Why Travel? The People!

Are you one of those people with those "I have this one friend" narratives where you know you will impress people with the coolness of your not only interesting but true accounts? I am. Except I have about 1000 "my one friend" stories. Since coming to Uganda I have managed to pick up a few more and after thinking about it, I thought I would share by devoting a post to these types of people and my usual struggle to comprehend how I have had the fortune to meet them.

Interesting person #1 “Once I had to smuggle a scroll out of Tibet so Amnesty International would be able to document the atrocities committed against the Tibetan monks.” Me: Once I “smuggled” extra Splenda out of a Starbucks because I didn’t have any in my apartment so we’re pretty much the same.” 

Interesting person#2 “Well I never went to college but became a self-made millionaire with my own construction company. Then for retirement I had to choose between racing cars or doing volunteer work.” Me: “I went to college and majored in business only to quit my first job to teach English so we’re pretty much the same.” 

(Photo: Look closely. If you ever meet anyone from this group consider yourself blessed.)

Interesting person #3 “Oh weird, we will be in Dublin at the same time? Hmm I am from Ireland, let me give you an amazing tour of the city and you just tell me what you want to see and we will do it!” Me: “Wow thanks! Well I’m from the ‘burbs of Detroit so if you ever make it that way, I will give you a free walking tour also! Our half-day tour will encompass numerous identical houses and lawns, several fire hydrants, the (historical?!) Beaumont Hospital and Woodward Avenue. Keep your eye out for oversized cars and Hummers built for the overland destinations but driving on paved cement cement instead…It’s pretty much the same.” 

Interesting person #4 “Oh you have a layover in Dubai? Weird, I live there! Why don’t I just pick you up from the airport and show you the city and you can shower and eat at my apartment! Oh, you land at 12:30am and I wake up for work at 4:30? No problem!” Me: “THANKS! Oh, you fly through Detroit? No? Oh ok well enjoy your trip! (Pretty much the same) 

Interesting person #5: "Right after high school I moved to Madrid and now I am fluent in Spanish. Now as a flight attendant, I travel the world as part of my job!” Me: “Hmm after high school I took a semester of French and I know people who speak French sooo....we're pretty much the same."

(Photo: Emma, age 21. Trilingual and now working in Paris in the fashion industry. Paris as in France. France as in a country known for fashion. Poor girl probably cringes on the inside every time she sees my attempts at "new looks")

Ok you get the point. And so do I. I am not really (read: not even close to) the same but that’s not the important part; Not only is traveling amazing for the sights you see and the people you meet at your destinations, but the people you meet along the way! I have cometo believe that if you really think the best of people, it will be easy to find the best!  These are just some of the people I met while traveling and one person I was reacquainted with after about 12 years when she babysat my brothers!

Traveling lets you do that. I have to be honest and say that while I hope my future career involves traveling to reach places where I can help others, I would be lying if I didn’t say one of the best parts is meeting people along the way. Usually, my best stories are really second-hand stories where I never even EXPERIENCED the event! For example, I can only dream of something so exotic and exciting as photographing Bedouin tribes or living in Dubai but I get to hear of other people’s adventures and imagine myself able to do it one day! I could be famous for “my one friend” stories. If only I told them half as well as they did!

 (Photo: Janelle outside of the famous Island Hotel in Dubai...where she lives. It's like an automatic guarantee at being awesome.)

I’m only 25 so I don’t have a lot of advice to impart to others but if I thought I was capable of any type of “wisdom” I have learned it would be this; Never be closed-off to anyone regardless of age, gender or eccentricities on first meeting them. Ask a billion questions or maybe it’s wiser to say ask questions until their face looks like you asked a billion and finally, if at first they come off as rude or impolite, always assume it’s just a bad day. There have definitely been a few instances where after getting to know someone who first seemed awful turned out to be amazing. After looking back at it, I probably just smelled. Seriously.

Here are my favorite quotes (that I remember at this moment) from people I have met while traveling;

“I speak Farsi so it’s fun to watch Ahmadnijad on tv because I understand what he says”

“I am working with 30 Ugandans and then it’s me. I used to work for the U.N and (fill in a million other cool jobs). Now I live as an expat here and love it!”

(Photo: Clare, grew up with the Masai in Kenya, smuggled documents out of Tibet and now runs a Jamaican Villa, the usual.)

“Hmm I think this month I will save baby turtles in Costa Rica. I’ll be back in the U.S for _____(don't remember; it's some race that I find unimportant with cars and motors and stuff) and then I will be hiking Macchu Pichu”

“I was in Ethiopia and took a photo in a dark room where hundreds of people were sleeping on the floor. When I looked at the photo after, I noticed hundreds of eyes staring menacingly at me. I realized we needed to get out of there.”

“Oh this? This is my permit to drink in this area. Since it’s a Muslim country you need a license to drink but it only permits me to do so in this specific area of Dubai.”

“I'd like to visit the U.S but I can't imagine leaving my kids!” (spoken by an 18 year old director of an orphanage and street ministry program)

I may be biased but I think I have possibly met some of the coolest people EVER!

 (Photo: Suzi, a future bilingual executive and Umut, a trilingual Turkish clothing designer)

With nothing I can think of to compare, I have decided that my role can be to be “that friend,” the one who you tell others about and then they are aware of something they might otherwise not be so here is my “that friend” fact; When arriving in Uganda I had to use the bathroom which I knew would be a squat toilet. I was pointed towards the outhouse and had no idea what to expect so while confused, used a bathroom with a plastic floor and drain. Walking back upstairs, I was politely informed I had just used “the shower” and the toilet was next to it. I am that friend.

 (Photo: Eric, Jamie and Jo, 3 fabulous English teachers in Spain. After you talk with them for more than a minute, you will be completely blown away by how interesting they are!)

You know we are still in "La Crisis" when...

After arriving back to Madrid on Saturday night, I was completely moved out of my apartment by 2:00pm Sunday afternoon and on a train to Valencia with the world's largest suitcase of clothes summing up my last year of life.

Before I get into the title of this blog, I have to describe the life of a Spaniard. Now everyday, just like in the U.S, there are huge articles in the paper about the poor economy. Although I don't watch it, I believe it is a safe assumption to believe it's an important topic on the T.V. People are REALLY hurting here and there is a lot problems especially in the construction business, previously Spain's lucrative sector. However, if you were a tourist that decided to only check out the night life in a major city or actually, ANY city at all, you would never know there was a crisis hitting the world. Tapas and beer are what Coke and pizza are to an American; when all else fails, you don't give that up. The streets are always crowded with people and life is good. Sights like these lead me to my reoccurring thoughts of, "how do they afford this? Where are they cutting back?" Well, I have found the answer.

Back to my trip to Valencia. I took the Renfe which is the longer distance train service out of Madrid.  I can't remember the last time I was on a long train ride and I really liked it. There is a restaurant in the train where you can go and read the paper, order food and drinks, and talk with other people at the bar, charming. Now everyone is likely familiar with the massive cuts made in air-transit i.e paying for your softdrinks and even perhaps the little pack of peanuts! And of course, the brilliant executive from I believe Ryannair who wants to have pay-to-use toilets. Right. Clearly crisis mode. Keeping this is mind, I found it absolutely amazing as well as a clear indication of our current situation when near the end of the trip having been provided nothing for free, I see a train attendant (uh is that correct, an attendant?) with a big smile coming up the aisle with a basket in his hand. Awesome. I am hoping its a bag of pretzels and literally everyone is awake and waiting in the cabin. I see him handing out small gray packets that MUST be a chocolate or a mint since they are so tiny. Oh if we were only so lucky. This man has the audacity to pass out A (please annunciate the singular "A") jellybean. A jellybean. One. In plastic wrap. I also think it is important to note that this was not a large bean NOR an exclusive brandname like JellyBelly. No this was A (again, please emphasize the "A" to get the full effect) generic brand jellybean. It had to cost more to package them than the actual making of the bean. I attached a picture just so you can see what the crisis has done to the poor public transit system of Spain. Clearly, they are in a tough spot.

Anyways, arriving in Valencia was great. Currently I am working as a basketball coach for children at an English camp. Suffice it to say, this is the most fun and easiest work I have had in well, forever! I love it and I get the weekends off! This is also a great way to save up for my trip because included in this job is free room and board. I don't make a lot of money but all the money I make essentially can go towards things I need like oh...life-saving vaccinations for myself (still need the rabies shot) and contributions to enhance the lives of the people I will be working with. I am thankfully able to spend a little time now organizing and reading ahead for what I will be doing/experiencing and all I can say is, I continue to feel so fortunate to have the things I do. Even more importantly, the supportive people! There is a really incredible video online passed along to me by several people and I want to attach it as well. It's about empowering one girl and the effects it can have on an entire village and maybe even a greater area. Girls have proven to be the most powerful agents of change in the developing world if given a chance to receive an education. If you have a few minutes, it is definitely worth watching!