Summer 2005: Ugandan feild trip
When I told my friends that I was going to Uganda for 10 days to see Bóthar projects they didn't believe me. They mockingly told people, ‘He's going to Uruguay, or Albania, or somewhere, to visit goats' - Donegal humour at its finest.
Despite their good-humoured joking a group of friends gathered to see me off from my home in Donegal on a cold November morning as I started out on a journey to the unknown. On arrival at Dublin airport I met Frances Murphy, one of the Bóthar field-trip co-ordinators, and some of the other members of our group. Frances really helped to put us at ease straight away, assuring us that we were in good hands and telling us what to expect on out journey and arrival to Uganda.
10 hours later and we arrived in Entebbe airport, Uganda. The November African heat nearly knocked me out. Even from the doors of the airport, the country was beautiful.
The next day we started our study visit properly and went to visit Bóthars partner organisations headquarters, Heifer Project International, in the capital city of Kampala. We were introduced to Bernard, Beine (rechristened Benny), Monica, Josephine, Juliet, Patrick and of course, the one and only Bosco. We were split into two groups that day and given our itinerary for the areas and projects that each group would be visiting.
The visit I remember best, and always will, was the Bugusege Woman's Heifer Project. I remember the shock of seeing the amount of people that had come to greet us (and how late we were!). And all the women dancing in front of us, and the children cheering to the flash of our cameras.
We were introduced to members of the womens group and given a tour of their meagre holdings. I was chuffed to see a black and white Irish cow in the middle of such an African scene. It was surreal to say the least! For the first time I think I started to understand the value of cows to the people we were meeting.
We were told one story of how a widowed woman was raising her family alone and of how she had been able to take in other orphaned children to her home when she received the living gift of an Irish dairy cow. That visit was quite a reality check and reinforced how worthy Bóthar's work is. My favourite part of the day was playing football with Rebecca and Natasha and all the local school children. I think it is probably the nicest memory I have of the trip.
The worst part of the holiday was leaving. The country was fantastic, the trip impeccably planned and the memories, and people we shared them with supremely wonderful. Since getting home, I appreciate what I experienced more greatly now. Unfortunately, it's hard to explain to people how good it was. I'm very fortunate to have had the opportunity I've had at such a young age and definitely feel it has played a part in sculpting my outlook on the world. I hope Bóthar lasts long into the future because the work they are doing is so wholly worthwhile.
The Bó Vine Summer 2005
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