Attempting to compose my
last words as a Peace Corps Volunteer is difficult.
More difficult than I
imagined.
I vividly remember walking
off the plane at Entebbe Airport on the evening of May 24, 2012 and taking in
the scents of my new home… Burning trash, fresh trees, and a crispness from
Lake Victoria. I vividly remember days
in country, from my language proficiency interview and my first Peace Corps
camp to meeting my In Movement youth and walking down The Annex stairs for the
last time.
This is my last post as a
Peace Corps Volunteer in Uganda and articulating these last words are the
hardest to write. It is a time that
leads to self-reflection and lessons learned in country.
Recently, reflecting has
given me anxiety as it serves as a constant reminder that this experience is
coming to a close. The light at the end
of the tunnel, which was once barely existent, is now so blinding that I need
my sunglasses.
For anyone who has
researched Peace Corps, chances are you have come across the quote, “The
toughest job you will ever love.”
I know, I know. This sounds corny and clichéd.
But once you spend two-plus
years in a place, you can begin to identify a trend of feelings. My time spent in the UG was filled with
self-doubt, questioning, frustration, illness, and personal losses. My time spent in the UG was also filled with
boosts of confidence, validation, patience, healthy immune systems, and
personal gains. I have learned how to
make the most from a little, how to remain flexible when things do astray, and
how to genuinely smile when it seems as if everything around you is beginning
to crumble.
You have to remember that
my service in Uganda was not a vacation.
It was a 2-year commitment. It
was where I established my home and work.
It was where I discovered what I want to do long term. It was where I underwent a transformation.
Uganda will continue to
challenge me. Ugandans will continue to
challenge me. An example from one of my
favorite youth, “Abortion is never to be committed. Even if a man defiles his niece, she has to
keep the baby. There is no question.” Conversations such as these remind me that after
30-months living here, it is all right to not understand certain facets of this
culture.
I know that someday I will come
back to Uganda. It may be to play
tourist and see the places I failed to get to this time around. It may be for a job. It may be for one of my kid’s weddings.
I look forward to the
developments made… The new skyscrapers that will find home in the Kampala
skyline and shops that have found their place along the potholed roads in
Kitgum. I look forward to my youth and
the strides they have made in achieving their goals.
I have gained unfathomable amounts
of knowledge from Ugandans, including how to make a hand washing station out of
sticks, a bucket, and banana fibers.
I have learned an infinite number
of lessons… The true meaning of a community, how to be committed and dedicated
in ones faith when others tell you the contrary, how to be humble, and looking
at ones surrounding and seeing solutions instead of problems.
As I wrap this up let me do one
last reflection as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
Three things I will positively
remember from my service…
1: Smiles from passing faces,
familiar or not
2: Traditional dances, food, and
songs
3: Boat rides on Lake Bunyonyi
Three things I will not miss from
my service…
1: Ugandans thinking they know
all about America simply from watching films
2: Treated as a subordinate
because I am a strong and independent woman
3: The exorcism screams that come
from the neighboring churches at 3a
To everyone, both in the UG and
in the US… Thank you for the support over the years. Thank you for the packages and the
prayers. Thank you for the emails and
the phone calls. Thank you for the
letters that made the 9,697.97 mile journey.
Thank you Uganda for your open
arms and warm, Equatorial welcome. I
will never forget this journey… For it’s been one hell of a ride.
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