Study Abroad – Uganda 2017

By Prof. Monica Swahn It’s very exciting, but also exhausting, to lead a three-week study abroad program adventure –a course on alcohol & harm, in Uganda. It requires a great deal of planning, interacting with collaborators and guest speakers, booking and paying for hotels, making reservations for activities, selecting restaurants for meals and organizing transportation … Continue reading Final Reflections from the GSUganda2017 Study Abroad Director

First of all, let me start with the Chobe lodge. One of the most important trips in our study abroad program for me, was the visit to the Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda. The amazing Chobe lodge is located at the Eastern part of the park, and it feels like paradise to be so … Continue reading Only in Uganda: Safari and Communication Issues!

During our three short weeks in Uganda, we have been fortunate to have time to visit various NGO’s serving individuals facing addiction and learn about their recovery programs. One particular visit was especially welcoming and heart warming in a unique way. Immediately upon arrival, before we even exited the bus, the women and children expressed … Continue reading Memorable Moments in Jinja

Photo by Philip Hudson Visiting the continent of Africa has always been one of my lifetime travel goals. I’ve always had the desire and longing to visit the place from where my ancestors originated. When I was made aware of Georgia State’s study abroad program in Uganda, I knew this would be a great time … Continue reading My Experience as an African-American in Uganda

Over the weekend we were fortunate enough to travel to Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, a 6 hour drive north of Kampala. We stayed at the Chobe Lodge, a wonderful hotel located on the banks of the River Nile. It wasn’t uncommon to hear the grunts and calls of hippos while we took a … Continue reading The Hunt for the Leopard

So far, my trip to Uganda has been amazing. The food is wonderful, the people are welcoming, and the scenery is breathtaking. There hasn’t been one thing I haven’t enjoyed, but there has been one thing that has taken me back, and that is the slums and poverty in Uganda. Poverty is always around us … Continue reading Facing Poverty in Uganda

Preparing for our trip to Africa, I tried to get an understanding of the severe level of poverty that exists throughout Eastern Africa so that I wouldn’t have an overwhelming initial shock and not be able to process all that I would see. However, the reality is that you can never be prepared for the … Continue reading Poverty in Uganda: The Happiest Country in the World

It’s no surprise that the children in Uganda are much different than the children back in the US. What I didn’t know was how different their responsibilities were. A simple observation from just driving past slums, you can already see a handful of kids carrying multiple jerry cans (which can hold up to 5 gallons … Continue reading Children of Kampala