the beauty of travel

I’ve now been in Uganda for a few days, and have come to realize my memory is great. Maybe no so great at remembering names and dates, but great at remembering my experiences and the interactions I’ve had with people.

I was nervous before coming to Uganda because I was afraid I had romanticized my memories of Sub-Saharan Africa. The last African county I spent time in was South Africa in 2008 (?). Before that I had spent a little time in the Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso and Uganda. I fell in love with each of those countries and have carried that love with me everywhere else I have travelled. I always think, “this is nice, but it’s not Africa.” 

After spending two roller-coaster filled years in the Philippines, I began to wonder if my memories of Africa were wrong. Maybe the people weren’t as warm and friendly and real and joy-filled and compassionate and kind and thoughtful as I had remembered. Luckily, my memory hadn’t romanticized anything and the people of Uganda are just as wonderful as I have remembered. Even though I have yet to see much of Uganda, or experience much beyond the market, my hostel, and the office, I can feel the power of Africa that first made me fall in love with it.

I also just love travelling. I love moving. I love new places. I love the challenge of going into a new place, that seems completely foreign and unknown, and finding a way to be comfortable in it while learning as much as you can about life there.

Yesterday I was writing to JT that without fail people take care of me when I’m abroad whether it’s when I’m stranded at 4 am or when I don’t know how to get someplace or how to do something. The world is pretty amazing like that. It’s one of the things I love about being in other places. You need to rely on other people a lot more than we recognize in the U.S. It's not that we don't need to rely on people when we are home, but it's harder to see how we depend  (not be completely dependent, but able to accept help) on people. In the U.S. it’s hard to see that it's okay to accept help from other people.  We are taught to do everything on our own and we are told if we aren’t capable of doing something we are unsuccessful and/or weak. But, when you are abroad you have to rely on other people to help you through things and help you figure life out. And, sometimes, yes, you are completely dependent on people for a while to do the most basic tasks (i.e. learning how and where to get water or how to speak the language). And that’s not a bad thing.

One of the best things I learned in the Philippines is that it's important to accept what people give you and what people want to give you even if you don't think you need it or you don't want it or you feel bad taking it cause it's a lot. But, all of those things are good and make people feel good about being able to give. It's like being here and taking help from people. People just open their homes when I need a place to stay. They aren't necessarily doing that to give me something, rather it’s just what you do when you're in other places. It's significant to me though, and I'm still very grateful for it because rarely do we stumble upon strangers in the U.S. who are willing to trust a stranger with their families and homes. That is the greatest gift a person can give.

I think just as traveling exposes me to the worst parts of humanity it also introduces me to the best parts and gives me a lot of hope for the world. I say it shows me the worst parts, but I know that I can see those things in the U.S. too.  It's just magnified when you are traveling cause you see things you aren't as familiar with, so they stand out more. I don’t think that’s a good thing cause I think it leaves us disconnected from our closest neighbors and the injustices we walk beside each day, but I think it’s too often the reality, at least for me.  And, sometimes the suffering can just be overwhelming in certain countries whether the pain stems from corruption, HIV/AIDS, the effects of war, poverty or any other tragedy.

However, you also meet the most incredible people who are and do so much more than you ever knew a person was capable of being or doing. I’m always in awe when people, often strangers or long lost acquaintances/friends or friends of friends, go out of their way to help you as if it's no big deal at all. I love that and I think it's my favorite part of traveling. Needing people to help you, being able to let them help you, what you discover through those moments, and what develops between you and the people who help you during those times.

It’s also one of my favorite parts of Africa as a whole. Every country I have been to in Africa I have seen women help each other when someone is struggling. I have seen people take care of kids that aren’t biologically theirs. I have seen people give the little they have to another in need. I know that’s not universal and that there are still people who don’t do those things (it is a giant continent after all), but it seems to be the norm. It’s a norm that many other parts of the world don’t have, and it is refreshing to be surrounded by again.

On a less serious note, I love public transportation in other countries. I’ve missed riding on the back of motorcycles. I really hope someone gets a motorcycle so they can drive me around. I’ve tried driving one for myself and it was disastrous, so I’m counting on someone else to help me out with this dream.