Today is my last day in Uganda. I can’t believe how fast the
past few months have flown by, and particularly this last week. Last Sunday, we
had a party with all of the SIT students and our host families. It was SO nice
to see my family again. I didn’t realize how much I missed them until I saw
them again. The night ended with music and dancing, so I was able to show off
all the skills my sisters taught me in front of my SIT friends. Every member of
my family was able to come, besides Marvin plus baby Frahia and her parents. It
was really sad to say goodbye, but I’m glad I was given that last chance to see
them again before next time. However, I do plan on seeing them again someday,
and between now and then, they want to host both of my American siblings, Alex
and Sara.
Monday through Thursday were spent at a hotel “in Entebbe”,
which really was only about 5 minutes from Kampala city. It was a really
pretty, quaint little hotel, which was a perfect haven for us to finish our
papers. I finished my 40-page paper and presented my work to the program on
Thursday. It was the best feeling to be done! It was really neat to be able to
hear about everyone else’s practicum projects as well. Everyone’s findings were
really interesting and well-presented.
After we all finished, we went to the beach in Entebbe for
the afternoon. I finally got to see Lake Victoria. Aaaaand I went swimming in
it, which means there’s a 99% chance I have a parasite. HOWEVER, you only live
once and how could I pass up swimming in Lake Victoria? The water was so warm
and we got to watch the sunset. Magical!
We came back to the hostel in Kampala for this weekend to do
some “crafting” and last-minute things. Two nights ago, our entire program went
out dancing in an area of the city called Centenary Park. We started our
re-integration process back to America by playing American drinking games at
the bar, before taking over the entire dance floor. The night was fun, until we
left and a few members of the group got mugged. Everyone was okay, and luckily
3 of the ssebos (boys) from our group were there as well as a few of our
Ugandan friends and only one wallet was taken.
Last night was our last night and we went out to Ethiopian
food. The food and atmosphere were amazing, and Ethiopian is now my favorite
type of food. I hope I can find a restaurant somewhere near home! Then we went
to a Mexican restaurant (the only one in Kampala and it is purely there to
serve the Mexican needs of muzungus) for margaritas and salsa dancing. It was a
really nice way to end the semester.
It’s hard to believe I’m leaving today. Towards the end, I
have been trying to appreciate everything here that has become second nature to
me, but it’s hard. Things I won’t miss: being over-charged, the smell of
burning trash, standing out at all times, pit latrines, diarrhea, posho,
matooke. Things I will miss: everything else. I don’t think it will really hit
me until I get back to the US, the things that I will miss about it here. I am
really thankful to have gotten such an amazing abroad experience and I feel
like I’m going back home a better person.
Jessamy and I are leaving this afternoon on a 15 hour bus
ride to Nairobe. Due to my lack of sleep in the past week, I will hopefully
spend the majority of the 15 hours passed out on the bus (with my bags locked
on my lap, Mom ) We’ll spend a few days in a village outside of the city with
a friend she met there last summer. We’ll be hiking (a volcano!) and exploring
the area until the 18th. Then we’ll fly to Mombasa, on the coast and spend a
few days relaxing on the beach until the 21st. We fly out on the 21st and after
our 5-leg flight (including a stop in Ethiopia and Rome) we’ll land in
Charlotte, NC just in time to go to a Dave Matthews Band in concert on the 23rd
with Jessamy’s friend. And finally, I will finally arrive in Boston on the
24th! It’s going to be crazy.
Alright, off to Kenya!
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