So Long

Tonight marked my very last night in Uganda, and it brings about a big mix of feelings to reckon with. I had dinner with friends out at some great place I'd never even heard of. The owner was a nice Indian man who explained his most recent book about spirituality after give us the lowdown on the pumpkin soup in front of us. It was the ginger that we couldn't put our finger on. The rest of the night just rolled and it was everything I love about Uganda in one fell swoop. 

I have been told I sugarcoat things on occasion, not telling the all of every experience and how I feel about things. Everyone probably is guilty of that to a point, in conversation, writing, or otherwise. But writing is a medium that suffers for its definition. All my thoughts may be focused on progress and never being truly comfortable with the current state of things, but if I try to capture it all in writing everything but the progress shines through. And my thinking about Uganda and Africa has certainly changed leaps and bounds over time, something not easily captured right here.

By and large, it's not all curtains but it is certainly close. There is no other way to say it. Africa faces a near and present doom is something doesn't give. That's not just cynical either. To live here with a thinking mind and an open heart is to become swept up in the tide of life that is everywhere at once, for good and for bad. Ugandians are truly the nicest folks you can ever come across. They put southern hospitality to shame with their huge smiles and genuine kindness. But the essence of humanity has two very obvious sides, something western culture blends and hides much more subtly. 

Somalia marks a low point in humanitarianism in the 1990's. While the United States was guilty of quite a few wrongdoings, people truly were not prepared for the situation they were faced. The same people that cried out for food and simple needs in turn killed the people trying their best to help them out. 

The only thing I'm sure of is that I don't know much at all. I know I don't like conflict and I'll do my best to solve it however possible. The biggest conflict I come across in Uganda is the general complaint towards a lack of money. That's no doubt true just about everywhere, but here especiall true. My biggest call at the moment is to somehow show the folks I speak, live, interact with every single day that they have the resources to do their best and succeed in business, it just takes a different vision in seeing each and every day. Africa is the best place for business in the world at the moment because the resources are everywhere and the markets simply are not at all. And who to best capitalize on the opportunity than the people that live amongst it all? The missing link, to me, is a proactive approach toward solving the problem. Instead of pointing fingers, get out and solve it yourself. My recognizing of all this is thanks to me learning the very same lesson. But I guess that I just don't know.

I was only suppose to spend maybe three weeks in Uganda. Ethiopia was the main focus and life at Cornerstone in Kampala was just en route to Ethiopia. But I never actually counted on falling in love with life here. I do hope to return in the future, by however means necessary. Year off deux.

Egypt comes tomorrow, where I finally get to see my dad for the first time in forever. We'll take off on some sugar free venture on the old folks cruise down the Nile, see camels, and figure out the deal about college. You know more than I do. Thanks for reading all this rambling on's, whoever you are. Its just me ironing out my thoughts. The nasty dreds are next.