This week, I realized something. I was born American, raised
American, and guess what: I think like an American. Coming into this, the last
thing I expected was culture shock – but that’s exactly what I’ve been
experiencing. I’ve had to check myself so many times with this litmus test: is
it right, wrong, or just different? I’ve had to face my own arrogance and
remember that I’m on their turf and they’ve welcomed me with open arms. I’ve
caught myself thinking of how much this country would benefit from a more
efficient way of doing this or that, or if they just used such and such instead
of whatever, their lives would be so much easier. It’s finally dawned on me
that some things really are just totally different, and that’s not only just
okay – it’s beautiful, and I can learn from this culture. I may like the way we
do some things back home better, and that’s okay too – but it doesn’t mean that
how they do things here is wrong. Realizing this has opened me up to embrace Uganda
wholeheartedly. They don’t drive on the wrong side of the road; they drive on
the other side of the road.
