Georgia on my Mind!
Barbara Katende
Kampala, Uganda
Class of 1995-1996
It was flying thousands of miles and knowing I was going to be away from
home for about a year. It was the anticipation, the anxiety, the fear and
the uncertainty, not knowing what to expect. It was the hearty welcome and
the pleasant surprise of finding smiling faces of Rotarians waiting for me
and waving Ugandan flags. It was the excitement, the hugs, the smiles, the
kind of welcome that makes you instantly feel at home.
It was the wonderful hospitality. I hope I'll be given the privilege in
the future to reciprocate. It was meeting and getting to know Rotarians
both at home and at work. It was learning and constantly being inspired by
distinguished experienced people at the top of their respective careers,
yet still down-to-earth and easy to be with. It was experiencing first
hand love and affection that crosses all barriers. It was discovering and
appreciating why Georgia Rotarians are special individually and as a
group.
It was going to college and daily learning more about the "American Way of
Life." It was appreciating the uniqueness of a country that allows for
diversity, but still has very patriotic citizens. It was having an
American roommate and making American friends I know I can rely on. It was
attending lectures, doing mid-terms, finals, term papers and
presentations. It was International Night and all the excitement that
comes with living on a college campus.
It was learning a new and exciting way of life. It was speaking "Southern"
with the wrong accent. It was eating grits every other day at breakfast.
It was cheering the Atlanta Braves on television and learning to
appreciate baseball. It was being around when the Braves won the World
Series.
It was being in Atlanta at the right time of the decade and watching as
the count down to the 1996 Olympic Games continues. It was seeing the
preparations, the transformation and the renovations in progress. It is a
memory that will long stay in my mind. It was all the fun of the
unforgettable Rotary Weekends. It was appreciating the beauty of Georgia
and seeing why it stands out. It was trips to Stone Mountain, the Carter
Center, Six Flags, CNN Headquarters, the World of Coca-Cola, name it. It
was the pleasure of being a tourist in an exciting place.
It was meeting with students from over 50 different countries. It was
learning about different cultures and beliefs and knowing that the
stereotypes we "hear" about a certain nation are often wrong. It was
laughing about our differences and uniting in our similarities and
realizing that what unites us is a lot more than what divides us. It was
making lifetime friends and knowing that I will not be stranded if I
travel the world in 80 days.
It will be a NEW ME gong home with a brighter vision, seeing the world in
a wider and clearer perspective. It will be a story my grandchildren will
get tired of hearing. A story of inspiration, love, challenge -- a story
that will always keep "GEORGIA ON MY MIND."
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