I have never really liked looking for a job. It is time consuming, frustrating and it means I have to rewrite my resume. However, since I only have 2 months left in my contract, it is that time again. Job Search Time.
This task is made more difficult by the fact that I have not really decided what type of job I really want. Part of me would love a longer term opportunity here - if not in Rwanda, at least in Africa. The other part of me is thinking that it would be nice to be based in Canada with an NGO. So this means I am splitting my efforts in two different directions. The other thing that makes it frustrating is the job requirements for most positions. If they don't want someone with a master's degree (most of which require three years of experience before you can apply) they need someone with 5 years experience. I, of course, have neither of these and so don't qualify for most of the positions open at the moment. So the search continues...
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Time is running!
I am having a difficult time believing that it is January 15th. Time has been flying so quickly! Before Christmas it felt like I still had so much time here in Rwanda - time to figure out the problems with my position here, time to find a job for when I am finished, time to spend with friends here and to explore this great country.
Now it feels like I have no time! Two months and I will be on my way home. I am not going to dwell on this - that is surest way to waste time, but I will indulge a little today. I feel like there is still so much to be done and learned here. I have only been to work two days since I have been back from Zambia and this is increasingly frustrating since there is still lots of work to do. I need to sit with my boss and figure out what is going on in his head because he tells me day after day that I don't need to come into work. I am supposed to go to Nyamata tomorrow, but I half expect him to call me this evening and put it off again.
This was supposed to be a reflective posting about my time here so far, but now it has degenerated into a bit of a rant about my job. So I will stop here.
Now it feels like I have no time! Two months and I will be on my way home. I am not going to dwell on this - that is surest way to waste time, but I will indulge a little today. I feel like there is still so much to be done and learned here. I have only been to work two days since I have been back from Zambia and this is increasingly frustrating since there is still lots of work to do. I need to sit with my boss and figure out what is going on in his head because he tells me day after day that I don't need to come into work. I am supposed to go to Nyamata tomorrow, but I half expect him to call me this evening and put it off again.
This was supposed to be a reflective posting about my time here so far, but now it has degenerated into a bit of a rant about my job. So I will stop here.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
As promised
More Photos!!
A crocodile dozing in the sun on a small island in the zambezi river.
Hippos watching us as we canoe past on the Zambezi
Standing on the edge of the world on Livingstone Island, right at the top of Victoria Falls
Miriam, fellow WV intern and travling parnter gracefully getting up on our elephant:)
He got thristy! Riding the elephant was great fun, even if we did do it in a thunder storm!
A crocodile dozing in the sun on a small island in the zambezi river.
Hippos watching us as we canoe past on the Zambezi
Standing on the edge of the world on Livingstone Island, right at the top of Victoria Falls
Miriam, fellow WV intern and travling parnter gracefully getting up on our elephant:)
He got thristy! Riding the elephant was great fun, even if we did do it in a thunder storm!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Zambia Pictures
So here are some pictures of my adventures in Zambia! Yahoo!
Miriam, fellow WV intern and I at Victoria Falls
Pretty rainbow in the falls
My Dad's old house in Livingstone - I think!!
That is right - I am riding an elephant!! In a thunderstorm! So much fun!
Rapelling down a gorge near the falls - a little scary at first but then a great time:)
More pictures will come later - running out of internet time! Now I am home in Kigali and am happy to be 'home.'
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Our sincere apologies...
just a couple corrections to the last post. First of all, while several hundred people have been reportedly killed in Kenya since the elections, "only" 30 were killed in the church at entembe. Also it is the opposition leader who has so far refused to discuss how to resolve the situation, not the current president.
Sorry for the errors :)
Sorry for the errors :)
Friday, January 04, 2008
Violence in Kenya
On my way to Zambia before Christmas I spent the night in Nairobi - my flight to Lusaka left early in the morning and there were no flights from kigali that would get me there in time so the trip took two days. My taxi driver chatted with me about the upcoming election. He liked the current president but acknowledged that a lot of people wanted change. He thought the elections would be close, but he didn't think there would be any trouble.
Last week Kenyans went to the polls and it appears that the incumbant won, but the opposition is claiming that the election was fixed. He has encouraged protests and rallies in the capital and these have led to increasing violence. In addition to this supporters of the opposition leader, Railaa Odinga seem to have started a campaign against members of Mwai Kibaki, the current president's ethnic group. A church in the town of Eldoret was burned with hunderds of people inside. It brings images of what happened in Rwanda to mind.
The international community is urging talks between the president and opposition leader, but Kibaki has so far refused. The violence is spreading across the country and it is especially disturbing considering Kenya's relatively peaceful reputation.
I am currently on my way home from Zambia, once again spending the night in Nariobi. This time I stayed in the airport, not venturing into the city. My parents worry enough without me hanging out in a virtual war zone. It is weird though since the airport seems virtually unaffected by the situation outside. Maybe the lack of food in the cafeteria is a result of the situation, but it could just be the way things are here.
My flight leaves in a little more than an hour. I am looking forward to being back in Kigali but will be watching what is happening here closely. Let us hope that what has happened in so many countries in the region does not happen to Kenya - let us hope the world can speak out and play a role in restoring peace before more people are killed.
Last week Kenyans went to the polls and it appears that the incumbant won, but the opposition is claiming that the election was fixed. He has encouraged protests and rallies in the capital and these have led to increasing violence. In addition to this supporters of the opposition leader, Railaa Odinga seem to have started a campaign against members of Mwai Kibaki, the current president's ethnic group. A church in the town of Eldoret was burned with hunderds of people inside. It brings images of what happened in Rwanda to mind.
The international community is urging talks between the president and opposition leader, but Kibaki has so far refused. The violence is spreading across the country and it is especially disturbing considering Kenya's relatively peaceful reputation.
I am currently on my way home from Zambia, once again spending the night in Nariobi. This time I stayed in the airport, not venturing into the city. My parents worry enough without me hanging out in a virtual war zone. It is weird though since the airport seems virtually unaffected by the situation outside. Maybe the lack of food in the cafeteria is a result of the situation, but it could just be the way things are here.
My flight leaves in a little more than an hour. I am looking forward to being back in Kigali but will be watching what is happening here closely. Let us hope that what has happened in so many countries in the region does not happen to Kenya - let us hope the world can speak out and play a role in restoring peace before more people are killed.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
adventures in zambia continued
Canoeing the Zambezi, rapelling down cliffs and then jumping off of them, riding elephants and standing on the very edge of victoria falls. All in all it has been a great vacation! And now I am broke.
I really enjoyed staying here in Livingstone. I'm glad that we stayed in one place the whole time instead of traveling around. It was more relaxing and let us get to know the city a little better. I found the house where my dad used to live back in the 70s, did more shopping than I had planned on and spent a good portion of every day being soaking wet. It was great! The backpackers we have been staying at has provided good distractions in the interesting people we have met. There were surprisingly a lot of canadians - several other CIDA interns actually which is neat. A group of south africans has been here nearly as long as we have taking advantage of the rising water on the zambezi for white water rafting. After our two nice menno salter roommates Tyler and Matt left we got three loud drunk germans for new years. They were actually alot of fun and we are having dinner with them tonight.
Tomorrow morning Miriam and I take the 6:30am bus back to Lusaka where we will do a little last minute shopping, catch a movie (luxery!) and then I fly out to Nairobi on thursday and she drives back to Lubumbashi, DRC. I spend the night in Nairobi before finally going back to Kigali on friday. And so ends a great vacation! Back to the 'real' world I guess:)
I really enjoyed staying here in Livingstone. I'm glad that we stayed in one place the whole time instead of traveling around. It was more relaxing and let us get to know the city a little better. I found the house where my dad used to live back in the 70s, did more shopping than I had planned on and spent a good portion of every day being soaking wet. It was great! The backpackers we have been staying at has provided good distractions in the interesting people we have met. There were surprisingly a lot of canadians - several other CIDA interns actually which is neat. A group of south africans has been here nearly as long as we have taking advantage of the rising water on the zambezi for white water rafting. After our two nice menno salter roommates Tyler and Matt left we got three loud drunk germans for new years. They were actually alot of fun and we are having dinner with them tonight.
Tomorrow morning Miriam and I take the 6:30am bus back to Lusaka where we will do a little last minute shopping, catch a movie (luxery!) and then I fly out to Nairobi on thursday and she drives back to Lubumbashi, DRC. I spend the night in Nairobi before finally going back to Kigali on friday. And so ends a great vacation! Back to the 'real' world I guess:)
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