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.