I knew nothing about Uganda when I booked a flight to Africa during my Year Off.
Volunteer work was high on my list of things to do, so I was looking for a good place for that. I did some research online and found an organization that coordinates volunteer trips all around the world, International Volunteer HQ. After looking through the countries and volunteer placements, I decided on Uganda. Out of all the countries available, It was the country I knew the least about. That’s ultimately why I chose it.
I was nervous about going to Africa.
I had already traveled for 6 months in the western United States and 10 weeks in Europe so I had plenty of travel experience, but I had never visited a third world country. It was a scary thought. I had no idea what to expect, and that made me anxious.
After spending a month at home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I packed my bags for Africa. My first flight was from Cincinnati to Toronto, where I had a connecting flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was cold and snowy in Toronto, but we landed without a problem, and I made my way to my next departure gate. I knew I was in the right place immediately. The entire terminal gate area was full of African men and women, many wearing traditional African clothes.
My flight to Africa was long, 13 hours, and I was cramped in a window seat next to a pleasant but over-weight African man from Kenya. It was daylight when we lifted off, but got dark as we passed over the Atlantic. I was following our flight path on the little TV screen in front of me.
That’s when it really hit me that I was going to Africa, far away from home, far away from everyone I loved.
A third world country. Wild, possibly dangerous, diseases to worry about. I worried about not enjoying myself, missing home too much, feeling uncomfortable. I was anxious, nervous, alone, and had a few mini freak-out moments where I felt claustrophobic. There were times when I didn’t want the plane to land, and I just wanted to stay in my little hole on the plane. And there were several times when I thought how happy I would’ve been if the plane just turned around and went home.
But it didn’t. The little plane on the screen in front of me kept moving forward.
I knew I just had to face my fears and anxiety and get on with it.
To keep my anxiety in check, I did my best to make the time go by quickly. I read my book “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens, watched some nature videos on my iPad, listened to music, dozed off to sleep. Watched all the people on the flight. The beautiful Ethiopian flight attendants going about their business in their white evening flight attendant gowns. An African family talking and enjoying each other’s company. A group of Muslim men talking and laughing in the hallway by the bathrooms.
We eventually crossed the Mediterranean Sea and the skies cleared up. It was still dark but I could see the stars up above. Way down below, the dark land surrounded little specks of light. We were crossing the Sahara desert and they were the lights of small villages.
I started to feel better. There was a calming effect seeing the little flickers of light way down below. It reminded me that I was not alone on that great big continent and that someone down below me was likely experiencing much greater difficulty than I was.
The sun eventually rose and I could see Addis Ababa on the little map in front of me. Down below, I could see the dry desert and canyons of Egypt. It reminded me of past flights to Las Vegas. We crossed the border to Ethiopia and descended into Addis Ababa.
The first thing I saw when we landed was the rusted out skeleton of an old plane on the side of the runway. It intrigued me, but did not alarm me. The only thing I could think of was Leonardo DiCaprio’s line from the movie Blood Diamond: “T.I.A. – This Is Africa.”
We got off the plane and I stepped on the tarmac: I had made it to Africa!
By this time, I was tired from a lack of sleep but my excitement grew. All the activities and plans I had for my time in Africa popped into my head, and that incredible feeling of freedom hit me. I was all by myself in Africa. I knew no one. Everyone spoke different languages. The air was hot and dry……
…..But I felt alive and free.
My connecting flight to Entebbe Airport in Uganda was short. Only about 2 hours. We landed and I retrieved my luggage and made my way through customs. I got my visa and walked out the main door of the small airport. IVHQ had arranged for someone to pick me up but I had no idea who it was or where he/she would be.
There was a large crowd gathered outside, awaiting all the arrivals. I started scanning the crowd and saw the smiling face of a woman holding a piece of paper that had “IVHQ” scribbled on it. Her name was Carol. She took my hand and walked me out of the crowd….