Exposed to the World

I had never traveled to Africa before. Despite a growing curiosity about exploring this mysterious continent, I had mixed feelings of excitement and unease as my departure date neared, and especially so as I was about to plant my feet on the ground. It wasn't a dream anymore-Africa was here. I had ventured into the unknown.

It's all too common for the media to paint a very grim picture of Africa, as a whole. If you don't take it upon yourself to dig deeper and discover what really is going on, then you're left with an extremely narrowed perspective. Some are quite content settling with this and quickly entertain other thoughts, but a rare few struggle to contain their sense of adventure for the unknown. They must go. Africa is an enormous continent and the diversity even within each country is so vast that it's almost naïve to describe it as one.

I was thrilled at the opportunity to visit Uganda, to come within reach of many thoughts and ideas occupying my mind, but it was difficult to ignore the mounting sense of nervousness. I didn't expect it to accompany me for as long as it had.

Lake Bunyonyi

Reminding myself where I am

There are moments when I have to stop and remind myself where I am in the world. Yes, it's true. I'm in Uganda and a long way from home.

Uganda is located in East Africa, land locked by Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania. My final destination was Kabale, located in the southwestern Kigezi region of the country. Kabale is a small town by my standards, but a bustling, urban center by Ugandan standards. Although Kabale has witnessed the ramifications of violent conduct within distant parts of the country and in neighboring countries, it has never been the victim of direct conflict and remains relatively quiet and stable.

When I stepped off the plane and began my journey on the ground into Kabale, my senses were immediately comforted-the sight of palm trees, the warmth of tropical air on my skin, and the familiar scent of wood smoke off in the distance. Such things I've come to associate with my travels in the developing world, some of my best life experiences, and when they find their way back in, I breathe a sigh of relief and smile wide.

Seen through the eyes of others

I had given much thought to how I would be perceived once in Uganda and how my presence would be felt. This thought seemed to be the most pressing of all. Even though I couldn't say with certainty, I was almost sure that once there I would stand out. And the truth is, like a sore thumb.

People don't shy away from looking and the children often come running. I've seen children waving-adorable yes-but then gesturing with open palms in hopes of receiving something. This is especially true in the rural villages. I sometimes hear laughter as I'm walking through the town, with the mention of "muzungu"-a term meaning foreigner. My best guess is that we are all instinctively curious about things that are different and many Ugandans may not all share the same level of exposure to the world. This is to be expected.

On the other hand, they may want something.

One thing has become very clear-the color of my skin talks. It's not really news to me, but being white here is quickly associated with money and wealth. And I don't think nationality even has much to do with it, considering that question typically doesn't follow. Whether this is true or not, the people aren't, at least immediately, so willing to be convinced otherwise. Maybe they need time to differentiate. Admittedly, I need time to understand it. 

Nonetheless, in all my travels I have never felt so bombarded with it. It's inescapable and frankly, exhausting at times.

On the surface, this is what people may see and believe. It's worth mentioning that the Ugandans I have interacted with closely have welcomed me with open arms and been extremely hospitable-from the start. They also appear enthusiastic that I've traveled so far to learn about health in their country. In time, as I come to understand the locals on a deeper level, it will become clearer how they feel about the Western presence and what they care to know.

It's funny how you can be so insistent on being unique at home, purposefully wanting to stand out, but when you're really exposed and different in so many respects, the yearning for subtlety begins.