Aleks Krawiec

I came to Uganda for a total of six months (minus one day), spending over four months at Window of Life. In Masindi, everything seemed the same as what I was used to, yet completely different. If I told someone about my daily routine without context, they wouldn't guess that I was in Uganda. It would only become clear when I explained how I carried out that routine. That daily dishwashing was done outside in basins, not under running water, that cooking in the kitchen was done over an open flame, not on a gas stove, that clothes were washed by hand, not in a washing machine, or even that bananas were taken from the garden, not from a store. In Masindi, my main responsibility was teaching children how to use computers. With the younger ones, we mainly played various video games, so they didn’t even realize when they began to understand the keyboard and mouse. I also introduced the older ones to the MS Office and the potential of using the internet skilfully. Throughout my stay, I felt at home at Window of Life. From the beginning, I was treated like family. Fortunately, the aunties patiently endured the mistakes I repeatedly made due to my unfamiliarity with local customs. Between activities at home, I also had plenty of time to get to know Masindi and Uganda in general. Throughout the entire six months, I never got tired of trips to the local market, riding on boda-bodas, or chatting with the very friendly Mr. Mansur, the neighbour of Window of Life. This change of perspective and spending time with the children is an experience I wouldn't trade for anything else. I highly recommend anyone who has the opportunity to experience this firsthand.