thrilling.

After rafting we collected our things and drove to Kampala (where I am now). we’re staying at a hostel that is surprisingly very nice. We leave at 6am tomorrow morning.

We had a dinner at the restaurant downstairs tonight that was quite fancy and very delicious. Zach, Andrew, and Jed gave a speech about how great everyone on the trip is and what an incredible experience we’ve all had - it was really touching. I’m going to miss everyone when I go back home.

July 5, 2009

We’re sitting in a 28 passenger bus about to leave the intern house in Gulu. Our bags have all been strategically packed in a toyota van that will be following behind us. The engine on the bus has started and Amy (an intern here in Gulu) has just waved goodbye. as we pass through the gate and turn off our road I can’t help but wish I’ll be able to return someday.

July 4, 2009 (continued...)

We’re just hanging out at the house now. We visited an IDP Camp and return village today. The camp was all but empty because people have started moving back to their homes due to the relative peace.

We had crackers for lunch and my stomach is begging for food!

I’ve been extremely congested the past couple of days and it’s making me feel really tired and exhausted. My throat is starting to hurt too. I always get sick at the end of things! I guess it’s just my natural tendency. Even though I’ve taken an anti-malarial, probiotic, and multivitamin each day since I’ve been here. I don’t think there’s anything else I could have done to prevent feeling like this. It hope it’s just allergies and more than likely that’s all it is - I was fine until I started sneezing uncontrollably a couple days ago. I don’t know what I can do about it, just wait it our I guess, but I don’t want to be sick when I get home!

But tonight we’re having a 4th of July Party complete with crackers, soda, and Michael Jackson Music. What could be better?! Jeremiah might even teach us how to dance to Thriller :)

July 4, 2009 (Morning)

It’s the 4th of July! Yippe yay! I’m in Uganda celebrating the 4th of July. It’s pretty funny, but I probably won’t be in Uganda on the 4th again.

Today we’re going to visit an IDP Camp and then a village to see the difference between life in the camp and what life could be in the village.

Right now I’m sitting outside, I just finished my breakfast (2 pieces of toast and mangoes). It enjoyed it a lot; I was quite hungry the night before and overnight my hunger only increased. So it was great to eat needless to say.

Last night when I talked to my Mom she also told me the fireworks were rescheduled to July 5th, I wish they could push them back to the 9th when I’ll be home.

Last night I didn’t go to bed until really late - Grant Heskamp, Alex Ammons, Alex Naser-Hall, Jeremiah Witt, and I stayed up late talking about many things. It was nice to chat.

July 3, 2009 (continued...)

Today we visited Invisible Children’s EDI (Economic Development Initiative) Programs on the ground. We first visited the VSLA group to see how micro-financing is helping them generate new capital. The group was very excited for us to visit and gave us a warm thank you when we left. While we were there we watched as they held a meeting and deposited money that they had saved over the week. They had even come together and created a welfare program that they contributed to each week so that if a person in their village had an emergency they had funds to fall back on. It was great to see how well the program was working. As the years pass more capital will be gained and they will come out of poverty.

We then went to visit the MEND Program after dropping Andrew off at the Gulu Clinic because he was suffering from a poisonous spider bite he had received the night before. MEND is a new EDI program formed under Invisible Children. Thirteen women make bags that will be sold in the United States and around the world. The head director of the program used to design for Tommy Hillfiger, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren; it’s pretty cool. The women were all very nice and seem to really enjoy their work. They are all formerly abducted/war effected women that are recovering from an extremely difficult past.

After leaving MEND we stopped in to check up on Andrew only to discover he was on a steroid IV and wouldn’t be able to join us for a few more hours. We went to lunch at a little cafe in town where I had rice and beans; they were delicious. We then made our was to a village to visit a cotton EDI program. In this program farmers are given free cotton seed that they then grow and sell to Invisible Children (who buys it at a fair price). Invisible Children then sells the cotton to Eden, a clothing company that makes clothes out of organic cotton. I fell asleep during our trip to the village but woke to the sound of singing joyful voices. As I looked out the window I could see the dancing women leading us through the bush to their huts. We pulled up to the village and the whole community was dancing and singing. They sat us down after about 4 songs and thanked us for coming. They then led us into the field to plant cotton. We weren’t great at it, but we did our best.

The day had been long, the sun was beating on our backs, and we were ready to go to the market to pick up our things. When we got to the market I discovered that the woman who made my dress wasn’t there! So, I’ll have to figure out a way to pick it up tomorrow. I did pick up a halter-top I ordered though and bought some headbands and bags. Once we all met up and loaded into the matatu we went to an African Cradt Shop who’s profits supported local women with HIV/Aids.

We then headed home and ate/packed up all out things because bright and early Sunday morning we leave for Murchison! I talked to my Mom tonight and apparently it’s been raining since I left. I hope it stops raining by the time I get back.