Almost home

It's my last night in Uganda and it's a bittersweet feeling. I came here thinking that I had no expectations. It was going to be a carefree trip and whatever happened was okay with me. Well, I realized that I had many expectations.

I hoped to work with a passionate and intelligent group of people - some of them were while others not so much. I expected to be inspired to write and I actually became so overwhelmed with things to write about that it's somewhat difficult to formulate all of my thoughts into one coherent thought.

This blog likely turned out to be very negative but I'd prefer we use the word cynical. I was cynical of Ugandan culture and government. I was cynical of the local people as well as the other Canadians I was working with. Above all, I was very cynical (or rather, critical) of the organization I worked for.

Yes, I'm excited to come home and after a few days in London, I'll be right back in Pearson airport. Almost three months ago our flight was delayed by about eight hours and I couldn't wait to get out of that airport. It seems a little dramatic but I might just be kissing the ground of that airport when I arrive home on July 20.

It's difficult for me to reflect right now because I'm still in Uganda but I know this summer provided me with an incredible learning experience and it wasn't until after one of our last group meetings that I thought to myself that I shouldn't have taken this opportunity for granted.

The people I met here are incredible. The random locals were all very friendly. Sometimes it seemed as if a day didn't go by that they didn't ask us for money or footballs but emergency aid from white people is all they understood when they saw us.

The good friends that I made here are unforgettable. Maya is a hilarious woman and despite cultural differences she gives great advice. Gillian is a beautiful young girl that welcomed us to Uganda and was sad to see us all go. Her trouble-maker daughter, Rosette is a riot too.

Robert, our night guard is indescribable. For a man that's taken a few bullet wounds and carries around a bow and arrow to protect us, it's surprising how sweet he is. He listened intently and never asked us for a single unreasonable thing.

There are so many people that I could mention: Patrick, the bartender at the hotel down the road or Lucy, the greatest cook in Uganda. This post is getting too long though and I have to repack everything I own for my quick trip to London.

So on a final note, it's the relationships that I made that I'll remember the most about Uganda. Soon I'll forget about the terrible food, the triple decker bunk bed and the burning garbage smell. It's unlikely that I'll keep in touch with everyone I met but that's okay.

When my new Ugandan friends asked when I was coming back to visit, I told them I probably wasn't. It seems harsh to say to someone but I owe them the truth. I have no intention of going back and it's not exactly because I had a rough time here (because I'd take this experience again in a heartbeat) but because I have more places in the world that I want to see. And to be honest, all I can think about right now is going back to Canada, visiting friends in Waterloo, chatting with the Cordies in the office, eating dinner with my family, pigging out on junk food with my Oshawa girls (damn, I miss you guys!) and then heading out to New Brunswick for Alex and Bethany's wedding and visits with the coolest family in the world.

*sigh* Five more days! :)