A letter to myself on the things that I learnt.
Count your blessings. Being exposed to poverty made you more thankful for what you have. Be mindful you don't forget. It's never easy, and all too easy to slip back into routine, but so important to keep remembering. Stop complaining about the little things and instead look at all you do have. Running water, proper sanitation, food, a life free from disease - all the necessities that we take for granted everyday aren't always available for others.
If you're having a bad day remember what you saw. The desperation in their faces as the children around you grabbed wildly for food, a mother, struggling to support her son whilst still paying for her HIV medicine, the story of child soldiers who were made to kill those close to them, or be killed themselves, girls the same age as you with more children than their arms could carry. Realign your perspective, ask what really matters and gain a more positive outlook on life.
Live fully. What really struck you a lot of the time was how much enjoyment people out there seemed to have for life. Try to do the same, take hold of your happiness a little more and positively influence the world around you. Be infectious with it. Dance, sing and enjoy life whilst you can, be thankful. Take advantage of the opportunities that you get, it's your duty, don't waste them.
Spend time with the people that matter to you, take pride in your education, and do it wholly. Social media is great but you don't need it all the time, be present, engaged. Life may be short, but you have the chance to make a hell of a lot of it. Do.
Give more. Don't leave the work you did there, bring it into your present too. Remember the difference the gifts and donations you made make. A pencil for a smile, bubbles for a laugh, a bike for a whole new life. How the memory of teaching those children will stick with you forever. Be kind to those around you and give generously where you can, not just money, but time too.
Think about the reality when you watch programs like Red Nose Day, it's not just a 30 second video clip, it's someone's life and if you can be the one to make that better, then why wouldn't you. Giving changes your heart.
See the world. Develop a more rounded perspective on the world around you and question everything. Learn as much as you can. Wait to hear other's opinions before making your own judgements and learn how different, and indeed similar, everyone really is. Well done for pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, you gained a better understanding of how completely different life is and the very real problems facing some people. Make sure you keep doing it, and thing about ways to improve what you see. Travel as much as you can.
Experience new things. Immerse yourself into different ways of thinking, living, speaking and change the way you look at life when you do it. Adapt to the situation that you find yourself in and try and overcome the challenges that face you. Let your mind be shaped by what you see, but don't let it drag you down. Let it buoy you up and inspire you to positively change yourself and others.
My time in Uganda was both unforgettable, and (perhaps regrettably for a blog writer) indescribable. Volunteering out there has changed my outlook on life, made me question myself on several occasions and given me a life changing experience. To fully immerse yourself in a different culture and let go of the life you know, if only for a couple of weeks or days can really open your eyes, and is something I now strongly believe everyone should do at least once in their life. Whilst I can't quite put into words a lot of the things that I experienced, I really wanted to write some kind of piece on the topic, so I hope this kind of made sense and perhaps even helped you too. Let me know what you think - I'm wanting to introduce more thoughtful type posts onto here so hopefully this will only be the first of many to come.
To donate to the charity that I helped with go here, it's an amazing cause and I really hope that you do!
