Uganda: Day 2
Currently purchasing a one-way ticket back to Uganda. Not really, 'cause like school and family and stuff but I have, without a doubt, fallen in love with Uganda. The people, the food, the scenic drives, the calming personality of the country, the weather...I could honestly continue for a whole blog post...and it's only the end of Day 2. I needed Uganda, as much as I needed Kenya over 4 weeks ago. In only one day out in the field I can tell you that putting yourself out there is the answer; there's a difference between rushing and making your "customer" feel undervalued AND working on a tight time schedule and making your "customer" feel important; your actions change when you realize people will likely never see you again and you're on a new continent (for the better, I might add); and lastly, a nice dose of humility was injected into my soul. I've nicknamed my trip "feeding the soul" because it's the only thing that sums up so accurately what I hope this trip, and my life's endeavors, will do not only be for me, but for others.
I mentioned in my last post that the people responsible for making this surprise Uganda trip happened really didn't pull any shortcuts. Sure, we're on a limited budget and a tight time schedule, but they've managed to truly make me feel so appreciated as a visitor to this country. Adam (our driver), Jacob, and Richard (both field technicians) made our first day one that was equal parts productive as it was enriching. In Kenya, due to the widespread use of push-pull, we oftentimes had to travel quite a bit of kilometers to get from farm to farm which resulted in a lot of "wasted time" enroute and not many interviews conducted in one days time. Here it's a different story. Today, I interviewed 15 farmers in a span of a little under 8 hours; completed my bucket list item of visiting a Catholic Church in each country I visit; made new friends and took way too many photos...all while having time to pet/hold/cuddle a black piglet, a baby goat, a human baby, and a pusspuss (cat). They had arranged for us to do upwards of 30 interviews today alone and while Matilda kept telling us to wind it up, it's hard to be tired/hungry/angry when you're doing something like I am this summer. Interviewing the farmers is the BEST part and I'm happy I pushed myself to get as many questionnaires complete as I did today.Signing the guest books of the various farmers and writing "Address: Mbita, Kenya" has gotten to the point where it is as comforting as it is alarming, home as it is another continent, secure as it is unfamiliar, and humbling as it is empowering. I don't know how to describe it, but labeling another home as MY home is the weirdest feeling.I like Uganda and I do not think that it would be fair to compare it to Kenya and pick a favorite. It is just so beautiful here, though. I could go on and on about the people, the places, the food, the agriculture, the lifestyle, the country as a whole...Uganda really is the "pearl of Africa".I cannot wait to update this and include more photos from today, but my phone isn't working with my computer very well. I'll let you know when I update this with photos!