Small Steps and a Missing iTouch

My walk to Rubona.    

     Monday was a reflective day. I thought a lot about the support that I need and where I can get it while I’m here, living far away. Still working on solutions, which I think will take some time. 

     For the first time this year I met with the Tutoring Club. Expecting to have only 16 students, I walked into a room of 30. Lots of people to get to know but I’m looking forward to getting to meet people in smaller, more intimate settings. When I walked into the room the students where sitting in rows, as if ready for a lecture. My style is circles, so I asked that we make a circle. A little uncomfortable with this, the students pulled chairs into a circle. We went around, introduced ourselves and said an interesting fact. I could tell the students were not used to this informal, intimate and friendly set-up. We talked about the history of the club, how it was run last year and ideas for this year. Most of the students sat in silence when I asked questions. However, there were a few that participated in the discussion. It was really refreshing to speak fluid English and not talk really slowly to make sure I enunciate every word. Some of these kids have better English than most of the staff. I hope that my time with them can help push them to be more vocal and explore the myriad of ways in which they can learn outside the classroom. And maybe this can start to be my intellectual outlet.

     Speaking of English, Yvette’s English has been rapidly improving. It’s really exciting to be able to have more varied conversations with her. Apparently she is one of the biggest challenges in her family: really closed off and sad. The cousin in her family recognized that Yvette feels really comfortable with me so she approached me to ask if I would be willing to find out more of her background in order to be better equipped to support her. Of course I told the cousin that I want to help and am more than willing to be a resource. It means a lot that other people have recognized the affect that I have on some of these students. I hope that throughout the year I can be a big resource and support for Yvette. It’s one of my big missions. 

     Tuesday morning I woke up to find my iTouch missing. Struggling to find ways to connect to people back home, I have become very attached to my iTouch and its ability to send texts to American cell phones. So you can only imagine, that I was quite a mess when I couldn’t find it. I spent an hour looking all over my room, removing my sheets, and looking under by bed and the house. Upset and freaking out, I decided to take a breather and head to Rubona to grab a cup of hot  milk and a piece of cake.

     When I got to Rubona the town was bustling. It was market day. Apparently the morning is the best time to get to the market. There were hundreds of people, all searching for the freshest fruits and vegetables. I bought some bananas, as per usual. I even found a beet! Not sure how I’ll cook it since I don’t have an oven, but I’m sure I’ll use my creative culinary skills.

     I went to my local hot milk store. I like to call it the “Bakery” since it has the most variety of baked goods. Not sure where it’s made, but they have lots of options. I got a hot cup of milk (this time with one scoop of sugar instead of the three that the woman put in last time), a ciapatti and an amandazi. I sat in the small store and read my book. Apparently you don’t stay in those places long because five different groups of people ate their food and left in the span of time that I was there. It sort of felt like I was in a coffee shop, reading and relaxing; it was very refreshing.

     After feeling like I may have overpaid my visit, I headed back to the Village. At the beginning of my walk back, a few young kids in their school uniform (green dress with a yellow shirt underneath) started to follow me. Quickly the number multiplied and 20 kids were following me. The kids must have been between the ages of three and five-years-old. As I was walking I ran into another one of the volunteers, Jennifer. She started laughing. She said it looked like I was leading a parade. Up until then I was still upset about not being able to find my iTouch so I wasn’t reaching out to people and talking to them. But after she pointed out how sweet it was that these kids were following me, I decided to breath and see the bigger picture of happiness. As I continued walking back, I decided that I would let them hold my hands. At one point I was holding three different kids hands. Along the walk there was an ambulance that raced by. Without thinking I pulled the kids to the side to get out of the way. I felt so motherly at that moment.

     As I walked back the number dwindled till I was down to four kids (kids went home as we passed their houses). People that were walking towards us to head to Rubona were beaming with happiness. They were so happy watching the kids smile with excitement to be walking with a white girl. When I got back to the Village the kids were sad that I had to leave. The waited as they watched me walk away with a big smile on my face. While I walked back to my room, I realized that I was wearing green and yellow sunglasses. I fit in perfectly with my new little friends.

     When I got back to my room I again looked for my iTouch. As soon as moved my bed I spotted it on the ground. Overcome with relief, I realized that my initial reaction to losing it might have been a bit extreme. Recognizing the little things that make people here smile, I felt spoiled. I am trying to learn how to be happy with the small things in life, but giving up communication with family and friends is something that will be the last thing that I give up.

     By the way, the woman in charge of Professional Skills loved my proposal! Looks like I’ll be running a program complete with leadership skills, empowerment and mentoring skills. Success? I think so. I’m really excited! 

Settling In

     With the Internet and electricity going in and out all week, it's been quite a challenge to get onto my blog to update my lovely followers about life here in Rwanda. But have no fear, I am back and ready to update you.
     I'm definitely starting to feel more settled in. My job is slowly gaining more clarity and i'm beginning to feel more comfortable navigating things here. I took on two new initiatives this week: Professional Skills and Hero's Day. One of the big projects that I will be working on this year is planning and implementing the Tutoring Professional Skills program. The idea behind the program is that Seniors 5 and 6 (the oldest two grades) can choose to learn about tutoring and mentoring as a means to widen their opportunities post-ASYV. After much convincing of my strengths in tutoring and mentoring and my ability to run the program (yes, it was very frustrating to get to this point!), my proposal for a tutoring program was accepted. My plan is to start with leadership, move onto empowerment and end with tikkun olam. Essentially i'll be providing the skills, tools and guidance to be strong, influential leaders and then give them the opportunity to mentor other students in the Village. The second project that I took on, Hero's Day is almost complete. This Wednesday marks Hero's Day, a day when the country learns about different heros and strives to emulate these successful and strong leaders. I, along with another volunteer, Nathan, and the head of Informal Education and a native Rwandan, Parisien, planned a three hour program for the day. Groups of four families will each get a core value of the Village (Role Model, Commitment, Integrity, Support, Respect, Interest of Child, Learning Community and Determination). They will play games, have a discussion and create a visual project all relating to their value. At the end of the program, all of the students will gather together to explain what they learned.
     This week was the first week that I started my Kinyarwanda class. Mama Augusta, the Mama of all the Mamas, has offered to teach the volunteers Kinyarwanda. I'm not good at languages so i'm a little concerned, but it's off to a great start. I learned some vegetables and animals and we began counting. I'm going to try and study the words i've learned so I can really take in the language, but I think that it will take time for me to really feel comfortable with Kinyarwanda. It's not an easy language. But it feels good to be taking action towards learning to communicate in this country.
     I also started teaching Volleyball for the first time this week. Teaching may not be the right word since it was more like I attended and the class was taught in Kinyarwanda, but hopefully that will change. I'm not a pro at volleyball but it's fun to be doing something active.
     Saturday morning I also had the luxury of being active. I had to wake up early for a 6 AM run, uphill nonetheless. Luckily I was with Barrett so we talked the whole way (we both complained a bunch too, I must admit). I ran for 20 minutes straight! I haven't done that in a long time! I walked backed to the Village, but it definitely felt good to get a small bit of exercise. After breakfast, I had to go to the farm at 7:30 AM to hoe in the orange groves. Never having farmed before, it was quite hard. I didn't stay the whole two hours (don't tell my kids), but maybe i'll work up to it.
     While I am starting to feel more adjusted, this week definitely proved to have some struggles:
1. Planning English programming with non-native English speakers 
2. Trying to cook dinner when the electricity consistently goes out around dinner time
3. Attending meetings that are solely held in Kinyarwanda: Hopefully this will become less of a problem as the students begin to learn and feel more comfortable with English. I've started to attend less Family Time, firstly because it's hard to be present in my family from 9-10 PM five nights a week and secondly because it's solely done in Kinyarwanda. I really want to be a presence in my family's life, but it's hard to sit through hour long lectures, or even discussions, with little to no translation. Even when we attempt to begin Family Time in English, it always turns rapidly to Kinyarwanda. I was really proud of myself earlier this week because I led a Family Time by myself, that is until my Mama came. We were signing up  for clubs, speaking only in English and making lots of progress, until the Mama joined and all the girls reverted to Kinyarwanda. I guess we have to move slowly and hope that by the end of the year we can speak English and I can feel more included and needed.
4. Not getting intellectual stimulation: Having a serious language barrier, it's really hard to engage in intellectual discussions in the Village. As someone who constantly seeks out intellectual discussions and debate, it is really hard for me to not be able to actively engage in this type of intellectual growth. I try and seek out these conversations with other volunteers, but even that's a challenge. I think that I may  need to find other outlets for intellectual stimulation. I guess that's why i've already read five books and am moving onto the sixth! (I'm now reading "The Help" which is so good!)
5. Sometimes feeling lonely and unsupported: Being so far away from family and friends is a really big challenge. I knew that not having physical support here would be really hard and it is proving to be just that. Slowly i'm beginning to feel more connected to some of the volunteers, like Barrett and Dorea, but it's still a process. This is the first time since Kindergarten that i've really had to totally start anew with friendships. I know that it takes time, but it's difficult, especially at the beginning when things are so inconsistent. At home i'm used to having constant inspiration and encouragement, but it's very difficult to find here. I'm actively trying to solve this problem which is really positive. For example, earlier this week I went to Rubona for hot milk (reminded me of my childhood) and maize cakes with two of the volunteers. For Friday night Barrett, Dorea and I cooked a wonderful dinner and talked for hours. Saturday afternoon I played Scrabble with Barrett. It feels really good to be proactive about my social life!
     There are definitely many challenges here, but those are just a few. Overall i'm feeling very good about my work here. Adjustments always take time. But i'm trying to stay as positive and optimistic as possible (my mommy would be so proud of me!). I'm glad that I have the love and support of my family and friends back home. Keep that love coming!

My First Wedding in Rwanda...And Maybe My Last

Me and Berthe (a grade coordinator that I live with in the Village). 

     On Saturday I attended my first ever Rwandan wedding. I woke up at 6:15 AM in order to get ready to get picked up at 7 AM. By 7:15 AM I was still waiting for my friend from the Village, Berthe, to pick me up. I called her and in her broken English I deciphered that she would arrive in 5 minutes. As is with language barriers, she wasn't to arrive that quickly. After waiting for 30 minutes, I decided to go back inside my house and rest until she called. It wasn't until 9 AM that she arrived. At that point I had lost interest in going to the wedding but decided that I should still go.
     The car seemed to be on its last string and I was scared that the car would break down on the way to Rwamagana. A car ride that should have taken 1 hour took us almost 2 hours since we had to go back into Kigali to pick up one of Berthe's friends that was late. Finally, at 10:45 we arrived. I entered a room full of Rwandese men and women. totally confused as to what was going on. The mayor and another woman were sitting at the front of the room looking over documents and requesting an oath from the bride and groom. I assume that they were doing the necessary paperwork to file for a civil marriage, but it was unclear since no one was able to translate to me.
     After the ceremony, everyone gathered outside to take pictures. Many people came up to me to take pictures with me, as the token white person. Tired and hungry, I was no amused by people being overwhelmed by a white person being present at the wedding (it gets to a point where being in every picture since your white gets to be really frustrating). Many Rwandan men tried to strike up a conversation with me, but I didn't have the energy to deal with their passes at me and their repetitive question asking. This continued throughout the day, eventually putting me in a bad mood at the end of the night.
     But back to the wedding...After the pictures we drove around Rwamagana. Our goal, still unclear to me. I asked Berthe when we would be eating because I was getting hungry. Not understanding my question, we went to a restaurant so that I could order food. First off, I didn't want to eat alone with loots of Rwandan men staring at me. Secondly, the restaurant didn't even have food! After getting drinks, we ended up going to Berthe's friend's house where we ate lunch. I didn't understand why she didn't just tell me that and we wouldn't have had to go out of our way for nothing. The food was definitely worth the wait though: peas (seasoned very well), rice (with spices!), squash, fries and a salad (which had beets!). It was very tasty! I couldn't eat that meal every day, twice a day, but it was good one time.

Beautiful view along the way to the wedding. 

     Once we were done eating, we drove to the bride's house for the introduction ceremony and dowry presentation. We drove for what seemed like forever on a bumpy dirt road. The views were absolutely incredible! I was awestruck at the beauty of rural Rwanda.

A decorated Akon bus. Buses like this are common in the
town of Nyamirambo in Kigali. 

     When we arrived at the house, the ceremony was not ready so I stood, waiting for an hour, taking in the beauty of being surrounded by banana trees and an open, blue sky. Finally the ceremony was ready! I walked into a tent with a woman, Angeline, who used to work at the Village. It was comforting to sit with someone who knew English and understood my life in the Village. She didn't translate word for word, but she translated general ideas. To my understanding, every wedding is the same: The bride's parents claim that the bride is not present. The groom requests, repeatedly, to marry the bride. After much negotiation the bride's parents accept. Maybe it's because I don't understand Kinyarwanda, but it seemed boring to me that every wedding be the exact same. Yet Rwandans find it funny every time.

Intore Dancing

    The highlights of the ceremony (four long hours long) was taking in the beauty of the wedding arrangements, watching intore dancing (traditional dancing), drinking a free beer, seeing two large cows (dowry) and talking to Angeline about sexual education in Rwanda. The sexual education conversation was really interesting. We talked about the availability of condoms, the use of birth control, the status of  circumcision, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and different initiatives currently in place to spread knowledge on pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections in Rwanda.

Traditional Rwandan Clothing

    Speaking of progressive politics, towards the end of the ceremony, the elders mentioned me to the entire wedding audience to commend my work in breaking down gender roles. An elder even approached me at the end of the ceremony to thank me. Basically, before the ceremony, there were lots of crates of bottled beverages that needed to be carried a few feet into the bride's house. Unbeknown to me, the act of me, a woman, carrying a crate was revolutionary for Rwandan society. I didn't realize at the time that I was doing anything revolutionary. Once the elder confronted me, I apologized if I had insulted him or others in any way. He laughed and told me that it was good that I broke down gender roles and served as an example of what women are capable of doing. Breaking down gender roles everywhere I go! Such a trend setter!
     By the end of the day I was frustrated with not understanding the ceremony and being overwhelmed by Rwandan men feeling entitled to my number and that they can speak to me without understanding my social cues that say that I am not interested in talking.  I was happy that I had an opportunity to attend a Rwandan wedding ceremony, but I can't say that I will be frequenting the these ceremonies.

Another Week in Agahozo

Me and Barrett! 

    It's been a while so I thought i'd update everyone on my week here. The week was a busy but relaxing one. The week started off with lots of logistical work. I, along with two non-native English speakers (1 from Rwanda, 1 from Israel), placed 300 kids in different Enrichment Programs. We sifted through their two choices and placed them into different groups of extracurricular activities. Having done this kind of tedious work before, I thought that it would be simple. But to my surprise (i'll be honest, I kind of expected it wouldn't be that easy), it was a mess. It took a whole 2 hours to acquire all of the students preferences which should have been e-mailed the previous night. I had to work on computers that I wasn't used to and had to communicate with people that did not know English very well. One of the people that I worked with even  consciously closed the documents without saving. After hours of work and frustration, we finally finished. I will note, that while I was frustrated, my new adoption of patience allowed me to not be a mess afterwards. I decided that with all of my work I would take a break from Family Time.
     On Wednesday I spent a lot of time researching different Rwandan Universities. Some of the websites are really easy to navigate while others are really challenging. But i'm definitely making progress. Once i'm done with all the internet research I will start to visit universities to get pamphlets and more information. I'm definitely looking forward to those adventures. After all of my research Barrett gave me some movies. Now I can watch excellent movies while falling asleep. I've already watched Love Actually and Cars. It's really great to just take my mind off of everything and take a real mental break.
     Thursday was Barrett's birthday which was a big celebration! All of the girls surprised her by making cards and throwing confetti on her. One of the girls took my camera and took pictures of the big celebration! They got a picture of her with every girl presenting their card. It was such a beautiful and warm celebration. And it was so great to see Barrett so happy from the simple rewards of love.

My happy family! 

Earlier during the day I sat outside with Barrett, talked and relaxed. It's so nice to have days where you can sit outside and revel in the beautiful temperature, breeze and view. It's very refreshing.
     Tomorrow I will attend a wedding introduction and dowry ceremony with my housemate from the Village. I don't know what to expect but I am very excited. The next time I post i'll show you lots of pictures!
    
    

Oh how I LOVE Western medicine

My fully stocked kitchen. 

     Today I returned to my favorite place...King Faisal Hospital! After being told they couldn't find my file (I had to wait 45 minutes for them to find it) and having to retrieve my test results since the computers were down, I finally got my results. But just as I feared, everything in my stool was normal. I was happy that I had no parasites or infections, but it puts me back at square one.
     I met with a doctor (the same unhelpful one that I met with on Friday) who spoke to me about my results. Here is the progression of fun comments/questions he asked me:
     "There is nothing wrong with you. You are totally okay." 
     "Are you scared you are going to die because you are sick?"
     "You are okay. You are not in pain."
   (After being totally frustrated, I started to cry and then he became more supportive...or at least tried to be)     
     "Do you have both your parents? Siblings?"
     "You have to leave where you are living and move to a new place."
     "I can not help you but you have to call me to tell me how you are doing."
Just a few of my favorite comments/questions from the lovely Dr. Joseph. In the end he prescribed me Immodium and a pain killer, both of which I have. I figured that since I was near the hospital pharmacy, I would check and see how expensive they were, although I did not plan on buying it. After waiting 10 minutes for the woman working at the pharmacy to search the computer to find out how much the prescriptions would cost (of which she knew in her head already), she told me the costs and then proceeded to tell me that they didn't have the prescriptions anyway.
     So all in all, a totally frustrating unhelpful trip to the doctor. But I am really proud of myself for going to the doctor even though I hate all medical things. As soon as I got the hell out of the hospital, my day got better.
     I went to catch a bus back to the Ntunga and while waiting, bought some tasty sambosas and hard-boiled eggs. One of the sambosas even had meat and a hard-boiled egg inside...it was such a wonderful surprise! While waiting at Ntunga for a driver from the Village to pick me up, I went to the Ntunga market which runs on Mondays and Thursdays. The market was incredible! I was shocked at how large and vibrant the market was. The market in Rubona is nice but this market was a totally different experience. It was larger and had more people, but felt more free (I didn't have little kids staring at me and following my every move). And there were more food options. I ended up buying bananas (duh!), tomatoes (2 large bowls of them) and some more sambosas. Everyone was so happy to see a muzungu (white person) in their market. So everyone was smiling and waving at me. It was such a happy sight! I definitely want to go back!
     Once I got back to the Village I quickly showered and made myself a lunch of cabbage/tomato salad and sambosas. Right after I ate I went to the dining hall for a presentation of the different Enrichment Programs that the students were to sign up for. The presentation took over 2 hours, so as you probably guessed, I got really antsy! Luckily I was sitting next to Noella and some of the girls from my family. They were playing with my hair, making jokes, pulling down my shirt to cover any exposed skin, holding my hand; it was very sweet. Noella kept telling me how special I was to her. Before the presentation was over, she asked if I would help her change her Facebook password. I told her I would and asked her why. She whispered "because I want you to be my password." I was so touched that she wanted my name to be her password. And indeed that is now her password. However, the journey to change her password was quite crazy. It took an hour to access Facebook since the computer lab with 15 computers was packed with around 30 students trying to use the Internet. Definitely not a place I want to frequent.

Mmm dinner! I think I'm getting a hang of this cooking thing! 

     After Noella walked me back to my house, I began to cook pasta with fresh tomato sauce (fresh tomatoes, green beans, spicy pepper and curry powder). While I was cooking I got a knock on my door. To my surprise it was Yvette who came to say hello. She looked sad so I asked what was wrong. She told me that she really missed me yesterday and today. She explained that she looks forward to seeing me and that when she doesn't see me or get to spend time with me, she gets sad. I reassured her that I care about her and missed her too and that we would continue to have time together. I hugged her, made her laugh and went back to my cooking (she had to go to dinner too, so I wasn't being rude).
     I really like having visitors, but I will definitely have to figure out how to navigate my personal space. I don't want to feel uncomfortable with the girls recognizing my privilege and ability to have lots of things, like clothing and food. It shouldn't make me uncomfortable having guests in my house, but for now it is. Maybe i'll only let them in my living room and not my personal space or kitchen. I really do want to make myself the most available to them that I can, but I will have to set up boundaries.
     That's it for now. Lest I forget that during the Saturday performance of a Rent/Romeo and Juliet play, one of the grade coordinators, Andrew turned to me and said "I am Romeo, you are Juliet." Lonely here, sometimes, but definitely not in the past few days! Oh, and by the way...as much as I thought I hated Western medicine...I LOVE it! Thanks again for everyones continued support!

Meeting Celebs

     When I returned to the Village on Saturday night, I was greeted with a warm welcome. All my girls, my Mama and the other volunteers welcomed me back with open arms, happy that I had returned to the Village. My drive back to the Village was also really enjoyable. A volunteer from last year, Trevor, drove me back and we had a really great conversation. We talked about my experience so far and my life back at home. He gave me advice and then we talked casually. It was really nice to have a really fluid and helpful conversation with someone who comes from a similar background as me. I'm looking forward to our friendship growing and using him as a support for my journey here.
     Still without answers of my medical ailment, but not wanting to isolate myself in my room, I decided to participate in the activities of Saturday. I woke up bright and early (5:30 AM) to participate in Mucaka Mucaka. I was nervous about the intensity of the running, but it was a very slow, doable pace. I even found that I ran most of the time. We jogged around the Village, running past houses, eventually ending at the dining hall for breakfast. There were no farm activities following breakfast since the Village does not have enough tools, so I went back to my room.
     I took a nap and then awoke so I could call the doctor to see if the test results were in. Unfortunately they weren't in. I had to wait 48 hours. Good thing I didn't listen to my doctor and stay in Kigali to get results on Saturday. Gotta listen to your instincts!
     At lunch I met a few members of the Anne Frank Project, a theatre group based out of Buffalo State. They came to the Village to perform a little taste of American theatre. One of the people that I met, Carl Wilkins, was a true inspiration, a celebrity really! He was the only American to be in Rwanda during the genocide. He lived in the country from 1990-1996. During the genocide he helped save and feed Rwandans in the Nyamirambo orphanage in Kigali. He spoke so calmly about the work he did. I was so honored to meet him and be able to hear a little bit from him about what his experience was like here. He said that he'll return this year, so hopefully he'll come back to the Village and I can talk more with him.
     After meeting such an incredible celeb, I had a meeting with Mara. Like Trevor, Mara and I also had a really great conversation. Before returning to New York, she wanted to check in on my to make sure that I would be ok. She told me that she sees the potential in me and is really excited to see what I can do in my time at Agahozo. It was great to feel really supported from her, especially at the beginning and during a time when I need friendly and supportive interactions.
     When I finished talking to Mara, I went to the performance which was so much fun. There was a traditional dance, song and play put on my kids in the Village, a play by the Rwandan theatre group Mashirika and a play by the Anne Frank Project. The performance was held at the amphit theatre during the sunset. The performances ended with lots of dancing and smiles. Even though I wasn't feeling well, the performances distracted me.

King Faisal

     What an adventure the doctor was! Quite a miserable one I must say. I couldn't sleep very late so I tossed around in bed from 6 to 8 AM. Finally I woke up and got ready for my fun-filled day in a Rwandan hospital. Celine, the HR person in the Village, kindly picked me up and dropped me off at King Faisal Hospital. She walked in with me, helped me with paper work and sent me off to get medical advice. Pretty quickly I was seen by a nurse who asked what was wrong. She sent me to a waiting room where I sat, waiting for the doctor. As soon as I was in the waiting room by myself I started to freak out. I got really scared being at the hospital by myself. But I wiped my tears away and in came the doctor.
     I explained my medical ailments to the doctor, hoping to find a solution. Instead of being the friendly, helpful medical professional that I hoped for, he asked me what I wanted him to do. Taken aback, I didn't have an answer. He offered to give me an IV to help me regain strength. Immediately I freaked out and told him that I would prefer to drink water from my water bottle. He made me take out my water and drink it in front of him. Still waiting for a plan of action, I suggested that I get a stool sample. He agreed that maybe that would help and sent me to the lab to get a container. Unlike hospitals or doctors offices that i've been in before, he didn't direct me to where I needed to go. So in my weak and terrified state, struggled to find where I needed to go. I asked people who only knew broken English where I should go. Finally I spoke with a lab technician and was on my way to giving a stool sample.
     Sitting on the toilet, I finally figured out the best way to provide a sample (it's really complicated!). Sample complete, I was ready to wash my hands. Only to find that there was no soap in the bathroom. I was shocked! Good thing I brought hand sanitizer with me.
     The doctor said that he wanted me to come back to talk to him after my stool sample so I went back down, hoping to meet with him quickly and get back my room. Unfortunately, I had to wait for over an hour. I was totally confused by the order in which people were going to speak to the doctor. There were no lines and no names being called out. It was pure chaos! After an hour of waiting I made my way to his room and asked him if we could talk. He promised me only 30 more minutes and then he'd be free. So after 1.5 hours I went to his office and was ready to find out the next steps to cure myself. Instead of a solution, he said, "I just wanted to ask if you feel strong enough to go back to the Village today." Shocked by the fact that he made me wait 1.5 hours to simply ask if I was strong enough, I started to show my frustration. He told me that I had to come back to the hospital tomorrow to see what the results were. He refused to talk to the nurse at the Village to clarify things and was upset when I asked him for phone numbers to call about results.
     So here I am, sitting at an internet cafe, totally frustrated and without answers on what's ailing me. At least I have a tasty chicken sandwich, salad and fries and some internet. But hospital in Rwanda...no fun AT ALL!

Parasites

     Blogging here from Kigali. You may ask why...I have to see the doctor tomorrow. I've been struggling for a while with abdominal pain and after waking up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain, I decided that although I HATE doctors, especially in the non-Western world, I better go to a doctor before anything gets worse. So tomorrow I go to the hospital to find out what's wrong. I've been told it's probably a parasite so stool sample here we go!
     Yesterday marked the first day that I officially began my job. I woke up early and went to the Guest House to catch internet. For three hours I researched three different Universities. I looked at the websites and retyped the important information into an easy to read cheat sheet. By the end of this year i'll be a pro at all Rwandan Universities so if you have any questions, ask away! The end goal will be a resource center filled with folders on the different post-ASYV options. Three Universities down, only 21 more to go (an hour per school ain't too bad).
     The day continued with a meeting with all of the volunteers to discuss some challenges we may face. We talked about how we will frequently be in a situation where we are asked to do many things but time does not allow us to complete everything. We prioritized different realistic tasks (like getting a sick kid from school, getting toilet paper for your house, writing an article, preparing for family time, etc). And to noone's surprise, I prioritized the things that were external of myself first. The things that had to deal with myself (my health, my friends, etc) were not as important on my list as helping the people in the Village. Prioritizing myself is definitely something i'm going to need to work on and I hope that this journey helps me to do that.
     After the meeting I went to lunch and then back to my room to take a nap. After 24 hours of having no water, I noticed the water was back on so I delayed the nap and went straight to the shower. Unfortunately the water from the shower head wasn't working so I had to take a shower in the spigot. Quite an interesting and acrobatic endeavor I must say. Never having to worry about water before, I freaked out by the thought of not having water. So after my shower I put some in a basin and in my kettle so I had a reserve in case the water went out again. After my water adventures, I finally napped.
     I woke up a bit before dinner and decided to go to one of the girl's houses. My neighbors are in Enrichment Year so I knew a few of them and decided to say hello. They were so touched that I had come over to visit them. They asked me if I could help them sometime with Facebook and I told them I  would. Amazing that even in rural Africa so many kids have Facebook. Such a crazy phenomenon! But great for me so I can stay in touch with the kids when I return to the States.
     The night continued with trying to figure out how to most effectively run kitchen service. The way it works is that all of the Family 3's from each grade has service together every nine days. So all of the kids picked a number out of a hat to decide which table they would be sitting at to help refill the bowls. It was unbelievable how inefficient the process was. They seem to excel in inefficiency. So much yelling and shouting. After an hour, the process was done and it was time to go back to my kids house to wish one of my girl's, Janviere, a happy birthday.
     All of the girls made Janviere really sweet cards and presented them to her. It was amazing how happy she was just by receiving cards and warmth from her newfound family. Seeing the joy and happiness of all of the girls really brought birthdays to a new level for me. It's not about the presents or the parties, it's about the people that you share your birthday with. And hopefully joyous days like this will continue even without a need to celebrate.
     I'm off to eat my chicken burger, salad and fries. Wish me luck on the doctor tomorrow.

Another week in the Village

     Hey everyone! Now that all the kids are back and school has started, it’s been really hard to connect to the Internet. But it’s been a few days so I thought I’d give the Internet a shot again.

     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! 

One Month...Check!

My English class.

     Today officially marks my one-month of being in Rwanda. And quite a journey this has been so far (like getting sick two times!). I’ve had to adjust to many new things; a new culture, peoples, food, schedule, weather, etc. A few of the things that took some time and will continue to take some time getting used to are a lack of toilet paper, cold showers, doing my laundry by hand and sleep. Let me break it down for you:

            1. Lack of Toilet Paper: Apparently, this is something that I’m going to need to start getting used to. I haven’t run out of toilet paper yet but I have to ration what I have. In my house we are given 1 roll a month per person. In the dining hall there is no toilet paper to be found. It’s pretty amazing how much toilet paper I’m used to using back at home and how far 1 little piece goes around here. I’m getting used to it, but I fear the day when I run out.

            2. Cold Showers: At first, I thought that taking cold showers would be miserable. Don’t get me wrong…sometimes it is. But I’ve learned that the key is to plan your showers around either the afternoon, when it is hottest out, or after going on a walk, when I’m sweaty (By the way, when I say cold shower, I mean cold shower!). It’s also important to come up with a showering schedule. And here goes: Wet my hair and body for 5 seconds and turn off the water. Put on shampoo. Turn on water for enough time to get the shampoo out and immediately turn off water. Condition hair, soap body and wash face. Turn on the water for just enough time to get all conditioner and soap off of hair and body. Shower done! The whole process should take approximately 4 minutes. I thought I showered quickly at home, but showering here has proven that those 15 minutes of shower at home are pure luxury! But now that I’ve gotten a system down, I think that this whole showering thing is going to work out just fine. 

            3. Laundry by hand: Before I tried to do my laundry by hand, everyone around me told me to pay a woman to come to my house and clean my laundry for me. While the option seemed quite appealing, I opted to try the chore myself. After one load of not so clean laundry, I’ve acquired more thoughtful techniques. Soaking my clothing in detergent and water overnight seems to do the trick. And because the sun is so strong here, the laundry seems to dry very quickly. After my second load, the thought went through my mind that maybe I’ll try to do my laundry by hand back at home. However, I’m sure that after a year of doing my laundry by hand, I won’t be so excited by this timely chore, especially when I have easy access to a washer and drier.

            4. Sleep: Sleep is something I’m still struggling with. If you know me, you know that I LOVE sleeping. Because of the light and noise, I can’t sleep past 6:30 AM on any given morning. When I try and nap, I can only get in about 40 minutes of shuteye. I have a feeling I’m going to have to get over my love of sleep and just embrace the tiredness. Not liking that idea much…

     Now, after a month, I think that I’m beginning to settle in more comfortably. This week was a very easy week. On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday we had 3 hours each of intensive English. Despite my fear of working with the beginners level, it was pretty easy and fun. The kids took in every piece of English we gave them and really tried to push themselves to learn. I even had two Mamas join the class to learn themselves. Not only was it nice to see the kids progress over only three short days, it was nice to meet more kids from the first-year class. 

     One girl in particular, Yvette, I connected to strongly. Yvette is a really sweet, smart and loving girl. I noticed her the first day because she dressed like a tomboy (which is very uncommon here as gendered clothing is very clearly defined) and wore a “Johnny Napp” shirt. I kept spotting her everywhere but never got to meet her. So I was excited when I found out she was in my class. She started out the week very shy, not speaking and rarely participating. I figured out very quickly that she does very well when she is called on in a silly manner and people make jokes. So in no time, she was actively participating and giggling throughout class. Today, during our break, as I was leaving, Yvette ran after me. Without talking she opened her notebook and inside was a post-it note with something written on it. It read as follows “Hello. My name is Yvette. I want to tell you that because it is very nice to meet you and I love you. Please do not tell anyone in the Village.” I was totally blown away! She was not only using her knowledge of greetings that I had taught her during the week, but she was truly opening up to me. I told her that I am happy that we are friends and hugged her. She was very happy! For the rest of the class she kept smiling at me and giggling.

Me and Yvette.

     At lunch, Yvette and Noella insisted on sitting next to me. It was so sweet to be sitting next to two incredible young women who have made such an effort to use their English to open up and who have strongly connected to me. Throughout the entire meal they kept giving me compliments. I forgot how warming and motivating it can be to be surrounded by youth who truly look up to and are inspired by you. I couldn’t help but smile the entire meal. The meal ended with Yvette and I making up a secret handshake and her telling me her story in broken English. She told me about her family and some pain that she has experienced in her past. For someone who couldn’t speak a word of English four days ago, this was really impressive! I even got a nickname from Yvette and some of her friends, Mugwaneza, which means beautiful personality!

     Only a month in the Village and already some of the girls are confiding in me. It is such an incredible feeling to be loved by these youth that have so much to offer. I hope that I can continue to make myself accessible. Because I’m here for the kids and I’m nothing but ecstatic and honored to be able to spend this year at Agahozo Shalom.  

     To top off the already incredible day, I got to eat lots of pasta! They ran out of rice midway through dinner so they brought out spaghetti, and lots of it! Since so many people know about my love for pasta, people starting screaming my name and ran to get me some spaghetti. I think I’m fitting in here just fine! 

New Years Eve Celebration!

Me with two of my girls, Gemima (L) and Odette (R) from my family. 

     Yesterday was a very relaxing day. That is of course, after waking up at 5:40 AM to participate in Mucaka Mucaka, a 6 AM run that the Village does every Saturday morning. Bright and early we all gathered at the gate to run and chant all the way to Rubona and back. My body is not in shape enough to run 30 minutes straight, let alone bright and early on a Saturday morning! However, once I was awake, it was refreshing to be exercising in the bright light and crisp air, but I can't promise that i'll be doing that every Saturday. It was quite a sight, I must admit. Seeing 150 people running along a dirt road, chanting in Kinyarwanda, was pretty amazing. Kids were running in flip flops, some in skirts, but still really happy to be together. The local residents of Rubona stood in front of their houses, gazing at us running past them, entertained by our numbers and chanting. Once we got back to the Village, we all went to the dining hall to do more chanting and clapping. It was really entertaining to see everyone standing in a circle, chanting, clapping and moving their bodies. The event ended with the typical morning porridge and roll.
     For most of the afternoon I got to relax and read more of "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison which I have since finished. (Look at me, such a reader, taking after my Granny). Later on, all of the volunteers gathered to start planning the intensive English lessons that begin on Monday. Because of my camp experience, I was placed at the beginners level with three other people. Starting Monday, we will be split into two groups to teach 20 kids each. We spent four hours planning lessons on the Alphabet, greetings, house items, family members and school items. It was pretty intensive planning but I feel good about what we produced. I'm excited to see how quickly the kids in my level progress, but I know that it will be a very challenging and slow week. It's going to take lots of repetition and patience. Wish me luck!
     The night continued with a big New Years Eve celebration! After dinner, we all gathered in the dining hall to watch the many presentation that the kids had rehearsed over the past couple of days. At the beginning of the performance, I noticed a boy, Cyprien, sitting to my left with a Time magazine.  I was shocked to see someone reading an English magazine so I went up to him to ask him about it. He had very good English. He explained to me that he read the magazine but did not understand everything. So I told him that I could help translate if he wanted. He seemed very happy that I had provided my English services to him. Knowing that I would not understand much of the show, I asked if he could translate for me. So the whole show I sat next to him, learning more about one another and understanding what was being performed.

Me and Cyprien, my fabulous translator! 

There was a traditional dance, modern dance, theatre, drama and comedy production. A Mama, big brother, the Village director and many others spoke. It was incredible what the kids were able to pull off in such a short time. The show lasted three hours.
     Following the show there was a feast! Meat sambosas, cake, peanuts, juice and Rwanda tea. All of it was very tasty and by midnight I was definitely hungry. Just as we finished eating, everyone moved to an open space and starting cheering. Hugs were flying around everywhere! People I had never met before came up to me to hug and kiss me, wishing me a happy new year. I couldn't stop but stand there, offering hugs and smiling. It was such a happy, warm and welcoming experience.
     But the party didn't end there! There was dancing! And lots of it! American pop music, Rwandan pop music, traditional Rwandan music. It was incredible! One of my girls, Gemima, took my camera (which I was scared she would drop, although she didn't) and starting taking pictures of everyone! The pictures came out great but I don't know everyone in them. Hopefully soon enough I will. (And now I have all of these great pictures for you to enjoy!) By the end of the night I became a celebrity as all the kids came up to me to ask if they could take a picture with me, whether I knew them or not. One girl, Noella, asked politely if we could get a picture together. After we had our picture taken, she kept telling me "I really like you." It was so sweet. I kept seeing her around the Village but never had the chance to meet her. She was so kind and innocent. I reassured her that we will have lots of time this year to become friends and talk and laugh and play together. She even told me that she loves my nose ring...sorry Mom!

Me and Noella (with Joseline in the back)

     All in all, a really great celebration and a great way to start my new year. The celebration left me with a strong sense of community and love. I'm really looking forward to getting to know all of these kids better. I can already see how much they have to offer themselves, me, each other and the rest of the world!
     Of course the night had to end on a funny note. As I was walking back, Media, one of the big sisters, touched my hips and complimented them. She said I have the body of a Rwandese woman. She said maybe I have a different skin color, but it doesn't matter, I fit right in.

Me with my other cousin, Barrett, and my sister, Mable. 

Me and my Mama (Mama Mary). 

Me with my roommate, Dorea, and Mable. 

   Happy New Years! Sending so much love for a happy 2012!