Travel to Uganda

Tuesday and Wednesday

The flight from Columbia to DC was good. I sat next to a man who was getting his masters online in international health, so we had a lot to talk about. A little about Walter: he was in the army, he used to be a pilot, and he is heading to Kuwait to do security for the civilians. Walter has a 9 hour layover so he invited me with him to one of those international private lounges. During our class of wine, we chatted and met another man. I never got this man name, but his daughter lives in NY city and she is a project manager I thought he said for HIPAA commercials. Anyhow, there is a high population of Ugandans in NY City so his daughter is being sent to Uganda to search for hip-hop talent. I didn't get the hole HIPAA commercial thing so I am sure i misunderstood but i thought it was pretty interesting what his daughter was about to do. He also gave me a free drink pass for the plane ride, so during my airplane pasta trio dinner i had a glass of red wine. It was nice. Although I couldn't fall asleep on the plane I did have a window seat and no one next to me from DC to Amsterdam.

In Amsterdam, I had a few hours to kill. The airport is a little different, you don't really go through security until your flight boards. each gate has a mini security check point. The airport is two levels, open in the middle, with lots of shops, places to eat, and Internet. I paid $20 for an hour and a half of Internet. I wrote a blog, but it got erased. all well. I sat next to this young guy from Boston who was to meet his friends in Malaysia because they are trying to start a business there but his flight was delayed and now he has a 9 hour layover. yuck. Before I boarded I met this other American man very briefly, I believe he was a solider. I gave him my code to the Internet for what little time I had left. Did I mention people were laughing at me as I walked by or they walked by me. I was in flip flops with a long sleeve shirt one. Everyone was in long coats, scarfs, etc. Guess when it's -1c outside you dress for the outside weather, not the inside. I dunno. Its just the start of getting laughed at.
OHHHHHH the smoking lounges. A little closed in glass area, with a limit of 12 people inside, no chairs, everyone stands inside with their luggage outside. The glass was one inch from the floor and one inch from the ceiling. so the smoke was still seeping out into the "clean" airport air.

I finally got to see Slumdog millionaire. Let me just say that the captions in English are very hard to read on a 3 by 3 tv screen! I learned a very important lesson that I feel the need to pass on, when traveling internationally, and its time to eat, put your seat up. The person behind you is eating your chair for their chair is not pushed back because they are aware of this and pulled their seat forward for the guy behind him! luckily no one sat next to me, so i could out my food on the other tray. I did get some sleep.

Landing in Uganda. What am amazing moment but also scary. I had no clue what to expect, what to do etc. The air, oh it smelled of Niger, bringing back peace corps memories that made my ears fill with tears until I got to Inn. All the drivers from the airport laughed at my pink luggage, the hot pink suitcase and the baby pink duffel bag. I called my driver out on it because they weren't speaking in English but I knew what they were saying from body language. In the visa line, I met parents whose daughter lives in Uganda, she has a law degree and now works in Kampala. Rents an apartment, bought a car, I think she is 27.
also, my yellow card or baggage was never checked not in Uganda, not in Amsterdam, not in the States. interesting. public health issues???

I forgot what an emotional rollercoster the first few days are. being home sick, not knowing how to do anything, being lonely. But all gets better with time.