Life in Rwanda can be exhausting-travel is never as simple as point A to point B, food preparation is a process – there is no fast-food, take out, microwavable meals, or even pre-packaged food, laundry alone takes hours. People always want to know what I am doing because I am white and different, everything that is just part of a daily routine for me is fascinating to Rwandans. I am entertainment, I am reality TV for the people of Rwanda in the most basic and purest form.
Often, I am the first white person, ‘muzungu’, Rwandans are ever seeing, if not the very first, one of the first, especially in the more remote villages. Kigali is filled with abamuzungu (plural white people) but it is rare they leave the capital.
I believe it is human nature to be interested, when I see something I have never seen before I am curious, while I don’t mean to stare I am sure that I unintentionally gaze. Many volunteers have stories of children laying on the group peering under their gates for hours-only spotting the curious youth because of the whites of their eyes and their constant laughter. When I go into a classroom I will often glance out the window and see children propping each other up and peering in the window. When I go to the market and bargain for tomatoes or potatoes I turn around and have a crowd viewing me, fully encompassing and enclosing me. When I walk home a mob of people will join me, I can hear the scurrying pitter-patter of feet behind me trying to catch up. Rwandans are curious to look at my electricity meter, garbage pile, and alleyway leading to my home. Aren’t we all just as curious to know about Snooki and Jwow?
There is very little entertainment here, people don’t go to the movies and concerts, there are no shows or impromptu jam sessions in parks, something as simple as a TV in a home is almost an unheard of concept. Therefore when they see me they are fascinated. They stare and watch me. I'm sure if I were to make a video document of my life and then try and air it in America I would not get the same response, but here, my every move is acknowledged by the people of Rwanda, they are awestruck and captivated by my actions. My every moment here is an unscripted situation, usually dramatic or humorous, providing entertainment and fascination.
If everything I build here breaks, if all the lessons I teach are forgotten, at least I know that I made someone smile, I sparked someone’s curiosity, I gave them a story they will one day tell their grandchildren.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Necessity is the Mother of Invention
No one in Peace Corps reinvents the wheel, however, we do find many different uses for it. Throughout my service I can proudly say I have become extremely resourceful, thinking outside the box and using items for multiple purposes that they are not necessarily intended for.
(*Some of the ideas in this blog post are not entirely my own, but a collaboration with other volunteers and what I have observed and seen from Rwandans.)
-Need to load up your stove with petrol? Cut a water bottle in half and use the top mouth opening as a funnel
-Now you have the bottom of the water bottle- if you measure property it will function as a measuring cup, 1 cup, ½ cup, ¼ cup, and so on, based on the ridges
-You are not cooking and measuring all the time, so the bottom half can also be used as a cup for both drinking and pouring bathing water on your body
-Box wine is often present when PCV gather, it travels well and it cheap, comparatively. When you are done with the wine you can remove the bladder and blow it up to use as a pillow.
- While I don’t get to do this often because I cannot drink in my village when we get together we have opened a beer with everything but a bottle opener-lighter, leatherman, spoon, table edge, door latch…really any flat surface
-The most resourceful viewing I have seen- lighting a cigarette with a magnifying glass. Yes I saw this with my own eyes in the market! I’m sure this method can also be used to start a fire to burn trash.
-Trick for peeling a hard boiled egg, roll it on the ground so that it is broken all over, when you begin to peel the entire shell will come off, similar to when you are a kid and try to peel the Clementine all in one piece. Passion fruit, one very hard roll push in a straight line away from you and it will break down the center in half. Tree tomatoes and stringy mangoes-cut a hole in the top and suck all the juice and pulp out.
-Head carrying goes without saying. Put your luggage or market goods on your head and a baby on your back. Hands are still free.
-A piece of fabric (igitenge) works as a scarf, a head wrap, a skirt, a baby carrier, and a blanket.
-Bees wax can be melted down and made into a candle with a string as a wick.
-An oven is made from two pots, a small and a large one, one inside the other, a few rocks, a bit of sand, and two empty tomato paste cans
-Gardens can be grown in sacks when there is no land available- put rocks in the center for structure and surround them by dirt and poke holes in the sides of the sac for fruits and veggies to grow out of
-Use your waste for compost-egg shells, banana peels and some cow dung to make your garden beautiful!
-Dental floss is the solution to everything, fix it, tie it, hang it, string it.
-Mosquito nets are also princess forts that will protect you from all the critters and possible mice/rats/bats. It you live near a lake they also function as fishing net.
-Old tires function as new shoe soles
Everything in Rwanda has more than one purpose, whether it is intended or not. The problem with this- I have become somewhat of a hoarder, “NO! Don’t throw it away- ill need it for…something.” However, I am also incredibly aware of what I consume and the bi product that comes with it.
(*Some of the ideas in this blog post are not entirely my own, but a collaboration with other volunteers and what I have observed and seen from Rwandans.)
-Need to load up your stove with petrol? Cut a water bottle in half and use the top mouth opening as a funnel
-Now you have the bottom of the water bottle- if you measure property it will function as a measuring cup, 1 cup, ½ cup, ¼ cup, and so on, based on the ridges
-You are not cooking and measuring all the time, so the bottom half can also be used as a cup for both drinking and pouring bathing water on your body
-Box wine is often present when PCV gather, it travels well and it cheap, comparatively. When you are done with the wine you can remove the bladder and blow it up to use as a pillow.
- While I don’t get to do this often because I cannot drink in my village when we get together we have opened a beer with everything but a bottle opener-lighter, leatherman, spoon, table edge, door latch…really any flat surface
-The most resourceful viewing I have seen- lighting a cigarette with a magnifying glass. Yes I saw this with my own eyes in the market! I’m sure this method can also be used to start a fire to burn trash.
-Trick for peeling a hard boiled egg, roll it on the ground so that it is broken all over, when you begin to peel the entire shell will come off, similar to when you are a kid and try to peel the Clementine all in one piece. Passion fruit, one very hard roll push in a straight line away from you and it will break down the center in half. Tree tomatoes and stringy mangoes-cut a hole in the top and suck all the juice and pulp out.
-Head carrying goes without saying. Put your luggage or market goods on your head and a baby on your back. Hands are still free.
-A piece of fabric (igitenge) works as a scarf, a head wrap, a skirt, a baby carrier, and a blanket.
-Bees wax can be melted down and made into a candle with a string as a wick.
-An oven is made from two pots, a small and a large one, one inside the other, a few rocks, a bit of sand, and two empty tomato paste cans
-Gardens can be grown in sacks when there is no land available- put rocks in the center for structure and surround them by dirt and poke holes in the sides of the sac for fruits and veggies to grow out of
-Use your waste for compost-egg shells, banana peels and some cow dung to make your garden beautiful!
-Dental floss is the solution to everything, fix it, tie it, hang it, string it.
-Mosquito nets are also princess forts that will protect you from all the critters and possible mice/rats/bats. It you live near a lake they also function as fishing net.
-Old tires function as new shoe soles
Everything in Rwanda has more than one purpose, whether it is intended or not. The problem with this- I have become somewhat of a hoarder, “NO! Don’t throw it away- ill need it for…something.” However, I am also incredibly aware of what I consume and the bi product that comes with it.
Buckwhite in Africa
This is an immensely overdue blog! Upon reflection of Brian’s visit to Rwanda I have concluded that the things that have become ‘normal’ to me are not necessarily part of life in American. Sitting on a hot and uncomfortable bus for 45 minutes before it departs, being stared at intensely with gawking uncomfortable eye contact, having random strangers poke and touch you, being in a culture where there are no lines or order and public nose picking is socially acceptable, without warning or an adjustment period these realities can be very overwhelming.
After traveling for nearly 24 hours on numerous flights and adjusting to a different time schedule, most people would want to relax and slow exploration down. However, with Avery that was not an option, I had a great plan, if we did everything I wanted to during the first week and something went wrong then we would still have the second week for more activities. I had logic in my planning but I did not take into account that maybe rest for a while and a sense of bearings and comfort level before diving head first into adventures might have been appreciated. Oops. I was excited and wanted to make the most of the visit.
Brian arrives in Kigali, the capital and only airport in county. I planned to pick him up form the airport and take a private taxi to the center of town, public transport was ruled out. However, to my surprise, my counterpart and her family showed up at the airport. For weeks I politely told people form my village that they did not need to accompany me to the airport for Brian’s arrival. This was a difficult task, part of their culture is sitting and waiting for people, welcoming them when they arrive. I explained that Brian would be very tired from his travels and would want to rest. Also most people that wanted to come do not have disposable income to travel to the capital- all $4 USD- and I did not want to feel guilty that they spent on travel what should be spent on food and their families. The people understood and I explained that it is our culture to visit people once a guest is settled, when I promised we would visit no one took offense. My counterpart’s husband has a car, it was nice that they were there and were able to drive us downtown. Having my counterpart and her family there was not as awkward as I expected. We still had the Hollywood hello where I saw him from a distance and then ran towards him, in slow motion, with tears, and fell into his welcoming arms-something to that effect. If anything my counterpart added to the cinematic quality, she brought flowers.
My standards of hotels have definitely declined. St. Paul’s, where we stayed, is the equivalent of the skeeviest motel 6 in the Midwest of America. I sprung for the upgrade with a private bathroom in our room rather than communal ones. There was a trickle of warm water from a rusty showerhead that you needed to manually hold up. The Rwandafoam bed has probably been there for as long as I have been alive, concave in the center, thankfully bed bug free. Brian was a good sport, after a few quick jokes the lizard on the ceiling was named Lenny and all was well. I'm sure the nap helped things some.
We schlepped up the hills of Kigali the following morning, with the Africa sun beaming, to the bus station with Brian’s luggage, and the 11 dictionaries I requested. I put Brian in the very front of the bus to make sure he had a good view during journey. We headed off to the north where I live, I had a set schedule that I wanted to adhere to! Mulindi tea factory tour a few mountain tops over, ‘ribbon cutting’ conclusion ceremony at a school for a water project, a visit to the tailor for a traditional outfit, lunch with my host family, exploration of the market, craft time with the ladies at the co-op….I had it all planned out, every minute of it.
TIA- This is Africa- you cannot plan every detail, everything can and most likely will go wrong. I got to introduce Brian to the majority of the people I had promised and see most of the sites I wanted to. Brian’s arrival was talked about for months; everyone was anticipating his visit with enthusiasm. A white male coming to visit the female volunteer that they have taken in was a very big deal. Overall I feel everything was successful.
Sir Blian- as he was referred to, was a hit with everyone. At one ceremony he was asked to give a speech in front of 500+ children, the PTA committee, and teachers of a primary school. The students danced for him with traditional headdresses and praised him.
In addition to my site I wanted to show him some of the country. This included an 8-hour trip to Nyunguye rainforest. We stayed with my friends who live a 2-hour walk/hike into the rainforest in a miniature adorable village. The hike was a journey in itself, we walked over the fluffy pine needles that have been collecting and piling up for over 30 years and learned the migrant patters of different animals. We then had to wake well before the sun to meet the chimp tracker and find the chimps. After climbing up an almost vertical hill with our mandatory walking sticks we spotted them- we had 180-degree panoramic views of 30 chimps. Thankfully they didn’t throw poop at us either, they are known to. The adventures continued.
Through the darkness and the hustle and bustle we managed to just barley get the last bus to Byumba, where I live. We squeeze in, crammed on with women that smell like old cheese and crying babies we are ready to take off. That is until the accordion door that has been progressively getting worse over the last few months flies off the hinges. They try to fix the door, rocks and slamming it doesn’t work, another bus is eventually called. Once we board it was smooth sailing back to my concrete dwelling. After a few days and some mild adventures in Byumba we went to the beautiful Lake Kivu and enjoyed a much-deserved cold beer and relaxing evening.
Overall it was a completely successful trip. However, it gave me perspective to see someone thrown into what I had 8 months to adjust to. The ways I have modified my behavior and reactions and changed have been gradual progressions and adaptations over time.
B-Ri-Collins thank you for coming to Africa- I could not be happier that you came here and experienced this with me. I love you.
After traveling for nearly 24 hours on numerous flights and adjusting to a different time schedule, most people would want to relax and slow exploration down. However, with Avery that was not an option, I had a great plan, if we did everything I wanted to during the first week and something went wrong then we would still have the second week for more activities. I had logic in my planning but I did not take into account that maybe rest for a while and a sense of bearings and comfort level before diving head first into adventures might have been appreciated. Oops. I was excited and wanted to make the most of the visit.
Brian arrives in Kigali, the capital and only airport in county. I planned to pick him up form the airport and take a private taxi to the center of town, public transport was ruled out. However, to my surprise, my counterpart and her family showed up at the airport. For weeks I politely told people form my village that they did not need to accompany me to the airport for Brian’s arrival. This was a difficult task, part of their culture is sitting and waiting for people, welcoming them when they arrive. I explained that Brian would be very tired from his travels and would want to rest. Also most people that wanted to come do not have disposable income to travel to the capital- all $4 USD- and I did not want to feel guilty that they spent on travel what should be spent on food and their families. The people understood and I explained that it is our culture to visit people once a guest is settled, when I promised we would visit no one took offense. My counterpart’s husband has a car, it was nice that they were there and were able to drive us downtown. Having my counterpart and her family there was not as awkward as I expected. We still had the Hollywood hello where I saw him from a distance and then ran towards him, in slow motion, with tears, and fell into his welcoming arms-something to that effect. If anything my counterpart added to the cinematic quality, she brought flowers.
My standards of hotels have definitely declined. St. Paul’s, where we stayed, is the equivalent of the skeeviest motel 6 in the Midwest of America. I sprung for the upgrade with a private bathroom in our room rather than communal ones. There was a trickle of warm water from a rusty showerhead that you needed to manually hold up. The Rwandafoam bed has probably been there for as long as I have been alive, concave in the center, thankfully bed bug free. Brian was a good sport, after a few quick jokes the lizard on the ceiling was named Lenny and all was well. I'm sure the nap helped things some.
We schlepped up the hills of Kigali the following morning, with the Africa sun beaming, to the bus station with Brian’s luggage, and the 11 dictionaries I requested. I put Brian in the very front of the bus to make sure he had a good view during journey. We headed off to the north where I live, I had a set schedule that I wanted to adhere to! Mulindi tea factory tour a few mountain tops over, ‘ribbon cutting’ conclusion ceremony at a school for a water project, a visit to the tailor for a traditional outfit, lunch with my host family, exploration of the market, craft time with the ladies at the co-op….I had it all planned out, every minute of it.
TIA- This is Africa- you cannot plan every detail, everything can and most likely will go wrong. I got to introduce Brian to the majority of the people I had promised and see most of the sites I wanted to. Brian’s arrival was talked about for months; everyone was anticipating his visit with enthusiasm. A white male coming to visit the female volunteer that they have taken in was a very big deal. Overall I feel everything was successful.
Sir Blian- as he was referred to, was a hit with everyone. At one ceremony he was asked to give a speech in front of 500+ children, the PTA committee, and teachers of a primary school. The students danced for him with traditional headdresses and praised him.
In addition to my site I wanted to show him some of the country. This included an 8-hour trip to Nyunguye rainforest. We stayed with my friends who live a 2-hour walk/hike into the rainforest in a miniature adorable village. The hike was a journey in itself, we walked over the fluffy pine needles that have been collecting and piling up for over 30 years and learned the migrant patters of different animals. We then had to wake well before the sun to meet the chimp tracker and find the chimps. After climbing up an almost vertical hill with our mandatory walking sticks we spotted them- we had 180-degree panoramic views of 30 chimps. Thankfully they didn’t throw poop at us either, they are known to. The adventures continued.
Through the darkness and the hustle and bustle we managed to just barley get the last bus to Byumba, where I live. We squeeze in, crammed on with women that smell like old cheese and crying babies we are ready to take off. That is until the accordion door that has been progressively getting worse over the last few months flies off the hinges. They try to fix the door, rocks and slamming it doesn’t work, another bus is eventually called. Once we board it was smooth sailing back to my concrete dwelling. After a few days and some mild adventures in Byumba we went to the beautiful Lake Kivu and enjoyed a much-deserved cold beer and relaxing evening.
Overall it was a completely successful trip. However, it gave me perspective to see someone thrown into what I had 8 months to adjust to. The ways I have modified my behavior and reactions and changed have been gradual progressions and adaptations over time.
B-Ri-Collins thank you for coming to Africa- I could not be happier that you came here and experienced this with me. I love you.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Hey you, baboon, get back here with my backpack!
I have recently noticed the great disparity between rules in America and rules in Rwanda. In Rwanda there are a plethora of rules for what you cannot do in public, there is no eating in public, no crying in public, you cannot show your knees, you should not have your toe nails painted a bring color, you don’t want to whistle if you are a female, the list continues. However, on a recent camping trip I noticed there were no rules, in American you must sign your life away, promise not to sue, keep the fire contained, and whisper after 10pm.
After spending Christmas at my sight I thought it would be nice to join my friends and treat myself to a 2-night 3-day safari in Akagera Park. I traveled the country with almost everything I own in my outlandishly large backpack and made it to the destination. We arrived at the park, paid the entrance and camp fee, and were then promptly dropped at what mildly appeared to be a campsite. The car left and we stood there, in awe, no idea what to do, where it is approved to sleep, where it is approved to build a fire, what firewood we can use, and lastly, we were in a wild park, how were we supposed to keep the hyenas away? I saw The Lion King- I’m dinner for Mufassas’ posy!
With no guidance or instruction we set up camp. When a ranger finally came he was shocked that we were asking such outlandish questions. To him it was all common sense, if the buffalo come then clap as loud as you can to frighten them and they will leave. We were told to light a fire at dusk to scare away the animals and that the smell of the embers would keep them away through the night. While this was comforting we still did not get a full night sleep.
3 am-drip, drop, drip, drop….I heard the rain, I slightly felt it coming into my tent. 3:30 am- toss, turn, toss, turn, the rain came down harder, a small puddle was forming. 4am-downpour-the Dora The Explorer comparable tents weren’t holding up to well. We decided to make a run for it, shelter, the bats dwelling, they didn’t seem to mind us too much. Eventually the rain stopped, the skies cleared, and once again with no direction we went on an adventure.
Before leaving for our hike we noticed we had a visitor. Mr. Baboon! He was a cute handsome young fellow looking for a five-finger discount. We had been warned that the baboons would steal any and everything. We watched him invade our campsite from afar, and by afar, I mean about 5 feet away. He peered in our tents, picked up a thermos, gave it a good shake. He was only curious, and fearless. After about 10 minutes or so he was bored, were Peace Corps volunteers, we really don’t have anything that great.
We continued to go on a glorious walk for a few hours. We spotted all sorts of creatures I have only seen at the zoo, never in their natural habitat-zebras, impalas, monkeys, buffalo, warthogs- we saw a watering hole, and dung beetles rolling dung!
That evening there was a group that went on a night game drive- when they returned, just as we were about to go to bed, they told us they not only saw packs and packs of hyenas, there was a leopard only 100 yards away from the camp. Thankfully it didn’t eat any of us! We went in with 6 and came out with 6.
The next morning our car showed up to take us on a proper tour, it was an actual safari car, we got to sit on the roof and see even more animals!! All sorts of birds, some I even found beautiful, and giraffes, they were HUGE!! Fun fact- they do not have vocal cords, they communicate through sneezing!
In the afternoon we went on a boat tour where we saw an elephant near the far end of the lake bordering Tanzania, the elephant was swimming, taking a bath, it appeared he was cooling off with the mud. We sat and talked to him, yes the elephant, for quite some time because our guide spotted poachers and had to alert the park rangers to come. It was a very surreal experience. Our guide was a professional poacher spotter for 8 years before he came to work in the park. He told us a story of a time he needed to go undercover and pretend to want to purchase a baby gorilla.
We were then given freshly grilled tilapia that was just caught from the lake. After we devoured the fish, sucking every last bone dry, we continued on the land tour where we saw the former kings house and the hut he used to cast spells from.
I guess using my head and common sense worked out for me this time around, 2 nights and 3 days cohabitating with wild animals and really no rules and I survived! I even have some photos to share the experience.
After spending Christmas at my sight I thought it would be nice to join my friends and treat myself to a 2-night 3-day safari in Akagera Park. I traveled the country with almost everything I own in my outlandishly large backpack and made it to the destination. We arrived at the park, paid the entrance and camp fee, and were then promptly dropped at what mildly appeared to be a campsite. The car left and we stood there, in awe, no idea what to do, where it is approved to sleep, where it is approved to build a fire, what firewood we can use, and lastly, we were in a wild park, how were we supposed to keep the hyenas away? I saw The Lion King- I’m dinner for Mufassas’ posy!
With no guidance or instruction we set up camp. When a ranger finally came he was shocked that we were asking such outlandish questions. To him it was all common sense, if the buffalo come then clap as loud as you can to frighten them and they will leave. We were told to light a fire at dusk to scare away the animals and that the smell of the embers would keep them away through the night. While this was comforting we still did not get a full night sleep.
3 am-drip, drop, drip, drop….I heard the rain, I slightly felt it coming into my tent. 3:30 am- toss, turn, toss, turn, the rain came down harder, a small puddle was forming. 4am-downpour-the Dora The Explorer comparable tents weren’t holding up to well. We decided to make a run for it, shelter, the bats dwelling, they didn’t seem to mind us too much. Eventually the rain stopped, the skies cleared, and once again with no direction we went on an adventure.
Before leaving for our hike we noticed we had a visitor. Mr. Baboon! He was a cute handsome young fellow looking for a five-finger discount. We had been warned that the baboons would steal any and everything. We watched him invade our campsite from afar, and by afar, I mean about 5 feet away. He peered in our tents, picked up a thermos, gave it a good shake. He was only curious, and fearless. After about 10 minutes or so he was bored, were Peace Corps volunteers, we really don’t have anything that great.
We continued to go on a glorious walk for a few hours. We spotted all sorts of creatures I have only seen at the zoo, never in their natural habitat-zebras, impalas, monkeys, buffalo, warthogs- we saw a watering hole, and dung beetles rolling dung!
That evening there was a group that went on a night game drive- when they returned, just as we were about to go to bed, they told us they not only saw packs and packs of hyenas, there was a leopard only 100 yards away from the camp. Thankfully it didn’t eat any of us! We went in with 6 and came out with 6.
The next morning our car showed up to take us on a proper tour, it was an actual safari car, we got to sit on the roof and see even more animals!! All sorts of birds, some I even found beautiful, and giraffes, they were HUGE!! Fun fact- they do not have vocal cords, they communicate through sneezing!
In the afternoon we went on a boat tour where we saw an elephant near the far end of the lake bordering Tanzania, the elephant was swimming, taking a bath, it appeared he was cooling off with the mud. We sat and talked to him, yes the elephant, for quite some time because our guide spotted poachers and had to alert the park rangers to come. It was a very surreal experience. Our guide was a professional poacher spotter for 8 years before he came to work in the park. He told us a story of a time he needed to go undercover and pretend to want to purchase a baby gorilla.
We were then given freshly grilled tilapia that was just caught from the lake. After we devoured the fish, sucking every last bone dry, we continued on the land tour where we saw the former kings house and the hut he used to cast spells from.
I guess using my head and common sense worked out for me this time around, 2 nights and 3 days cohabitating with wild animals and really no rules and I survived! I even have some photos to share the experience.
Give me a C. Give me an A. Give me a M. Give me a P. What does that spell? CAMP!!!!!!
Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) is a camp that Peace Corps Volunteers run all over the world, it is organized and funded by Peace Corps Volunteers, it is aimed to be an empowerment camp for female youth in developing countries around the world. After much success at the initial camp GLOW in Rwanda last year it was deemed that it is not only necessary to teach girls, boys must be taught and given the opportunity as well.
The applicants for GLOW and the boys camp BE (Boys Excelling) were chosen through a countrywide essay contest initiated by Peace Corps Volunteers. I went to the secondary school in my area and presented the headmaster with information about the camp. I then invited boys and girls who wanted to participate the chance to submit an essay- they were asked what they can contribute to the camp and why they should be chosen. From all the applicants throughout the country we could only invite 100 girls and 75 boys.
After the essays were read by camp GLOW and BE administration I was informed that 3 of my girls and 2 of my boys essays were chosen, I then had a meeting with the students selected and told them all the details.
We took many of the concepts we remembered from summer camp in American and combined them with the lessons that we needed to teach throughout the week. We performed icebreakers and name games- we made the environment as comfortable as possible upon campers arrival. We tried to make the learning fun with activities and games that related to the sessions- all about HIV, STDs, transmission, prevention, and awareness. We talked about goal setting, assertive behavior, and career information with a fair and mock interviews and a resume writing session. I have noticed that this is a culture where the youth are not supposed to be having pre marital sex because it is so religious but they are and they are not aware of how to protect themselves-condom demonstrations and the information we relayed can help eradicate risky behavior. We had a chance to present learning as something fun- incorporating games and activities into lessons about HIV and AIDS. What I have observed is that students are often taught at in Rwanda, they are not engaged in the lessons and therefore do not absorb the information.
At camp BE we had arts and crafts or sports activities organized in the afternoon. We did paper mache and made bees wax candles, we taught dodge ball, one afternoon we had a field day with tug of war and water balloon tossing. In the evening camp activities alternated from a talent show, to a dance, to a bonfire where individuals were given the opportunity to submit anonymous questions about sex.
Throughout the week of camp BE I saw a profound change in all the campers but specifically in the 7 boys that were in my class, we formed a strong and trustworthy bond throughout the week. Their entire attitude changed, their demeanor, their knowledge, and not to mention their English. Some of the campers told me that camp was their Christmas, they were so thankful for all aspects, meeting new people, gaining more knowledge, and being able to eat three meals a day. The boys that attended this camp will forever be changed and affected in a positive way. It is now up to each camper to share what they have learned with their village and pass along their newly acquired knowledge.
The applicants for GLOW and the boys camp BE (Boys Excelling) were chosen through a countrywide essay contest initiated by Peace Corps Volunteers. I went to the secondary school in my area and presented the headmaster with information about the camp. I then invited boys and girls who wanted to participate the chance to submit an essay- they were asked what they can contribute to the camp and why they should be chosen. From all the applicants throughout the country we could only invite 100 girls and 75 boys.
After the essays were read by camp GLOW and BE administration I was informed that 3 of my girls and 2 of my boys essays were chosen, I then had a meeting with the students selected and told them all the details.
We took many of the concepts we remembered from summer camp in American and combined them with the lessons that we needed to teach throughout the week. We performed icebreakers and name games- we made the environment as comfortable as possible upon campers arrival. We tried to make the learning fun with activities and games that related to the sessions- all about HIV, STDs, transmission, prevention, and awareness. We talked about goal setting, assertive behavior, and career information with a fair and mock interviews and a resume writing session. I have noticed that this is a culture where the youth are not supposed to be having pre marital sex because it is so religious but they are and they are not aware of how to protect themselves-condom demonstrations and the information we relayed can help eradicate risky behavior. We had a chance to present learning as something fun- incorporating games and activities into lessons about HIV and AIDS. What I have observed is that students are often taught at in Rwanda, they are not engaged in the lessons and therefore do not absorb the information.
At camp BE we had arts and crafts or sports activities organized in the afternoon. We did paper mache and made bees wax candles, we taught dodge ball, one afternoon we had a field day with tug of war and water balloon tossing. In the evening camp activities alternated from a talent show, to a dance, to a bonfire where individuals were given the opportunity to submit anonymous questions about sex.
Throughout the week of camp BE I saw a profound change in all the campers but specifically in the 7 boys that were in my class, we formed a strong and trustworthy bond throughout the week. Their entire attitude changed, their demeanor, their knowledge, and not to mention their English. Some of the campers told me that camp was their Christmas, they were so thankful for all aspects, meeting new people, gaining more knowledge, and being able to eat three meals a day. The boys that attended this camp will forever be changed and affected in a positive way. It is now up to each camper to share what they have learned with their village and pass along their newly acquired knowledge.
Give me a C. Give me an A. Give me a M. Give me a P. What does that spell? CAMP!!!!!!
Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) is a camp that Peace Corps Volunteers run all over the world, it is organized and funded by Peace Corps Volunteers, it is aimed to be an empowerment camp for female youth in developing countries around the world. After much success at the initial camp GLOW in Rwanda last year it was deemed that it is not only necessary to teach girls, boys must be taught and given the opportunity as well.
The applicants for GLOW and the boys camp BE (Boys Excelling) were chosen through a countrywide essay contest initiated by Peace Corps Volunteers. I went to the secondary school in my area and presented the headmaster with information about the camp. I then invited boys and girls who wanted to participate the chance to submit an essay- they were asked what they can contribute to the camp and why they should be chosen. From all the applicants throughout the country we could only invite 100 girls and 75 boys.
After the essays we read by camp GLOW and BE administration I was informed that 3 of my girls and 2 of my boys essays were chosen, I then had a meeting with the students selected and told them all the details.
We took many of the concepts we remembered from summer camp in American and combined them with the lessons that we needed to teach throughout the week. We performed icebreakers and name games- we made the environment as comfortable as possible upon campers arrival. We tried to make the learning fun with activities and games that related to the sessions- all about HIV, STDs, transmission, prevention, and awareness. We talked about goal setting, assertive behavior, and career information with a fair and mock interviews and a resume writing session. I have noticed that this is a culture where the youth are not supposed to be having pre marital sex because it is so religious but they are and they are not aware of how to protect themselves-condom demonstrations and the information we relayed can help eradicate risky behavior. We had a chance to present learning as something fun- incorporating games and activities into lessons about HIV and AIDS. What I have observed is that students are often taught at in Rwanda, they are not engaged in the lessons and therefore do not absorb the information.
At camp BE we had arts and crafts or sports activities organized in the afternoon. We did paper mache and made bees wax candles, we taught dodge ball, one afternoon we had a field day with tug of war and water balloon tossing. In the evening camp activities alternated from a talent show, to a dance, to a bonfire where individuals were given the opportunity to submit anonymous questions about sex.
Throughout the week of camp BE I saw a profound change in all the campers but specifically in the 7 boys that were in my class, we formed a strong and trustworthy bond throughout the week. Their entire attitude changed, their demeanor, their knowledge, and not to mention their English. Some of the campers told me that camp was their Christmas, they were so thankful for all aspects, meeting new people, gaining more knowledge, and being able to eat three meals a day. The boys that attended this camp will forever be changed and affected in a positive way. It is now up to each camper to share what they have learned with their village and pass along their newly acquired knowledge.
The applicants for GLOW and the boys camp BE (Boys Excelling) were chosen through a countrywide essay contest initiated by Peace Corps Volunteers. I went to the secondary school in my area and presented the headmaster with information about the camp. I then invited boys and girls who wanted to participate the chance to submit an essay- they were asked what they can contribute to the camp and why they should be chosen. From all the applicants throughout the country we could only invite 100 girls and 75 boys.
After the essays we read by camp GLOW and BE administration I was informed that 3 of my girls and 2 of my boys essays were chosen, I then had a meeting with the students selected and told them all the details.
We took many of the concepts we remembered from summer camp in American and combined them with the lessons that we needed to teach throughout the week. We performed icebreakers and name games- we made the environment as comfortable as possible upon campers arrival. We tried to make the learning fun with activities and games that related to the sessions- all about HIV, STDs, transmission, prevention, and awareness. We talked about goal setting, assertive behavior, and career information with a fair and mock interviews and a resume writing session. I have noticed that this is a culture where the youth are not supposed to be having pre marital sex because it is so religious but they are and they are not aware of how to protect themselves-condom demonstrations and the information we relayed can help eradicate risky behavior. We had a chance to present learning as something fun- incorporating games and activities into lessons about HIV and AIDS. What I have observed is that students are often taught at in Rwanda, they are not engaged in the lessons and therefore do not absorb the information.
At camp BE we had arts and crafts or sports activities organized in the afternoon. We did paper mache and made bees wax candles, we taught dodge ball, one afternoon we had a field day with tug of war and water balloon tossing. In the evening camp activities alternated from a talent show, to a dance, to a bonfire where individuals were given the opportunity to submit anonymous questions about sex.
Throughout the week of camp BE I saw a profound change in all the campers but specifically in the 7 boys that were in my class, we formed a strong and trustworthy bond throughout the week. Their entire attitude changed, their demeanor, their knowledge, and not to mention their English. Some of the campers told me that camp was their Christmas, they were so thankful for all aspects, meeting new people, gaining more knowledge, and being able to eat three meals a day. The boys that attended this camp will forever be changed and affected in a positive way. It is now up to each camper to share what they have learned with their village and pass along their newly acquired knowledge.
Keza, Keza, Keza
Avery, my birth name, was dropped a long time ago. I accepted that it gets lost in translation with the language barrier. L’s and R’s are reversed here, at best I get Everly. When I received my Rwandan name, Keza, I went with it, and it works great.
I live in a decent sized area, I have a market that is open 7 days a week, although Wednesday and Saturday are ‘market days’ when it is the busiest, full of vendors, veggies, and clothing. There are numerous boutiques in town and always someone in the street.
While there are some days when I think that I am invisible behind my sunglasses, deliberately hiding behind them, it is a great feeling to know that I am not invisible at all and to be known in my community. I walk down the street and people scream out to greet me. They know my name and call me by it, they treat me like I belong here and have always been here. Some people still blatantly stare at me, touch me because they want to know what my skin feels like, and pull on my hair every once and a while to see what happens. However, there is comfort in people saying hello to me by name, asking me where I have been if they have not seen me in a few days.
Yesterday my host mother called me and asked me to come over. I assumed she needed something, although I did not know what she could possible want. Upon my arrival next door I asked her if everything was all right. So told me everything was fine, she just wanted to greet me, she missed me and wanted to say hello. The children woke up from their nap and we played, we sang and was counted to 100. It is nice to feel there is a general acceptance and understanding that I live here, that I am a neighbor, a community member, a friend, and a family member.
I live in a decent sized area, I have a market that is open 7 days a week, although Wednesday and Saturday are ‘market days’ when it is the busiest, full of vendors, veggies, and clothing. There are numerous boutiques in town and always someone in the street.
While there are some days when I think that I am invisible behind my sunglasses, deliberately hiding behind them, it is a great feeling to know that I am not invisible at all and to be known in my community. I walk down the street and people scream out to greet me. They know my name and call me by it, they treat me like I belong here and have always been here. Some people still blatantly stare at me, touch me because they want to know what my skin feels like, and pull on my hair every once and a while to see what happens. However, there is comfort in people saying hello to me by name, asking me where I have been if they have not seen me in a few days.
Yesterday my host mother called me and asked me to come over. I assumed she needed something, although I did not know what she could possible want. Upon my arrival next door I asked her if everything was all right. So told me everything was fine, she just wanted to greet me, she missed me and wanted to say hello. The children woke up from their nap and we played, we sang and was counted to 100. It is nice to feel there is a general acceptance and understanding that I live here, that I am a neighbor, a community member, a friend, and a family member.
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