Day 2: Our First Full Day

June 16, 2024

The night of Sunday, June 15th, after arriving, we slept comfortably under sheer mosquito nets. We awoke from the Precious Guest House in Entebbe, where we had spent the night, and headed to breakfast. We ate an assortment of indigenous fruits, pancakes, and french toast.

Shortly after breakfast, we hopped on a tour bus, met our guides, and headed to our next destination—the equator. The bus took us around Kampala through rural and urban areas, all filled with diverse sights such as local shops, trees, and Lake Victoria. A similarity between many of these areas of Uganda was the vivid red clay on the ground.

Arriving at the equator, we first conducted an experiment! As the equator separates the northern and southern hemispheres, we saw how water circulates in different directions on the north and south and not at all on the line. We also took many pictures and, after, retired to lunch. The meal consisted of unfamiliar dishes such as Matoke Rice and local chicken – we assumed were from the many local chicken farms we passed on our drive.

Following lunchtime, we boarded the bus again, this time driving to the heart of Kampala, where we would spend the night. Arriving a tad bit late, we checked in to the hotel and went to dinner at a cultural performance center. During this performance, we watched many dances that showed the cultural traditions of multiple tribes in Uganda. Interestingly, the presenter said that without these performances, these traditions would be lost, giving us abundant respect for this unique experience.

Wiped from the day, many of us ran straight to our beds straight after, while others went for one last snack. All of us can say – the first full day in Uganda was an immersive, wonderful, and thrilling experience. Can’t wait for many more to come.

Ava Quintanilla

Social Promise Youth