Uganda: Josh Malkowski
Program: UW Agriculture, Health & Nutrition in Uganda, Winter Intersession
Josh’s Major: Environmental Sciences
What did you learn about yourself or the world because of your experience?
From this experience, I learned that the world really is much bigger than we think it is, and you won’t know what it is like on the other side of the world unless you go there yourself. Before I departed for Uganda, I had no idea what to expect, and the picture I had was nowhere close to what it actually was when I arrived. In addition, I learned how much it means to people to help them, and how much happiness it brings. I have not seen people as happy as some Ugandans were when we were there. Furthermore, I also learned that it does not take much to be happy, and people really do not know how good their living situation is to be in a country like America.
Pretty much all of our academics was fieldwork or talks from workers in the country. None of the academics was a typical sit-in-a-desk-and-take-notes thing like we have here in Madison.
What is your most memorable experience from your program?
The most memorable experience that I had while on this program was the beautiful scenery that we saw. From the falls at Murchison Falls National park, to the Source of the Nile in Jinja, Uganda is beautiful, and there is so much to see!
How did your identities impact your experience? What advice would you give to students with similar identities who are considering a similar experience?
As Americans, me and my fellow group members stood out in Uganda. One thing to know about Uganda is you will looked at in a funny way or talked to in ways that you may find uncomfortable, as social norms are different in Uganda. In Uganda, there is a word that they call outsiders called “Muzungu”. Me and my group members were probably called this over a thousand times during our experience. It’s not offensive though, it just means that you’re not from Uganda. Get ready to get called this countless times while you’re in Uganda!
What is a custom, food or tradition from your host country that you are taking forward?
One of the staple foods in Uganda is called Matoke, which is pretty much bananas that are steamed while still in their leaves. It is a delicious and nutritious dish and I hope to try to create this dish for myself one day!