Everybody smiles with the same language: Uganda

I travelled to Uganda in the beginning of this year. Though I was the first one making fun of my mom when she was worrying about my sister's life in Uganda, in her opinion in the middle of lianes, wildanimals and poverty, those words weren't as far from my own idea of equatoral Africa as I now, afterwards, wish they'd been. My idea of Africa (yes, Africa as a whole, not any particular country, unfortunately) was based on our town's newspaper's articles, horrifying photography and those nowadays so ridicilously annoying fundrasing/charity galas which use more money on organizing the massive ending performance with the little pieces of paper flying from the ceiling, than they collect during the SHOW.

I remember watching some gala from tv organised by Plan, which is an organisation that tries to help the children in the developing countries, some time before my departure. It was a bit more low-key event, with - I must say - really suitable and genuine performances from finnish artists. The target country was Uganda, and the program included many clips from UG, mainly from the northern area. The inserts didn't offer me much new; youngsters and children living on the countryside trying to help their big families struggling with poverty, disease and hunger. This is it, I remember thinking, this is where Im going, gosh I just wish that I can help the people I meet as much as I can.

Little did I know that I was the one who needed help. Before leaving, what I knew from Uganda and my upcoming trip was this: There would be a lot of dancing and I would work with local dancers. We would be living in a house that accomodates volunteers a bit outside of Kampala. There's no dark bread, people speak english, my sister loves to be there. Abramz Tekya, the founder of BPU, the organisation that I'm going to work with, had became more inspiring to me than Martti Ahtisaari, a finnish former president who has accomplished great things in peacemaking and won a Nobel peace prize in 2008, and I was afraid to meet him cause I didn't know what to say to such a great man. The kids in the orphanage that my sister worked in are unbelievable and grateful. Idi Amin. Museveni is the current president and will probably win the upcoming elections and so join the small group of African leaders who have been in charge for over 30years. It's hot as hell. That was about it.

Mark teaching Trevor at the orphanage

The following I hate to admit, and can admit only cause I genuinely don't feel the same way anymore. I came to Uganda with a hint of the same attitude that I'd imagine the colonialists had arriving in the same continent on the 15th(?) Century. I thought that our way is a better way, our life is a better life and our knowledge is the better knowledge. I thought I would be the one teaching, yet I turned out to be the one listening to locals telling me about their views, just looking at them jar-dropped, unable to say anything. I had a massive cultureshock, but it wasn't the kind that I had prepared. I was prepared to feel sorry, pity for them and gratitute for all that I have. Yet I found myself being jealous for the people I met. For Mark, cause he knew such a grate deal about... everything and had an amazing belief for himself, his projects and in life. For Abramz, cause he was so goddamn modest even though his actions have changed hundreds of lives for the better. For Remy, cause she was so lady even when she was breakdancing, for Karim for being so confident and proud of his opinions though he was just ten years old.For Tabu Flo guys cause their talents were so sick, For every single person in BPU cause they were so talented, eager, real, and got to be part of that kind of family of dancers. For Samuel cause he got to do what he loves the most for a living.

Choreography-teaching @ In Movement

That wasn't something I was prepared. The first time that I thought my choreography was even less the kind that I had thought; people came in at different times (only one was right on time) and the situation just wasn't natural in any ways. I didn't feel like myself, I didn't know anyone and basicly just felt that I want to run to my father's and ask him to take me away just like when I was five years old and went to my first dance practice. At that time he said that if you go now, and you don't like it you never have to come again, but just go and try it for one time. Well, 14years has passed, and I'm still dancing, and in Uganda, I didn't run to him and ended up experiencing the greatest experiences of my life so far. I kept on going, our team kept on going, and the result was standing-shouting-screaming-applause when we performed the choreography for the first time to other BPU members, not to mention the best feeling ever after the actual performance at Nsambya Sharing hall at the Hip hop for Society 2011.

Final Battle, KMO vs. Abramz at Hip Hop For Society 2011

taste of life on the faces of Elias and Eric

What I mean to say with all this, is that Uganda is not, what you think it'll be. No place is, unless you've already visited it, but even in that case that's not all. Though it's easy to stay on your comfortzone; only read what is handed to you, think, what is expected of you and live like it's assumed from you it's not what is mandatory from you. Turn on Al Jazeera every now and then and instead of investing on a plasmatv bye a plainticket (or a trainticket, more ecological). It's great to be satisfied with your life and proud to be a finn as we have many things to be grateful for BUT that's not a thing to be taken as a given nor a reason to not check the outside world. After Uganda I'm afraid to imagine what as amazing things can be found from other places around the world, and the only way to find out is by going and experiencing it yourself. I believe the only way in understanding is by experiencing. Though fear shall not be underestimated it shouldn't be the reason for not doing something. Just like Finland isn't all about sauna and getting drunk, Africa isn't all about AIDS and hunger, and I'm sure South America isn't all about gangs, violence and samba. Instead of agreeing to what your local newspaper is telling you, question it. I'm not saying it's all bullshit, just remember, it's only ONE story, ONE perspective. My time in Uganda definitely wasn't all wonderfull, there was problems, struggling, I didn't see only great talent and happiness, I saw hunger, violence and in my opinion, problematic politics. Some of the people I came to know have gone through ordeals that, I must claim, would be the causes for even quite massive breakdowns in my country. I wittnessed persistant fighting for one's own beliefs and was shocked when told about losses that seemed to be a regular part of life in Uganda. But I heard no complaints. That was the difference. I didn't see people ready to shoot their brains out just because their business went down. If children who have lost both of their parents can smile from one day to another, and show their gratitude every day, why can't we?

The most positive thing I found in Uganda was the enormous potential, and that was also probably what I least expected to find based on my previous knowledge. And the receipt for the talent nourishing in BPU is simple, co-operation and respect. Each one teach one is a motto that should be used even by the multicorporations, maybe Nokia should try that next..

Jennifer playing with Niina

The way I survived from my cultur shock was acceptance. I accepted that I was an idiot and decided that I would return home at least a little less of an idiot. I surrendered to the extreme feelings of good and bad, bodaboda rides, salsanights, inspiring people and ended up making friends for life. One of them, Oscar, a 19-year-old bboy, beatboxer and a graffitiartist gave me the most important lesson of my life without even knowing it himself: Share. Everything is worth sharing, every skill, every thought, every idea. And all those can be the start of something great and new. As I watched him teach people all aged, gender and level of talent I finally came in to the conclusion that maybe I also have something worth sharing. The other important thing was thought to me by a 10-year-old Jennifer: size nor age matters on the dancefloor, even a little girl can kick ass and at the same time be the most charming creature on the planet.

Jonas decided to be as sad as I was during my departure time but ended up cheering me up

And what happened to my predudices? well, I came to understand that therere is no right way, life or knowledge. There's just different ones, which, when collided can actually turn out to be quite near to each other. Also inside Africa. Travelling to Uganda showed me nothing of the life in Nigeria, Congo or Libya. I can now say that I definitely understand the irritation towards the common way of referring to Africa as a country. It's a continent.

The power behind hip hop is amazing and so is the power behind sharing, that's what BPU showed me. The power behind individuals is amazing, that's what the arab spring showed me. I have no right to criticise talebanfighters in Afganistan as I cannot imagine how it would feel when my country would be invaded by a foreign army and the streets would be filled with soldiers, tanks and hornets . In my country all those are just part of an annual celebration of the finnish army, that's what this year's independence day showed me. I haven't got the courage to talk about the inequalities between the west and developing world, with people coming from the developing countries, that's what my trip to Uganda showed me. Africa needs help, that's what reading has thought me but it's the western world that needs more help, that's what watching the tv has showed me, as well as the economical ongoing depression. I will make a mark into this world, leave more behind than a plasma tv, an okay-life and unfullfilled dreams, that's what I'm going to show to the world.

Life is not about rat race. Get out of the wheel and decide to make something out of your potential. Otherways you might end up with okay and oh well, I think we all deserve extraordinary.

Thank you, every single person I met in Uganda, for challenging my way of thinking.

Here's a brave woman giving another kind of perspective on Africa. I genuinely courage you to watch it.