“It’s not about the destination, but the journey that matters, right?” prompted Andrew, half-jokingly.  This question was posed as we [the remaining family] were covered in mud, sweating from the hot sun, and trekking through the foothills of Mt. Elgon.  We were halfway through the hike and preparing ourselves for the ascension of the third waterfall – the last leg of our four-hour long hike.

With unexpected rain storms, a flat tire, a treacherous hike, and more, our weekend was one of continuous adventure, before, during, and after arriving at our final destination in eastern Uganda.

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It’s crazy to think that this past Thursday, August 12^th, marked my six-month anniversary in Uganda, a date, which was intended to be my return date to Uganda.

It’s funny to re-read my old journal entries from the beginning of my time.  Quite simply, I was overwhelmed by the prospect of staying in a foreign country for six months, half a year, or 180 days, however you choose to look at it.  I left a wonderful life back home with amazing friends, a spectacular job, and a great city to come to Uganda, a country within a continent that I have never been to before.  Many people ask me if I was unhappy in Seattle, and whether that was part of my reason for coming to Uganda.  I don’t think I was unhappy, if not more unsettled.  I was comfortable and starting to become complacent, and at the mere age of 23, I knew that wasn’t a good feeling.

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Soak in these thought-provoking, stimulating pieces courtesy of the media’s finest!

Week of August 9:

• The New York Times: “but will it make you happy?”

New studies of consumption and happiness show, for instance, that people are happier when they spend money on experiences instead of material objects, when they relish what they plan to buy long before they buy it

• The New York Times: “After Haiti Quake, the Chaos of U.S. Adoptions“

Although initially planned as a short-term, small-scale evacuation, the rescue effort quickly evolved into a baby lift unlike anything since the Vietnam War…ignited tensions between the United States and child protection organizations; and swept up about 1,150 Haitian children, more than were adopted by American families in the previous three years, according to interviews with government officials, adoption agencies and child advocacy groups.

• Fast Company: “How Many Books Are There in The World?”

So how many books are there? Says Google:

“After we exclude serials, we can finally count all the books in the world. There are 129,864,880 of them. At least until Sunday.”

• The Chronicle of Philanthropy: “40 Rich Families Sign Gates-Buffett Giving Pledge“

While it may prove impossible to assess the pledge’s impact, the net worth of donors who have so far committed to giving away a share of their wealth totals more than $200-billion, according to estimates of the donors’ assets published by Forbes magazine.

Some of the new philanthropy may come from outside the United States. Mr. Buffett said he and Mr. Gates will be meeting with some of China’s wealthiest people in late September and that in March, they will be visiting India.

Over the last week, I’ve heard many stories and been told many experiences of Nate Henn. These keepsakes have come from other roadies like him and Ugandan staff who had the chance to travel with him.

This video does a superb job sharing his legacy:

Nate Henn // 1985 – 2010 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

On Sunday, a handful of us ventured out to Bomah – a local bar in Gulu – to watch the World Cup final game. I was ecstatic to announce Spain as the winner, and after some time of celebrating and cheering, we sleepily ventured back home and prepared ourselves for the week.

Less than 12 hours later, I’m sitting outside, drinking coffee and eating a muffin under our veranda when a panicked co-worker finds me and asks to come inside. “I need to speak to everyone together,” he affirms.

Confused, I walk inside to the living room and hear the following: there’s been a terrorist attack in Kampala, and some of our IC staff members were involved.

What went through my mind at that moment was just utter fear and confusion. My mind was swirling with thoughts and questions: Were they okay? Who did this? Will it happen again?

That day, I scoured the media sites and learned that a Somali terrorist group, Al-shabbab, committed political terrorist attacks by placing bombs in a handful of places, seemingly aware of where large groups of people would congregate for the world cup finals.

Fortunately, only three of the nine bombs denoted, but unfortunately, those three bombs took the lives of 74 civilians- one, particularly being an IC member, Nate Henn.

Even with more information, I still stand confused, bewildered, upset, and frustrated. This was a cowardly attack that was undeserving, and unfortunately cost the lives of many innocent people.

Invisible Children has done an incredible job relaying to the media and to advocates worldwide of Nate’s presence, background, and inspiration to help those in northern Uganda. He worked selflessly, and was visiting Uganda, specifically Gulu, to visit our programs on the ground. He would come to visit the schools and students he, for years, had fundraised on behalf of.

Bodas-Bodas (motorcycle taxis) are something we (ex-pats in Uganda) take every day – morning, day, and night. They are the most reliable and frequent source of transportation for foreigners and locals, alike. Aside from the IC staff, riding with boda drivers is my closest means of constant interaction with Ugandans.

As girls, we often take bodas in groups, particularly at night, but we found it best to find a boda driver that we felt most comfortable with.

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Welcome to world cup fever. Being here in Uganda has magnified my love for futbol 10-fold. Enjoy what has been playing on repeat, all day, every day.

“Alice: But I don’t want to go among mad people.

The Cat: Oh, you can’t help that. We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.

Alice: How do you know I’m mad?

The Cat: You must be. Or you wouldn’t have come here.”

I’ve shamelessly stolen this from my friend, A-karr, but as she will also admit, this thought clearly sums up our life, experience, and world in Uganda. It’s an experience no one outside our small, dusty-road town can understand, not even the closest of family. I’ve received emails of “what are you thinking?” “Isn’t it too depressing” and “When are you able to leave that place?” but, even amongst the poverty, madness, and craziness of it all lies beauty, opportunity and intrinsic wealth. Maybe I am a little mad to have come here, but aren’t we all a little mad in some sense of the word? Being mad is what subconsciously drives us to move, act, and shake our lives up a bit – and if we weren’t for being mad, well, I think our lives might be quiet boring.

It sounds cheesy, but sometimes it is necessary to recount simple acts of kindness or remember the generous people you’ve come across to smile and be grateful for the day. I had a busy day this week, juggling multiple tasks all while maneuvering through the hot, dry Ugandan sun and trying not feeling too filthy from the constant dust swirling throughout the air. At the moment, there is a water shortage, and with a lack of rainfall, everyone is feeling the pressure. Although the weather is not always favorable, once I leave the office, I need an outlet – an escape from the white-walled compound to soak up the environment, and embrace the sights and sounds of Gulu town. Although very hot, I encourage myself to walk home many days a week, slowly and deliberately, just to not miss what is whizzing by me day-after-day.

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To conclude the week and welcome the weekend, I thought I’d share some favorite photos from the week.

Enjoy!