Comfortable with the Uncomfortable.

Friends and family, this is Kelly speaking to you from Mukono, Uganda, East Africa. Although it is obvious, because I am able to write this blog, I want you to know that I am alive and well (and so far parasite and disease- free)! Overall, Africa has been treating me well and I am still beyond excited to be here!

 As of today, it has been two weeks since our plane Washington DC for Amsterdam, and then from Amsterdam to Entebbe. Initially, I was overwhelmed to meet so many new faces in the airport, but I was relieved to find that we all quickly bonded during the course of the 20+ hour trip. Upon arriving in Entebbe, sleep deprived and disoriented, we were picked up in buses, given bananas and biscuits (the Ugandan cracker/cookie which I have come to love and will probably live off of for the next few months) and taken on an hour drive to Uganda Christian University- my new home. During the bus ride, I so badly wanted to be able to pay attention to my first viewing of Africa, but staying awake proved to be too painful.

Since arriving on campus, I have been placed in a tiny dorm room with two other awesome girls (such an answered prayer). Our dorm consists of bunk beds with mosquito nets, cold showers, squatty potties, and no mirrors…. Yet I am so excited to be on this hall and to be living on a Ugandan campus! When we first arrived on campus, no UCU students had moved in, but as of today, there are 7,000 Ugandan students on campus! It has already been such an experience being a part of their orientation week and I cannot wait for what else is to come.

 After arriving in Mukono, at UCU, we hung out for four days and did a lot of getting settled (including adjusting to waking up at 6am to the sound of morning worship and loud birds that sound like monkeys, adjusting to new foods such as matoke and g-nuts, and adjusting to being constantly sweaty and dusty).  Just after four days, I found myself falling in love with the gorgeous tropical scenery, the people, the food, and the culture. I was surprised at how quickly I grew comfortable being uncomfortable, which I have found is basically the theme of my semester in Uganda. Just after spending four days in Africa, the cultural differences between home and Africa were so evident, yet I have found myself so at peace with the differences.

 On August 29, four days after flying into Entebbe, we left UCU at 5am to embark on a 15 hr trek to Rwanda. Before arriving, I had no idea what to expect of our ten day stay in Rwanda- little did I know that it would be one of the most memorable and emotionally challenging experiences of my life. Describing my time in Rwanda, every emotion that I felt, everything that I saw, every testimony and talk that I heard, is nearly impossible, but I will try to give you a brief overview (ask me later for more details, I would LOVE to share). Basically, for those of you who do not know, in April 1994, the people of Rwanda of Rwanda endured one of the most horrific genocides our world has ever witnessed. In an attempt to overthrow the more dominant Tutsi ethnic group, the Hutu people ordered that all Rwandans obtain an ID card labeling them as Tutsi, Hutu, or Twa. To make a long story short, the Hutu then proceeded to kill around one million Tutsis. Unfortunately, the death of the Tutsis was not quick and painless; the Hutu brutally these innocent people who were their friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. While in Rwanda, we spent time visiting sites where the genocide occurred (including a church called Nyamata where around 8,000 people were massacred and their clothes and bones remain), heard testimonies from numerous victim orphans, visited a place called Hope orphan village, went to the genocide museum, heard from numerous speakers, learned about the role that reconciliation has played in the current transformation of Rwanda, and even looked into the eyes of hundreds of the Hutu perpetrators (ask me for this story later). I could probably write an entire book about all that I learned and experienced in Rwanda, but I spare you for now (but PLEASE ask me about it sometime!). As well as studying genocide, I had the opportunity to visit a rural church with five other people from the program. When arriving at the church, I was surprised to find around 300 Rwandans singing and dancing their hearts out- it was so beautiful that it literally brought me to tears. While at church, we were seated on the stage, asked to teach them two songs (after SIX of their choirs had just performed), asked to give a testimony, and asked to give a sermon. And on top of all of this, the pastor was the only other person at the church who spoke English. After church, we were invited to eat lunch in the pastor’s one room home with all 25 elders of the church. Even though we did nothing for them, everyone at the church was so thankful that we had come and gave us way more than we deserved.

 After spending six nights in Rwanda, we hopped back on the trusty ol’ bus (which got a horrible flat tire on the bus ride home) and went to Bushara Island, a tiny island on Lake Bushara in Uganda. Bushara is not only one of the most gorgeous places in the world, but it was exactly what I needed after an emotionally and physically draining week in Rwanda. While on Bushara, we stayed in fully-furnished private tents, did a lot of debriefing, swam in the lake for four hours, went on rope swings, showering under buckets filled with hot water, ate guacamole, and danced to an African drum circle. It was the perfect rest before heading back to UCU.

 So here I am now, back at UCU, resting after my first day of classes, and praying that there will be internet so that I can post this ridiculously long blog. If you have read all the way to this point, thank you, and if not, I completely understand. Just know that all that I have written scarcely even skims what I have already learned, experienced, seen, and how I have already grown. Hopefully I will be blogging more often, but it is hard to tell when the internet is constantly down and the only place to use computers is in a dinning hall full of friendly Ugandans. Know that I miss you all DEARLY and think of you often. Always, Your Muzungu (meaning white person… a name that I get screamed at me literally EVERYWHERE I go), Kelly

 In case you want to keep reading even moreeee, here are some FFs (fun facts) about Uganda:

-       - a toilet is a toilet, the bathroom is where you shower

-      -  a bota-bota is a crazy motorcycle taxi that you can take if you are willing to risk your life… they are Everywhere

-       - Ugandans shower twice a day and think that Americans are dirty

-       - Dinner is always at 7pm and lunch at 1pm

-       - Girl’s basketball is called netball

-       - If you ride a bike, it is a sign of poverty

-       - There are anthills twice my height

-       - Once you get sick once, your immune system is good to go!