My work in Uganda is over for now, and I’ve been relaxing in Kenya for the past two days visiting family. And giraffes. It’s a great way to decompress after 15 days of intense (but fun) work in some of the poorest areas of Africa.

A few people have asked me how this trip compared with my first trip to Uganda two years ago. Of course, nothing can compare to the first time you set foot in a Kampala slum and attempt to work in a makeshift medical clinic. But the second trip was amazing in its own ways.

Here are a few things I learned the past two weeks, that I didn’t realize the first time….

The ukulele is extremely popular in Uganda (and apparently Kenya as well). If I had known that years ago, I wouldn’t have worked so hard to learn to play the piano.

Mr. Tasty in Kampala makes a pretty good chicken burger, and it probably won’t make you sick. 

Patience and flexibility are really important on a Loving One by One team. Actually I knew that two years ago, but it seemed even more important this time.

The flight attendants on Kenya Air are the fastest flight attendants I’ve ever seen.

I need a better suitcase.

No matter how much good work you think you’ve done, the sight of a little girl begging for food in the street makes you think you haven’t done anything.

Sometimes shower faucets are mislabeled, and you may actually have hot water when you think you don’t (learned after almost two weeks of cold showers).

If you get typhoid, don’t let the witch doctor in your tribe do surgery on you. In fact, don’t let him touch you at all.

Even a mediocre place like “Thousand Cups of Coffee” is worth a second chance. They knocked it out of the park this time. I proudly bought one of their t-shirts.

More later, when I get back to California.