Lifetime Experience!

I never thought that will have a chance to visit Africa. I am studying at Marymount for almost two years and I have seen so many flyers on a pin board on the wall in a hall way to my classroom. There were lots of global education trips to Europe, New Zealand, and South America. I thought that I might be able to join one of the trip if time allows.

I finished all the course work for my degree except student teaching in the Fall 2016 so I had an opportunity to look at elective courses for this Spring. I heard about ED 526 Cross-Cultural/International Curricula that would visit a classroom in Uganda. I decided to join this course right away.

Eight people signed up for our course to go to Uganda which was just enough to make the trip happened. We prepared a teacher workshop where we would present differentiation and grouping strategies to teachers at Arlington Junior School and an outreach school in Bumwalukani, a poor village at the foot of Mount Elgon, a massive extinct volcano near Uganda’s border with Kenya. I worked with Rob, Ryann, and Dillon for our grouping strategies presentation.

Morning market on the side of the road

Finally, after flying for 20 hours, we made it to Uganda. It was night and we were all exhausted so we spend the night in a guesthouse in Entebbe.  In the morning, we rode a van about 7 hours to Baduda District. I was so excited seeing everyday life in this new part of the world. It was still early in the morning but life on the side of the road was already busy. People sold plantains everywhere because it is a main food for Ugandans. We had “Matoke” or starchy plantain (cooked banana) on the menu every day!

During our stay in Bumwalukani, I had a chance to work with two P3 (Primary Three) teachers. There were about 50 students in the classroom. Teacher Richard, one of the P3 teachers, took his students outside to explain his lesson on physical features around the school. Many students put their hands up waiting for the teacher to call them for the answer was an excellent moment that showed the engagement of the students in the lesson. I liked this picture because it shows Teacher Richard interacting with the students rather than just teaching from a textbook or standing in front of a chalkboard. Teacher Richard assessed his student’s understanding during the lesson by asking them questions.

Arlington Junior School

Playground

In Uganda, education is the only opportunity village children to get out of the life cycle of subsistence farm work to become engineers, doctors, or other educated professionals. The students want to be in school and be educated so that they can pursue their dreams. However, very few families can afford to send their children to school.

I used to compare the education that I experienced in rural Thailand to the U.S. education that I’ve observed in wealthy Fairfax, Virginia. Kids in the U.S. are lucky to have a good education. After 12 days in Uganda, I feel that I’m lucky that I was able to get an education and that my parents were able to support me all the way through my bachelor’s degree. There are many kids in Uganda (and Thailand!) whose parents do not have money to support them to go to school. They have to help their families in the fields.

P3 Classroom 

I am so grateful that I was able to go to Uganda. Seeing a part of the world that is very different from Virginia and Thailand opened up my mind in many ways. My perspective on life is completely changed after the trip. I will never forget the valuable time that I spent in a wonderful place with amazing Ugandan people! Ways to go!

How Uganda has Changed Me

When you compare and Ugandan 5th grader and an American 5th grader you quickly realize that there are many similarities, but then some glaring differences. I found the children in Uganda to be very light hearted and playful. When we played soccer they were competitive, worked hard, and lax on the rules. The Ugandan children did not really question your decisions, they would execute orders and make strategies come to life.

After three weeks of American soccer practice I am experiencing a different scenario. The boys are still playful, but not nearly as light hearted. They seem to carry a greater burden on their shoulders, the ability to be goofy and joke around just is not quite there. They have a more serious tone to their competitiveness, they want to win. And that is a big difference, the Ugandan 5th graders found pride in their ability to compete with the 7th graders and to put up a good fight, the American 5th graders only would see their failure to win. I find this to be a stark difference in the expectation that each group has...I believe the Ugandans had much more fun playing soccer than my American boys do and that is having a profound affect on how I am approaching them.

I have become a lot more playful. I've always participated in practice with the boys here, I believe that everything I have them do I should do the same. They desperately want to beat me, so now I've been letting them come a little bit closer that I normally would. At one point, I had the kids tell jokes at practice. Sometimes just kidding around helps bond the players together, practice doesn't just have to be practice. I want to lighten them up. 

After spending so much time with the Ugandan kids I've come to appreciate more that my boys are still kids. That changes your perspective of them. If you look at the picture to the left you will notice one boy is wearing a glow in the dark t-shirt...they are kids. I know this seems like a silly realization, but honestly I now want them to have more fun. They need to have more fun.

My roommate went to Africa the same time I went, but she went to Nambia. It is strange listening to her experience and realizing how different our two trips were. She went on safari and saw all sorts of animals and slept in a tent. This sounds really neat, but her perspective of the Africans was very different. She saw what you may expect from a Unicef commercial, she saw the poverty. Meanwhile I was exposed to a different Africa, I experienced a land where the people are mostly farmers, they are exceptionally open and friendly, and they are not necessarily in poverty, though they do not have a great deal. I felt like I experienced Uganda for what it is, I had the opportunity to see them in their world...not so much the tourist world. My perspective has changed, this experience will surely affect my teaching of Africa in history class.

Back in the U.S of A

April 11, 2016

We have officially been home from Uganda for almost a month now! Time flies!!! There is not a day that has gone by that I have not thought or talked about our experience in Uganda. It was absolutely amazing getting to experience a new culture on a different continent. It is not everyday you get to take a trip to Africa. I am sure I can speak for most of our group when I say that this experience has opened my eyes to a new way of thinking. Since I have been home I have began to take more time to stop and think about how thankful I am for the opportunities in my life. I admired the hope and appreciation that everyone in Uganda had for their education, and I realized I needed to do a better job of appreciating that as well. Often times we see work, classes, and homework as an added stress or burden in our lives instead of a privilege. I often forget to remind myself how lucky I am for the education I have received, and the knowledge i have acquired throughout the years. The students at AAH seemed so happy and thankful everyday to be at school, something that is so admirable. As a future educator I want my students to feel the same appreciation, something that I am going to strive to incorporate into my lessons. We went to Uganda to help the teachers of AAH and the outreach schools learn new strategies that we use in American Schools. Along with achieving that, we left the country learning more than we could have given then. I learned about myself, how I react in situations I am not always comfortable in, and how I handle the immersion in a new and unfamiliar place. I learned about education, and how it does not come easy for everyone around the world. Many boys and girls are not given the opportunity to go to school, and many are not given a choice from their families. I learned about a new culture, a unique way of living that is not centered around technology or materialistic items. I learned how quickly you can form a bond with someone from another country, and how that bond can change your life. I am forever changed by the experience I had while in Uganda, and I will forever take the memories and experiences with me wherever I go. It has helped change me both as a person and as an educator. 

Signs of encouragement posted around AAH. This was one of my favorites.

A few AAH students and I on sports day!

 

Transition Home

The experience of becoming fully immersed into a country I have had previously no contact with was something that will stick with me the rest of my life. Living in the community and working with the school taught me so much about the world and the impact that we can have, as well as the impact it has on ourselves. 12 days is such a short time and after the return to the United States I felt like there was something more I needed to do. Having the experience to work in a developing country opened me up and I realized how many skills I never even knew that I had. So now what? As an undergraduate student I am still struggling with the idea of what I want to do with my life after graduation. The experience in Uganda has opened my mind to the possibilities of continuing my travel, and working in places that really need the help. I have considered the Peace Core as well as other study abroad opportunities that can help me to build my skills in countries that are in need. The trip was a great learning opportunity for me. As much information as we tried to teach their teachers, I feel as though they have taught me twice as much in return. I discovered a passion for service, and the desire to help make a difference in the world. The trip to Uganda helped me to understand how we are all connected and the importance of working together not just as a country but as a human race.  
Photo: AAH student Namono Juliet and two younger siblings in front of their home

Mulembe!

"EDUCATION BRINGS ABOUT OPPORTUNITY, AND IN TURN INSPIRATION."  - Bill Frist

The courtyard of the Arlington Academy of Hope
(photo by Kristina Heino)

 I first heard about Marymount University’s relationship with the Arlington Academy of Hope (AAH) during a meeting with Mary Gibson, the director of one of the Master’s in Education programs at Marymount University.  At the time, I was not yet enrolled in a Master’s program, and was considering the different options Marymount offered.  I remember taking notes as Mary described the different courses and requirements of her particular program.  When I heard her say that the ED 550 Research and Methods course involved a trip to a primary school in Uganda, I was a little surprised.  I even looked up and asked, “Did you just say you go to Uganda?”  Mary explained that she had led the trip for several years and described it as a very rewarding experience.  From that moment, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it.  Now, a little over a year later, I’ve just returned from a month in Uganda as a student of two Marymount University courses: ED 550 Research and Methods (led by Mary Gibson), and ED 526 Cross Cultural/International Curricula (led by Dr. Elizabeth Langran).  

The Arlington Academy of Hope's School Mission
(photo by Kristina Heino)

In preparation for the trip, students of both courses had the opportunity to meet with the founders of AAH, John and Joyce Wanda.  They shared stories with us about their childhoods, families, and educational experiences.  They also discussed their inspiration for starting the AAH organization and school.  There were many memorable moments from that meeting, but the one that really stood out to me was when John explained that he and Joyce felt that they had a responsibility to give back to their communities in Uganda.  To paraphrase, John said that it was luck, rather than anything they had done, that had provided them with the opportunity to come to the U.S.  I have to disagree with him.  John and Joyce Wanda are two remarkable individuals who were fortunate to have families that recognized the value of education.  However, it was Joyce and John who, through hard work and commitment to their educations, put themselves in a position to receive a diversity visa from the U.S. government. 

 

Enjoying the view while walking to the school from the guest house
(photo by Kristina Heino)

 

John Wanda participating in a workshop exercise with
Teacher Rebecca and Teacher Phoebe.
(photo by Kristina Heino)

Since fiscal year 1995, the U.S. government has made approximately 55,000 visas available each year to immigrants from countries, such as Uganda, that have had historically low rates of immigration to the U.S.  According to the results of the fiscal year 1995 lottery, which I believe is the year Joyce’s application was selected, the program received more than 6.5 million applications during the one-month application window.  Of those applications, almost 200,000 were initially selected with the expectation that many of the applicants would not complete the entire process.  In order to be eligible to receive a diversity visa, applicants must provide proof of a high school education or a certain level of work experience (Diversity Visa 1995 Lottery Results).  In 1995, it was estimated that just 1.3% of the Ugandan population aged 25 and over had completed secondary school (X Liang, 2004).  Joyce and John not only completed secondary school, but also earned university degrees.  So while a little bit of luck was involved due to the random selection that occurs in the lottery process, Joyce and John certainly increased their odds of being selected!      

 

Students practicing their jump rope skills in preparation for
Sports Day - an opportunity to shine in front of "Uncle John!"
The jump ropes are made of banana plant leave fibers.
(photo by Kristina Heino) 

Our stay in Uganda coincided with John’s annual visit to the village where he was raised.  It was nice to see the level of adoration for him that exists in the community.  The students refer to him as “Uncle John.”  The guest house also had a steady intake of milk and chickens during his stay (which I appreciated after discovering that I love milk tea!).  They were gifts from families who have benefited from John and Joyce’s efforts.  It was apparent that he continues to serve as an inspiration for the community.  In fact, one of the first students that John and Joyce sponsored is now a teacher at AAH.  I was reminded of this “pay it forward” environment as I listened to the head teacher’s remarks at the farewell ceremony for the ED 550 group.  She thanked us for traveling so far to be there, for leaving our families for the length of our stay, and for spending the money to visit.  She said that we had shown the students that there are people in the world who care about them, and that perhaps our actions would one day inspire them to give back to their community and others in some way.  I hadn’t thought about the impact of our visit in that way before, but I hope she is right!      
 

Posing with some of the girls :)
 

Sources:

Diversity Visa 1995 Lottery Results.  Retrieved from http://www.ulitka.com/files/green-cards-lottery/dv-1995-results.html

X Liang.  (2004, March).  Uganda tertiary education sector report.  Retrieved from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:XYamvtgylgcJ:siteresources.worldbank.org/AFRICAEXT/Resources/no_50.pdf+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us