Landing to Uganda

On the late afternoon of April 2018 i was sitting in the office at my work desk. As a bad habit i tend to check my Facebook account and i was intrigued by a post by one of my friends - apply to work as a volunteer in Uganda for one year, deadline is 19.00 the same day. After 7 years of dedication to my profession as an ceramicist in a tiny village in middle of Estonia i had developed an idea i have to find out more about diversity of life. I had never thought of going to Africa and had no such dream to do so, but there was this offer and i as it had caught my eye it was right thing in right time. How people think and what is important for them. So at 20.00 at the same day not being really sure what i am doing, i sent off my application.
After a month and a half of training program, that almost scared me off from going anywhere and some months of waiting to be chosen to go, i set off on 15th of November 2018 to become an EU Aid Volunteer in North of Uganda in Arua and Pakwach.
My knowledge about Africa and its geography has been literally poor. Taking off in Amsterdam to Entebbe had to check several times from my boarding pass, is it really the place i am supposed to go. Moreover sitting in the plane i realized we are stopping somewhere called Kigali, i had never heard of. As i found out it is the capital of Ruwanda, a neighbouring country to Uganda.

Arriving at 22.30 local time to Uganda the only familiar thing where little cockroaches running on one of the counters inside Entebbe airport. As an memory form my travels in India the locals would say "A cockroach is part of the India family". Previously i have had a feeling of disgust seeing those animals, now i was looking at them as comforting old friends in an unfamiliar environment. 

I buy from the kiosk local sim card for my phone. I am charged 2000 schillings. I cant follow all the zeroes and at first i say i dont have so much money. In euros it s about 50 cents and after discovering i have in my wallet 200 000 schillings i also buy some internet. As a surprise i am announced that for using whatsapp and facebook in Uganda you have to pay tax 6000 schillings monthly. I feel disturbed by this unexpected tax. It takes about an hour to do all these procedures though i never started to use it.

My drive from Entebbe airport to Nansana, suburb near Kampala, takes about an hour. As coming to Africa i did not take much warm things since my assumptions of African countries are burning hotness all the time, and as we proceed in the car i am cold. I am starting to be afraid of getting a flu. Passing trough suburbs towards Nansana there is smell of hot days, dust, burning oil from sauce pans, fresh cut meat and fish at the road side, rottening trash and smell of different trees and open water. Dirty food stalls make me curious to try those exotic foods on offer. I am sure i will come and try, maybe just not tomorrow. All people on the streets are black.
On my first day in Ugandan Pioneers office i am not sure where and why i have come. All is so different and intimidating. On my first day i am getting a private course a about Ugandan history and constitution. I feel hot and panicking, there is no air. in the room and i fight not to pass out. It takes some time to breathe in all in.