Continuing to Reflect

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I’veput off writing anything formal about my time in Uganda for over a week now.Knowing that as time progressed, memories, details, and my immediate feelingswere diminishing I still could not write anything that felt like I wasportraying my experience in a way that seemed right. And even saying that feelsreally cliché. But I’ve come to accept that I can’t summarize or explain everyimage in my mind or every feeling I have about our five weeks on Lingira andthat I write as only one person sharing a small selection of millions of words.


Thereare many things I regretted not returning with pictures of. However, in themoment taking a photo often felt intrusive or it just did not cross my mind atthe time. Although others have pictures of the primary school, it is one of theplaces that I was surprised never showed up in my album. I only visited theprimary school a few times during our five weeks. Most times it was just aquick visit to speak to a teacher about project ideas but we also had theopportunity to spend a couple of days interacting with the students andactually spending time in the classroom.
Oneafternoon we painted a large tapestry with the oldest classes of students.Leeza painted a tree trunk while the students and even a couple of the teacherseach painted the leaves. I was surprised how shy many of the students were. Asthe younger students crowded into the doorway and in through the windowscuriously, the older students were very reluctant to participate. In the end wehad a brightly colored awesome painting which, although it was originallydestined for the community center in Lingira camp, it ended up stayingdisplayed in one of the windows of a primary school classroom.
Thefirst time I entered a classroom, Lena, one of the teachers, handed me a pieceof chalk and said just teach them what you study in the U.S. and left to bringLeeza to another classroom. Uhh . . . I had no idea what level they were at orwhat topics they were learning so I asked them what they wanted to learn about. Their answer: Science. Ok, that was something I felt alright about. Oneof the students handed me their notes and after paging through a little bit Ireviewed the parts of the ear with them until Lena returned. They seemed toenjoy that short lesson although I think it was more because it was funny towatch my confusion and surprise than that they were actually enjoying thelesson. This was a fear and worry that always stuck with me when thinking aboutcollaborating with the school: that we would either become just a spectacle anddistraction or that I’d get caught up in the ‘feel-goodness’ that always seemsto follow teaching in this setting. After a group of us returned another timeto assist the teachers, it was easier to accept that our presence just aspeople to help facilitate teaching outweighed the distraction we mightinitially cause. There was obvious contrast with my education growing up withless participation and less variety in the way they were taught the material.That day also allowed me to see the passion of the teachers in the classroomeven in very overcrowded conditions. Although the conditions on the island makeit difficult to attract teachers to the school, it was obvious to me that manyof the teachers there were committed to making the students’ experience at theschool as enriching as possible.
Myexperience in Uganda has changed my perspective of an enormous amount ofaspects of my life and the world. Coming back to the U.S. was more difficultthan I thought. Even now after being back a few weeks, I still compare thingsand think about Uganda every day. I know that as time goes on, I may not bereminded of memories as often, but I am certain that the impact of myexperience and the lessons numerous people we met and worked with imparted withme will not be temporary.-Katie