Prior to my arrival in Uganda, I fretted over the cultural differences that I would encounter as a foreigner. The multitudinous ethnic backgrounds, beliefs and practices of Canada truly enabled me to become an enigmatic, amalgamation of diverse attitudes. As a young, Sri Lankan woman, born and raised in Scarborough, I never really considered how different I would be if my parents hadn’t fled their homeland to Canada. So, upon deciding I would travel to Africa alone, I furiously researched the cultural contrast that I would face. It wasn’t until a couple hours after I arrived, that I felt compelled to ask my predetermined driver, all the questions I had been asking Google. He simply told me it is not common or safe to smoke in public but I should be fine otherwise as I am a foreigner. Since then, I have heard the same sentiment among those I’ve bombarded with the same inquiries. Many have encouraged me not to be shy or commended me for my deference. It’s all about respect, acknowledging a cultural difference goes along way as it shows a sign of understanding beyond tolerance. Growing up as a Sri Lankan in Canada has actually made the balance of traditional versus western lifestyles easier for me to comply with. I move away from Esther’s place to smoke the same way I moved away from my aunt’s place or decided not to smoke last summer. I’ve found that it is necessary for me to prove how similar we are then not, here. The idealizations individuals have about Canada or America is often heartbreaking to me. To feel so disconnected and disempowered by your government, to see the positive in Donald Trump becoming a president (not that that’s common here)-it’s frankly distressing. But what about the larger picture of western cultural dominance in effect here? Is it? I’ve come from Canada in order to aid a small organization in Northern Uganda become a self sustaining enterprise. To try and lessen the differentiation, I have had many ongoing discourses on cultural relativism with the people of Lira. Many have echoed the need for foreign investment due to the continuous failure of the government in supporting the people of Uganda. My trip to Uganda occurred many years after the controversial documentary Invisible Children, Kony 2012- I remember the night the film came out, it went viral immediately and I was momentarily ecstatic because I had been in tenth grade, organizing an event in which I would fundraise for Children of Hope Uganda with my Take Action Team. Children of Hope Uganda was established as a response to the atrocities of the Lord’s Resistance Army in order to help support the recovery of two war-affected communities in Northern Uganda. Barlonyo was the site of the LRA massacre of 301 villagers on February 21, 2004. I asked Lorna Pitcher, who founded the registered charity after meeting Esther Atoo, to come in for a day long assembly Pope John Paul. I sold crafts over the next week and we were able to raise $1,440 by selling the jewelry and toys that COHU’s income generating activity provided. This money was allocated towards establishing the foundation of what is now called the ECDC nursery school. COHU assists both Lira and Barlonyo with the reintegration of children who have been marginalized by Africa’s longest running conflict. Sustainable efforts of the organization provide education and income generating activities for war affected youth and their families. War and corruption in politics have created districts in Uganda that depend greatly on foreign investment. When I get on a boda boda to the COHU office, I also pass by quite a few signs that read the names of popular western NGOs. Microfinancing projects have been vital to Uganda’s economy in recent years, most vibrant and successful self sustaining enterprises have been founded through foreign support. I am not here to nurture the dependance on foreign involvement but rather learn and serve the organization with whatever skills or resources I have been privileged enough to be equipped with. I believe an equal balance of awareness and curiosity is all that’s necessary to breaking the boundaries of cultural differences.