Some of you have traveled widely and have met quite a number of good people in the countries you have been to. Do you bother to find out from them or do they tell you why they are nice to you? The reason you got was probably different from what I got recently.
For the few times I have traveled, I have met a few people I have perceived as nice to me but did not ask them why they behaved so until recently. I met this genuinely nice African (in a multi-ethnic country) who gave me something to think about. This person was very kind. One can see this obvious fact a few minutes soon after interacting with this person so the personality factor was a given. I told them they were a rare kind of person in dealing with foreigners - a special kind heart. This person told me that they had the name of their country to protect. They did this sacrificially (or is it patriotically).
How many of us behave naturally well towards foreigners as an obligation to contribute ('2 cents') towards our country's good name / reputation.
Do you love your country? How do you show it to foreigners?
This reminds me of my country's motto, "For God and my country". Ugandans ought to, therefore, do all things for the glory of God and their country. What a tall order! I think Ugandans have always been nice to foreigners as a personal conviction largely based on cultural and religious obligation rather than patriotism. We ought to think again and add a third factor - our country.
Uganda Oyee!
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