This blog post is way overdue. I realize it has been so long
since I have written; it makes me sad because it means that I am not doing well
on my New Year’s Resolution of writing more. I have been trying to figure out
why it’s so important to me that I write these blogs. I think that it comes
down to I want to remember this experience, I want to be able to reflect on the
ways that I have grown and changed, and I want people to go through this
journey with me I want people to see Peace Corps through my eyes and the only
way I can really do that is through writing and through pictures on my
Instagram.
If I am
honest with you I feel like I have lost my voice. I don’t know what to say or
how to say it anymore. I am unsure of what stories to tell. I guess in a way my
service has hit a stale note, which isn’t necessarily bad it just means that I
have finally hit my groove and I am teaching, loving, enjoying, and just living
this journey like it has always been my normal life. To get us started with
what has been happening in my life. First, my sweet momma came to visit me,
which was such a great experience for me… Until of course I was robbed. I don’t
know if I was more upset about being robbed or being robbed in front of my mom.
I didn’t want her to experience that part of service.
I don’t
want to focus on the robbery itself, I want to focus on what it taught me and I
want to focus on being able to share with my mom Uganda.
How it
happened, my mom and I were walking home from dinner on the very last day of
her trip and I dropped my guard and at that same moment a boda-boda driver (a
motorcycle taxi) drove past and he cut my purse off of me. There was really not
much in my purse just 50 thousand shillings which is about 13 USD, two pairs of
Diff sunglasses, some nose rings, and my iPhone. Honestly, that evening I had
an emotional breakdown but I have learned that I am stronger than I think I am
and I quickly realized that it’s all stuff and I wasn’t hurt so everything is
all okay. Of course, I am still a bit afraid to walk on the street that I got
robbed on. Let’s face it one step at a time and I will be okay.
Now,
let’s talk about what it was like to have my sweet momma visiting me in my new
home across the world. I had been told by so many people that one of the most
special things about your Peace Corps service is having your family come to
experience your life in your service. Mom and I didn’t have very much time she
was only able to be in Uganda for five days, which we both said was better than
nothing. I decided that I would take her to my favorite spots in Jinja and in
Kampala, which are the two towns I spend most of my time. We went horseback
riding, toured the biggest Mosque in Uganda, and we got matching tattoos but my
favorite tattoo artist here. It was such a good time.
Having
my mom in Uganda was incredibly special being able to show her this part of my
world and watch her love it and have a good time was exactly what I had hoped
for. It also bonded my mom and I closer, another thing that was very nice for
the two of us.
If you
are a Peace Corps Volunteer or a future Peace Corps Volunteer reading this
please talk to your parents about visiting it will really enhance your service
I can pretty much promise you that. My dad is planning on coming after I COS
and I cannot wait.
Comments
Post a Comment