Things I have learned and experienced in Africa

Quick update- I just got back to Amani late this afternoon from a Safari!!! It was an incredible experience. I am going to write a separate post with all the details and pictures once I figure out how to condense such a crazy, adventurous 3 days into one post this weekend. Soo... in the mean time, I thought I would share with you some fun little experiences and lessons I have learned just in my first week in Uganda. Hope you enjoy :)

1.) Make sure to keep sketchy showers completely locked, even if you are finished. This prevents strange guys named Joseph from walking in, apologizing and then introducing themselves.
 (Thankfully I was fully dressed)

2.) Apparently, it is possible to retrieve your spare tire back from a lion that is 10 feet away without it attacking. Our tour guide Wilson is the bravest!

3.) It is difficult to hold a shower head while showering and attempt to kill mosquitoes at the same time.

4.) There are no traffic rules in Uganda. Just honking your horn will do just fine.

5.) Be very careful on how you dismount a Boda Boda.... mufflers hurt!

6.) Kids will come out of nowhere to wave and say hello if they see a bunch of white girls hanging out the top of a van. It sometimes feels like your in your own parade.

7.) Lions will not come out of the bushes no matter how many times you sing the theme song of Lion King.

8.) Pumba is so much bigger on tv than in real life.

9.) It takes almost an hour to two hours to make six grilled cheese sandwiches in Uganda.

10.) American currency is a lot easier to understand than Ugandan Shillings.

11.) My lap will never be big enough for all the kids that want to sit in it. To fix this, they decide to push you down so they can sit on your stomach too.

12.) There really is such a thing as African time. Expect everything to happen at least an hour later than its suppose to.

13.) You can really be in two places at once; just straddle the Equator in Uganda. Checking that one off my bucket list!

14.) Having your picture taken with elephants in their natural habitat 15 feet behind you is the coolest. thing. ever!

15.) Getting 16 girls fed, bathed and dressed for bed is no easy task.


16.) Instead of lizards, Africa has big geckos that climb the walls everywhere and keep you company in the bathroom and shower.

17.) Ugandans are the friendliest people. They will stop and talk to whomever, wherever.

18.) Ugandans do not sleep. I have never seen so many people walk around at all hours of the night in my life.

19.) It is a very good thing I do not get carsick. Driving in Africa is a roller coaster in itself.

20.) I am a master of the Queen Elizabeth National Park Safari board game!

21.) I have seen enough bats to last me a lifetime.

22.) Sleeping under mosquito nets is like camping indoors. Except when the net collapses on you in the middle of the night and you wake up tangled in it.

23.) Water buffalo are more dangerous than hippos. They kill just for fun. We had a staring contest with a few of them.

24.) Walking around in a field full of zebras might be as cool as the elephants.

25.) Africans must have very hard heads and excellent balance. They carry everything from bananas to water jugs on top of their heads while walking.

26.) Children will walk for miles to get to school every day. This could mean up to 2 hours or more just one way.

27.) I am an even bigger advocate for TOMS. My TOMS have endured all conditions imaginable and still remain comfy!

28.) One restaurant we went to had green toilet paper that dyed the water blue. We weren't sure if we should have been concerned or not...

29.) I introduced our tour guide to his very first Twizzler! He loved them and kept asking for more "red sticks".

30.) Africa's version of a drive thru is people swarming the car, shoving chicken on a stick through your window.