JEWEL, UGANDA

Here’s what I knew about the African continent before I arrived in Uganda with my family.* I pictured a harsh, barren land (as depicted in some documentaries) and having to fetch water from some far away riverbed.

But when I looked out the plane window as we approached Entebe Airport, I saw fertile land, lush trees, and rivers snaking out of Lake Victoria. It was gorgeous!

Now, imagine this with me. You step out of the plan and feel the gust of humid air. As you step down the runway, you hear loud calls of birds you’ve never heard before. You see grey-crowned cranes, hadada ibis, marabou storks, horses, bunnies, and, to your surprise, a came. It’s as if you’ve just entered a country-sized zoo! And that’s just your fist step; you’re still at the airport!

—Jewel

*Jewel was 15

For more stories like this, check out Mission 360, where this story was originally published.