An update on my life

August 25
Well elections of come and gone. Luckily there is nothing to worry about, everything was peaceful and Paul Kagame won by 93%. He now has another 7 year term so there will be no more presidential elections while I’m in the country. I spent that week in Musanze with my friends. I think Musanze is one of my favorite places in Rwanda. It has the coolest weather and the town is surrounded by 4 volcano’s. The site is so beautiful. All the volcano’s are hikes that take 1 to 2 days. On my friends birthday we are going to hike Karisimbi which is a 2 day hike and it sometimes has snow on top of it, we are hoping to see snow as we will hike it in January.
Things are still going great with my new Rwandan family. Though they come knock on my door to invite me over everyday and some days I just do not fell like going over there so I have to tell them over and over I am too tired today. But they are all incredibly nice especially the Mama. She actually has a home restaurant. I did not realize this before but all the random people she feeds are her customers in her own home. She says she loves cooking and being with her family this way she never has to leave her home to make a living. Her husband died in the genocide so she is a single mom now and has I think about 6 children and at least 2 grandchildren that I have met.
A few weeks ago another peace corps volunteer who used to live with VSO volunteers moved in with me. The people she lived with were finished their service and went home. She is a health volunteer from the first group of volunteers that came in January last year. She only has a few months left before her COS (close of service). Its great having a roommate. We can come home and have someone to take to about the frustrating things that happened that day. Also because she is leaving soon I will be able to take over the projects she is starting. We are going to start and English class at the hospital soon and she want to start and Anti- AIDS club at the university near by. I have also heard there is a school for special needs children in the area that one day I want to go check out. It’s great having someone around whose been here a year longer than me.
I recently found out there is another American (not with Peace Corps) who lives in my village, 5 minutes walking distance away from me. I met her for the first time last week and we went over to her house for dinner a few nights ago. She has a real oven which is very exciting I can now make baked goods and cook them at her house. She is a food for the hungry volunteer and has been in Rwanda for over 4 years.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I’m so glad to be living in such a small country!