What do I need to do to prepare for Uganda? Part 2

Featuring LaurenBerk's photos from Flickr.com

Round two, people. Now we tackle the Ticket realm. Tickets will be one of the highest expenses, so expect them to put a bite into your wallet. There are, however, a few tricks to defeating this beast. Grit those teeth, it might get rough in here. (Look, an African tree!)

I am not the best at finding tickets, but with some helpful suggestions and support, I did just fine. First recommendation, miles. Airline miles, that is. After you rack up a few thousand Airline miles, you can get a free ticket. I use Alaska Airlines, (makes sense, seeings how I am from Alaska) and I got a free ticket from Alaska to NY. (Insider tip, you can borrow miles from other people, and combine them to yours! Ask your friends!) So that saved me a couple hundred $$'s. Then, the ticket from NY to Uganda cost me about $1,200-$1,300. But even if you find a price around there, KEEP LOOKING. For reasons that man has yet to fully comprehend, ticket prices change drastically. The cost dropped a few hundred a few days after I bought my tickets! So don't be afraid to take your time looking. Go all over the net, talk to friends, talk to travel agencies, so on and so forth. Now, it might seem like a lot of effort, but if you are dedicated to it, you can literally save hundreds of dollars, money that can go towards food, transportation, rent, etc. And in Uganda, even $20 can go substantially farther(further?) than it could in the USA. Search, search, search!
Now, a word of caution. Lets say you find a really good deal, but you say to yourself: "No, I can get better! I'll just wait another day or so!" Easy, buddy. Thats where you can get yourself into a deep depression by watching your good deal slide by and escape. So while sometimes it can be very helpful to sit back and give it some time for that perfect deal to come a long, once it is here, dont let it go! Its a double edged blade, really.

LaurenBerk, Flickr.com

Alright, mindset time. *pops knuckles*
For some reason, mankind has struggled with a foe that puts up a fight so severe that many have never seen the flag of victory. Who is this foe? Themselves.
"What?!"
"That makes no sense."
"Trevor, You're confusing me."
"What?"

LaurenBerk, Flickr.com

I know, I know, hear me out. People's minds can lead them astray and crush their hope and ambition like a plump, juicy grape. (mmm) So, I hate to say it, but it still happens, even today. And it can happen to just about anyone, with anything. Determined to rock a lecture you have to give for school/work/etc? What happens the tragic moment that you notice that no one seems to be paying attention and that your jokes are falling flat on the floor? You panic, and you start to fumble! Suddenly all of the confidence and zeal you had begins to deflate. Now you are a sweating, shaking, and visibly nervous rag-doll up on the podium. Your mindset turns against you, and you bring about your own downfall. Yep, it happens. And it can do so in just about anything in life. So there is a certain mindset that you have to get into in order to really get the most out of your experience if you are going to Uganda. Otherwise you can find your greatest foe to be yourself. Here are a few suggestions.

LaurenBerk, Flickr.com

 1. Remember, this is a third world country. Poverty is strong and relentless. The people will have such a different living standard than you are used to, and it can shock/disturb those that were not prepared for it. Even if you think you've prepared yourself, you haven't. Expect less, never more. You'll be more prepared than ever before if you set your mind low and work your way up as you go. Some houses are literally 4 metal sheets for walls and a metal sheet for a roof. Oh, and a curtain for the main doorway.

LaurenBerk, Flickr.com

2. Throw away everything you're expecting. One friend in Uganda told me that he thought he had a really good idea of what it would be like, but once he got there it was completely different. He had a huge learning curve to battle. Everything he thought it would be was wrong, and he had to fight off the old mindset and readjust. So basically, open up your mind and roll with the punches. As soon as something disturbing comes up, accept it as normal and mentally move past it. DONT.FOCUS.ON.IT.

3. Even when it hurts, grit your teeth and clinch your fists. A the moment, a difficulty seems overwhelming, but if you fight through it and refuse to let yourself get into a funk, then you'll look back on your adventure with pride and confidence that you have what it takes to come off the victor.

4. Find joy and awesomeness in the simple, little things in life. If you are expecting everyday to be a huge, mind blowing adventure, you are going to be disappointing. Learn to love what most people overlook, and when you are back home you will have a far greater appreciation of your experience.

Alright, that about wraps up this post. Next time, I am going to include tips on what to do, bring, expect, all coming from the experts that have lived there for years. *Poke* (comment), rate, or email me for requests, questions, complaints, food. You know, the normal stuff. :]

LaurenBerk, Flickr.com

Ps. Don't be afraid of taking naps. They rock.

~Trevor B