In 1907, Uganda was called the pearl of Africa by Winston Churchill after a visit.

Now hunger problems permeate its countryside, but there are people willing to help out, such as a group of students from Iowa State.

Six students from Iowa State with agriculture-related majors went to Uganda to teach students about a variety of farming aspects. Above all, they went to learn about themselves.

All six of the students taught at two different schools in Uganda: Namasagali Primary School and Nakanyoni Primary School. Theory about farming and raising crops was taught in class and then put into practice in the service learning gardens outside the school, said Lisa Wasko, senior in biology.

The entire study-abroad experience was about service learning – giving back to the community and teaching the people in the community vital skills and knowledge. The students who participate in service learn about themselves by getting their hands dirty and contributing in the manual labor.

“It’s actually hard being teachers,” said Adam Ebert, senior in agricultural business.

A big part of this mission was to teach the Ugandans how to employ sustainable growing practices.

“The purpose of agriculture there is for food,” said Michelle Jebsen, senior in nutritional science.

One challenge was being thrown into a completely different environment and adapting to it.

“You cannot go into this place with a closed mind thinking you have solutions,” Jebsen said.

They all agreed it was very helpful that each person had a different major because everybody brought something different to the table.

The group did have some free time. It was spent preparing for class and on individual projects related to their own majors.

All six definitely said they would recommend this opportunity to other students, but it requires a different attitude than most study abroad trips.

The desire to be adventurous and experience a different world was important, said Clark Richardson, senior in agricultural business.

“We learned fast that we didn’t know what to expect each day,” said Meghan Filbert, senior in animal science.

She said she would never know if a day would bring something that was the most shocking or most rewarding.

They all agreed that the mantra “be flexible” helped them survive.