mbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Oh I haven’t written in a week! I wish it was because I was crazy busy everyday with exciting stuff, but mostly just had a lot of language class. Thanksgiving was surprisingly awesome. There was really bomb mac n cheese, stuffing, some avocado corn combo, bread, cranberries, potatoes. 6 turkeys, green bean casserole and a ton of desserts ranging from fruit pies, to banana cake things to crepes with chocolate sauce. Everything was delish! And to drink? Warm Guiness. We all dressed as nice as we could and I didn’t even take pictures! I brought my camera, but was so focused on the food! After that, dance party at the kitchen house of course. I snuck back to my room and watched season 1 of Prison Break that Jeff sent in the mail. I finished it in 4 days I think and it was really good and really exciting to watch “tv”.

One afternoon we had a reception at the model school where we taught and it was pretty awkward, much like everything else we do. We heard we would be served Fantas, but we sat around for a half hour staring at each other in desks made for kids. We watched some girls dance, then heard a speech in Kinyarwanda, then watched more dancing, pounded a Fanta each, ate (or not) goat brochettes and potatoes, had more Fanta, more dancing, bowed our heads in prayer and then everyone boned out.

Friday was a Muslim holiday (I don’t know the name) and the volunteers from Mauritania wanted to celebrate so they collected money from whoever wanted a meal and Saturday went and bought 2 goats. They hung our in our backyard for almost 2 hours where I took pictures of them and tried to feed them grass. They were pretty anxious and one of them was hopping all around like a kangaroo because his front legs were tied up. I hated even seeing that. Then the time came for the slaughter, which I couldn’t not watch. I hated every second of it, but it’s all part of my experience here and even if I’m not eating meat, half the world is and animals are dying regardless. So I had to look at the situation objectively and I just realized this isn’t something I see everyday so I stuck it out. It was a horrible sight with horrible screaming sounds. After all that, I didn’t stick around to see anything more and went to my room with bread and peanut butter. Check facebook for pictures. I just spent 42 minutes trying to upload 2 pictures on here just for it to not work. lame. 


Yesterday was a nice relaxing Sunday, as most Sundays are. My laundry was done but still hadn’t dried for 3 days because it kept getting rained on. Nothing smells like tide around here. I read a bunch and then I supervised while people did some Christmas decorating in our room! One of my roommates was sent a tree with mini ornaments so 2 people decorated that and then 3 people made snowflakes! There is even one with Jesus’ face. The snowflakes are hanging on our windows and from the ceiling. I am sure I will upload a picture eventually. To show my support, I made hot chocolate sent from Singapore and merrily hummed along to the Christmas music. It was really nice. Today I found a Christmas sweatshirt at the market which reminded me so much of my grandma I had to get it. Plus, if there is a Christmas party I will surely wear it. It is red with a brown teddy bear outlined in puffy paints and has some décor around is neck. Its great. 3 more weeks and then swear in, then Christmas, then site! Woooooo! 


care package from john.

I hate mud.

“…Heal the world. Make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race. There are people dying, if you care enough for the living, make a better place for you and for me…” That was part of my 4 hour van/bus ride. We heard Heal the World twice, which was awesome, along with some Phil Collins, Celine Dion, and like 5 or 6 Backstreet Boys songs. Was the bus ride as amazing as the playlist and me singing along? I wish! Jeff, you know the 30 people vans in India? Yep, that was us. Did it smell? Yes. Was I car sick? Of course. Was the person next to me puking? Definitely. I was sitting in a folding chair spread eagle with my foot against the door to keep me from falling onto the doorstep. I didn’t fall then, but I fell twice this weekend.

Guess I should explain my trip out of town to Nyamsheke. I went with another trainee to visit 2 health volunteers at their site to see an example of how they live and work. The night before I left I slipped in my house and cut my arm on the wall. No big thang. We took the bus 4 hours, thru the rainforest again and then a 30 minute moto ride. We aren’t allowed to ride motos in the Peace Corps, but I guess there are exceptions to every rule. They can’t get to site without them. Mine ran out of gas of course so I waited in the rain. We rode in the rain then walked about 20 minutes in the muddiest mud I have ever encountered. I was wearing tennis shoes and it was still a nightmare. 2 girls live together in a really nice house with lots of running water and electricity. I guess the crappy weather conditions balance things out. The next day we walked to the health center where they work and met with some kids that are hiv positive. Sad. As soon as we got there, it started pouring and our trek home was thru the clay mud. My $2.50 Old Navy sandals couldn’t cut it, and I had to go barefoot. I had no choice. My sandals would not lift out of the mud. So I may or may not have worms and/or jiggers now. We’ll see. I was sliding all over the place and looked like the biggest tool of course but made it to the house safely. Once inside the gate I thought, watch me fall. Seconds later I slipped and fell SO hard on the bricks. Besides hurting my shoulder, I looked like I sharted in my pants. I am going to try and upload those pictures tonight.


So basically I sat around for 4 days and did a lot of reading. Watched Sex and the City, ate BOMB food. They shared care package goodies and knew how to cook! We had banana pancakes with jam and sugar, Kraft mac n cheese, sweet potato fries with bbq sauce, fajitas, soup with garlic bread, salad, pasta, and fruit salad. All made by them. It was wonderful not having the same meals we eat everyday here. Smuckers jam never tasted so good in my life. This week is Thanksgiving. People are in Kigali today shopping for food. I got an envelope from Jeff today with some books. I guess flat envelopes aren’t as good as boxes as there was a hole in his package. That’s it. Happy Thanksgiving.

30 more days in Nyanza...

This has been a pretty good week. Today I finished model school so no more awkward observations (wooohooooo!) and less stress lesson planning with few materials. Saturday night everyone was over here partying and then went to the language house. I stayed here already drunk and read and enjoyed a nice peaceful house…except it wasn’t quiet. The guard was all over our house going thru cupboards and I heard pots and pans so I figured he was eating. I mean, that’s fine that he’s hungry, but he isn’t allowed in our house. He didn’t know anyone was home. Then he came to my bedroom door and tried o open it but since our door is half broken it felt like it was locked. I was mortified of course and worried he was trying to jack our stuff. I told Mupemba a few days later and he had a talk with the guard who was pretty angry about being confronted and made up all sorts of crap. He was fired yesterday. I feel really bad, but I would have felt even worse had my computer and stuff been taken. Ellie and I had some shirts made with matching material and you can see the pictures of them on facebook. Today I saw a kid with a Thailand shirt that Kalan has. Pretty pumped about it. That picture is also on facebook. There are a ton of Aeropostale shirts here. I don’t know if they are heavily donated or what but it’s weird how many I see. They aren’t crazy popular in the states right?


I finally got a picture of Gus Gus today which was exciting. On Friday I am going some 6 hours away to stay with a health volunteer until Tuesday. Should be an interesting/fun/awkward trip. I swear in on December 17th and then I am officially a volunteer. I won’t know if I am keeping the same mailing address as I found out some of the health PCVs have the own P.O. boxes near their site. I will update my address on here of course. We are starting to plan our Thanksgiving. Should be an interesting feat with limited supplies. I recently heard bungee jumping in Uganda is like $60, but if you go naked it is free. Anybody know anything about this? Emily..? Peace.

TONKA

Friday the 13^th. Don’t think the Rwandans have a clue. Had classes all day and moved centers because ours got sold right under our feet! Manual labor was awkward, because we are white, and today, we were white carrying lots of stuff.


our new center

A girl in our group who has been playing basketball at a nearby court organized a game against some Rwandans so we went to a school with a nicer court and played. The Rwandans were late of course. Africa time is nothing to joke about because literally, you wait. And wait. And wait longer. About 10 of us played against each other and then against the Rwandans. Man were they quick! We looked pretty sloppy out there. It didn’t help that the ball had a tumor and the court was made of bricks, so I would dribble and it went somewhere else. It was still a lot of fun and very funny. One of them had an O’Neal jersey from the Heat, and someone else had a Stoudamire jersey from the Pistons. One guy had a marching band jacket that said CCHS. I like to think that means Culver City High School, but I can’t be certain. I went and looked at it up close and he informed me, “from America.” I thought to my self, “yea, no shit guy.” It was from 1994! BUT, an even better shirt I saw today was on a little boy and all it said was TONKA. Ahhh. Of course I didn’t have my camera, as I was just dropping a letter at the post but I definitely stared at him long enough that it was awkward. It made my day for sure.

Tomorrow I am headed to Butare with a couple other girls who are changing money. I am buying some booze and cigarettes for some people, and probably some Tang for myself. Did you know they have orange and mango flavors? Yea. One of our language teachers is having a birthday party tomorrow so everyone is planning on getting shitty. The boys are making fondue, French fries, onion rings, and someone mentioned a mini burrito of some sort…not sure about the last thing. But it should be interesting! Hopefully the homemade meal goes over better than the one on Halloween.

This is just random for the people out there who enjoy the sun and like to tan like me. Rwanda is hot and very sunny most days. We are right on the equator so its really strong. My nose has been peeling since the first or second week here and yes, I’ve been wearing sunscreen. During our breaks, I often sit on the cement in the sun trying to soak it up and at least have an feet. People, Rwandans AND the Americans I am with think I am crazy! 2 girls even told me they have NEVER laid out in their lives. It hurt my heart a little bit. Can you believe that? ( by the way, mup says “imagine” instead of can you believe that? And he says it ALL the time! “…imagine”) Never laid out. That is just craziness. 

rainy, here is your shout out.

So I didn’t see any large squirrels. Saddest day. I did see a few chipmunks, and a monkey with a face like a gremlin, so we’ll call that my squirrel. The visit to the rainforest was very cool. It was quite expensive considering the amount of time we were actually there, but if it goes towards conservation then I’m fine with the price. The trip getting there was actually really cool. I had a window seat for a 3 hour drive and Rwanda is really a beautiful place. There are so many hills with such lush greenery you wouldn’t believe it’s Africa. Where I am in a small town it is dirt roads, and people carrying stuff on their heads. But back to the car ride. The potholes were OUT OF CONTROL. It was like we weren’t even driving. We were creeping along at a snail’s pace and it was sooo bumpy even people with strong stomachs were carsick. Surprisingly I wasn’t, because I get carsick on the 405.We went on a nice little hike through a rainy, super muggy rainforest. I suppose that’s how they all feel. Saw some monkeys so that was cool but I really want to save some money and do the gorilla treks. I heard those are where it’s at. Stopped in Butare on the way home and bought some more Tang and Pringles. And some cookies. They sure get your money at that place but I like to think its being well spent.


I am in week 2 of model school which is definitely not my favorite thing. Being observed is so awkward and it is hard teaching another language. Not having a grammar book to go off has been a bit frustrating but even worse is half the kids not having notebooks or pens to write with. You wonder why they don’t understand when they don’t have notes. Jeff booked his flight here and I am sooooooooo excited! Having something to look forward to is definitely a huge help during the rough days. I get excited if I know I have a letter coming! I have sent like 10 letters and I have only heard of 1 arriving to Beach Mex. Go figure. Right now I am sitting at the internet café balcony watching some people arguing and OH! They started fighting...just a little though. There are 12 people crowded around trying to stop it. Yesterday, while sitting in the same seat, a man was yelling at someone because he thought he stole something. While yelling, he kept waving the 2 rocks in his hand. I secretly wanted him to throw them. I have to go to language class. Thrilling, I know. I dread it most days because I sound like a tool. Hope everyone is swell. 


my walk to town.

tonka! squirrel!!

     Halloween was okay. It was funny being dressed as twins with Mup. People got a kick out if it for sure. Someone in our group tried to help the kitchen staff with food and decided to make chili. It was unbearably spicy. Most people couldn’t eat it which was funny since everyone was drinking so it was the one night we really needed all the food. Talent show was entertaining. Party at the center ended around 10 and so it moved over to our living room. I had a headache a good part of the night and retired early to finish Twilight, the movie. So I gave in and I liked it. Geez. Sunday after Halloween was super unproductive and we all watched movies. Crowded, in our room.
     This week we started model school which has been interesting. The Peace Corps sought out like 150 kids for the school and we ended up with 500. People so badly want their kids to practice English as much as possible that they walk pretty far just to come. They are on vacation til January, so at least these kids are the ones who seem to want to be here. Its hard going into classes with a lesson plan that is either way too easy or way too hard for the group of kids. We have no idea the level they are at so I kinda just walk in and hope for the best. It’s been okay so far. I have a burper in one class who makes me smile since I burp ALL the time. It’s funny how it’s not a distraction to the other kids. They don’t notice. Or the nose picking. But the kids try for the most part so that is good. Yesterday a boy told me, “I live in a large house that is small.” I just smile.



     This weekend we are going to the National Park which has squirrels the size of monkeys! I wish so badly Tonka could come and share with them her hatred of squirrels. I am so pumped to see these! That’s just craziness. Went to Butare with another volunteer so he could a get a modem and I could just go. I splurged and bought Tang powder to add to the oh so delicious filtered water. I also bought Pringles for a ridiculous amount and didn’t like the flavor so that had to auction them off between 2 roommates.
     Today is malaria pill day. Bring on the dreams. 2 nights ago I woke up with my sheet around my neck. Sweet. Some people are on site visits with current health volunteers for a few days. I got a text from one of them last night that is too good not to share: “A priest, a school director, and a volunteer walk into a bar. Long story short- a kitten died and I’m drunk on a cement floor.” I’ll leave that with y’all to ponder because I don’t know what it means.