Sounds fun doesn’t it!?! Well it was! Getting a mock root canal without Novocain-lets start this adventure form the beginning.
Previously I would have said thank you mom and dad for the cavity prone teeth! It turns out that I don’t actually have cavity prone teeth- the American health care/dental industry has been making money off of me for years. Rather than giving me a night guard to prevent me from grinding my teeth, dentists have let me grind away to the point where I create shallow cavities and then they profit a financial gain when I come in for assistance.
About 3 months ago my teeth started to hurt, I went to the dentist here in Rwanda, a nice woman from the Philippines, professional and licensed. She informed me I had four cavities, two on the right side and two on the left, this was not surprise to me. Following the first visit I went back where the first two cavities on my right side were filled. Everything went impeccably. I left on cloud 9, a painless visit to the dentist. As I was sitting waiting for the bus (read previous blog to learn more about transport), and the tremendous amount of Novocain injected into me began to wear off, I started to feel the excruciating and agonizing pain, an unbearable feeling. However, Brian was coming in 48 hours, the last thing I wanted to do was deal with dental issue while he was in Rwanda.
Following Brains departure I returned back to the dentist to get the other cavities filled and put in a complaint about the piercing pain I have been in. She proceeds to tell me that it is no problem, she can fix me, she just needs to do the work without Novocain so she call tell where I am in the most pain. The drills begin and I lay still while the hygienist holds my hands as the tears roll down my face, the dentist goes further and further into my tooth, touching the nerve and determining where I am in the most pain. Assertive behavior clicked in at this point, I promptly asked her to call my Peace Corps doctor and confirm this procedure before she continued any further. After a phone call with the irate Peace Corps doctor work stopped instantly, a car picked me up immediately, and my records were sent to Washington DC. Before I knew it I was on a plane to South Africa, a mini American with state of the art equipment.
It was in Pretoria, one of the capitals of South Africa, where I was staying that I met a cast of characters, volunteers from all over Africa-Kenya, Cameroon, Zambia, Madagascar, Malawi, Ghana, even some from the developing parts of South Africa. All were all ‘med evaced’ for a variety of issues, an appendix removal, a fallopian tube that had exploded, ACL surgery, holes in ear drums resulting in revolting stories of ‘ear cheese’, mystery kidney issues, the list continues. We all had different stories to tell, anecdotes of our injury, legends from the country we are serving in, and narratives of our service and our experience. The cornucopia of volunteers was what made it such an amazing experience.
South Africa was just like America- on security steroids. All homes had electric fences, except for the guesthouse we were put up in, which was fortunate for us the night we were locked out and had to hop the gate and knock on windows to be let back in. I spent the majority of my time in malls, eating, and drinking.
After attempting to save my nerves and only hollow out my teeth and fill them with dentist ‘goo’ it was deemed too much damage was done. The dentist in Rwanda had hit my nerves when she was filling my cavities, thus I needed root canals and crowns, or were they caps, this is why I am not in the medical profession.
Overall I deem the entire trip a success. I met great people and ate amazing food, sushi twice, although they were always out of tuna, forcing me the settle on salmon. Although it was wonderful, after a week I was ready to get back to the bush and live my village life. I came to the realization and conclusion that if I wanted to be in American I would be in actual America- right now I am just a simple girl living in Rwanda…
Monday, December 13, 2010
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Fortunately the buses in Rwanda are very reliable, yes they will change a flat tire while the bus is full, but they leave on time and they rarely break down. They are the main source of transportation for the population. Mottos (small motorcycles) are available in areas where a bus cannot drive because the roads are not constructed, however they are expensive compared to walking, which is free. I would say the majority of the population takes public buses on a very regular basis. Because of the wide use and accessibility of the public transport system and I am both shocked and stunned that people have trouble entering and exiting, something I consider a very simple task.
There are three types of buses, large government buses, pepto mint green and about twice as high and wide as a yellow school bus, the moderate size bus where everyone gets a single seat, and the muttatus, or the smush buses where you have to cram in. The later two are both the same lay out. There are seats that are stationary and then there are ‘jump seats’ they fold up so that an isle is created and then when they are down you sit in them. Therefore if the jump seat is down no one can pass, you are blocking the isle.
I am always taken aback that people do no realize this!! Everyday, every time, if someone needs to pass you must stand up. People continuously sit in the first jump seat, blocking the entire back of the bus so that no one can pass and then they do not move or even attempt to get out of the seat. People will make a conscious effort to climb over other people, stepping on others, rather than simply standing up and filing in the bus in an orderly manner.
There are often times when there are open seats before the bus fills up, on smaller buses you do not leave until they are full. Getting there early you can get a window seat, but you never know how many minutes or hours until everyone gets on. There have been numerous occasions where rather than take a seat that is open, someone will come and sit directly on your lap. This is common when the bus is full because there is a lack of seats, but most definitely not necessary until the bus is full!! The muttatu buses, small crammed ones, sit 18, not comfortable, but are designed to fit 18, they are similar to the hippie VW wagons, often there are 20+ people, people sitting on laps, this is not including the children, The children I do not mind, they do not cry for long, sometimes they pee on you, that I can handle, people staring at me, drunk men in my personal space, all no problem, my breaking point, the throwing up. The roads are not bad in Rwanda. There are some treacherous ones, some windy ones, some that make me a little nauseous, however, the people here are always throwing up on public transportation. I'm going to knock on wood as I type this and say I have no been thrown up on yet, I would like to keep it this way!
There are three types of buses, large government buses, pepto mint green and about twice as high and wide as a yellow school bus, the moderate size bus where everyone gets a single seat, and the muttatus, or the smush buses where you have to cram in. The later two are both the same lay out. There are seats that are stationary and then there are ‘jump seats’ they fold up so that an isle is created and then when they are down you sit in them. Therefore if the jump seat is down no one can pass, you are blocking the isle.
I am always taken aback that people do no realize this!! Everyday, every time, if someone needs to pass you must stand up. People continuously sit in the first jump seat, blocking the entire back of the bus so that no one can pass and then they do not move or even attempt to get out of the seat. People will make a conscious effort to climb over other people, stepping on others, rather than simply standing up and filing in the bus in an orderly manner.
There are often times when there are open seats before the bus fills up, on smaller buses you do not leave until they are full. Getting there early you can get a window seat, but you never know how many minutes or hours until everyone gets on. There have been numerous occasions where rather than take a seat that is open, someone will come and sit directly on your lap. This is common when the bus is full because there is a lack of seats, but most definitely not necessary until the bus is full!! The muttatu buses, small crammed ones, sit 18, not comfortable, but are designed to fit 18, they are similar to the hippie VW wagons, often there are 20+ people, people sitting on laps, this is not including the children, The children I do not mind, they do not cry for long, sometimes they pee on you, that I can handle, people staring at me, drunk men in my personal space, all no problem, my breaking point, the throwing up. The roads are not bad in Rwanda. There are some treacherous ones, some windy ones, some that make me a little nauseous, however, the people here are always throwing up on public transportation. I'm going to knock on wood as I type this and say I have no been thrown up on yet, I would like to keep it this way!
1, 2, 3, BUNGEEEEEE!!!!!!
The alarm started going off at 4:15 am- normally I would not be a happy camper, waking up before the chickens, cows, farmers, and the sun, however, we were going to UGANDA! My first time leaving Rwanda, departing to the neighboring country for a much-deserved vacation.
Myself, along with 3 friends were off, we boarded the bus that was to take us to Kampala. We arrived midday the next day. Overwhelmed by the street food, the crowds, and the filth, I quickly had something to compare Rwanda to. The vacation starts off with us lost in a chaotic taxi park, no idea where to go, no Ugandan shillings, and Rwandan francs are a completely foreign currency. “#$@(*#&$” I hear behind me as a friend trips and lands in a ditch where she twister her ankle. Quickly we remember we are Peace Corps Volunteers and get our game faces. We exchange money, find where we are going, get to the backpackers hostel we are staying, and wrap the twisted ankle. From that point it was smooth sailing. In typical fashion after some cold beers and a good meal we were ready to go.
We woke up early the next day eager to find East Africa’s ONLY SKATE PARK!! After wandering through a village and buying some Jack Fruit on the side of the road, which tasted like rubbery dry bananas, we found the park. One-drop ramp and no skaters, we were a bit unimpressed and disappointed, but then remembered we were in Uganda, in a small village and were ecstatic with the fact it even existed. We then went into town were we walked around, went to an art market, unsuccessfully attempted to eat traditional Ugandan food, and noticed the giant 8-plus foot wing span storks that live in all the trees above. We ended the day at a great rooftop bar overlooking the taxi park eating egg logs- hard-boiled eggs encompassed in deep friend balls of mashed potatoes. DELICIOUS!
The next morning we woke up ready to bungee jump! We made sure to recognize the time difference, had breakfast, a tuna melt- not exactly a traditional breakfast at 7 am, said goodbye to the monkeys wandering the grounds, and took off in shuttle. When we arrived in Jinja 2 hours later we found out we weren’t going to go bungee jumping until the following day. However, rafting was amazing!!! We took class 5 rapids down the Nile and hit a 15+ foot waterfall drop. At one point I seriously though was going to lose a finger, I should have taken them seriously when the said remove all jewelry.
After a full and exhausting day of rafting we transitioned into the night where we took upside-down shots from a kayak on the ceiling of the bar. We met a group a travelers from all over the world on a 15 weeks bus trek across Africa, a cast of interesting characters. We even convinced a staff member to drink a cup of bugs.
After a Rolex (traditional Ugandan street food), some water, and Advil I was read to go bungee jumping. I went fist. Surprisingly I felt a little bit of fear, an emotion I am not normally accustomed to. It was a very different experience than skydiving. They tied my ankles together, assured me I would live, and then I was on my own. I hopped to the ledge and then 1, 2, 3, bungee, I projected myself off, head first, with a leap of faith into thin air! I could feel myself freefalling, one of the most liberating feelings ever, flying through the air, arms stretched, into the Nile river. The day continued with card playing and relaxing-followed be spiced French fries and beer in the evening.
The next day we were off to our next destination- The Hairy Lemon - a remote island with minimal electricity, hammocks, and a serious babbling brook. We spent the next 3 days on the island, learning about the man who just took it over who has been ‘living in the bush’ for the last 20 years. A man who had a vision of a retreat Zen Island, he went to visit, bought it, and had been there for the last 3 months. The water surrounding the small island had enough of a current when you could lie in a tube and it would take you to the opposite side. The wonderful owners parents were there helping him establish the completely self sustainable island with solar panels, a water mill, garden, and livestock, three meals were cooked for us everyday. The running water from the outdoor showers felt Vermont cabin esque in the middle of Africa.
Eventually it was time to say our goodbyes and face reality again.
Returning back to the main land we were hot, smelly, and sweaty. We waited on a crammed bus for an hour before it left, got a flat tire on the road, drove on for quite some time, eventually repairs were attempted, we drove further until it was deemed un-drivable. We were then put on a very large public bus which ran out of gas shortly after departure, we eventually got ion a third bus, finally making it to Kampala. We were mesmerized by all the street food, street food is non-existent in Rwanda, Kampala was especially bustling because it was Independence Day. When we went to get tickets home we were told there were only 2 tickets left on the bus, problem because we were a group of 4. Immediately we began to panic- how would we get home- where would we stay, what were we going to do. We were briefly distracted by a man in the bus station flipping and throwing a cat, however, we eventually we got tickets for the 3 am with a different bus company across town.
So what do four white girls do for 6 hours when the sun has set, they have everything they own in a large backpacks that they must carry and protect with their lives, and they have to wait for a bus? We went on a walk, ate as much delicious street food as possible, spent time in a warehouse that smelt like fish, laid down and attempted to rest in another damp room on a straw mat ignoring the infestation of rats, sat outside, got intensely stared and gawked at…all very normal.
Needless to say as soon as I got on the bus I fell asleep, waking every few minutes because the rattling window was shaking profusely and the hole under my feel sent cold air shooting up my pants. After a 2 plus hour border crossing at 8 am where all luggage was thoroughly searched to make sure no plastic bags were entering, we were in the country we call home! After another 10 cranky hours of travel I was back in Byumba- no water or electricity upon my arrival but thankfully the mouse evacuated the premises.
Myself, along with 3 friends were off, we boarded the bus that was to take us to Kampala. We arrived midday the next day. Overwhelmed by the street food, the crowds, and the filth, I quickly had something to compare Rwanda to. The vacation starts off with us lost in a chaotic taxi park, no idea where to go, no Ugandan shillings, and Rwandan francs are a completely foreign currency. “#$@(*#&$” I hear behind me as a friend trips and lands in a ditch where she twister her ankle. Quickly we remember we are Peace Corps Volunteers and get our game faces. We exchange money, find where we are going, get to the backpackers hostel we are staying, and wrap the twisted ankle. From that point it was smooth sailing. In typical fashion after some cold beers and a good meal we were ready to go.
We woke up early the next day eager to find East Africa’s ONLY SKATE PARK!! After wandering through a village and buying some Jack Fruit on the side of the road, which tasted like rubbery dry bananas, we found the park. One-drop ramp and no skaters, we were a bit unimpressed and disappointed, but then remembered we were in Uganda, in a small village and were ecstatic with the fact it even existed. We then went into town were we walked around, went to an art market, unsuccessfully attempted to eat traditional Ugandan food, and noticed the giant 8-plus foot wing span storks that live in all the trees above. We ended the day at a great rooftop bar overlooking the taxi park eating egg logs- hard-boiled eggs encompassed in deep friend balls of mashed potatoes. DELICIOUS!
The next morning we woke up ready to bungee jump! We made sure to recognize the time difference, had breakfast, a tuna melt- not exactly a traditional breakfast at 7 am, said goodbye to the monkeys wandering the grounds, and took off in shuttle. When we arrived in Jinja 2 hours later we found out we weren’t going to go bungee jumping until the following day. However, rafting was amazing!!! We took class 5 rapids down the Nile and hit a 15+ foot waterfall drop. At one point I seriously though was going to lose a finger, I should have taken them seriously when the said remove all jewelry.
After a full and exhausting day of rafting we transitioned into the night where we took upside-down shots from a kayak on the ceiling of the bar. We met a group a travelers from all over the world on a 15 weeks bus trek across Africa, a cast of interesting characters. We even convinced a staff member to drink a cup of bugs.
After a Rolex (traditional Ugandan street food), some water, and Advil I was read to go bungee jumping. I went fist. Surprisingly I felt a little bit of fear, an emotion I am not normally accustomed to. It was a very different experience than skydiving. They tied my ankles together, assured me I would live, and then I was on my own. I hopped to the ledge and then 1, 2, 3, bungee, I projected myself off, head first, with a leap of faith into thin air! I could feel myself freefalling, one of the most liberating feelings ever, flying through the air, arms stretched, into the Nile river. The day continued with card playing and relaxing-followed be spiced French fries and beer in the evening.
The next day we were off to our next destination- The Hairy Lemon - a remote island with minimal electricity, hammocks, and a serious babbling brook. We spent the next 3 days on the island, learning about the man who just took it over who has been ‘living in the bush’ for the last 20 years. A man who had a vision of a retreat Zen Island, he went to visit, bought it, and had been there for the last 3 months. The water surrounding the small island had enough of a current when you could lie in a tube and it would take you to the opposite side. The wonderful owners parents were there helping him establish the completely self sustainable island with solar panels, a water mill, garden, and livestock, three meals were cooked for us everyday. The running water from the outdoor showers felt Vermont cabin esque in the middle of Africa.
Eventually it was time to say our goodbyes and face reality again.
Returning back to the main land we were hot, smelly, and sweaty. We waited on a crammed bus for an hour before it left, got a flat tire on the road, drove on for quite some time, eventually repairs were attempted, we drove further until it was deemed un-drivable. We were then put on a very large public bus which ran out of gas shortly after departure, we eventually got ion a third bus, finally making it to Kampala. We were mesmerized by all the street food, street food is non-existent in Rwanda, Kampala was especially bustling because it was Independence Day. When we went to get tickets home we were told there were only 2 tickets left on the bus, problem because we were a group of 4. Immediately we began to panic- how would we get home- where would we stay, what were we going to do. We were briefly distracted by a man in the bus station flipping and throwing a cat, however, we eventually we got tickets for the 3 am with a different bus company across town.
So what do four white girls do for 6 hours when the sun has set, they have everything they own in a large backpacks that they must carry and protect with their lives, and they have to wait for a bus? We went on a walk, ate as much delicious street food as possible, spent time in a warehouse that smelt like fish, laid down and attempted to rest in another damp room on a straw mat ignoring the infestation of rats, sat outside, got intensely stared and gawked at…all very normal.
Needless to say as soon as I got on the bus I fell asleep, waking every few minutes because the rattling window was shaking profusely and the hole under my feel sent cold air shooting up my pants. After a 2 plus hour border crossing at 8 am where all luggage was thoroughly searched to make sure no plastic bags were entering, we were in the country we call home! After another 10 cranky hours of travel I was back in Byumba- no water or electricity upon my arrival but thankfully the mouse evacuated the premises.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Pish Posh- Posh Corps Peace Corps
Reconciliation
Rumor has it that Peace Corps Volunteers in other developing countries refer to Rwanda as Posh Corps. I see where the name stems from, yes I have electricity on a somewhat regular basis, I do not have to walk 10 k to get water, my house leaks but it is not made of mud, there are bugs, bats, and lizards, but nothing deadly. In spite of this, in my personal opinion, the emotional turmoil of Rwanda and the recent history is a completely different challenge than luxuries and comfort of a living situation. To try and understand the magnitude and fathom what happened here in recent years and what is currently happening in regard to reconciliation, this is not a tangible thought to me. To hear people’s personal stories, for them to share with me, I do not know how to respond, how to react, how to console, how they find the strength to proceed.
According to A Thousand Hills by Stephen Kinzer “99.9 percent of Rwandan children witnessed violence during the spring of 1994. Ninety percent believed they would die. Eight-seven percent saw dead bodies, 80 percent lost at least one relative, 58 percent saw people being hacked with pangas, and 31 percent witnessed rapes and other sexual assaults.”
I would like to share excerpts from A Thousand Hills in an attempt to convey the strength of the Rwandan people as they smile and look towards the future and put conflict behind them.
...Deeply rooted social conflicts like the one that devastated Rwanda in 1994 cannot be resolved through trial and punishment alone. A country torn so violently apart can stabilize only if former enemies reconcile. In Rwanda, this means that people must forgive those who slaughtered their families and even live beside them in newfound brotherhood. This is not a rational thing to do. Yet it is happening in Rwanda, on a grander scale than it ever has anywhere.
….Rosaria Bankuniye, lost her husband and four children in 1994, when she was twenty years old; the man who hacked them to death also attacked her and left her for dead, as the long scar across her face testifies. The killer, Xavier Nemeye, is free after serving nine years in prison. On the day I came to Mbyo [a village in southern Rwanda made up of about fifty concrete huts housing genocide survivors and released genocidaires], the neighborhood has assembles in shady grove to hear both of them testify. Most were women, brightly colorful in patterned batik dresses. All fell silent when Deo [a psychology professor and itinerant pastor who has assumed the mission of bringing Rwanda’s victims and killers together] rose to speak.
He [Deo] exhorted them to leave their rancor behind and devote all their energy to fighting Satan, whose name in Rwanda, he said, is poverty. When he invoked God’s presence, many people closed their eyes and turned skyward. Then he called on Rosaria and Xavier.
They [Rosaria and Xavier] came forward haltingly, as if in pain. Finally they settled onto a log, besides one another but not touching. Everyone before them knew their story. Many had similar ones.
Rosaria was small and frail, aged beyond her years and bent by toil. She wore a flowing yellow skirt and full blouse in a brown-and-yellow batik pattern. After taking a long moment to steel herself, she looked up and began describing how her family was murdered. She spoke softly but clearly. After a few minutes, when she reached the part about the maggots infesting her skull wound while she lay beneath a pile of corpses, she broke down.
All of Rosaria’s neighbors had wept many times, so this was nothing unusual. They waited quietly and even approvingly, some clutching each other’s hands, until she regained her composure and began again. She started by gesturing at the man sitting next to her, although she never looked at him.
“When he killed us, he also destroyed our home and took all out belongings,” she stammered, struggling to resist another breakdown. “I lived off the help form other people. But thanks to God, we had the blessing to reconcile with those who committed these acts. It is so hard to talk to talk to someone who killed your family. So I thank God that we have has the chance to live together and reconcile.”
These words puzzled me. They were undoubly sincere, but the emotion they conveyed- they willingness of this woman to forgive the person who has so grievously harmed her- was difficult to fathom. I grappled with it during the long silence that followed Rosaria’s testimony. Then Xavier began to speak. He looked sometimes at the congregation and sometimes at his feet, but never at Rosaria...”
Rosaria lost everything, he family, her children, she was once rich, with cows, goats, and money in the bank. She will never get that back. Yet she stated, “I don’t wish anything bad for that person. He will die the death God planned for him…”
The strength here to move ahead is a larger concept then I am personally prepared to comprehend. To understand the people, envision what they have been through, and learn from them, that is the challenge I face here everyday in Rwanda. Recently a family friends military base was referred to as Camp Cupcake because there was a Baskin Robbins and other American luxuries, I now realize that does not mean it is as simple as it sounds. Peace Corps doesn’t always feel so Posh Corps here in Rwanda.
President Paul Kagame was quoted saying:
“What is the future? We become prisoners of the past and live like that? It happened. We can’t undo it, unfortunately. If we could undo it, that would be ideal, but life isn’t like that. It’s a change you have to make. Otherwise you suffer twice. You suffer in the present and you continue to suffer forever.”
Rumor has it that Peace Corps Volunteers in other developing countries refer to Rwanda as Posh Corps. I see where the name stems from, yes I have electricity on a somewhat regular basis, I do not have to walk 10 k to get water, my house leaks but it is not made of mud, there are bugs, bats, and lizards, but nothing deadly. In spite of this, in my personal opinion, the emotional turmoil of Rwanda and the recent history is a completely different challenge than luxuries and comfort of a living situation. To try and understand the magnitude and fathom what happened here in recent years and what is currently happening in regard to reconciliation, this is not a tangible thought to me. To hear people’s personal stories, for them to share with me, I do not know how to respond, how to react, how to console, how they find the strength to proceed.
According to A Thousand Hills by Stephen Kinzer “99.9 percent of Rwandan children witnessed violence during the spring of 1994. Ninety percent believed they would die. Eight-seven percent saw dead bodies, 80 percent lost at least one relative, 58 percent saw people being hacked with pangas, and 31 percent witnessed rapes and other sexual assaults.”
I would like to share excerpts from A Thousand Hills in an attempt to convey the strength of the Rwandan people as they smile and look towards the future and put conflict behind them.
...Deeply rooted social conflicts like the one that devastated Rwanda in 1994 cannot be resolved through trial and punishment alone. A country torn so violently apart can stabilize only if former enemies reconcile. In Rwanda, this means that people must forgive those who slaughtered their families and even live beside them in newfound brotherhood. This is not a rational thing to do. Yet it is happening in Rwanda, on a grander scale than it ever has anywhere.
….Rosaria Bankuniye, lost her husband and four children in 1994, when she was twenty years old; the man who hacked them to death also attacked her and left her for dead, as the long scar across her face testifies. The killer, Xavier Nemeye, is free after serving nine years in prison. On the day I came to Mbyo [a village in southern Rwanda made up of about fifty concrete huts housing genocide survivors and released genocidaires], the neighborhood has assembles in shady grove to hear both of them testify. Most were women, brightly colorful in patterned batik dresses. All fell silent when Deo [a psychology professor and itinerant pastor who has assumed the mission of bringing Rwanda’s victims and killers together] rose to speak.
He [Deo] exhorted them to leave their rancor behind and devote all their energy to fighting Satan, whose name in Rwanda, he said, is poverty. When he invoked God’s presence, many people closed their eyes and turned skyward. Then he called on Rosaria and Xavier.
They [Rosaria and Xavier] came forward haltingly, as if in pain. Finally they settled onto a log, besides one another but not touching. Everyone before them knew their story. Many had similar ones.
Rosaria was small and frail, aged beyond her years and bent by toil. She wore a flowing yellow skirt and full blouse in a brown-and-yellow batik pattern. After taking a long moment to steel herself, she looked up and began describing how her family was murdered. She spoke softly but clearly. After a few minutes, when she reached the part about the maggots infesting her skull wound while she lay beneath a pile of corpses, she broke down.
All of Rosaria’s neighbors had wept many times, so this was nothing unusual. They waited quietly and even approvingly, some clutching each other’s hands, until she regained her composure and began again. She started by gesturing at the man sitting next to her, although she never looked at him.
“When he killed us, he also destroyed our home and took all out belongings,” she stammered, struggling to resist another breakdown. “I lived off the help form other people. But thanks to God, we had the blessing to reconcile with those who committed these acts. It is so hard to talk to talk to someone who killed your family. So I thank God that we have has the chance to live together and reconcile.”
These words puzzled me. They were undoubly sincere, but the emotion they conveyed- they willingness of this woman to forgive the person who has so grievously harmed her- was difficult to fathom. I grappled with it during the long silence that followed Rosaria’s testimony. Then Xavier began to speak. He looked sometimes at the congregation and sometimes at his feet, but never at Rosaria...”
Rosaria lost everything, he family, her children, she was once rich, with cows, goats, and money in the bank. She will never get that back. Yet she stated, “I don’t wish anything bad for that person. He will die the death God planned for him…”
The strength here to move ahead is a larger concept then I am personally prepared to comprehend. To understand the people, envision what they have been through, and learn from them, that is the challenge I face here everyday in Rwanda. Recently a family friends military base was referred to as Camp Cupcake because there was a Baskin Robbins and other American luxuries, I now realize that does not mean it is as simple as it sounds. Peace Corps doesn’t always feel so Posh Corps here in Rwanda.
President Paul Kagame was quoted saying:
“What is the future? We become prisoners of the past and live like that? It happened. We can’t undo it, unfortunately. If we could undo it, that would be ideal, but life isn’t like that. It’s a change you have to make. Otherwise you suffer twice. You suffer in the present and you continue to suffer forever.”
Friday, September 10, 2010
Dictionary Drive
To all who wants to make a difference- I am collecting dictionaries from the US to give to individuals in Rwanda who want to learn and expand their English vocabulary. Dust off the dictionary that has been sitting on your shelf unopened for years, people here in Rwanda will cherish these books. Please give them to my mother or Brian Collins by the end of September. If you need contact information please email me (averykarlowich@gmail.com) and I will send you further details. Don’t have a dictionary to donate, you can order an inexpensive used one at www.betterworldbooks.com, domestic shipping is free and profits go to literacy initiatives worldwide.
I am writing this blog on behalf of potential recipients of dictionaries that aspire to teach themselves and through education lead a better life.
When I first arrived in Rwanda I was trained on culture, language, and technical aspects, upon completion I was sworn in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer and I have been living in a community in the north evaluating the needs of the people and assessing how I can help establish long-term sustainable projects and solutions. Currently I am working with the Mafurebo Primary School on a variety of different projects, from improving the quality of the education and the curriculum to helping with the structure of the school and a water collection systems. The Mafurebo Primary School is located in a rural and mountainous area and does not have running water or electricity. Agriculture is the main source of income in the region. Despite the living conditions the Mafurebo Primary School is determined to educate the youth that attend the school through progressive and forward-thinking curriculum.
The headmaster and teachers of the school are feverishly trying to learn English, they are determined to become fluent. They listen to the Voice Of America Special English segment on the radio whenever it is available and converse with me in English as much as possible. It has come to my attention that the school does not have any dictionaries for teachers or students to look up words they are unfamiliar with. In October of 2008 the Rwandan Government declared English to be the official language of instruction, opening Rwanda up to a world of new opportunities. While the teachers are doing the best they can, dictionaries would greatly improve their vocabularies and provide them with increased hope towards the future.
Approximately 1,320 teachers and students will be directly affected; the books will create an indirect benefit for the community members as well. While shipping costs are normally astronomical having someone deliver them personally would eliminate all transport fees, this is possible because Brian Collins is coming here!!
Dictionaries will immediately have a positive effect and dramatically improve the vocabulary and conversing abilities of the students and teachers at the Mafurebo Primary School. They will help create a culture of literacy and provide the tools of empowerment to the next generation of parents, teachers, and leaders.
Make a difference!
XO Keza
I am writing this blog on behalf of potential recipients of dictionaries that aspire to teach themselves and through education lead a better life.
When I first arrived in Rwanda I was trained on culture, language, and technical aspects, upon completion I was sworn in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer and I have been living in a community in the north evaluating the needs of the people and assessing how I can help establish long-term sustainable projects and solutions. Currently I am working with the Mafurebo Primary School on a variety of different projects, from improving the quality of the education and the curriculum to helping with the structure of the school and a water collection systems. The Mafurebo Primary School is located in a rural and mountainous area and does not have running water or electricity. Agriculture is the main source of income in the region. Despite the living conditions the Mafurebo Primary School is determined to educate the youth that attend the school through progressive and forward-thinking curriculum.
The headmaster and teachers of the school are feverishly trying to learn English, they are determined to become fluent. They listen to the Voice Of America Special English segment on the radio whenever it is available and converse with me in English as much as possible. It has come to my attention that the school does not have any dictionaries for teachers or students to look up words they are unfamiliar with. In October of 2008 the Rwandan Government declared English to be the official language of instruction, opening Rwanda up to a world of new opportunities. While the teachers are doing the best they can, dictionaries would greatly improve their vocabularies and provide them with increased hope towards the future.
Approximately 1,320 teachers and students will be directly affected; the books will create an indirect benefit for the community members as well. While shipping costs are normally astronomical having someone deliver them personally would eliminate all transport fees, this is possible because Brian Collins is coming here!!
Dictionaries will immediately have a positive effect and dramatically improve the vocabulary and conversing abilities of the students and teachers at the Mafurebo Primary School. They will help create a culture of literacy and provide the tools of empowerment to the next generation of parents, teachers, and leaders.
Make a difference!
XO Keza
Thursday, August 26, 2010
You have to know how to laugh at yourself….
I think the key to integration in Rwanda is the ability to laugh at yourself, not just when you are trying to say a completely foreign word with marbles in your mouth but at all times and in all situations.
Recently I went to part 1 of my Peace Corps IST, In Service Training. The focus of the two-day training was on language and culture. As suspected, my Kinyarwanda remains sub par, this is something I have accepted, I can bargain in the market, greet people, and make small talk, I think that is far as it will progress with the exception of a few improvements during my time here. While my language is lacking I found that I have made great strides when it comes to my community integration. It was a nice feeling when numerous volunteers said they admire my strategies and my fearless attitude when it comes getting involved with the people of Rwanda.
Even though I do not share a common language or the same upbringing with the people here we are all human, we are have curiosities and are interested in the unknown; in this case I am the unknown. For many individuals I am the first white person they are ever seeing. Because of a limited vocabulary visual clues have become my go to for communication, pointing, miming, mimicking, although we share no common words there is a plethora we can communicate just by sharing space.
Often I find people staring at the tattoos on my feet (tattoos do not exist in Rwanda), my response is with sarcasm showing the people they do not rub off, same if I have my toe nails painted. I have very different hair than Rwandans, I often take it down and let people touch and play with it it, they are fascinated! Today I found myself walking the same route as a group of teenage girls. The girls were carrying baskets on their heads, while I do not know the verb ‘to carry a basket on ones head (yes there is a verb for that) I was able to mimic that I wanted to try and my point was successfully communicated. I carried a basket on my head, we all laughed together, and they asked me to take a photo of them.
Yes, with language skills I would be able to form better and deeper friendships. However, by accepting that my physical appearance is very different from anything they have seen before and putting on a muzungu comedy show I have made a great deal of friends. I have come to realize that by feeding into their curiosity and being able to laugh at myself in almost every situation my community integration has benefited greatly.
Recently I went to part 1 of my Peace Corps IST, In Service Training. The focus of the two-day training was on language and culture. As suspected, my Kinyarwanda remains sub par, this is something I have accepted, I can bargain in the market, greet people, and make small talk, I think that is far as it will progress with the exception of a few improvements during my time here. While my language is lacking I found that I have made great strides when it comes to my community integration. It was a nice feeling when numerous volunteers said they admire my strategies and my fearless attitude when it comes getting involved with the people of Rwanda.
Even though I do not share a common language or the same upbringing with the people here we are all human, we are have curiosities and are interested in the unknown; in this case I am the unknown. For many individuals I am the first white person they are ever seeing. Because of a limited vocabulary visual clues have become my go to for communication, pointing, miming, mimicking, although we share no common words there is a plethora we can communicate just by sharing space.
Often I find people staring at the tattoos on my feet (tattoos do not exist in Rwanda), my response is with sarcasm showing the people they do not rub off, same if I have my toe nails painted. I have very different hair than Rwandans, I often take it down and let people touch and play with it it, they are fascinated! Today I found myself walking the same route as a group of teenage girls. The girls were carrying baskets on their heads, while I do not know the verb ‘to carry a basket on ones head (yes there is a verb for that) I was able to mimic that I wanted to try and my point was successfully communicated. I carried a basket on my head, we all laughed together, and they asked me to take a photo of them.
Yes, with language skills I would be able to form better and deeper friendships. However, by accepting that my physical appearance is very different from anything they have seen before and putting on a muzungu comedy show I have made a great deal of friends. I have come to realize that by feeding into their curiosity and being able to laugh at myself in almost every situation my community integration has benefited greatly.
You have to know how to laugh at yourself….
I think the key to integration in Rwanda is the ability to laugh at yourself, not just when you are trying to say a completely foreign word with marbles in your mouth but at all times and in all situations.
Recently I went to part 1 of my Peace Corps IST, In Service Training. The focus of the two-day training was on language and culture. As suspected, my Kinyarwanda remains sub par, this is something I have accepted, I can bargain in the market, greet people, and make small talk, I think that is far as it will progress with the exception of a few improvements during my time here. While my language is lacking I found that I have made great strides when it comes to my community integration. It was a nice feeling when numerous volunteers said they admire my strategies and my fearless attitude when it comes getting involved with the people of Rwanda.
Even though I do not share a common language or the same upbringing with the people here we are all human, we are have curiosities and are interested in the unknown; in this case I am the unknown. For many individuals I am the first white person they are ever seeing. Because of a limited vocabulary visual clues have become my go to for communication, pointing, miming, mimicking, although we share no common words there is a plethora we can communicate just by sharing space.
Often I find people staring at the tattoos on my feet (tattoos do not exist in Rwanda), my response is with sarcasm showing the people they do not rub off, same if I have my toe nails painted. I have very different hair than Rwandans, I often take it down and let people touch and play with it it, they are fascinated! Today I found myself walking the same route as a group of teenage girls. The girls were carrying baskets on their heads, while I do not know the verb ‘to carry a basket on ones head (yes there is a verb for that) I was able to mimic that I wanted to try and my point was successfully communicated. I carried a basket on my head, we all laughed together, and they asked me to take a photo of them.
Yes, with language skills I would be able to form better and deeper friendships. However, by accepting that my physical appearance is very different from anything they have seen before and putting on a muzungu comedy show I have made a great deal of friends. I have come to realize that by feeding into their curiosity and being able to laugh at myself in almost every situation my community integration has benefited greatly.
Recently I went to part 1 of my Peace Corps IST, In Service Training. The focus of the two-day training was on language and culture. As suspected, my Kinyarwanda remains sub par, this is something I have accepted, I can bargain in the market, greet people, and make small talk, I think that is far as it will progress with the exception of a few improvements during my time here. While my language is lacking I found that I have made great strides when it comes to my community integration. It was a nice feeling when numerous volunteers said they admire my strategies and my fearless attitude when it comes getting involved with the people of Rwanda.
Even though I do not share a common language or the same upbringing with the people here we are all human, we are have curiosities and are interested in the unknown; in this case I am the unknown. For many individuals I am the first white person they are ever seeing. Because of a limited vocabulary visual clues have become my go to for communication, pointing, miming, mimicking, although we share no common words there is a plethora we can communicate just by sharing space.
Often I find people staring at the tattoos on my feet (tattoos do not exist in Rwanda), my response is with sarcasm showing the people they do not rub off, same if I have my toe nails painted. I have very different hair than Rwandans, I often take it down and let people touch and play with it it, they are fascinated! Today I found myself walking the same route as a group of teenage girls. The girls were carrying baskets on their heads, while I do not know the verb ‘to carry a basket on ones head (yes there is a verb for that) I was able to mimic that I wanted to try and my point was successfully communicated. I carried a basket on my head, we all laughed together, and they asked me to take a photo of them.
Yes, with language skills I would be able to form better and deeper friendships. However, by accepting that my physical appearance is very different from anything they have seen before and putting on a muzungu comedy show I have made a great deal of friends. I have come to realize that by feeding into their curiosity and being able to laugh at myself in almost every situation my community integration has benefited greatly.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Another Year Older
Another year older, does this mean I am wiser? I do not know how to measure wisdom, I do know I have developed a stronger sense of myself, who I am, what I believe, and what I want to represent as a person.
When first removed from New York and placed in Rwanda I though I would have trouble adjusting to the slower lifestyle, in the beginning this was difficult, however I have adjusted some, learning that life is more about relationships and less about speeding through a checklist. It was after reading Three Cups of Tea that I truly began to realize the importance of the interactions and the relationships I cultivate.
“…People in western civilization no longer have time for each other, they have no time together, they do not share the experience of time. This explains why Westerners are incapable of understanding the psychology of sitting. In villages all over the world sitting is an important social activity. Sitting is not a ‘waste of time’ not is it a manifestation of laziness. Sitting is having time together, time to cultivate social relations.”
-Andreas Fuglesang
Everything here is slower, starting a project, getting an answer, determining and solving a problem, but it is with the time that I learn who people are and they learn who I am.
I have recently started a new project through watercharity.org. Five of so weeks ago I met with a school in an outskirt village to make sure they understood the role CHF Higa Ubeho plays in conjunction with ADEPR and school fees. After sitting with the head master, teachers, and PTA I learned about some of the programs they have implemented and what they are doing to provide a better future for all the youth that attend the school- It was the first time a school told me they teach health education, the school teaches about menstrual cycles and what girls are to do so they do not miss school. After I met the 1,300 children that attend the primary school with no books, no running water, and no electricity, I decided I wanted to get further involved with this particular school. Something about the energy of the school and positive progressive thinking of the teachers hooked me immediately. The headmaster and one of the teachers were counselors at the Holiday Camp, together we began to discuss and brainstorm the problems they have and what they see as feasible solutions. On my part I submitted their unsafe and unhygienic water collection system to watercharity.org where it was then approved for $500 USD towards a new collection system (http://appropriateprojects.com/node/307). Yesterday, Pacifique and Innocent, the headmaster and teacher, walked 3 plus hours to the market in the district capital, where I live, to price materials before we sat to make a strict budget and a construction timeline, after out meeting they walked the 3 plus hours back home because mottos are too expensive on a teachers salary. Saturday they will return on foot to purchase the materials they can only acquire here Byumba and then construction will begin at the school on Monday. Although I took the initiative for this project I believe it was acceptable since I have the access to watercharity funds because I am a Peace Corps Volunteer. I have made sure that the school has taken ownership of the project to ensure they will respect the funds and the final outcome, it was the school that identified the problem and brainstormed additional possible solutions if I could not obtain the money for them. With access to water the children and teachers will be able to wash their hands to prevent disease and have water to drink to prevent dehydration. Children will receive a more complete education because they will be able to attend school more often, which leads to a better future. The fortitude and determination I see in Pacifique and Innocent to better the lives of the youth is something that will stay with me forever.
It is through the sitting, waiting, and lingering, that I have begun to build trust with people in my community. Dawdling my acquaintances, friends, and people I have made part of my daily routine are beginning to realize that I am a Peace Corps Volunteer, not a spy, they are accepting that I do not come with bags of money to solve their problems, I come with time to listen and it is through our collaboration of ideas to identify solutions to problems that they will get solved.
Wiser because another birthday has passed? I think the date is only a marker of time when it comes to wisdom. Patience, patience and self-realization, that is something I can more clearly measure and confidently say has developed this year. The art of sitting and friendships, getting to know one another, something deeply valued here, a skill I hope is transferable to America, something I want to wholeheartedly bring back with me.
When first removed from New York and placed in Rwanda I though I would have trouble adjusting to the slower lifestyle, in the beginning this was difficult, however I have adjusted some, learning that life is more about relationships and less about speeding through a checklist. It was after reading Three Cups of Tea that I truly began to realize the importance of the interactions and the relationships I cultivate.
“…People in western civilization no longer have time for each other, they have no time together, they do not share the experience of time. This explains why Westerners are incapable of understanding the psychology of sitting. In villages all over the world sitting is an important social activity. Sitting is not a ‘waste of time’ not is it a manifestation of laziness. Sitting is having time together, time to cultivate social relations.”
-Andreas Fuglesang
Everything here is slower, starting a project, getting an answer, determining and solving a problem, but it is with the time that I learn who people are and they learn who I am.
I have recently started a new project through watercharity.org. Five of so weeks ago I met with a school in an outskirt village to make sure they understood the role CHF Higa Ubeho plays in conjunction with ADEPR and school fees. After sitting with the head master, teachers, and PTA I learned about some of the programs they have implemented and what they are doing to provide a better future for all the youth that attend the school- It was the first time a school told me they teach health education, the school teaches about menstrual cycles and what girls are to do so they do not miss school. After I met the 1,300 children that attend the primary school with no books, no running water, and no electricity, I decided I wanted to get further involved with this particular school. Something about the energy of the school and positive progressive thinking of the teachers hooked me immediately. The headmaster and one of the teachers were counselors at the Holiday Camp, together we began to discuss and brainstorm the problems they have and what they see as feasible solutions. On my part I submitted their unsafe and unhygienic water collection system to watercharity.org where it was then approved for $500 USD towards a new collection system (http://appropriateprojects.com/node/307). Yesterday, Pacifique and Innocent, the headmaster and teacher, walked 3 plus hours to the market in the district capital, where I live, to price materials before we sat to make a strict budget and a construction timeline, after out meeting they walked the 3 plus hours back home because mottos are too expensive on a teachers salary. Saturday they will return on foot to purchase the materials they can only acquire here Byumba and then construction will begin at the school on Monday. Although I took the initiative for this project I believe it was acceptable since I have the access to watercharity funds because I am a Peace Corps Volunteer. I have made sure that the school has taken ownership of the project to ensure they will respect the funds and the final outcome, it was the school that identified the problem and brainstormed additional possible solutions if I could not obtain the money for them. With access to water the children and teachers will be able to wash their hands to prevent disease and have water to drink to prevent dehydration. Children will receive a more complete education because they will be able to attend school more often, which leads to a better future. The fortitude and determination I see in Pacifique and Innocent to better the lives of the youth is something that will stay with me forever.
It is through the sitting, waiting, and lingering, that I have begun to build trust with people in my community. Dawdling my acquaintances, friends, and people I have made part of my daily routine are beginning to realize that I am a Peace Corps Volunteer, not a spy, they are accepting that I do not come with bags of money to solve their problems, I come with time to listen and it is through our collaboration of ideas to identify solutions to problems that they will get solved.
Wiser because another birthday has passed? I think the date is only a marker of time when it comes to wisdom. Patience, patience and self-realization, that is something I can more clearly measure and confidently say has developed this year. The art of sitting and friendships, getting to know one another, something deeply valued here, a skill I hope is transferable to America, something I want to wholeheartedly bring back with me.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Becoming Acclimated
It possible that I have become somewhat accustomed to some of the basic things I once found frustrating and unusual, the police officer on the back of a motto screaming out “you are smart”, running behind schedule by 7 hours, and just, well just sitting.
A few weeks ago I asked my host mother to go with me to the market to buy igitenge, fabric. She was so delighted, absolutely thrilled to take me. We set a date, went to the market, and then the umudozi, tailor. This was a two fold plan, she was proud to take me to the market, and I got to see which fabric stand and tailor she goes to rather than seeking one out on my own and experimenting with trial and error if they are a good seamstress. I decided to first wear my new head to toe blue and yellow patterned African fabric outfit to church when I picked it up the following week. When I first put it on it felt like a costume, but after 10 minutes in my home wearing it I adjusted and began to fell a little more comfortable. As soon as a step out of my alley the stares and long obvious glances begin, but this is normal since no matter what I do I will still be white, I think nothing of it until someone screams “you are smart,” as they wiz by on a motto, I look up to notice that this is a police officer. I know I stick out, but normally law enforcement respects boundaries and doesn’t stare or say muzungu to me. I continue my 30-minute walk to church, where almost every person that speaks even a smidgen of English tells me, “you are smart.” Now either I missed the memo and we say this in America, or it is a British thing, I also noticed they say it in the book Baking Cakes in Kigali.
Last week I was part of a holiday camp. The primary and secondary schools are on break for 3 weeks, they are in between terms, except for secondary3 and seconday6, they have a class and break at a different time. The OVCs (orphans and vulnerable children) I work with to help obtain school fees through CHF and USAID were invited to the camp. The camp itself was remarkable, a cross between school where it is based on education, and camp, where it is based solely on fun. We did all sorts of different activities based on the theme, “Higa Ubeho,” be determined and live. There were, discussions, debates, skits, songs, cartoons drawn, overall it was a great week, a hands on experience in an environment I was able to thrive in. The OVCs, all 800+ of them slept at the school in the dorms, I went home every night, around 10:30pm to leave my house again at 7am. It is not the long hours that bothered me in anyway, I like to work and the week went by quickly, it was the lack of organization and running behind schedule for no reason that frustrated me to an extent, but it is something I was prepared for, as it is a common encounter. There were times when information needed to be gathered from the OVCs and the counselors/teachers asked for it in the most unorganized impractical way. When I tried to ask why we didn’t do it another day they looked at me as if I were crazy. Eventually the information was gathered and this week it is all being entered in the computer database so we know the name of each child, where they live (the umudugudu-basically the block), if they are HIV+, if they have either parent, what school they are currently attending, the amount they need to cover school fees for the following 2 terms, all practical information, but the process to collect the information, backwards. On day 5 of camp, where we were supposed to be done at 10 am and the children were to go home, we finished at 5pm, where we then weren’t even completely done, we still had more to sort and paperwork to organize. I felt awful that the day took so long because I told my host mother that I would go to see her house girl, the one that cooks, baptism, and then I didn’t go. I felt terrible but explained to them that the camp went late, and of course they understood. Here baptisms are done when you are an adult, so you can make the conscious decision yourself, just like when my parents made me wait until almost the 5th grade to get my ears pierces! Ok well not at all the same, but the concept of making a decision for yourself is the same. With religion guiding and playing such a large part in almost all Rwandan’s lives many must make the choice to be baptized. Definitely disappointed I missed it, hopefully the next time 10 churches gather together for baptism ceremonies and house girls get to wear ‘smart’ (wambaye neza) clothes I will be able to attend.
Last umuganda was less eventful than others. I normally go with Ononline, just like online in English as she told me. But this week my host mother told me that she couldn’t go because she had to stay home and wash her clothes. Eric, my host mother’s brother is home form secondary school so he went to represent my mother’s household so I went with him. We went to a nearby primary school where he told me we were going to help with trees. For the record while we have many woods to describe the parts of a tree and product from a tree, branch, stick, skewer, wood, pencil etc they only have one, tree. So it was a little unclear as to what we would be doing, were we going to plant trees, water seedlings, help tomato plants grow upright…what we did was chop down trees from a nearby forest area and carry them to a local school to build a welcome archway. I still haven’t gotten the chance to carry anything on my head, it took about 4 of us to carry each tree on our shoulder, thankfully the school was only a short walk from the forest area. After this we helped remove desks from each classroom so they could be cleaned while the children were still on holiday. After this came the sitting. I SAT ON GRASS!!! For all that know me this is a HUGE HUGE deal! I didn’t like it but I did it anyway. I asked Eric what was next and he told me we had to wait to vote for positions in the umudugudu (the local community comprised of a few houses). I sat with the ladies of my umudugudu who were thoroughly amused by my attempt to talk in Kinyarwanda to them. We sat and waited and waited and waited, then representation from the health center came where we listened, and waited, then we talked about what we heard, and then we nominated people for positions in the umudugudu, they tried to nominate me but I told them I would respectfully have to decline as I am a volunteer in the country and not a native citizen and don’t speak the language. We talked about what we thought about the nominations, and then we sat, well you get the idea. There was a lot of sitting. This was on Saturday. On Monday there was more sitting. As a Peace Corps Volunteer I am strictly forbidden from getting involved in political matters. With the upcoming elections, August 9, I have been careful to follow the Peace Corps policy. My counterpart was also respectful of this when she asked me if I wanted to go to a speech given by President Paul Kagame in my district. She was told she had to go to supervise the OVCs because they were all given instructions to attend when they were at the camp the previous week. I told her it would be all right for me to go, I was going to listen to his speech as an observer not taking part in the elections. For the people of the Gicumbi the president’s presence was an honor and they were very excited, I know this because me, the girl who sleeps like a rock, woke up at 3:14 am the night before the speech to a parade of people banging on drums walking to the stadium where the speech was going to take place. I was fortunate enough to take a motto to the stadium that ADEPR, my work, paid for, the motto tide took over 45 minutes, so to walk that is quite a distance, im guessing approximately the distance of sea cliff to riverhead, to stand/sit in the hot sun, to walk home at the end of the following day. Dedication for people to travel by foot, as that is all they can afford and wanted to get the chance to be in the presidents company. When we arrived at the location we did not know where the OVCs were because we did not pick on meeting spot or a time so they are scattered throughout the crowd. Sophie, my counterpart, and I took a seat, on the grass again, and waited. There were performances by singers and guest speakers that addresses the crowd, Paul Kagame arrived by helicopter eventually and spoke, encouraging the people to vote, stating his campaign slogan “Tora Paul Kagame” Vote Paul Kagame, and “Imvugo Nivo Ngiro” what he says he puts in action. Terms are 7 years here, Kagame has already served 2 and you can serve up to 3, 21 years in office. After the sitting came the exit, mayhem!! Imagine the same amount of people as a Jones Beach concert, pushing and shoving to get to the front, the police and security held off a while before they allowed people to exit, I don’t have words to describe the sprinting full force the took place and the dust cloud the followed. Sophie had the right idea when she had me stand back and wait a short while before we tried to exit. I heard that there were deaths from people being trampled when exiting but I’m not positive.
Part of me is acclimated and accustomed to the daily life here, I drink my tea like a Rwandan, I am addicted to fresh milk, I have even picked my nose in public, completely culturally acceptable, however, I still think about cold iced tea, I use common and logical sense when solving problems and in my daily life, and I am absolutely disgusted with snot rockets, that will never be acceptable to me. Just like I will never understand all cultural norms Rwandans will never totally understand me, they are getting used to the idea that I want my bangs to be in my face and they do not bother me, I like to dunk my cornbread in my milk, and that just because I am white does not mean I am rich, alright, the last one I am still working really hard on, but a few understand. Buhoro buhoro, slowly by slow.
A few weeks ago I asked my host mother to go with me to the market to buy igitenge, fabric. She was so delighted, absolutely thrilled to take me. We set a date, went to the market, and then the umudozi, tailor. This was a two fold plan, she was proud to take me to the market, and I got to see which fabric stand and tailor she goes to rather than seeking one out on my own and experimenting with trial and error if they are a good seamstress. I decided to first wear my new head to toe blue and yellow patterned African fabric outfit to church when I picked it up the following week. When I first put it on it felt like a costume, but after 10 minutes in my home wearing it I adjusted and began to fell a little more comfortable. As soon as a step out of my alley the stares and long obvious glances begin, but this is normal since no matter what I do I will still be white, I think nothing of it until someone screams “you are smart,” as they wiz by on a motto, I look up to notice that this is a police officer. I know I stick out, but normally law enforcement respects boundaries and doesn’t stare or say muzungu to me. I continue my 30-minute walk to church, where almost every person that speaks even a smidgen of English tells me, “you are smart.” Now either I missed the memo and we say this in America, or it is a British thing, I also noticed they say it in the book Baking Cakes in Kigali.
Last week I was part of a holiday camp. The primary and secondary schools are on break for 3 weeks, they are in between terms, except for secondary3 and seconday6, they have a class and break at a different time. The OVCs (orphans and vulnerable children) I work with to help obtain school fees through CHF and USAID were invited to the camp. The camp itself was remarkable, a cross between school where it is based on education, and camp, where it is based solely on fun. We did all sorts of different activities based on the theme, “Higa Ubeho,” be determined and live. There were, discussions, debates, skits, songs, cartoons drawn, overall it was a great week, a hands on experience in an environment I was able to thrive in. The OVCs, all 800+ of them slept at the school in the dorms, I went home every night, around 10:30pm to leave my house again at 7am. It is not the long hours that bothered me in anyway, I like to work and the week went by quickly, it was the lack of organization and running behind schedule for no reason that frustrated me to an extent, but it is something I was prepared for, as it is a common encounter. There were times when information needed to be gathered from the OVCs and the counselors/teachers asked for it in the most unorganized impractical way. When I tried to ask why we didn’t do it another day they looked at me as if I were crazy. Eventually the information was gathered and this week it is all being entered in the computer database so we know the name of each child, where they live (the umudugudu-basically the block), if they are HIV+, if they have either parent, what school they are currently attending, the amount they need to cover school fees for the following 2 terms, all practical information, but the process to collect the information, backwards. On day 5 of camp, where we were supposed to be done at 10 am and the children were to go home, we finished at 5pm, where we then weren’t even completely done, we still had more to sort and paperwork to organize. I felt awful that the day took so long because I told my host mother that I would go to see her house girl, the one that cooks, baptism, and then I didn’t go. I felt terrible but explained to them that the camp went late, and of course they understood. Here baptisms are done when you are an adult, so you can make the conscious decision yourself, just like when my parents made me wait until almost the 5th grade to get my ears pierces! Ok well not at all the same, but the concept of making a decision for yourself is the same. With religion guiding and playing such a large part in almost all Rwandan’s lives many must make the choice to be baptized. Definitely disappointed I missed it, hopefully the next time 10 churches gather together for baptism ceremonies and house girls get to wear ‘smart’ (wambaye neza) clothes I will be able to attend.
Last umuganda was less eventful than others. I normally go with Ononline, just like online in English as she told me. But this week my host mother told me that she couldn’t go because she had to stay home and wash her clothes. Eric, my host mother’s brother is home form secondary school so he went to represent my mother’s household so I went with him. We went to a nearby primary school where he told me we were going to help with trees. For the record while we have many woods to describe the parts of a tree and product from a tree, branch, stick, skewer, wood, pencil etc they only have one, tree. So it was a little unclear as to what we would be doing, were we going to plant trees, water seedlings, help tomato plants grow upright…what we did was chop down trees from a nearby forest area and carry them to a local school to build a welcome archway. I still haven’t gotten the chance to carry anything on my head, it took about 4 of us to carry each tree on our shoulder, thankfully the school was only a short walk from the forest area. After this we helped remove desks from each classroom so they could be cleaned while the children were still on holiday. After this came the sitting. I SAT ON GRASS!!! For all that know me this is a HUGE HUGE deal! I didn’t like it but I did it anyway. I asked Eric what was next and he told me we had to wait to vote for positions in the umudugudu (the local community comprised of a few houses). I sat with the ladies of my umudugudu who were thoroughly amused by my attempt to talk in Kinyarwanda to them. We sat and waited and waited and waited, then representation from the health center came where we listened, and waited, then we talked about what we heard, and then we nominated people for positions in the umudugudu, they tried to nominate me but I told them I would respectfully have to decline as I am a volunteer in the country and not a native citizen and don’t speak the language. We talked about what we thought about the nominations, and then we sat, well you get the idea. There was a lot of sitting. This was on Saturday. On Monday there was more sitting. As a Peace Corps Volunteer I am strictly forbidden from getting involved in political matters. With the upcoming elections, August 9, I have been careful to follow the Peace Corps policy. My counterpart was also respectful of this when she asked me if I wanted to go to a speech given by President Paul Kagame in my district. She was told she had to go to supervise the OVCs because they were all given instructions to attend when they were at the camp the previous week. I told her it would be all right for me to go, I was going to listen to his speech as an observer not taking part in the elections. For the people of the Gicumbi the president’s presence was an honor and they were very excited, I know this because me, the girl who sleeps like a rock, woke up at 3:14 am the night before the speech to a parade of people banging on drums walking to the stadium where the speech was going to take place. I was fortunate enough to take a motto to the stadium that ADEPR, my work, paid for, the motto tide took over 45 minutes, so to walk that is quite a distance, im guessing approximately the distance of sea cliff to riverhead, to stand/sit in the hot sun, to walk home at the end of the following day. Dedication for people to travel by foot, as that is all they can afford and wanted to get the chance to be in the presidents company. When we arrived at the location we did not know where the OVCs were because we did not pick on meeting spot or a time so they are scattered throughout the crowd. Sophie, my counterpart, and I took a seat, on the grass again, and waited. There were performances by singers and guest speakers that addresses the crowd, Paul Kagame arrived by helicopter eventually and spoke, encouraging the people to vote, stating his campaign slogan “Tora Paul Kagame” Vote Paul Kagame, and “Imvugo Nivo Ngiro” what he says he puts in action. Terms are 7 years here, Kagame has already served 2 and you can serve up to 3, 21 years in office. After the sitting came the exit, mayhem!! Imagine the same amount of people as a Jones Beach concert, pushing and shoving to get to the front, the police and security held off a while before they allowed people to exit, I don’t have words to describe the sprinting full force the took place and the dust cloud the followed. Sophie had the right idea when she had me stand back and wait a short while before we tried to exit. I heard that there were deaths from people being trampled when exiting but I’m not positive.
Part of me is acclimated and accustomed to the daily life here, I drink my tea like a Rwandan, I am addicted to fresh milk, I have even picked my nose in public, completely culturally acceptable, however, I still think about cold iced tea, I use common and logical sense when solving problems and in my daily life, and I am absolutely disgusted with snot rockets, that will never be acceptable to me. Just like I will never understand all cultural norms Rwandans will never totally understand me, they are getting used to the idea that I want my bangs to be in my face and they do not bother me, I like to dunk my cornbread in my milk, and that just because I am white does not mean I am rich, alright, the last one I am still working really hard on, but a few understand. Buhoro buhoro, slowly by slow.
Friday, July 9, 2010
How to politely accept and refuse an invitation
In Nyanza during training we would have to fill out a weekly survey, rating the trainings and lectures that took place, I remember vividly being asked about our language progress if we were able to politely accept and refuse an invitation. At the time I checked yes, but now I am not too sure, I can yes to meet someone somewhere, however, I cannot say “no thank you.” Time to take out the Kinyarwanda book.
Today was an interesting day. July 4th is also Independence Day in Rwanda, so today, Monday, July 5th everything is closed. However, this was only communicated to half of the people throughout the country. When I spoke to my counterpart on Friday, the 2nd, it was clear that we were to meet on Monday, when I called him this morning to see what time he did not answer my call, no big deal, I show up at the “office” anyway. Only to find out that he is not there and others are only there because they did not know it was a holiday. It turns out “I returned on Wednesday” was heard as “I will return next Wednesday.” My mission to go to the bank and post office, well that did not happen because they were closed, there is always tomorrow. It worked out because some Peace Corps friends of mine came to town since the schools were closed, and they will have to come back again since they need to go to the bank as well. We went to the local buffet for lunch, but since the buffet was closed they were only serving chips (fries) and brochette, this sounded like a great option, until the brochettes came out and we found out that they were liver. Not exactly the part of the goat (I think goat) that I was expecting.
Just like in American it is good to leave a spear key to your house with a friend, the irony of the situation is that I gave my friend Charisa copies of all 3 of my keys since she sometimes uses my electricity during the week to charge her electronics because she doesn’t have electricity in her village and I am often out doing field work and am not around to let her in. Today we took the big step and I gave her my spare set. The ironic part is that when she got back to her village she called me looking to see if she left her key at my house because she couldn’t find it. Her neighbor was able to pry open the door and is she going to get new locks tomorrow and then going make sure someone has the spare set.
In the evening I went to my host family’s house. Here is the point of needing to know how to say “no thank you.” My host family is amazing, great people and wonderful to be around. And if I spend enough time there food usually appears. My host mother tells me to always ask the umucozis (house girls) for food if she is not home but im not comfortable asking. I have no complaints about Rwandan food either, a lot of starch-rice, bread, potatoes, but they also have vegetables and beans. The food is generally not prepared the way I would, but im not in any rush to do all my own cooking everyday, especially on a kerosene stove in a corner of my house. So today after hanging around with the kids for a few hours my host dad came come and told me they were having friends over. The friends came, we talked, I introduced myself, we drank tea, had peanuts, then I was about ready to go home. And out comes the cassava bread, I wish there was a polite way to say, “no thank you I am full”, because that just isn’t an excuse here. You can get out of anything by saying you have to wash your hair or do your laundry but when it comes to eating you have to eat it. Being ‘big’ is a sign of wealth, you can afford to eat, everyone here wants to fatten me up! Cassava bread is a similar consistency to uncooked pizza dough but grainier, they dip it in an oily sauce with a piece of fatty meat. It is not that I hate cassava bread, but it is not on the top of my list of Rwandan foods, so I dipped and ate and did the best I could, but there is a point when enough is enough. So now hours later im still full, and in no rush to have cassava bread again anytime soon. The though is nauseating, lets hope for veggies and potatoes tomorrow!
Today was an interesting day. July 4th is also Independence Day in Rwanda, so today, Monday, July 5th everything is closed. However, this was only communicated to half of the people throughout the country. When I spoke to my counterpart on Friday, the 2nd, it was clear that we were to meet on Monday, when I called him this morning to see what time he did not answer my call, no big deal, I show up at the “office” anyway. Only to find out that he is not there and others are only there because they did not know it was a holiday. It turns out “I returned on Wednesday” was heard as “I will return next Wednesday.” My mission to go to the bank and post office, well that did not happen because they were closed, there is always tomorrow. It worked out because some Peace Corps friends of mine came to town since the schools were closed, and they will have to come back again since they need to go to the bank as well. We went to the local buffet for lunch, but since the buffet was closed they were only serving chips (fries) and brochette, this sounded like a great option, until the brochettes came out and we found out that they were liver. Not exactly the part of the goat (I think goat) that I was expecting.
Just like in American it is good to leave a spear key to your house with a friend, the irony of the situation is that I gave my friend Charisa copies of all 3 of my keys since she sometimes uses my electricity during the week to charge her electronics because she doesn’t have electricity in her village and I am often out doing field work and am not around to let her in. Today we took the big step and I gave her my spare set. The ironic part is that when she got back to her village she called me looking to see if she left her key at my house because she couldn’t find it. Her neighbor was able to pry open the door and is she going to get new locks tomorrow and then going make sure someone has the spare set.
In the evening I went to my host family’s house. Here is the point of needing to know how to say “no thank you.” My host family is amazing, great people and wonderful to be around. And if I spend enough time there food usually appears. My host mother tells me to always ask the umucozis (house girls) for food if she is not home but im not comfortable asking. I have no complaints about Rwandan food either, a lot of starch-rice, bread, potatoes, but they also have vegetables and beans. The food is generally not prepared the way I would, but im not in any rush to do all my own cooking everyday, especially on a kerosene stove in a corner of my house. So today after hanging around with the kids for a few hours my host dad came come and told me they were having friends over. The friends came, we talked, I introduced myself, we drank tea, had peanuts, then I was about ready to go home. And out comes the cassava bread, I wish there was a polite way to say, “no thank you I am full”, because that just isn’t an excuse here. You can get out of anything by saying you have to wash your hair or do your laundry but when it comes to eating you have to eat it. Being ‘big’ is a sign of wealth, you can afford to eat, everyone here wants to fatten me up! Cassava bread is a similar consistency to uncooked pizza dough but grainier, they dip it in an oily sauce with a piece of fatty meat. It is not that I hate cassava bread, but it is not on the top of my list of Rwandan foods, so I dipped and ate and did the best I could, but there is a point when enough is enough. So now hours later im still full, and in no rush to have cassava bread again anytime soon. The though is nauseating, lets hope for veggies and potatoes tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Fanta Fiesata
During my training in Nyana a current volunteer mentioned that there is a lack of critical thinking and imagination in Rwanda. I notice it a little this on a daily basis and because of it I often ask questions that require an out of box thinking just to see what kind of answer I will get. Being a muzunugu I feel I can get away asking ridiculous questions on a regular basis, it is like being a child, why why why why, whats is this, what is it for, why is it here, etc…. Recently, on my last trip in Kigali, I noticed signs everywhere for the new flavor of Fanta, to me this is very normal, new flavors or beverages come out, you try it, if you like if you buy it again, if not then you stick with what you know. When I saw this new Fanta flavor in a local shop in town (my host mother has a shop in town so I go in there everyday on my way to work to talk to the girls that work there-who may or may not also live with my host family, still unclear) I asked a crazy out of the box question, “oh, what is this?” pointing to the new flavor of Fanta. “Oh- they made a mistake when bottling, it is just Coke in the wrong bottle.” Hmm…I know that is not the right answer. When at my host mothers house a few days later the same situation arises, my host mother has friends over and brings out a case of fantas, coke, and sprite, and in the case there it is, so again, I ask, “oh, what is this?” “It is sprite but dark- they made it a different color” Again, that is not right. Point, it takes a while for things to catch on, and any sort of change comes very slowly. Something important for me to remember in my daily activities here. And PS Fanta Fiesta takes like a meted snow cone, sweet but delicious!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
They toss babies around like footballs
Babies are everywhere here. The main goal in life here is to get married and have children, the idea of furthering your education and focusing on a career is emerging but still a foreign concept to many. Family planning is slowly happening, condoms are apparently readily available but because of religion and stigma many will not use, natural methods are known and slowly seem to be coming into practice. My host family has 4 children under the age of 6. They are amazing kids, well behaved and wonderful to be around. The youngest is 1 month and 12 days. She is adorable and always makes me smile. I sang my first baby lullaby the other day-my heart melted a little. When I first got to site the baby was handed to me, only a week old. I don’t know anything about babies but they just trusted me with it and everything was fine. I watch the way they just leave the baby on the couch somtimes, is this normal in America? Babies are generally kept on the back of the mother or house worker, which I told my host mother I want to learn, the just take igitnenge (fabric) and tie and tuck and they are back there securely. It actually makes sense, as long as it isn’t bad for their legs, the baby is safe and the mother has two hands to do whatever it is she needs. In general there are babies everywhere, as well as breast-feeding, and they are handled like footballs- picked up, put down, by the arm, whatever way it is, and they are always fine. After I master the baby on the back im going to learn to carry my belongings on my head, water, purse, goods from the market…yesterday a table was delivered to me with two chairs, means of transport, the man walked with it on his head!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
And then I met, and shook hands with, President Paul Kagame
Never have I ever been star stuck, and given the year I had before I left I thought that if it was going to happen it would have been then. Shaking Paul Kagame’s hand was unbelievable! SO EXCITING! I have my reaction after on video, unfortunately the image itself was not captured. This all happened at Kwitia Izina, the baby gorilla naming ceremony I went to in Musanze. At first I was disappointed when I found out there would be no actual gorillas, I found this out from the gorilla trekker that guided me to the ceremony, through a forest on a 45 minute hike. He explained to me that baby gorillas cannot be separated from their mothers and that gorillas live in the wild in limited areas of Rwanda. When the trekker asked if I had ever seen a gorilla before I didn’t have the heart to bring up the concept of the zoo. At the ceremony I was guided to the VIP section where all press was standing, I stood right next to the people dressed up in very realistic gorilla suites, the dancers, the musicians, the honorees naming the gorillas, Don Cheadle- who was a guest of honor, and president Paul Kagame. It was not until after the ceremony when I got to shake hands with the president. The friends I met at the ceremony arrived earlier and were told they could not bring cell phones in, after the ceremony, and after the wine and beer that was given to us, wine- a huge luxury in Rwanda, we went to the hotel near the ceremony where the cell phones were checked. We were told that we had to be extremely quiet and sit in a room and wait. We did not understand at first, but then learned the president was there, OMG! Yes I just said OMG! He was giving a tour to US military members on an exchange in Rwanda, and it was then that I shook the presidents hand! Extremely exciting! The president of Rwanda!!! One of the most exciting moment here so far.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Water is not running, and electricity is out. Perfect time to write a blog.
When I last wrote I believe I was off to yet another workshop. I went to Musanze, which is also in the north, I am in the north but central, this is north but west side of the county. Apparently there is a way to get there more directly but I went into Kigali, 1 ½ hours north of me which is the central hub and then took a private bus rented for all the people attending the conference about 2 hours to Musanze. There were 8 peace corps volunteers, and about 30 Rwandan counterparts. The concept of the workshop itself was really great, it was all about savings and lending groups in Rwanda, however, since we are in Africa everything is very drawn out, and give Rwandans the chance to talk they will go on forever, and then complain that things took to long. I am a little disappointed that I didn’t get to see musanze at all, we were in the workshop every day from 8 am to 6 pm, and the sun goes down at 6:15. However I cannot complain, we were put up in a very nice hotel, I had a hot standing shower in a clean tub and there was wireless internet, too bad I didn’t have my computer, I am working on traveling lighter.
Energizers…so on the first day of the workshop they asked different people to volunteer for different roles, a time keeper, a note taker, a reporter, two energizers, as well as a few more miscellaneous position, so I volunteer for the energizer position, figuring it would involve a few group stretches every once and a while, no big deal. So the first day goes well, and then the next morning the staff reads aloud reviews people wrote of the first day. Everyone was a complaint that the workshop ran late AND there were not enough energizers, well I didn’t know I was supposed to interrupt the group every 30 minutes to entertain everyone. So day two and three there were many energizers. Let me tell you, this took some imagination with a language barrier and some creativity to keep everyone happy. I thoroughly embarrassed myself numerous times leading exercises including Simon says, human knots, jumping up and down, songs, dances, the garden state concept of making a unique noise and movement in a spot where no one else has done the same thing, it was beyond ridiculous but that is what they wanted.
After the workshop I went back into Kigali. We got in after sunset on Friday night so I spent the night at another PC volunteers house. Two girls are living above the office they work from in Kigali, which definitely has some pros and cons. I am very grateful they were able to accommodate all 6 of us that were stranded, a major plus to the alternative of having to pay for a hotel. The next day I went to my counterpart’s house, she had asked me to spend the weekend with her family. I met her three children and husband. And saw the nastiest cockroach in my room there, I tucked my mosquito net in very tight after I killed him with my shoe, not a bug that I was willing to trap and let outside politely like I normally do. So far all of the children in Rwanda have been very well behaved and polite, minus them always asking for money. Well I met an exception, still a cute kid but wild. When he jumped on the table and started licking the powdered milk out of the bowl when his mother left the room, well you can paint the picture of this 4 year old for yourselves. Sunday I went to choir practice followed by church, no singing for me, then lunch then back on a bus to site.
Now to the title of the blog, sorry if I have lost any of you on my stream of consciousness blog post, no running water. So I come back from dinner at my host family house next door all ready to put water up to boil so I can shower, and there is nothing coming out of the spicket. I have plenty of water filtered to drink, im glad I prepared that ahead of time. I don’t know why the water is out, when it will come back, or if this will happen often. Ill get it all sorted out in the morning. There is a community spicket near by, I can get one of the village kids to bring me water in a gerry can if necessary. Once I realized I couldnot shower I took out the computer to start this blog and the power went out. So im 0 for 2 right now, but many volunteers never have power or water so im usually ahead of the game. I’m getting better an functioning in the dark, I try to always put my belonging in the same spot so I can find them, and cell phone have flashlights, it is great!!
More to come soon since I promised to update on a more regular basis
Energizers…so on the first day of the workshop they asked different people to volunteer for different roles, a time keeper, a note taker, a reporter, two energizers, as well as a few more miscellaneous position, so I volunteer for the energizer position, figuring it would involve a few group stretches every once and a while, no big deal. So the first day goes well, and then the next morning the staff reads aloud reviews people wrote of the first day. Everyone was a complaint that the workshop ran late AND there were not enough energizers, well I didn’t know I was supposed to interrupt the group every 30 minutes to entertain everyone. So day two and three there were many energizers. Let me tell you, this took some imagination with a language barrier and some creativity to keep everyone happy. I thoroughly embarrassed myself numerous times leading exercises including Simon says, human knots, jumping up and down, songs, dances, the garden state concept of making a unique noise and movement in a spot where no one else has done the same thing, it was beyond ridiculous but that is what they wanted.
After the workshop I went back into Kigali. We got in after sunset on Friday night so I spent the night at another PC volunteers house. Two girls are living above the office they work from in Kigali, which definitely has some pros and cons. I am very grateful they were able to accommodate all 6 of us that were stranded, a major plus to the alternative of having to pay for a hotel. The next day I went to my counterpart’s house, she had asked me to spend the weekend with her family. I met her three children and husband. And saw the nastiest cockroach in my room there, I tucked my mosquito net in very tight after I killed him with my shoe, not a bug that I was willing to trap and let outside politely like I normally do. So far all of the children in Rwanda have been very well behaved and polite, minus them always asking for money. Well I met an exception, still a cute kid but wild. When he jumped on the table and started licking the powdered milk out of the bowl when his mother left the room, well you can paint the picture of this 4 year old for yourselves. Sunday I went to choir practice followed by church, no singing for me, then lunch then back on a bus to site.
Now to the title of the blog, sorry if I have lost any of you on my stream of consciousness blog post, no running water. So I come back from dinner at my host family house next door all ready to put water up to boil so I can shower, and there is nothing coming out of the spicket. I have plenty of water filtered to drink, im glad I prepared that ahead of time. I don’t know why the water is out, when it will come back, or if this will happen often. Ill get it all sorted out in the morning. There is a community spicket near by, I can get one of the village kids to bring me water in a gerry can if necessary. Once I realized I couldnot shower I took out the computer to start this blog and the power went out. So im 0 for 2 right now, but many volunteers never have power or water so im usually ahead of the game. I’m getting better an functioning in the dark, I try to always put my belonging in the same spot so I can find them, and cell phone have flashlights, it is great!!
More to come soon since I promised to update on a more regular basis
Monday, May 24, 2010
Yes yes- it has been far too long and I am sorry.
First off language test- we had to pass a language test in order to swear in and become PCVs, peace corps volunteer. Let me tell you, it was hard. There is so much involved with this language and so many words sounds alike, example, amahoro means peace, umahoro means machete. Very similar words, very different meanings. I managed to pass my language test with a low-intermediate, that is what I needed to pass and that is what I got. I am actually very pleased with my achievement thus far. After passing the language test and a written test on not only language but cross cultural training and technical training as well we went to Kigali for the swear in ceremony.
There was talk of us staying in the same fancy hotel we went to before site visit with a pool and wireless internet since we didn’t get a chance to really enjoy it, but that didn’t happen-were keeping our fingers crossed for something nice for our three month in service training. Once in Kigali we got all dressed up for the swear in ceremony that was at the ambassadors house. We were told by current volunteers that there would be American food, they were telling the truth, it was delicious!!! Speeches were given and we took an oath, it was broadcast on Rwanda television and an article was in the paper the next day. The next few days were relaxed chaos. We all went to stores in Kigali to buy whatever we needed for our houses, problem, half of the people didn’t know their living situations, what furniture they would have, if they would have running water or electricity etc. So you can imagine, 35 muzungs running through Kigali not knowing where to go or what to buy but still wanting to see, touch, and price everything.
After a few days in Kigali it was time to go off to site. I got in a car with a peace corps driver, a peace corps employee and on other volunteer. Everything we own here, a mattress, a trunk, a fancy bike, and our suitcases were put in the back of a truck and off we went. Of course I was dropped off first, literally we got to my site and out I went. The moment of panic didn’t really hit me until my first night alone. Everything is getting sorted out slowly, I got my actual bed today, im going to put the screens on on my windows this weekend, I got fabric from the market to use as curtains, and I pretend that my mosquito net is a fort, thanks Allie. I haven’t been at site for more than three consecutive nights, I was here a few days and then asked to go to a workshop on permagardens in Nyanza. I am now an expert farmer. Tomorrow I am off to another workshop for CHF, the overhead organization I work with, I will be back on Friday. Now that I am getting settled I will start to blog more often. Phone calls and emails are greatly appreciated!!!
There was talk of us staying in the same fancy hotel we went to before site visit with a pool and wireless internet since we didn’t get a chance to really enjoy it, but that didn’t happen-were keeping our fingers crossed for something nice for our three month in service training. Once in Kigali we got all dressed up for the swear in ceremony that was at the ambassadors house. We were told by current volunteers that there would be American food, they were telling the truth, it was delicious!!! Speeches were given and we took an oath, it was broadcast on Rwanda television and an article was in the paper the next day. The next few days were relaxed chaos. We all went to stores in Kigali to buy whatever we needed for our houses, problem, half of the people didn’t know their living situations, what furniture they would have, if they would have running water or electricity etc. So you can imagine, 35 muzungs running through Kigali not knowing where to go or what to buy but still wanting to see, touch, and price everything.
After a few days in Kigali it was time to go off to site. I got in a car with a peace corps driver, a peace corps employee and on other volunteer. Everything we own here, a mattress, a trunk, a fancy bike, and our suitcases were put in the back of a truck and off we went. Of course I was dropped off first, literally we got to my site and out I went. The moment of panic didn’t really hit me until my first night alone. Everything is getting sorted out slowly, I got my actual bed today, im going to put the screens on on my windows this weekend, I got fabric from the market to use as curtains, and I pretend that my mosquito net is a fort, thanks Allie. I haven’t been at site for more than three consecutive nights, I was here a few days and then asked to go to a workshop on permagardens in Nyanza. I am now an expert farmer. Tomorrow I am off to another workshop for CHF, the overhead organization I work with, I will be back on Friday. Now that I am getting settled I will start to blog more often. Phone calls and emails are greatly appreciated!!!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
My first umuganda blister
What is an umuganda blister? Well the blister is still a blister – the same thing as in the states, umuganda is not something we have back home. Umuganda is the last Saturday of every month where all Rwanda’s gather in order to help the community. This was the second time I participated, both times PC volunteers walked about an hour to a field which needed to be ‘cultivated’, this involves a hoe and looks and feels extremely dangerous, I have yet to see someone get hurt, knock on wood. It is amazing to see how many people come out and help others-and how close they stand to each other when working with sharp tools. It is mandatory to attend but it is still amazing to see everyone come together. After the entire field was hoed we planted cassava, each cassava branch was cut and we looked at where the ‘eye’ was and then angled it in the ground according to the directions I was given. I do not plan on coming home an expert in farming, I would like to have a garden while I am here and when I get but that is the extent of that. The crops grown in the field we hoed will be given to the poor that cannot afford food. When I went on my site visit I saw 21 mud homes that were built using help from Umuganda for people that did not have a home and cannot afford one. Official blister from hoeing, and official cassava planted! I am far from being a Rwandan but slowly I am learning their ways.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Genocide Memorial Week
Sorry guys, I don’t think that I have words to go with this one. Genocide memorial week is a week, obviously, when Rwandans get a chance to grieve about what they have been through since this is not allowed to be done throughout the year. While this is a weeklong memorial the grieving period continues until July 4th, ironically our independence day. The PST’s went on a march on opening day that consisted of about 1,000 people, the march lead to a graveyard and then a ceremony at the local stadium. The pain that the people here have and what they have seen and the family they have lost is unimaginable. I do not have words to begin to envision what they have been through. Being in the presence of individuals who went into convulsions as speeches were made and songs were played was heartbreaking. We were told that one song that played was specifically about the people who were killed in the Nyanza area. Watching individuals being carried away in hysterics is a feeling I will never forget. Throughout the week stores, shops, internet café, the market and everything else in the town closes in the afternoon so people can mourn and spend time with their families. Volunteers were asked to remain in our houses from 3pm-6pm each day as a sign of respect and because it is illegal to walk though the town at this time, as one volunteer found out as she walked back home at exactly 3pm from her host family and was stopped by the police and questioned. On the last day of memorial week we attended another march and went to the local lake. This year during memorial week the people who were killed in the genocide and never identified and the people who were thrown into lakes were honored. Again we listened to speeches and my heart sank once again when people went into hysterics and had to be removed from the crowd. Overall an overwhelming experience; to know the people that are my teachers and who cook for me and who help me understand culture have been through so much pain and that a country can be so strong afterwards, no words to describe.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Site Visit
What didn’t happen to me when I went to site:
I did not have to give a speech in Kinyarwanda to 500 people in the pitch black with just a flashlight shinning on me, I did not have my cell phone stolen in the market, I did not get swarmed by 1500 children at a school and then have rocks thrown at me for my attention, and I did not get lost. That is only beginning of some of the stories that were shared by other volunteers when we all returned.
During site visit I stayed with an amazing family, Mama Alice runs a store in Byumba and her husband is a pharmacist, they have 3 children, 5 ½, 3 ½, 1 ½, and one more on the way. They were amazingly welcoming and extremely excited to have me stay in their home. I had my own bedroom with electricity and running water in my own bathroom! In Rwanda it is common to have an umucozi. Umucozi’s are houseboys or girls, they cook and clean for you. Every night they polished my shoes, and by polished I mean wiped the mud off my $12 ballet flats I brought with me from Target. Pretty normal so far, the different part, the praying. Rwanda is very very religious and there was a lot of praying and questioning me of my religion. We prayed before we ate, before we ever drank anything, and we read the bible every night before bed. Sometimes there was singing involved with bible reading. Overall they were an absolutely amazing family, I may be living in a house right next door to them, which would be nice.
As far as what I will be doing. I am working with the local Pentecostal Church of Rwanda that is under a US funded program, which I mentioned in an earlier blog post. I have two counterparts; Moses and Sophia, there are similar to bosses in a way. Moses is the Head of Development for my district and Sophie works with OVC (orphans and venerable children). Which brings me to my next story. I go with Moses one day to visit a rural community in the north that I will be working with. We stop to meet anyone and everyone along the way, heads of communities, different schools, we talk to a few people walking on the street, children, adults, different organizations, finally after many stops we get to one school that the church is involved with. There are about 30 children, all between the ages of 8 and 15, super excited to see me. They dance for me and are overwhelmed to see a Muzungu! So my counterpart, Moses, and I ask them some questions. What do you want to be when you grow up, same as in America, a police man, a mayor, the president, in the army, a pastor, a teacher etc. Then we ask them what they think the biggest problems they have are, and these kids are the poorest of the poor, they tell me they need more sponsors from America so they can go to school (yes, that $19 a month to sponsor a child on the commercials, that makes it to Africa and makes all the difference in a child’s life), they need shoes, they need money to cut their hair, the list goes on and on. Then after some more small talk my counterpart tells me and the kids that it is time for us to go. NO NO NO, they want me to tell them a story, well I don’t remember any children’s stories, I need to make sure I am more prepared next time, and I didn’t know any Obama stories, they asked for those as well so I told them more about myself and that I have a sister. They then asked if she can come and stay with them, you hear that Mia, they offered you a place to stay, it may be a mud hut with nothing in it and no water source in the town and no food and no land to farm on, but they want you! So I tell them she may visit and if she does ill bring her but no promises. So now we explain it is time for me to go again. NO NO NO, they want me to sing them a song. Well, I’m not prepared for this either, so I sing them the ABC’s. For someone that is thinking of teaching as a career path I better get better at this. So they stare at me in awe as a I sing to them and then they smile and jump up and down and as this is going on this one little boy who was quiet the entire time pushes his way through the crowd up to the front, and he looks at me with his big innocent child eyes and tells me, in Kiyarwanda which I don’t understand as he speaks because of my limited vocab, and tells me that it is great that I came and that they got to sing and dance, but he still is hungry, he still doesn’t have any money, I didn’t solve any of his problems, and his family is still going to go to bed without dinner, again! WOW! Yeah, he is right, so I have my work cut out for me.
Overall site visit was great- nothing too major to report on. Ill be in the district capital of Gicumbi which is nice because I have easy access to a bus to Kigali, which is a little over an hour away, the market is open everyday, and the store my host mother owns that I mentioned earlier, has a fridge with yogurt and cold juice, and, drum roll, a freezer with ice cream, ill have to try it to believe it. There are schools that I can hopefully work with in some way, easy access to a bank, and possibly a post office. And I might be mistaken but I think another volunteer is within 30 minutes of me. I saw three potential houses but not sure how that is going to pan out. The chances of me having a yard are looking bleak but I am trying to stay positive about it, I'm just hoping for my own home so I have a little privacy and I'm not on a compound.
Entry on genocide memorial week to come soon-the reason that I have not been on the internet/responded to any emails.
I did not have to give a speech in Kinyarwanda to 500 people in the pitch black with just a flashlight shinning on me, I did not have my cell phone stolen in the market, I did not get swarmed by 1500 children at a school and then have rocks thrown at me for my attention, and I did not get lost. That is only beginning of some of the stories that were shared by other volunteers when we all returned.
During site visit I stayed with an amazing family, Mama Alice runs a store in Byumba and her husband is a pharmacist, they have 3 children, 5 ½, 3 ½, 1 ½, and one more on the way. They were amazingly welcoming and extremely excited to have me stay in their home. I had my own bedroom with electricity and running water in my own bathroom! In Rwanda it is common to have an umucozi. Umucozi’s are houseboys or girls, they cook and clean for you. Every night they polished my shoes, and by polished I mean wiped the mud off my $12 ballet flats I brought with me from Target. Pretty normal so far, the different part, the praying. Rwanda is very very religious and there was a lot of praying and questioning me of my religion. We prayed before we ate, before we ever drank anything, and we read the bible every night before bed. Sometimes there was singing involved with bible reading. Overall they were an absolutely amazing family, I may be living in a house right next door to them, which would be nice.
As far as what I will be doing. I am working with the local Pentecostal Church of Rwanda that is under a US funded program, which I mentioned in an earlier blog post. I have two counterparts; Moses and Sophia, there are similar to bosses in a way. Moses is the Head of Development for my district and Sophie works with OVC (orphans and venerable children). Which brings me to my next story. I go with Moses one day to visit a rural community in the north that I will be working with. We stop to meet anyone and everyone along the way, heads of communities, different schools, we talk to a few people walking on the street, children, adults, different organizations, finally after many stops we get to one school that the church is involved with. There are about 30 children, all between the ages of 8 and 15, super excited to see me. They dance for me and are overwhelmed to see a Muzungu! So my counterpart, Moses, and I ask them some questions. What do you want to be when you grow up, same as in America, a police man, a mayor, the president, in the army, a pastor, a teacher etc. Then we ask them what they think the biggest problems they have are, and these kids are the poorest of the poor, they tell me they need more sponsors from America so they can go to school (yes, that $19 a month to sponsor a child on the commercials, that makes it to Africa and makes all the difference in a child’s life), they need shoes, they need money to cut their hair, the list goes on and on. Then after some more small talk my counterpart tells me and the kids that it is time for us to go. NO NO NO, they want me to tell them a story, well I don’t remember any children’s stories, I need to make sure I am more prepared next time, and I didn’t know any Obama stories, they asked for those as well so I told them more about myself and that I have a sister. They then asked if she can come and stay with them, you hear that Mia, they offered you a place to stay, it may be a mud hut with nothing in it and no water source in the town and no food and no land to farm on, but they want you! So I tell them she may visit and if she does ill bring her but no promises. So now we explain it is time for me to go again. NO NO NO, they want me to sing them a song. Well, I’m not prepared for this either, so I sing them the ABC’s. For someone that is thinking of teaching as a career path I better get better at this. So they stare at me in awe as a I sing to them and then they smile and jump up and down and as this is going on this one little boy who was quiet the entire time pushes his way through the crowd up to the front, and he looks at me with his big innocent child eyes and tells me, in Kiyarwanda which I don’t understand as he speaks because of my limited vocab, and tells me that it is great that I came and that they got to sing and dance, but he still is hungry, he still doesn’t have any money, I didn’t solve any of his problems, and his family is still going to go to bed without dinner, again! WOW! Yeah, he is right, so I have my work cut out for me.
Overall site visit was great- nothing too major to report on. Ill be in the district capital of Gicumbi which is nice because I have easy access to a bus to Kigali, which is a little over an hour away, the market is open everyday, and the store my host mother owns that I mentioned earlier, has a fridge with yogurt and cold juice, and, drum roll, a freezer with ice cream, ill have to try it to believe it. There are schools that I can hopefully work with in some way, easy access to a bank, and possibly a post office. And I might be mistaken but I think another volunteer is within 30 minutes of me. I saw three potential houses but not sure how that is going to pan out. The chances of me having a yard are looking bleak but I am trying to stay positive about it, I'm just hoping for my own home so I have a little privacy and I'm not on a compound.
Entry on genocide memorial week to come soon-the reason that I have not been on the internet/responded to any emails.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Be Open Minded
For those of you who do not know you cannot cry in public in Rwanda- however, there were tears shed in class when we found out our site placements, not by me. What I have learned is that coming into this experience with an open mind and willingness to try everything has worked in my favor. There was disappointment expressed by individuals that were looking for something specific and did not get a site placement that matched all their specific requests and need requirements.
Sunday all the PCT (peace corps trainees) will depart and go to the capital, Kigali, for two days and then we are going to go to our sites until the following Sunday. AEK!!! SCARY! It will be the first time away from other volunteers; it will defiantly be a dose of reality.
What I know about my site so far…
ADEPR- An Association of Pentecostal Churches of Rwanda (Associtaion Des Eglises De Pentecote Au Rwanda)
I will be in the North Provence of Rwanda, apparently near the tea fields and possibly the Volcano (but not likely-based on the map I looked at), in the Gicumbi District in the Byumba sector, however, it is possible that I will be in the Gasabo District in the Kimihuhura Sector, im hoping for the first.
ADEPR expressed that the greatest needs of the community I will be living in and working with are “life sills empowerment that will enable them to reach food security and developmental activities.”
Types of activities I will be working on:
-family planning and reproductive health
-nutrition and food security
-economic development activities
-water and sanitation
-hygiene
-HIV/AIDS/STDs
-PMTCT (prevent mother to child transmission)
-Life Skills
-Economic Activities (cooperative activities, savings and lending)
Possible secondary activities:
-English Clubs
-Youth Clubs
-Sports Clubs
-Assist in report writing and translation
As with all PC experiences/decision this can completely change. As of now I am extremely excited about it. I was a little hesitant to work for a FBO (faith based organization) when I was first interviewed in Rwanda but after putting thought into it I am extremely excited. I hope it is everything I imagine. WOOO!
Ill let you all know how my visit with my community goes when I get back.
Sunday all the PCT (peace corps trainees) will depart and go to the capital, Kigali, for two days and then we are going to go to our sites until the following Sunday. AEK!!! SCARY! It will be the first time away from other volunteers; it will defiantly be a dose of reality.
What I know about my site so far…
ADEPR- An Association of Pentecostal Churches of Rwanda (Associtaion Des Eglises De Pentecote Au Rwanda)
I will be in the North Provence of Rwanda, apparently near the tea fields and possibly the Volcano (but not likely-based on the map I looked at), in the Gicumbi District in the Byumba sector, however, it is possible that I will be in the Gasabo District in the Kimihuhura Sector, im hoping for the first.
ADEPR expressed that the greatest needs of the community I will be living in and working with are “life sills empowerment that will enable them to reach food security and developmental activities.”
Types of activities I will be working on:
-family planning and reproductive health
-nutrition and food security
-economic development activities
-water and sanitation
-hygiene
-HIV/AIDS/STDs
-PMTCT (prevent mother to child transmission)
-Life Skills
-Economic Activities (cooperative activities, savings and lending)
Possible secondary activities:
-English Clubs
-Youth Clubs
-Sports Clubs
-Assist in report writing and translation
As with all PC experiences/decision this can completely change. As of now I am extremely excited about it. I was a little hesitant to work for a FBO (faith based organization) when I was first interviewed in Rwanda but after putting thought into it I am extremely excited. I hope it is everything I imagine. WOOO!
Ill let you all know how my visit with my community goes when I get back.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
A day in the life….
4 am-chicken (inhoko) makes noise
5am-24 hour security guards radio makes noise
5:30am-inhoko makes more noise
6am-alarm starts going off
6:30am-get out of bed
7am-breakfast
8am-10am-launguage class
10:000-10:30-tea break
10:30-noon-language class
Noon-2:30-lunch/break/shots/study
2:30pm-4pm-Medical or cross cultural class
4pm-6pm- Medical or cross cultural class or visit with resource family
7pm-dinner
7pm-9pm-study
9:30pm-zzzzz
What I do on a daily basis, study and learn. The house I live in has 8 PCT (Peace Corps Trainees), we are in rooms with 4 and 4. Bunk beds ☺ I have a bottom bunk. We share one bathroom. There is no running water but we do have electricity, sometimes. The electricity is great because I can charge my computer and cell phone, devices I did not think I would have in the PC but wont refuse them. In addition to the 8 volunteers there are also two Kinyarwanda teachers that live with us. The language classes that we have are very small – 3-4 people per class, so far the language is proving to be very difficult- buhora buhora- step by step-ill get it eventually.
All cooking is done in our back yard and all the volunteers eat in a house aka dining hall next door. Some of the other houses with volunteers are about a mile or 2, it is nice to be right next door. Cooking is done outside in Rwanda, it is great to be able to watch and to see how it is done. I have a lot to learn before I can prepare anything myself. They eat a lot of goat and chicken-hence the chicken in the back yard- im not so much a fan of since they are birds. I am working on the fear, as well as getting over my fear of grass since it is everywhere. Food is pretty bland here, I put the hot sauce they have on everything-it doesn’t have any taste to it-just hot. Pineapples and avocados are served on the regular as well as rice and beans, no complaints from me. But I do miss red pepper flakes!
So far life is pretty comfortable. Well see once I know more information about my site.
5am-24 hour security guards radio makes noise
5:30am-inhoko makes more noise
6am-alarm starts going off
6:30am-get out of bed
7am-breakfast
8am-10am-launguage class
10:000-10:30-tea break
10:30-noon-language class
Noon-2:30-lunch/break/shots/study
2:30pm-4pm-Medical or cross cultural class
4pm-6pm- Medical or cross cultural class or visit with resource family
7pm-dinner
7pm-9pm-study
9:30pm-zzzzz
What I do on a daily basis, study and learn. The house I live in has 8 PCT (Peace Corps Trainees), we are in rooms with 4 and 4. Bunk beds ☺ I have a bottom bunk. We share one bathroom. There is no running water but we do have electricity, sometimes. The electricity is great because I can charge my computer and cell phone, devices I did not think I would have in the PC but wont refuse them. In addition to the 8 volunteers there are also two Kinyarwanda teachers that live with us. The language classes that we have are very small – 3-4 people per class, so far the language is proving to be very difficult- buhora buhora- step by step-ill get it eventually.
All cooking is done in our back yard and all the volunteers eat in a house aka dining hall next door. Some of the other houses with volunteers are about a mile or 2, it is nice to be right next door. Cooking is done outside in Rwanda, it is great to be able to watch and to see how it is done. I have a lot to learn before I can prepare anything myself. They eat a lot of goat and chicken-hence the chicken in the back yard- im not so much a fan of since they are birds. I am working on the fear, as well as getting over my fear of grass since it is everywhere. Food is pretty bland here, I put the hot sauce they have on everything-it doesn’t have any taste to it-just hot. Pineapples and avocados are served on the regular as well as rice and beans, no complaints from me. But I do miss red pepper flakes!
So far life is pretty comfortable. Well see once I know more information about my site.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I love Rwanda
NKUNDA U RWANDA!!
Since arriving in Rwanda I have come to the realization that I do not think I am much of a blogger. However, ill give it a shot. Rwanda is beautiful, not just the land but the people, the weather, everything about it. So far I have had a whirlwind of emotions, between the jetlag from travel, meeting so many new people, and missing everything that is still in the states it has been a tiring two weeks. It is also crazy for me to think that I have only been here for two weeks.
To recap thus far- I met all the volunteers in Philadelphia (we are a group of 37), we were there for about 24 hours, before flying out of JFK into Brussels. From there we got on a plane which took us directly into Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. We stayed in Kigali for 3 nights. We are now in a town called Nyanzia. Everyday, which is what my teachers call me by the way, apparently there is an Avery in the first group of volunteers back in Rwanda and the nickname stuck, we have classes all day-language, cross cultural training, health education, and more. The language is intense and complicated, but I am trying my best and getting there slowly. The avocado tree in my back yard is amazing and the kids are great to talk to to practice language, or kick around a soccer ball with. I have a resource mother named Clemence, I visit with her about 3 times a week. Everyone in the town, including the mayor, has been open and welcoming to have us here. Hopefully I will know more about my site in the next two weeks, it will most likely be on the west side of Rwanda and more hospital/clinic based rather than community organizational-but again, this is not set in stone and could change completely.
Everyday I am learning something new and falling more in love with everything around me. Ill keep you all updated. XOXO
Since arriving in Rwanda I have come to the realization that I do not think I am much of a blogger. However, ill give it a shot. Rwanda is beautiful, not just the land but the people, the weather, everything about it. So far I have had a whirlwind of emotions, between the jetlag from travel, meeting so many new people, and missing everything that is still in the states it has been a tiring two weeks. It is also crazy for me to think that I have only been here for two weeks.
To recap thus far- I met all the volunteers in Philadelphia (we are a group of 37), we were there for about 24 hours, before flying out of JFK into Brussels. From there we got on a plane which took us directly into Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. We stayed in Kigali for 3 nights. We are now in a town called Nyanzia. Everyday, which is what my teachers call me by the way, apparently there is an Avery in the first group of volunteers back in Rwanda and the nickname stuck, we have classes all day-language, cross cultural training, health education, and more. The language is intense and complicated, but I am trying my best and getting there slowly. The avocado tree in my back yard is amazing and the kids are great to talk to to practice language, or kick around a soccer ball with. I have a resource mother named Clemence, I visit with her about 3 times a week. Everyone in the town, including the mayor, has been open and welcoming to have us here. Hopefully I will know more about my site in the next two weeks, it will most likely be on the west side of Rwanda and more hospital/clinic based rather than community organizational-but again, this is not set in stone and could change completely.
Everyday I am learning something new and falling more in love with everything around me. Ill keep you all updated. XOXO
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Peace Corps in Rwanda-February 2010
Hello all, ill start with happy and healthy new year!
You are going to have to bear with me a bit as this is my first blogging experience. The idea of this blog is to keep you updated on my whereabouts and activities during my Rwanda voyage. For those of you that do not know I leave for the Peace Corps on February 22 and will be there for 27 months. During my time as a PCV my assignment is "Community Health & Organizational Development." I have to say the pieces of this puzzle all fell into place rather quickly and I have a lot of different emotions- im excited, nervous, anxious, i think every emotion there is i feel in someway. I can only image how I will feel when i have my last day of work and then at my departure, that is when the reality will hit.
I hope that this provides insight into my journey and I hear form you as I go along.
<3
You are going to have to bear with me a bit as this is my first blogging experience. The idea of this blog is to keep you updated on my whereabouts and activities during my Rwanda voyage. For those of you that do not know I leave for the Peace Corps on February 22 and will be there for 27 months. During my time as a PCV my assignment is "Community Health & Organizational Development." I have to say the pieces of this puzzle all fell into place rather quickly and I have a lot of different emotions- im excited, nervous, anxious, i think every emotion there is i feel in someway. I can only image how I will feel when i have my last day of work and then at my departure, that is when the reality will hit.
I hope that this provides insight into my journey and I hear form you as I go along.
<3
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)