Spotlight on exams, module 5, listening page 98.0:00
Thanks for tuning in to the Lynne Tyler chat show.0:10
With us today is Adam north who recently returned from Uganda where he spent a year working with the people in a small village.0:13
Adam is here to tell us about his experience.0:21
Hello Adam, thank you for joining us.0:24
Good afternoon, Lynn.0:26
It's nice to be here.0:27
Well, Adam, why don't you tell us what made you decide to spend a year abroad?0:28
I first got the idea of going to work in a primitive village in Africa when my daughter decided to spend her gap year in Uganda teaching English to schoolchildren.0:33
Her tales of the terrible poverty but fantastic optimism of the people that were there really got under my skin.0:43
I was in my mid-50s, had worked for almost 30 years in a stressful job and, and really wanted a change.0:50
I realized that what my daughter had done was just the kind of thing I was looking for.0:57
And how did you go about turning this idea into reality?1:02
After discussing it with my wife Kay, I informed my boss that I would be leaving at the end of the year.1:06
He thought I was mad, of course, just like everyone else.1:11
After all, I was giving up a six figure salary in the city of London.1:15
And of course he was a bit worried about finding someone else for the job.1:18
In the end though, I think he understood that it was something that meant a lot to me.1:22
I think he even envied me in a way.1:26
What were some of your concerns before you set off?1:29
In the beginning I thought it would be a lot harder to give up all the luxuries I was used to.1:32
We lived in a beautiful house in Chelsea, regularly dined out in fancy restaurants and drove expensive cars.1:36
And what did you encounter when you went to Uganda?1:43
Things couldn't have been more different in Uganda.1:46
I will never forget arriving at the village that was to be our home for the next 12 months.1:49
Crowds of people came out to greet us cheering and smiling.1:53
It was the most unbelievable welcome I've ever had.1:57
Then they proudly led us to our accommodation.2:00
Well, I'm telling you, it was no Chelsea townhouse.2:03
Basically it was a mud hut with no electricity, which meant of course, no lighting, heating oven or fridge.2:07
It was extremely primitive, but.2:13
But that's exactly what I had expected.2:15
What I found shocking was how much more cramped and insanitary the homes that the villagers lived in were.2:18
Our house was regarded as quite luxurious compared to theirs.2:23
Not having electricity was one of the most difficult aspects of life there.2:29
It really brought home to us just how much we take for granted in the Western world.2:33
We had to use a big pot, like a bucket, for cooking.2:38
We had to fetch all our drinking water from a well, then boil it over a fire, as this was the only way we could sterilize it.2:41
Then it was a race against time to cook before the sun went down and we could no longer see what was the house like.2:48
The house itself had a thatched roof with a hole in the middle for the smoke from the fire to escape.2:54
The walls were made of long sticks covered with mud.2:59
The floor inside was just earth patted down hard.3:03
We only had piles of straw to sleep on.3:07
But I can safely say that I slept better than I ever had before while I was in Uganda.3:09
It was just so peaceful.3:14
You don't realize how much city noises disturb your sleep until they're not there anymore.3:16
I suppose you're right.3:21
And how did it feel to be back in England after all those months?3:23
We found it quite hard to settle back down in England after we returned from Africa.3:26
So much so that we are considering going abroad again.3:31
How soon are you going back to Africa?3:34
We are already in the planning stages.3:37
But we are going to try another continent this time.3:39
I think once you get the traveling bug, it never leaves you.3:42
It was a pleasure talking to you, Adam.3:45
I hope you'll come back and tell us about your new adventure when you return.3:47
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