Last Days in Uganda
Well I can't believe that the time has come so quickly to say goodbye to Uganda. On Friday they had a huge celebration for us at the school with tons of singing and dancing. It was also the end of the inter-house competition where the three "houses" at the school compete in a week of competition in volleyball, football (soccer), and singing and dancing. The three house names are Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
It was very sad leaving all of the children at the school as we became very close to some of the orphans. Over the course of my time here I have developed some very strong relationships and it was very sad to leave. Most of the kids were crying in fear that they may never see us again. We provided them, even for a short time, with a sense of hope that the world does care about them. All they have is each other and a few teachers to guide them along the way. As much as we told them that we'd be back it's still never a definite answer as we are a world away.
On Saturday we made our long drive back to the big city of Kampala where we stayed with a woman from the US embassy. It was nice to be able to take a hot shower and eat some relatively American style food. The cost of living here is so much lower than the US so she has a lot of amenities that would not be affordable in America like armed guards at the gate, gardeners, cooks, cleaning people, etc., but it's very inexpensive to have such staff here in Uganda.
Seeing this sort of lifestyle also made me a little sick to my stomach at first because people just around the corner are fighting to live and eat. It's a VERY weird paradox in this country. You have the majority of the people living in EXTREME poverty and just around the corner you have people living the high life. It makes one really appreciate what we have in the United State of America, the greatest country in the world.
We've been doing some touring of the area since we arrived late on Saturday night which was VERY difficult to take in at first. It was hard to see this other side of Africa where there is development, tourism, somewhat of a regular economy, and money. Our time at Bethlehem and Kyotera was full of intense culture and poverty where we were the only white people anywhere in site. It was hard to see the struggle that most of the people in this country have to go through and then just around the corner there are people with money.
I'm really going to miss the school as it was an experience that has changed the way I look and feel about things forever.
Half of the group is going back the USA tomorrow morning and Zach, Lindsay, and I are catching a flight to Egypt at 4:30AM tomorrow.
We are staying in Cairo for 3 days at the Franciscan seminary with a friar from St. Bonaventure. We are then going to Luxor for another 3 days to tour that city as well.
It was very sad leaving all of the children at the school as we became very close to some of the orphans. Over the course of my time here I have developed some very strong relationships and it was very sad to leave. Most of the kids were crying in fear that they may never see us again. We provided them, even for a short time, with a sense of hope that the world does care about them. All they have is each other and a few teachers to guide them along the way. As much as we told them that we'd be back it's still never a definite answer as we are a world away.
On Saturday we made our long drive back to the big city of Kampala where we stayed with a woman from the US embassy. It was nice to be able to take a hot shower and eat some relatively American style food. The cost of living here is so much lower than the US so she has a lot of amenities that would not be affordable in America like armed guards at the gate, gardeners, cooks, cleaning people, etc., but it's very inexpensive to have such staff here in Uganda.
Seeing this sort of lifestyle also made me a little sick to my stomach at first because people just around the corner are fighting to live and eat. It's a VERY weird paradox in this country. You have the majority of the people living in EXTREME poverty and just around the corner you have people living the high life. It makes one really appreciate what we have in the United State of America, the greatest country in the world.
We've been doing some touring of the area since we arrived late on Saturday night which was VERY difficult to take in at first. It was hard to see this other side of Africa where there is development, tourism, somewhat of a regular economy, and money. Our time at Bethlehem and Kyotera was full of intense culture and poverty where we were the only white people anywhere in site. It was hard to see the struggle that most of the people in this country have to go through and then just around the corner there are people with money.
I'm really going to miss the school as it was an experience that has changed the way I look and feel about things forever.
Half of the group is going back the USA tomorrow morning and Zach, Lindsay, and I are catching a flight to Egypt at 4:30AM tomorrow.
We are staying in Cairo for 3 days at the Franciscan seminary with a friar from St. Bonaventure. We are then going to Luxor for another 3 days to tour that city as well.
posted by Andrew Mantilia | 9:04 AM
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