STEP provided me with the funding to embark on the most impactful, educational experience during my time at Ohio State as I traveled abroad to Kampala, Uganda through the Office of International Affairs. I learned an incredible amount of information about human security in developing countries and how this affects Ugandans on a daily basis by taking classes through the School for International Training. During my time in Uganda I made connections with so many individuals, from my host families, women’s rights activists, to refugees, the people and places I encountered in Uganda will not soon be forgotten. By traveling to this country, interacting with its people, I have developed personable and communication skills I did not have before engaging with individuals from another country. I am truly indebted to Ohio State and the Global May Uganda Program and cannot wait to return one day.

Traveling to Uganda requires adaptation. Transitioning from my fast-paced western society to country lax on time constraints, schedules, and plans forced me to immediately acclimate myself into the local culture. Never before had I needed to take on another culture so quickly and with such necessity as I climbed into a taxi full of 15 strangers on my way to the university. Never had I needed to ask for so much assistance in learning a new language. I had never been more uncomfortable than when I heard people from the slums explaining their socioeconomic status. I learned to be uncomfortable in Uganda, and I loved every second of it. The largest change I noticed upon arriving in the United States was my listening skills. My desire to communicate with people from all different backgrounds grew significantly during my time abroad. I push myself into uncomfortable situations and have created new relationships with patients in the Speech and Hearing Clinic as well as guests on our Ohio State campus tours. I documented my growth in the local language, cuisine, customs, etc. in a journal during my month-long stay in Uganda.

The following is an excerpt from my in-country journal:

“Each year hippos kill an estimated 500 people in Africa”, a fact that raced through my head as our safari van sat in the middle of a hippo-infested flooded river in Murchison Falls. Murchison Falls, Uganda is the site of safari and hiking enthusiasts from all over the world that boasts a complete amalgam of elephants, lions, giraffes, and hippos. Through the windows of our van, against the light of the moon, I could see elephants crossing the river in front of our van. Bursts of Chinese, English, and Luganda were in the air as we tried to cope with the water rushing in through the doors. These different languages allowed us each to express our fear in unique ways. Exactly thirty minutes later we were standing on dry land, streaks of tears still on our faces, all intact. In the midst of panic, the only thing that helped us all climb out of the roof into a passing truck was communication. Communication is the backbone of learning, of culture, and of human connection. In our case, communicating with one another became the single most important skill we could have utilized. It has never been more imperative for my own survival. I could not imagine a life without this imperative gift. After spending a month in Uganda, my desire to bring people the gift of communication and my ability to create interpersonal relationships as never been more apparent.

One of the most important lessons I learned during my classes at SIT is that Africa does not portray one, single story. It is not sprawling with wild animals, tribal dances, and fertile lands like Western media portrays. Uganda is home to cities, tourism, universities, slums, villages, and so much more. Uganda has been an incredible, welcoming host. Its beauty amazed me, and people made me fall in love with the country. That being said, Uganda broke my heart with each passing day. I had the opportunity to travel into homes, camps, hospitals, and NGOs in the most hands-on class environment I have had to date. After each site visit I had time to reflect on the industry and Western influence that has left Uganda impoverished. Uganda’s people are struggling with poverty. I have never seen so much economic failure in a society. I was exposed to incredibly low graduation and employment rates. I saw families living off one food group, malnourished children, abused wives, abandoned children, and failing businesses. I became infuriated with the corrupt government who is too focused on the upcoming elections in 2021, and personal gains, to help Ugandans. I am mad that my own country is part of the exploitation and I am mad that Westerns believe they are Uganda’s only solution.

But because of this trip, I am hopeful. I have seen countless NGOs, Ugandan servant leaders, and empowered students who I believe can change this country. I strongly believe that Uganda is going to industrialize at its own pace in order to remain tied to its agricultural basis. There is no one solution. It is going to take communities and leaders from Uganda, to change Uganda. Western aid and voluntourism are not the solution. These are harmful practices that are taking jobs and creating reliance on outside countries. There are bright, intelligent people in this country. There are determined, proud people in this country. It is going to take a lot of time and change, but one day Uganda will be a developing country well on its way to success. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to travel to this country and cannot wait to return one day to continue supporting its people in their efforts of development.

My speech and hearing degree allowed me to learn how to interact with people no matter what culture they are from. For example, I explored Kampala’s worship spaces with a Ugandan student by using gestures and his language, Luganda. I used a taxi system in a city I had never been to by pointing to places on maps and electronic devices. I lived with host siblings from a local village whose education did not afford them with English. I remedied this with a multitude of games and songs. Speaking with refugees from Sudan I practiced my cultural competency and vulnerability as I listened to them open up about their escape through The Bush, into Uganda. Meeting with female victims of Gender Based Violence in Kapchorwa, I practiced my listening skills as they relayed their living conditions and asked for my own advice. I taught camp games to children off the Jinja streets through play and example. I constantly readjusted my perspectives and prejudices I had previously formed about Africa. Africa does not have one, single story; it is diverse, flourishing, fertile, cultural, and impoverished all at the same time. People are the exact same way. It is one of the most evident parallels to the United States, and to countries across the world.

My time in Uganda focused on human security and I am convinced that the ability to communicate is deeply embedded in this concept. It has forced me to think about people in this community who are completely cut off from social interaction because of a disability. In Uganda’s culture special education is limited, accessibility is sparse, and disability is hidden. People thrive off connections with other community members and I want to be the person who helps provide them with that gift. Whether I am working with a child who has a speech language disorder, an adult with Aphasia, or a nonverbal client, my experiences in Uganda have well equipped me to interact with patients as a Speech Language Pathologist. I am not afraid to engage in conversation with persons with speech language disorders. I have learned so many compensatory strategies by living in a country whose people’s languages and dialects vary by their tribal ancestry. I look forward to providing therapies that do not only focus on language but on other aspects of conversation, other ways to connect with people. I am pursuing a Graduate school in Speech Language Pathology in the hopes that I can provide a multicultural approach to my profession. I would love to one day return to Uganda and improve its accessibility and therapies for persons living with disabilities.