The Dry Season

So it is well into the dry season now. The dry season started in June and will last until October. I am just starting now to notice the extreme differences between the wet season and the dry season, (beside the obvious lack of rain issue). Every day for the past week I have been waking up with extremely dry lips, an awful sore throat, and feeling very congested. My faucet only has water before about 8:00am and then no water for the rest of the day. Today I didn’t even have water in the morning. It’s time to start hoarding water in buckets and jerry cans. The rivers have started to dry out. The dust is really bad; it is hard to breathe sometimes because of all the dust around. The instant you walk outside your shoes change color and you have to squint your eyes to keep out the dust as trucks or people walk by. Food prices have risen and produce is not as easy to get. Anyway to say the least I can’t wait until it rains again. It has not rained since June 5th. Not that I’m counting or anything. Speaking of counting my close of service is in 685 days, but who’s keeping track. So the good news during dry season,, it’s a lot easier to dry your clothes, you don’t have to deal with rain or mud, not need to carry an umbrella or raincoat anywhere. At least you can guarantee it will be sunny everyday with not a cloud in the sky, so what is there to possibly complain about.

Ndi umunyarwanda

Last night was how I always imagined my Peace Corps experience to be like. It all started on Friday night, I had 2 friends staying over my house and we were making tortilla chips. Which were amazingly successful so we realized they would be great with beans? So we set off to town to find some cooked beans. After asking a number of stores and restaurants, a women tells us to follow her. So we did and she leads us to her mother’s house where there are cooked beans. She gives them to us and tells us we must come visit her again. So on Monday after my friends had gone back to their sites I go visit her. I bring my laptop so we can watch a movie and I decided to watch Charlie and the chocolate factory. There were maybe 10-15 people gathered around my laptop watching me more than the movie because it was in English and they could not understand it. After a while we moved to my friend’s bedroom to escape from all the kids. It was me, her and 5 children. I don’t know her relation with any of the children there are just always tons around everywhere. She wants me to put in a DVD of her aunts wedding, so I do and we watch that for a short while until my laptop runs out of battery. After that we go for a walk. First by a church then to a house that turns out to be her house apparently, that’s when I learn the house we were at earlier is her mother’s house. To get to the house we have to walk between houses where the spacing is so small I had to walk sideways and have the children hold my arms so that I did not fall because it was pitch black outside. We see her house then leave back for town again. I am basically just following this group of kids around the whole town stopping into shops to say hello to people. I eventually say that I am very tired and want to go home. But they insist I stay for dinner, which here in Rwanda typically eaten at 9:00. You will not see people eating in restaurants until this hour and at home they do not serve food until this time. The reasoning is possibly because it takes a very long time to cook food over a fire especially beans, rice and meat. Long story short I stay for dinner that night and every night since that I have been available I have been eating dinner with my new Rwandan family.
Side Note: Rwandan’s eat the same exact food every week all over the country no matter in restaurants or people’s homes it’s always the same.
Meal 1: Beans and Rice sometimes with avocado
Meal 2: Plantains and Spagetti
Meal 3: Umugati- bread made form cassava that is very sticky and earthy that you dip into a sauce
If the family has enough money goat, cow or chicken is also eaten with these meals. Another cultural note, they mix everything together and eat with their fingers some of the time and they pile their plates very high with food and its all carbs these people should all be over weight but with all the walking and heavy lifting they do everyday I guess it evens out.

The Hardest Job You'll Ever Have

As most of you already know, doing the Peace Corps has been a dream of mine for a long time. I don’t remember the exact moment I found out about its existence but I know as soon as I heard about it I wanted to do it. It seemed perfect for me since I not only love traveling but I love actually living and getting involved in other countries. Meeting and befriending the nationals. Traveling is one thing but living there is a whole new challenge. Exchanging culture with neighbors and attempting to help even if by help all you’re really doing is teaching a child to stop saying “good morning” at night time or trying to teach children that not all white people have a lot of money. Also in America there are poor people and dirt roads … who knew??
So now that I am about 4 months into my 27 months of service what have I done? Well nothing, yet. That said I’m not giving up hope, it’s just much harder than I imagined figuring out what I am suppose and how to help. I am assigned to work with a Rwandan NGO which is partnered with an American government organization, you would think I should know exactly what to do, but that is not really true at all.
I work with two Rwandans, one is an education advisor the other is an economic strengthening advisor. I have been out in the field visiting sites everyday for the past 2 weeks now. And I am so grateful that I’m not stuck in some office job. But at the same time I am not much help in the field because I do not speak the language. And I can try and practice all day long but even if I get good at this language I’ll never be able to run field visits alone. So what is the point? Riding around all day with my co-workers, tagging along when all along I know if I was not there, this would all still be happening just the same without me.
Don’t get me wrong I know this isn’t suppose to be easy, they don’t say it’s the hardest job your ever love for nothing. And I do really enjoy living in this country. I know I can and will make a difference. I mean today I told a school the point of composting was for it to go in the garden not in the woods 100 feet away from the garden. Slowly by slowly I guess…buhoro buhoro.
Well luckily for me this country is the size of Maryland so it is very easy to visit friends. 3 weeks ago I traveled to Rwamagana to visit a friend. Then 2 weeks ago traveled to Musanze. Last week I went to Gatsibo. Weekends away are amazing and it’s great that it is so easy to get together with friends here. I really think I might love that most of all about this country.

A day in the life of a PCV in Rwanda

May 25th
Today definitely deserves a blog entry that is for sure. So today is Monday, I’m back from the workshop I had in Butare last week finally ready to spend a few weeks at site and not at workshops or meetings in Kigali. I wake up bright and early ready to go to the office in Muhanga for the first time since I moved in. So I walk to the office to find no one there and it’s closed and locked. It figures, so what do I do now. I could call my supervisor who is at work in Kigali or I could just enjoy a day in town getting to know the area and meeting neighbors so that is just what I did. I decide my goals today will be to make French toast and to buy another kitchen towel. I bought 3 towels on Saturday but 2 were stolen off my fence while they were drying. I was very disappointed in my neighbors and now I don’t trust to leave anything to dry outside. I did leave them overnight which I probably should not have done but luckily it was just towels and not clothes. So anyway I go to the market to buy another towel. I check all the vendors prices and go back to the first guy who I got down to what I thought was 400 FRW. My Kinyarwanda is still not the greatest. I gave him 1000 expecting change and he asks me for 100 more and gives me 500. I’m very confused but wanting to move on so I give up take the loss and move on. It’s time to look at fabric; fabric is a very handy thing to have here it can be used as a rug, curtains, apron and towel. So I need more of it. I found some I like buy it and when I turn around a man is standing there that I do not recognize telling me I owe more money. I then realize it’s the guy who sold me the towel and I’m like “No, the sale is over I don’t owe any more”. And he keeps standing there speaking to me in Kinyarwanda. I’m like great this happened to someone else once so I was a little worried. As it turns out he was trying to find me because I paid too much and he wanted to give me the rest of my change. He hunted me down, 10 minutes after I left to tell me I paid too much. This just made my day and restored my faith in the Rwandan people. Though someone stole 2 towels someone else hunts me down because I paid too much.
I also have made friends with the hardware store man. He sold me a lock for my front door the other day and while I was there I wanted nails to hang things around my house. Since I wanted so few he just gave them too me which was incredibly nice. It defiantly insured I would be going to him for all my hardware needs and not some other shop.
Anyway off to make French toast. I’ve realized it really helps your spirits to have 1 or 2 small goals everyday rather than making week or month goals, it makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something everyday rather than feeling useless which is how I feel a lot of the time here.

Meetings,meetings, meetings and the view from the window of my house

Written May 14th
Well it looks like my first two weeks are going to consist of many meetings. Day 1 I helped interview and hire 6 new people for Duhemic Adri. Therefore there are many new people here with me so we are all getting to be trained and learn together. It’s good but boring considering the meetings are in French or Kinyarwanda. The funny thing is that the meetings start 2-3 hours after they are suppose to so I end up sitting and literally twiddling my thumbs for hours, then after they are over I do some more sitting until its time for my supervisor to leave. I forgot to mention I have to go the Kigali for these meetings, that’s where headquarters are, so I stay at my supervisor’s house. I think in a few weeks things will calm down a bit and I’ll get to stay in muhanga with the cooperatives. But I thought my first few weeks would be slow and they have been nothing but go go go for me. Next week I am going to Butare for a 3 day training by CHF (American organization funded by PEPFAR- the presidents emergency action plan for AIDS relief) on how to train trainers.

And things just keep getting better
Written May 10th at night

So after a nice relaxing day of unpacking and getting an idea of the area I hear a knock at the door. It’s my co-worker coming to say hello. Or so I thought, apparently he was actually coming to pick me up and take me to Kigali for a workshop. It was so unexpected but I just go with the flow, quickly pack up some clothes and my computer and I’m off and ready to go. We tell the neighbor I’m leaving so they know to watch the house. As I get into the car I realize I must tell Peace Corps whenever I leave sight. So I get out my phone and call to let them know I have to go to Kigali for work. I am then told this will not be possible, I cannot drive at night, Peace Corps prohibits it, this is being told to me as I’m driving down the road. Luckily we had only left minutes ago but I don’t know what to do. The co-worker talks to the Peace Corps. He then calls my supervisor. Then the safety and security officer is on the phone wanting to speak with him also. By this point he already understands the situation and takes me back to my house. He has a conversation with the safety and security officer. I am told everything’s ok and they understand these things happen but I feel so stupid for not saying anything sooner. Peace corps did tell us 300 times not to drive at night but things were happening so fast that was the last thing on my mind. Long story short it only takes me 1 day to get myself into trouble but all is well and I suppose I will go to Kigali tomorrow. They so were not kidding when they say be flexible you never know what’s going to happen next.

Site Installation on Monday May 10th

Written May 11th
I was installed yesterday at approximately noon. Installation is Peace Corps fancy way of saying site move in day. And yes it really is as traumatic and scary as everyone says it is. At 7:00am I woke up to finish some last minute packing. With all the shopping days in Kigali my luggage seems to have doubled yet space has not, except we were given large trunks so that is where I was able to fit most of my stuff. So then comes time to load the trucks. I and one other girl shared a pickup truck with our stuff. It was very full but it all fit. Then I and 2 others took a bus to our sides. At the guest house we were staying at we had to say goodbye to all our other friends not knowing when the next time we may see them again. The first stop was Kamonyi to drop off one of the girls in my bus. She had her own pickup truck with all her stuff so she got out and we drove away. Just like that she was at her site and we were off to my site. After seeing how that went I think I got even more nervous. I live just off a paved road, but my house is on a dirt road. It’s a perfect size in my opinion. It has 3 bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen. My bathroom has a flushing toilet and a working shower. My house has electricity and running water. I am definitely not roughing it in this house. But this may only be temporary for 2-3 months.
So once arriving at my house the whole neighborhood helped unload the truck and bring stuff inside for me. I then road around with my counterpart to see all the places I needed to see. We went to both markets one very close but small and one is very large and a bit farther away. We stopped to see the office and then we went to two carpenters to compare bed frame prices. We went to the gas station to get petrol for my kerosene stove which is how I will cook my meals. And then I was dropped off at my house again and abandoned. I had all my things to unpack and organize but I can’t even explain how alone I felt and the feeling of having no idea what I was supposed to do next. So taking the advice from another peace corps volunteer who said do not just sit in your house and feel sorry for yourself that will only make things worse. I was also told the first 2 weeks would be a lot of sitting and waiting and meeting the neighborhood and letting them know who you are. So I went out to my front porch and sat there, saying Mirirwe to everyone passing by. My next door neighbor came out and sat next to me. She is at an English speaking university studying Psychology and computer science. She was really nice and we got to talk for a while. I even got invited over her house to meet her brother and sister. They all are very intelligent English speakers. I watched 24 with them in French. It was a lot of fun and I felt like I already have friends. Then as I leave their home for the night the man who I knew was coming to meet me came to take me to meet the boss of my umudugdu. I was surprised and happy to find out she is a women. Then I was invited to the man who took me to meet her back to his house which it turns out is right behind my house, in fact our houses are attached. I later realize he is my land lord and owns my house. He feed me beer and somosa’s and I met his whole family. Everyone is so nice. His wife even walked me home and gave me curtains to hang over my windows. This morning I woke up and finished unpacking then walked around town to see what I could find. I was happy to find a shop that sells French baguettes. I also found how to get to both markets, found a gym and a sauna. Muhanga is the second largest city in Rwanda so I think almost anything can be found, it just may take me a few weeks to really learn my way around.

I made the News in Rwanda!!!

http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14252&article=28838

34 US Peace Corps sworn-in
By Irene V. Nambi

A group of 34 American Peace Corps volunteers were yesterday sworn-into serve in various sectors in a bid to help in the achievement of the country’s major development goals.
The swearing in ceremony was held at the residence of the US Ambassador, Stuart Symington.
According to the Country Director of Peace Corps in Rwanda, John Reddy, the group has undergone a 10-week training programme in Nyanza that mainly focused on learning Kinyarwanda as well as technical and cross-cultural studies.
“The volunteers will stay in Rwanda for two years and during that time, they will be assigned to work with various organisations in the areas of health, capacity building and economic growth issues,” Reddy explained.
Ambassador Symington challenged the volunteers to strive to change the world, adding that they should use these networks to advance the vision that was initiated by President John F. Kennedy.
“In 1960, when John F. Kennedy called upon the youth to serve in other nations of the world, we were a nation of immigrants. Today, America is not only connected to the world by the things we buy, but there are direct links, even for our President.”
“Let us hold onto the vision to reach out and do something that no one else has done. It has followed generations and it is now in your hands,” Symington said.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, also noted that Rwanda is a country that has a miraculous recovery story.
She acknowledged the role of the partners, adding that the new group will join in the country’s journey to achieve major development goals.
On behalf of the volunteers, Portia Washington, said that Rwanda is a very beautiful country adding that the group is determined to play their part in the respective sites that they have been assigned to.
This is the third group of Peace Corps volunteers to serve in the country since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. So far, 94 Peace Corps volunteers have worked in the Education and Health sectors.