Hanukkah in Rwanda!

     

Me and my bananas. Mmm mmm good!!

     Finally I have pictures to show you all! I know it took me a while so I apologize. I’m going to overcome my fear of technology and start posting pictures galore! So I hope you enjoy.

     This week has been a mix of eventful and uneventful. We have had intensive seminar all week, although, unfortunately, my health has not allowed me to participate in any of it. The nurses here think that I may have caught a parasite real early. Just my luck! So I’ve been sitting in bed pretty much all week. But at least I was able to finish reading “Beloved” by Toni Morrison and now on to “A Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood, which my mom and sister have been wanting me to read forever. I hope I can read lots of books this year. It’s one of my goals.

     The perk of my week was traveling to Kigali to attend a Hanukkah party in Kimihurura, a suburb of Kigali. Even though I felt sick, I journeyed to Ndera on the ASYV bus and took a moto to meet Aaron at his work. Nausea and bumpy roads on a moto are definitely not friends! But I made it up the hill and was able to relax at Aaron’s work. In the backyard of the office there is an incredible farm with lots of veggies and flowers so I was able to walk around, get fresh air, and pick fresh greens for the party. When Aaron was done work, we rode on the back of a truck (my first time!) to his friend’s house in Kimihurura.

     The house was spectacular! It had a front yard covered in flowers, a porch, a large kitchen and an even larger dining/living room. Luxury is what I call that! We spent hours grating potatoes, sweet potatoes, cheese, onions and leeks to make latkes. And wow did we make latkes! So many to eat and so many leftover! In addition to latkes we had an assortment of salads—spinach and lettuce salad, carrot salad, mango cucumber and onion salad—homemade challah, bolognaise sauce and apple sauce. And to top it all off we had homemade ice cream (chocolate peanut butter!), donuts and fresh mint tea. It was such an incredible feast! If only I could eat like that all the time! Great company and great food! Who can complain!

     That night I slept at Aaron’s. Ready to wash my face, brush my teeth, shower and head to bed, the plan was averted….no running water! It’s amazing how much I take water for granted and how much things change when you don’t have that luxury. Luckily, in the Village we have running water but I can’t expect to have it anywhere I go in Rwanda. Definitely something that will take getting used to.

     The next morning I traveled back to the Village. And shockingly, it was easy to do! Took a moto down the hill and caught a local bus to Ntunga where I took a moto to the Village. And I did it all by myself! Easy enough!

     This weekend is Christmas so it’ll be interesting to see what Christmas in Rwanda is like. Stay tuned for an update next week. Let’s hope this sickness passes and I gain more energy and strength to really explore Rwanda more. Wishing everyone a Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas! And an early Shabbat Shalom at that!

My first view of the Village. Banana trees atop a hill with a bright morning sky. 

The Friday market in the nearby town of Rubona.   

Two kids that followed us as we walked around the market. They loved having their picture taken.

The view from Mount Kigali. 

One of four of the only horses in Rwanda.