An introduction to the Gulu group of the Engage Uganda program, our preparation and experiences before the trip, and some of our initial reactions upon arriving in Uganda.


Hi, my name is Nikolai “Nicky” Smith, and I am a sophomore at Northwestern University. I am participating in the Engage Uganda study abroad program where three groups of students are each working on different projects with a community-based nonprofit. Five other students and I will be working in Gulu in Northern Uganda with the nonprofit Chaford-Uganda. We will be focusing on projects that have to do with youth development, and I will get into detail about these projects as the weeks progress.

Our group and all the other trip participants have been working together for several months now as we took a course together at Northwestern to learn about development in Uganda and other parts of the world and to begin conversations with the organizations that we would be working with.

From talking with my other Gulu group members, I found another similar experience that we have had before Uganda. Upon telling people that we are studying abroad in Uganda this summer, all of us often heard: WHY??? People wonder what we can possibly do in Uganda and what exactly we are studying. When I tell people that we are collaborating with a nonprofit on different projects and also receiving local language and cultural lessons they still ask why. This is a different response then I am used to when I have told people about my other trips abroad. When I say that I am studying in Mexico, France and China next year or that I have done service in Guatemala people leave it at that. People don’t question why I studied Arabic in Jordan last summer, but they would most often remark how valuable a language that is these days. Yet, when we tell people we are going to Uganda we are all continually questioned about the purpose of studying there. These raise questions for me (questions I would like you to comment on), such as what can we learn from cultures and languages that don’t directly impact our lives? Is it valuable for me to be studying the culture of the Acholi in the North and their language of Luo or would my time better be spent studying Mandarin or Arabic?

This brings up another important question that I have wrestled with which is what does study abroad exactly mean? Is studying more about lectures and books than hands-on experiences and conversations? On this trip we are trying to blend both by having weekly readings and a two-week seminar at the end of the course, but the majority of the program is focused on the projects and our interactions with our respective nonprofits. In the past, I have learned better through the latter, but Universities are hesitant to accept credit for such programs, and it will be interesting to see how the study aspect of this program plays out.

Right now, all of the students in the Program are in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, having a week to get adjusted and have orientation. I have asked people about their initial reactions upon coming to Uganda. Those that have traveled to developing countries say that Kampala and the surrounding area is very similar to industrial areas in the other countries that they have visited. Jacob, one of the students who will be going to Gulu with me, said that the biggest thing that has surprised him is just how big the British influence in Uganda has been. We knew that English was the official language, but the impact of British and generally Western culture is seen throughout Kampala. For instance, almost everyone wears “dress” clothing, such as the men wear suits, dress pants and shoes and the women wear dress skirts, high heels and have leather purses. I have only seen several women wearing what looked like the traditional dress in person and more images of women wearing this dress on advertisements than in person. Emily, another student going to Gulu, said that she feels comfortable here and that Ugandans have been very accepting and excited to see Americans. I believe that throughout the program we will be discussing both benefits and costs of Western influence in Uganda and how they play out today.

We will be driving to Gulu at the end of this week to begin working with our organization and to meet our host families. I was told that my host family has 14 kids! I have been very excited to stay with a host family and to work in Gulu, but I always have doubts about how accepting people will be, especially when we will be working directly with the people. I will all be wrestling with questions of who gains more from this experience, us or the people we work with, and if we can really make a positive difference in these areas. My time is short at the internet café as I would like to type so many other initial reactions and conversations I have had with Ugandans and with Northwestern students, but I have to run. I will be posting several times a week as the ten-week program progresses so please stay posted and comment on what you read. Please pass the link to this blog to everyone.

Afoyo (thanks in Luo (the language of the Acholi (in the North (of Uganda)))),

Nikolai Smith