A New Lens

My month in Uganda proved that Henry Miller was right, “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” Visiting Uganda provided me a new lens to view myself, the U.S., and the world. My experiences throughout the month pushed me out of my comfort zone personally and professionally. I now feel like this trip was the first domino in line being pushed over. I was initially nervous about traveling to a country with a culture, standard of living, and lifestyle so different from those of the U.S. However, I am beyond thankful for the experience and opportunity to travel to Uganda. I think traveling with a group really helped settle any fears and apprehensions I had. We all had each other’s’ backs and adjusted to the culture together. My trip taught me that I have the flexibility, confidence, and desire to explore the world. As a type A personality with lists, itineraries, and plans all over the place, I was pleasantly surprised my ability to go with the flow everyday as we ironed out all the wrinkles as a group. Even though I won’t have too many opportunities to study abroad during college, I would love to continue exploring the world!
Working at Tunaweza and the House of Charity was greatly influenced my professional goals. At each location I was given the opportunity to work one-on-one with patients. Since this was my first time working with patients I was extremely nervous, but I had passionate therapists with me to help guide me through the treatment session. I became comfortable working with the patients very quickly and enjoyed every second I got to spend in the PT room with the kids! Thinking back on how much I enjoyed this experience, I am confident that pediatric physical therapy is something I want to explore further. Additionally, the dedication and passion of the therapists I met at Tunaweza inspired me to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible. They are willing to dedicate their lives to rehabilitation in a country that barely even recognizes the practice as a treatment option.
Not only did this trip teach me about myself and my professional goals, it also provided me with a new view of the world. Watching the patients at Tunaweza and the residents at the House of Charity was very difficult. Many of them would have a very different quality of life if they lived in the U.S. This made me really appreciate all of the resources we have available to us in the U.S. Additionally, the culture of Uganda made me realize how important slowing life down to create time for family and socialization can be. Many of were discussing how lunch breaks at work are very short or non-existent in the U.S. However, in Uganda, their lunch breaks are not only for eating, but also for socializing and spending times with friends, family members, and coworkers. While we were all antsy to get back to work, the Ugandans were perfectly content chatting and spending time with each other. Having never studied abroad before, these experiences opened my eyes to cultures and challenges outside the U.S. This trip made me realize how little I know about the world, which motivates me to learn and discover new cultures around the world in order to view the world through an educated lens.
The greatest benefit of studying abroad is meeting new people. I made some wonderful connections with the staff at Tunaweza and many friendships with the 13 students that I traveled with. I am beyond grateful to have traveling with such an amazing group of people. The group that you travel with can have a huge impact on the overall experience and this group definitely made the trip exponentially better. My favorite experience from the trip was white water rafting on the Nile River because all of us supported each other, jumped out of our comfort zones, and worked together as a team for the whole day.
If you ever get the chance to travel to Uganda, or anywhere for that matter, enjoy every minute of your trip and be flexible!