I met Andrea somewhere in South America in 2017. We traveled together in Bolivia and when I told her I was afraid of hitchhiking there she looked at me and said: Usted puede, no tenga miedo.
Strong words from a tiny and fearless person – I could see so much courage in her. Months later, I visited in Pereira, Colombia, and she told me she was planning her trip to Africa. Last month when I saw she was in Africa, I could not miss the opportunity to introduce her crazy adventures to all of you.
- Name: Andrea Ruiz Manrique
- Nationality: Colombian
- Age: 27 years old
- Occupation: Journalist and Photographer
- What are you proud of: The way my family raised me. I grew in an environment where love, respect for the other, equality and disciple were crucial
- A curiosity: Hacer que suceda – It is a tattoo I have on my right arm. Why? Because face to adversity, the human being has two options: sitting and watching things happen with an indifferent attitude or taking action and start making good things happen – I picked the second one.
Currently living your first experience in Africa…
It took me 4 days and 5 planes to land in Uganda, a small country in the center of Africa. With my backpack and another suitcase full of sweets and Colombian games for children, I arrived in Luwero, a small village about 3 hours from the capital Kampala last month.
Here you take a “bora bora” – they are colorful bikes, fast and strong to resist the weight of 3 to 4 people – to go everywhere. Uganda is a place where smiles are the bread of every day and where the “muzungus” (white people) are rare.
Here days are spent between classes, games and love summarized in hugs and smiles. Every day, beans are eaten with an ancestral corn-based preparation. Here every risk is worth again and again because children stagger with joy not matter their broken stocks, their uneven shoes, their toy cars made with bottles. Boys wear pink pants and girls men’s shirts but that is the least, because they have definitely understood how to fill their life with genuine love.
And that is definitely what the world needs: LOVE, maybe we have the magic recipe for centuries and we forgot how to apply it!
1. What are you doing in the African continent ?
I am currently volunteering in Uganda with the NGO LICSO, a journey that I am carrying out full of expectations and concerns. This experience represents my capacity to love and to unconditionality serve others because, for me, that is a real privilege. The NGO is a shelter of houses that has about 300 children and adolescents most of them, orphans, others with HIV, disabilities, refugees from the civil war or malnutrition. Solidarity and a deep commitment for children are the main keys in this refuge.
Being in Africa, assisting all these vulnerable, sick and abandoned children is also, the chance to leave a small legacy, a sample of the tenacity and courage of the Colombian girl.
2. What did motivate you to travel to Africa?
In 2017, I, a 5.2 feet girl, traveled around South America alone. I got to the other hemisphere (Ecuador) on my own, I walk 4 days to reach Machu Picchu and I crossed the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. Later on, I enjoyed getting lost in Santiago’s subway (Chile) and also on the streets of Valparaíso. 7 trucks and 7 drivers were enough to help me to visit the beautiful blue country, Argentina and to bather myself in the water of the Iguazu Falls (Brazil). Finally, I crossed the Plata river by boat to get to Uruguay.
For months, I lived in the flesh of immense goodness from humanity, I lived the detachment of people and I discovered that there is a lot of good people in this world – A LOT –. People willing to help, people willing to give without measuring, without waiting for any retribution.
I lived, I suffered and I returned home. However, I felt I needed all those events in south America to strengthen my soul and convince myself that I was NOW ready for another continent: AFRICA. Yes, Africa. The continent we heard so much but most people are not willing to go because there are children starving and people are afraid to get poisoned with a glass of water.
3. How long will you be there?
3 months
4. What do you have in your backpack for 3 months?
There is a little of coffee for long days, many stories, photos which help me to not forget my roots, an image of the Virgin, toilet paper (just in case), a microphone, my camera and a deep desire to change and improve the unfair reality of many children and adolescents. At the end of the day, my backpack is full of hope and passion.
5. Are you traveling alone? And why?
I am traveling alone but you are never alone when you travel. Along the way you always meet people that become friends and family for life. I believe traveling alone should not be an impediment, we are STRONG and we can get to the places we want.
6. Which countries would you like to visit in Africa?
For now just I have visited just 1: Uganda. In the future, I would like to go to Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia. Also, before returning to my country I am planning to explore Egypt, Israel and Jordan.
7. What is your favorite place so far?
Colombia remains my favorite place in the world. Going back home and spending time with my family will always be the happiest thing to do in my life. There is no price to be surrounded by people who loved you.
8. How are you financing this experience?
With a lot of hard work. In this case, when I had enough money I bought my plane ticket and after that I packed my belongings and I started my trip. I think you do not need a lot of money to travel, you need to have enough passion to pursue your dreams.
9. Tell me about the best experience you have had in Africa so far …
- Receiving love from children! I traveled to help others but I ended up helping myself with the love I receive from every kid.
- Seeing the smiles of the children, who despite the difficulties, the pain and the injustice still have the courage to smile with so much love.
10. Have you had any problems since you started your experience?
Well, like every trip, there are always some problems but all of these are worthwhile when you see the children’s lives over and over again.
- I lost my wallet with all the money I brought for the trip
- I got intoxicated with a piece of cake
- I spent almost 3 days sleeping in the latrine, becoming a very good friend of the flies and the lizards in there.
- One day I got lost on my way to the village where I am living. I totally missed my stop and it was already 10pm. That day I felt a little scared but there are always angels on the way.
- Language has been a challenge because here they speak Luganda and English and I neither speak English nor Luganda. Sometimes it is very funny to communicate. I think it is be easier and quicker to teach Spanish to the kids than putting myself in to one these languages. BUT at the end of the day, the language of love is always stronger.
- Another day I wanted to cook a Colombian dish and asked for someone to buy me a chicken. He arrived with a live hen to kill and I simply did not know how to do it. I watched that hen for an hour and I honestly, I think I was more afraid of the chicken than she was afraid of me. As I was a bit lost, the father of the family helped me with the hard task. Although the food took about 6 hours, at the end, all the dishes were clean… I believe they loved my Colombian dish.
11. Is it dangerous to travel alone in Africa?
No, not at all. I do not think any place in the world is dangerous enough to not to be enjoy it.
12. Do you find African countries expensive to travel?
It is very cheap: food, transports, clothes. One day, I bought a dress for 1 dollar, a beautiful dress (believe me). It is really cheap. Besides, most of the time I am at school so I hardly go out to spend money. Here, I get breakfast and lunch, all based on yucca, rice, banana and potatoes.
13. Your solution to save the world and especially very poor countries?
LOVE! I believe in love among anything else and I believe a revolution of small actions can actually lead to a much better world.
14. Complete the sentence: Africa is… a blessing
Thanks to love I have managed to, little by little, sow seeds of hope in the places where I go. Although the road has often been narrowed, I have understood that the road is always the least: the important thing is to know how to get there. Arriving and discovering smiles of true love; learning how to swallow sad days with coffee and without maps, times, or GPS inspires me everyday to pursue this road with my backpack full of landscapes, stories and desires.
I traveled to help others but I ended up helping myself with the love I receive from every kid.
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Thank you very much Andrea, you are an inspiration and I wish everyone of us had a little bit more courage to run the world helping others as you do.
If you want to contact Andrea or know more about her trip:
Instagram: @andarinos
Facebook: Andrea Ruiz Manrique, Pereira Colombia