after a bit the kids were excited to have their picture taken (probably more excited to look at the picture after though)

my favorite is the little girl peeking into the shot on the right over the one boys head!

To market to market to buy some avocats

Highlights of this past week

 a few highlights…

I played volleyball with a few of the staff from the hospital, some kids, and a bull. Well I didn’t mean to play volleyball with the bull but he was there and I sent the ball his way (cue the mental video of the running of the bulls…), he looked up and I panicked on the inside- he had huge horns. Luckily this bull wasn’t too phased. He is used to it? I’m glad he chose the high road and just walked away and didn’t charge us or gore anyone. Other than the close call (in my head) with the bull, the game was really fun. It’s nice to play games because I feel like the language barriers don’t matter as much. You can communicate just about everything relevant by making general exclamations. Now I just need to find some people to play field hockey…

I learned that Disney is more amazing than you thought… ‘Hakunah matata’ is actually Swahili?! That may have prompted my singing the lion king version. Dr. Desiré replied “Ah, Simba!”. We both laughed. Thank you Disney for bridging cultural barriers.

(On side note “Karibu” means welcome in Swahili… I am changing my name… but then I tried to explain to Dr. Desiré what a “boo” was in American English… oops?)

Last highlight—I went to the market last weekend, a friend here was kind enough to go on the trek with me. I guess it’s a few mile walk from where I am staying. I bought some fruits and veggies and some more kitenge. The kitenge are these beautiful patterned fabrics that people wear for skirts, shirts, head covering, or that they use to carry things or babies on their backs. I have some pictures that I want to upload but the internet connection does not want to cooperate.

The friend that walked with me and helped my buy things is named Ferdinand. He is the son of one of the Dr.s at the hospital and I met him on my first trip here. Ferdinand was explaining that I am more of a spectacle there at the market because many of the people there may not have ever seen a ‘Mizungu’ or white person before. (I am kind of a spectacle everywhere though- its very strange)

When we first got to Kirambo it was before much of the market was set up, it was also sprinkling a little, so we took shelter under this awning. Quickly a group of children surrounded us. BLANK STARES from many children are disconcerting. I tried to speak with them with the very simple Kinyarwanda that I know which is not much. They just stared mostly. So to break the discomfort, likely felt only by me, I took out my camera. Some ran away from the camera, but most stayed. It was funny because they didn’t smile at first for the photos- most just kept a blank face stare, but when I showed them the picture on the camera they were all smiles and laughter. I needed two cameras, one to show them the picture on while I take pictures of them looking at the first.

So after that when Ferdinand and I were shopping- two of the more bold children came up. Each took one of my hands. I thought it was awesome because kids are fun and I felt less weird. Then they started loudly telling me something in Kinyarwanda. “We know you have a car!” they said “We saw you driving!” Ferdinand kindly translated. They continued “We are not going to leave you until you take us for a ride!” I was so confused. “Oya” I replied no, because alas, I do not have a car, and I was not driving. Ferdinand told me how to say I don’t have a car—so I kept repeating that also. These kids were so funny. They really thought I had a car! They kept saying “We KNOW you have a car!” I have no idea why- unless there was another mizungu that they had seen driving recently. I haven’t seen another white person since I’ve been here so I don’t know who they saw but it wasn’t me. The two kids followed us and I don’t mind holding hands so we walked for a while like that. I repeated “I don’t have a car, I don’t have!!” Eventually they reluctantly realized I did not have a car and they left us just before we left the market. Sorry kids- I don’t have a car here, I don’t have a there, I don’t have a car at all! I don’t think your moms would like it if you drove away with some rando mizungu anyway!

 

As for what I am actually trying to accomplish… my primary goal right now it starting these sexual health lectures and hopefully they will become an integrated part of the curriculum at these two boarding schools… it’s a bit more slow going. I am trying balance my go-get-em-ness with the constraints of the systems I am working within. Its coming down to a few basic problems, one being there is just not enough time and the schools and the second that the end of the school year is mid October (unfortunately). So I am trying to do my best for now. On the upside- the students are really enthusiastic and have tons of questions. So when we eventually get the ball rolling I think it could be great!

Protected: …Background…

This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

Bienvenue! Murakaza!

I made it back to Rwanda– this time for real. Last time in May was a small visit and this, now, merely a longer visit. (Mom if you’re reading I will be home soon 😀 ). In general my journey here was uneventful. Though at one point a trucker, very proud of his English skills goodheartedly (i am telling myself) did try to tell me to come to Bukavu (in CONGO) with him instead of waiting for my ride to Kibogora. This was as I was standing at a sort of bus stop in Buhinga, a small village at a fork in the main road. The road to the right takes you to Kibogora where the hospital is, the road to the left I have yet to travel but it takes one to Kamembe (and to Congo where I should have been going). In case anyone was wondering I politely declined the ride to Congo from the stranger in the dump truck in a foreign land and continued to wait for my ride. The villagers around me found it amusing and I was glad they were there as … backup? witnesses? or just to laugh with/at me.

The few words I know in Kinyarwanda are not really useful. I think they amuse people or at times confuse them into thinking that I know more than just a smattering of random words… ipikipiki is by far my favorite so far. It sounds like eh-peachy-peachy but means ‘moto’ (motorcycle/dirtbike) and since everyone knows ‘moto’ its pretty useless but fun to say.

The second most noteworthy thing just happened. A loud buzzing started as I sat here typing (I bravely told myself to ignore it even though I am not brave and am in the dark alone outside the hospital). Then it flew behind me- how rude to go to my blindspot where my eyes can’t see and the computer light doesn’d reach you- you buzzing/clacking thing! Then it dive bombed my face, chest, and computer. How utterly tragic. I bet it had fangs. I’m not sure but I’m going to head home and hide under my mosquito net. I’ve used up all my courage. More later!

Oh and one more thing– if anyone wants to call a parisitology consult and find out if I can reasonably swim in Lake Kivu I would appreciate it.