(Editor's Note: Adriana was one of 12 students who traveled to Uganda this summer as part of a Colgate extended study course.)

As I reflect on my experiences of the past few weeks, I find hard to believe that I actually lived in the middle of a Ugandan village for almost an entire month.

Upon first hearing about the extended study course to Uganda last November, I was immediately drawn to everything the course entailed and if selected, I knew that I would walk away at the very least with a cultural understanding of a country vastly different than my own.

However, after being given the opportunity to partake in this unique endeavor, I can truly say this trip exceeded my expectations and was undoubtedly a life-changing experience.

Twelve students and two professors will spend three weeks in a remote Ugandan jungle as part of an interdisciplinary extended study course that emphasizes hands-on learning and research involving rare mountain gorillas.

The group, led by geography professor Peter Scull and biology professor Frank Frey, will be working with community leaders in the village of Buhoma and park officials at the adjacent Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest.

The village is a jumping off point for eco-tourism trips into the national park, where tourists can view mountain gorillas that are habituated, or accustomed to human contact.