How to prepare your baggage and mind

Once the dust had settled after my thesis was submitted I was able to start making concrete plans for my trip.

It is important to think beyond your internship being more than just a credit requirement for your course/degree. There is a lot to consider including what you want to gain from the experience as a whole. If you narrow your focus too much on just accomplishing the project, you will likely be disappointed and is good to set realistic expectations.

I have traveled to over forty countries, but this trip was likely the most thought and packing effort I had prepared before leaving. Asking friends who have been to Africa in general is helpful, although you are likely to get a lot of opinions on it. For example, I struggled with what type of malaria medication to bring/take. There were a variety of responses from experienced friends/colleagues, which were almost all contradictory on ones to take or avoid. The topics ranged from side effects, costs including whether to buy the entire dosage from home or in Uganda where it is subsidized, counterfeit drugs, as well as which malaria medications are resistant. In a way, the more thought I put into what I felt comfortable with (i.e. not getting malaria), the more confused I became.

Preparing for a trip can have its rock bottom not sure if I should go moments, or the sky high can’t wait to be there. Talking and reading about others experiences helped me piece together some of the essentials, which I have conveniently summed up a few below.

What to pack

Electricity: 240V, although you should bring a plug that has multiple options as the European two prong and British three prong plugs are randomly scattered throughout most places.

Hand sanitizer: Hand soap is not provided in many local establishments, best to carry it around with you.

Iodine tablets: Handy for when you’ve forgotten to boil water and let it cool off, or are not near to buy bottled water (which may sometimes come from the tap anyway).

Food: If you are not ready to take the full plunge bring some items from home you wouldn’t want to risk not having. I personally wish I brought sriracha.

Medications & Vitamins: You likely have a go to brand for certain ailments, so having them close to hand if you begin to feel sick is valuable then wandering around shops for them. I’ve also taken vitamins, like probiotics to help strengthen my gut before my trip.

Currency: I briefly mentioned in my last blog I decided to take US dollars with me as a method to convert my money. However, if I had to do it again I would have withdrawn shillings from many of the main banks here. I would deter getting travelers cheques as they are not widely accepted.

Sanitary items & Tissues: This may come in handy in an all too common situation of no toilet paper.

Sunscreen & Bug spray: Difficult to find and a must if you don’t want to return home a tomato! Deet is essential after dark, not only for malaria prevention but

Earplugs: Many mosques are scattered throughout Uganda and there is a call to worship quite early in the am-so if you aren’t of the Muslim faith you likely won’t want to be disturbed in precious hours before you want to hit the snooze button.

Headlamp/Flashlight: Power outages are common so if you want to continue to work, recharge your electronics often and have a light source handy.

Soft scrubbing brush: This is very useful for scrubbing the dust off your feet after a day’s walk/work since it is often dusty.

Gifts (optional): Think this is a nice gesture to bring a few small gifts from home to share with your TASO team or others.

Psychological preparations

These are just, if not more important than you’re material item packing list. Get ready for some “This is Africa” (TIA) moments where fairly concrete concepts are not as they are back home. If this is your first time traveling outside of your home country you may be in for more of a culture shock. Here are a few things friends of mine told me to be ready for:

·      Local languages: Even though English is widely spoken in Uganda, most tend to speak their local dialects with each other. It is likely impossible to cover your entire basis as there are about 33 indigenous languages, but Luganda will get you quite far. If you can prepare a few words in advance, this will show a genuine effort to get acquainted with the staff and you’re your started in making some Ugandan friends.

·      Communication styles: In some ways there are imperative means of speaking (i.e. Give me  _____) instead of a more inquisitive tone (May I have a _____?). However, no means of communication is that straightforward so it is best to observe others and try to copy. When in doubt ask a good friend, they will let you know.

·      Keep an open mind: Even though there are approaches and topics in Uganda I fundamentally disagree with, it is important to keep an open mind to not only their beliefs but also seeing the larger picture. This principle always takes me far, since you never can really judge unless you’ve walked a mile in someone else’ shoes.

·      Patience is a virtue: I love psychology (my bachelor degree) and people, but at the same time I knew I wasn’t going to figure out Uganda and its people out in a few short months. Patience is important in keeping a

·      Time management principles: The concept of time is very different here. The pace of work is much more relaxed and deadlines are likely to constantly move. It is easy to get frustrated when working with concrete time, so find additional things to keep yourself occupied and moving in the right direction (i.e. learning more about TASO or Ugandan culture) while adjusting to this new concept of time.

·      Get used to your new name-“Muzungu”: If you are not of African descent you will likely hear this word “Muzungu” being shouted at you. It roughly translates into “white person” although I have seen non-Caucasians foreigners being called this as well. It is not intended as an insult but there are likely some stereotypes attached.

The things nothing can prepare you for… In a way I think there are some things you cannot prepared for, but this should be a major factor of your international internship experience. There is much more visible poverty, disease and death that can take its toll on your mental health, so it’s important to make sure you have friends and family to debrief with when it gets to be too much.

As always leave a comment below and share your experiences in moving to Uganda with others preparing for their trip.

Follow me on Instagram @ciaobellas and Twitter @kowalchuk_jill for more live updates on my #journeytothepearlofAfrica.