Things here have been pretty status quo. This weekend I was able to go
to Kigali, which was a nice break. I got to see some friends, eat good food and
relax. I played a lot of cards and met lots of really friendly Rwandese. I even
went to a Rwandan buffet and enjoyed it. Apparently if you put spices in your
rice and beans it can be delicious! But now I’m back to boiled and tasteless
beans and rice.
Monday marked the first time in Agahozo history to reach full student
capacity. School started on Monday, which meant all the kids returned from
holiday vacation. It was pretty incredible to see the Village packed with 500
students and over 100 staff. All of the staff were ecstatic to see the Village
successfully enter its fourth year and be filled to the brim with bright,
yearning students. Everyone woke up early to eat breakfast and walk to the
school for a welcome ceremony. The teachers and cousins were introduced and
inspiring words were said. Christian, one of the new kids, came up to me to
translate while Yvette held my hand.
After the ceremony, we said our goodbyes and wished the kids luck as
they went to school for their first day. While the kids began school, the staff
had a meeting. Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling very well so I slept during the
entire meeting. I felt extremely rude but I just could not keep my eyes open.
For the past two days I’ve been tired, weak and have had lots of abdominal
pain. Hopefully these waves of sickness will go away, but I guess my body just
needs lots of time to adjust.
Fortunately, I was able to gain enough energy later in the day to kick
around a soccer ball and play tag. It was fun to run around with the kids in
Enrichment Year (the new kids). The kids were so happy to be running around
with all of the cousins. Plus it was good to get some exercise. At the end of
sports time, I headed back to my house to shower. Yvette waited on the field
till I was done running around so we could walk back together. As soon as I got
to my house, we said our goodbyes and she passed me a note:
Dear Methal,
Hi my friend. It’s really long
time without seeing you. I have miss you too much. Because you’re always in my
mind and in my dreams.
I do hope that we shall meet one
day. Know that mountain and hills don’t but people always do.
Yours sincerely,
Yvette
I was so incredibly touched by her letter. Even though she
struggles with verbally communicating in English with me, she still finds ways
to express her feelings. Getting this type of reassurance is a great reminder
of why I am here. Even if I make a difference in only one kid’s life, I know
that I have made a difference in the world.
Today was another relaxing day, which was good because I needed all the
sleep that I could get. I woke up at 9 AM (crazy late for me here!) and went to
an informal education meeting. I met with some staff and learned more about my
job. Nothing like what I expected but maybe it’ll be fun. Basically I’ll be
researching and collecting information on different universities, scholarships
and job opportunities for kids graduating from ASYV. The goal is to eventually
make a resource center where older kids can browse their options for the
future. While this is not work that would necessarily interest me at home, it
will allow me to play an active role in helping the older kids figure out what
their future will be. The big problem with my job will be trying to connect to
the internet (the best times are between 10 PM and 6 AM). Because of research
though, I’ll have to go into Kigali to talk to universities and collect
resources, so that will definitely be exciting. In addition to compiling
resources for the resource center, I’m going to be helping someone edit a
booklet on informal education in the Village. I love editing and informal
education so that should be lots of fun!
After my meeting I went with my roommate, Dorea, into Rubona to buy some
food. We decided that we’re going to spice up our diet this week and make fried
rice. So we bought tomatoes, spicy peppers and green beans. We also bought tons
of bananas and some bread. It’s so refreshing to go into the market and see the
vibrancy of the small, rural town of Rubona. Also to get fresh produce is a
total plus!
On our way into Rubona, a little girl who must have been about
2-years-old grabbed my hand and walked with us into town. She was so happy to
be holding my hand; it was utterly adorable. Shortly after she started walking
with us, another girl pulled her away to go back to her house. My new friend
did not like that at all and started crying. She was so cute.
The day continued with lunch and then sports. Yvette found me
immediately at both events and sat next to me. I could tell that she was upset and something was wrong but
she wouldn’t tell me. She just sat next to me and held my hand. It’s incredible
how strong of a connection she made to me in such a short time. Sometimes it’s
easy to forget that the kids here have such a rough and scarred history. The
kids carry such a heavy burden but they don’t let it intrude in their every day
lives.
The rest of the week will continue to be relaxing; a few morning
meetings and sports in the afternoon. Hopefully I’ll be able to regain my
strength and energy so I’ll be ready for the 6 AM run and three hours of farm
work on Saturday. Wish me luck!
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