Challenging cultures from a traveller

In 2010 just after my 31st birthday I boarded an Emirates airplane to Heathrow airport London after more than three years of planning this trip. But just before I boarded I said goodbye to my mum dad brother and sister. My whole family came to see me off because it was my first time. My first time to travel far away from home. My first time to travel on a plane to another country by my self.

It was frightened and excited all at the same time. My parents especially my mum was worried that I would not handle the harsh winter, manage to find work or even live.

I was a grown man, and somewhere deep inside their soul they knew I would me ok. Off course i have an aunt living in east of England they knew she would help me out.

When I after and exchange in Dubai, getting a strange sensation in my ears while in the air, seeing the clouds for the other side I mean on top of the clouds. I felt on top of the world.

My plane landed at Heathrow airport I went through security. And met my aunt and her husband outside waiting for me. And then began my unending challenge in this foreign land.

Hi my name is Timothy T Tumwesigire and this is my journey through this amazing country.

A Warm Welcome

My aunt and uncle welcome me. They took me from the airport to there home in Brentwood Essex. In the next few days I got to meet my cousins, nieces and nephews. I was served with English food fish and chips just kidding. But it was nice food Sunday roast and a lot lot more. I got to meet my aunts son his wife their two daughters and son. I got to ask them questions and play games with them. I got to meet my aunts daughter her husband, their three daughters my nieces and their son. Lastly I got to meet my other cousin who lives in London. He took the train just to see me. I was in heaven.

I was shown how to shop because in Africa as far as I know we don’t have online shopping or supermarket shopping with credit cards or debt cards to pay for shopping. For us that is my family dad mum brother sister me we would go to the open air markets and small shops to buy what we needed. Even though supermarkets have been built since I have been in the UK, most people go to their local Market just like this one. This one is called Owino Market

found in down town Uganda.

But things were going to change for the worse. But for now I was living the life.

Drinks Please

After living a few months with my auntie and uncle. I went to live with her son my cousin in London Islington. That’s another story.

While in London my cousin taught me how to get out and about through the London underground Tube. He also help register with government and get my national insurance number. He also introduced me to the typical London culture like going to the pubs. Now I was not used to this. Apart from church wine I had never drank any alcohol before. This is because I grew up in a Christian household. And in Africa least were I grew up we told drinking of any alcohol is a sin and you would go to hell if you did. I come to the UK and even people in the church drink beer, wine and all kinds of alcohol without a problem. It came as a shock to me. I had to blend in and so as not to offend I settled for wine cause its mentioned in the bible and it has health benefits. And later cider. At the moment I have gone back to my original discipline of no alcohol because of an experience I had where I went to the pub with my cousin, and he invited some to join us who encouraged me to drink. Because I was not used to drinking king alot I ended up getting drunk. It was a terrible experience It will never happen again. So no drinks for me, no thanks.