Ever since I was in Middle School, I always dreamed of going to Africa with the Peace Corps. The idea of going to this far off world that had all the planets coolest animals and people that lived so radically different than I seemed like the perfect adventure. As I grew up this dream was constantly being figured into my life: it will happen some day, maybe right after college, after I get a job, when I get tired of a job, etc. My intentions of going also evolved as I grew, turning from wanting to see animals and jungles to wanting to understand different ways of living and making friends around the globe to finally hoping to learn something deeper about human nature/life and applying that knowledge to my career as a teacher. Well this past year it seemed liked the timing in my life was perfect, I seized the opportunity and applied last November. It was a looooong and nail-biting process, but I was finally placed. As of November 15th, 2012 I will be living and working in Uganda! As all my friends shared in the anticipation up until this moment, you all how I thought eagerly about where I was to be placed. Part of me was hoping for Ghana or maybe even Senegal, someplace northwest. When I got the formal invitation to serve in Uganda, it felt...perfect. As I told all my friends and family saying I was going to Uganda rolled of the tongue and felt right; yes this experience is something I am meant to have.
Just some quick facts about where I will be going:
- It is nicknamed "The Pearl of Africa"
- It was colonized during the 1800s by the British but then won independence in 1962
- There was a tyrannical rule with a lot of bloodshed, but for the past decade it has been very peaceful
- It houses about 94 species of monkey, including the Silver-back Mountain Gorilla
- It is on the equator, so if I am close then I will have beautiful weather year long!
-They grow a wide variety of crops, including bananas and coffee
- It is landlocked, but has many major rivers and lakes like Lake Victoria
-It borders: Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and the Congo
-The national languages are English and Swahili
-The national religion is Christianity
- A major source of tourism is their Safari trips and white water rapids
- They are a very poor nation, but doing extremely well in innovation and dealing with HIV
- I have heard they are amongst the friendliest and most welcoming people on earth!
As I am busy learning about my new home and planning the next few years of my life, I am getting increasingly more excited by the day. I am going there officially as a teacher trainer, but unofficially as a harbinger of American culture and a sponge of Ugandan culture. I will be working closely with teacher colleges and preparatory programs as well as schools in a few neighboring villages, which is super cool! I imagine I am going to learn a TON and hopefully meet some kids as cool as the ones I have been working with at Epiphany.
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