I always forget how much I actually hate airports until I have to spend time in them. I was in Nairobi for 7 hours yesterday and now am sitting in Amsterdam killing time for another six hours. At least there is free wireless here!!
My last couple of days in Rwanda were really hectic. Thursday night there was a goodbye dinner for me at the ADP in Nyamata where I have been spending about half my time. It was really great. The food wasn't so good but lots of fanta. But they gave me presents- had trouble packing it all! and one of the guys I worked with, Etienne, wrote a three page poem. I didn't understand all of it but what I did get was really funny. Friday afternoon there was a farewell function at the head office - more formal with lots of speeches but also more gifts. Iwas really surprised by the gifts. I don't know why but I wasn't expecting it at all! Then I went home and found all my friends waiting for me in my sitting room. Pip had planned a surprise party for me and I was really surprised. Apparently I am incredibly oblivious! It was a lot of fun and it was really great to hang out with friends and just relax.
Saturday we went to a wedding and I packed. I am amazed that I actually fit everything into my bags. I left a lot of things behind so I'm not sure what took up so much room. Although I did buy a table so that would be part of it:)
Yesterday I went to the airport with an entourage - two cars full of people saw me off. It was really nice but it was hard not to cry. Then I got on the plane to go home. I should probably start reflecting and processing - I'm already feeling overwhelmed by the west and I'm just in an airport. But I'm too tired! Five and a half hours here, then 8hrs on a plane and then I am home. Coming off the plane here in Amsterdam I nearly froze and we didn't even have to go outside! Not looking forward to the snow at home!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Procrastination is a global phenomenon
Getting dressed for work in the morning is less fun then it used to be. This is because my options are more limited because I don't like to wear skirts anymore. I used to hate wearing skirts but my newfound aversion is not because of a reversion to my old attitudes. No, I just hate trying to explain all the bruises! So if I wear pants no one can see them which makes my day a little easier. They are gradually going away now - more of a mottled green and yellow tinge creeping in which is at least a change from the electric blue and deep purple. And they mostly don't hurt anymore, except if I accidentally kick myself in my sleep - and yes, I know how that sounds.
I am supposed to be writing the semi annual progress report for my program but am having a hard time concentrating on it. So instead I am procrastinating as much as possible. I have very little motivation to write it since a) it is not actually my job and my boss should be working on it b) it is not due for another month and a half and c) I have only 6 business days left before I leave and it is very unlikely that this will get finished before then anyways. So I have written only three pages in the last two or three hours.
In other news, I am no longer the only muzungu here at world vision Rwanda. This is exciting, but I'm sad now that I only have 6 business days left! Jo is here from Australia and it is nice having her in the office. She is here for almost a year, lucky girl.
I guess that is all except that I get to go to the tailor's tonight to pick up a jacket I had made and on monday I get to pick up some more clothes from my other tailor. Very exciting!
I guess I should go back to work....
I am supposed to be writing the semi annual progress report for my program but am having a hard time concentrating on it. So instead I am procrastinating as much as possible. I have very little motivation to write it since a) it is not actually my job and my boss should be working on it b) it is not due for another month and a half and c) I have only 6 business days left before I leave and it is very unlikely that this will get finished before then anyways. So I have written only three pages in the last two or three hours.
In other news, I am no longer the only muzungu here at world vision Rwanda. This is exciting, but I'm sad now that I only have 6 business days left! Jo is here from Australia and it is nice having her in the office. She is here for almost a year, lucky girl.
I guess that is all except that I get to go to the tailor's tonight to pick up a jacket I had made and on monday I get to pick up some more clothes from my other tailor. Very exciting!
I guess I should go back to work....
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Time is running!
I have been kept very busy lately with work. For the past three weeks I have been leading various trainings around the country. It meant that I got to see more of Rwanda than just Kigali and the Bugesera region where we've been working. The northern part of the country has very magestic mountains and is a little chilly way up on top of them! The southern part still has hills and mountains but for the most part they seem a little more subtle somehow. Now I am back in the main office realizing how much is left to be done before I leave! Our evaluation plan, our semi annual report, a couple of other reports and we have to figure out what we want to do for our community level trainings that will start (hopefully) at the end of april. Of course I won't be here for those, but deciding on what they will be about, how they will look and so on is still important. Also, I need to help review annual operating plans with the ADPs we are working with which will take some time as well.
On top of all of this, I want to spend time with friends, go to places I haven't yet been and do things I haven't been able to do. And I have less than two weeks to do it all!! But I figure sleep is something that can be saved for the flight home:)
I have been meeting a lot of new people in the last couple of weeks. I started going to an expat bible study and all of a sudden I have tons of muzungu friends - a weird thing for me since most of my friend here have been Rwandese! It is a little sad that I found this bible study and all these friends just before I am leaving, but at the same time if I had had the security of these friendships from the beginning my relationships with my Rwandese friends might not have been so important.
Even though I am very busy and have so much to do, I am starting to feel restless and a little stir crazy. I am looking forward to the change of scene that going home will provide and the freedom of mobility is an exciting prospect. Here, to get anywhere takes planning and time, especially since I don't take moto taxis anymore! I love it here still - and am really sad about leaving, but as the day gets closer I feel more and more that it is actually time for me to go home. That is not to say that I won't be back!!
On top of all of this, I want to spend time with friends, go to places I haven't yet been and do things I haven't been able to do. And I have less than two weeks to do it all!! But I figure sleep is something that can be saved for the flight home:)
I have been meeting a lot of new people in the last couple of weeks. I started going to an expat bible study and all of a sudden I have tons of muzungu friends - a weird thing for me since most of my friend here have been Rwandese! It is a little sad that I found this bible study and all these friends just before I am leaving, but at the same time if I had had the security of these friendships from the beginning my relationships with my Rwandese friends might not have been so important.
Even though I am very busy and have so much to do, I am starting to feel restless and a little stir crazy. I am looking forward to the change of scene that going home will provide and the freedom of mobility is an exciting prospect. Here, to get anywhere takes planning and time, especially since I don't take moto taxis anymore! I love it here still - and am really sad about leaving, but as the day gets closer I feel more and more that it is actually time for me to go home. That is not to say that I won't be back!!
Monday, February 25, 2008
You know how they say your life flashes before your eyes?...
I had some excitement on Saturday afternoon. Although, frankly, I can do without this brand of excitement!
Pip and I were at a friend’s house in Gikondo, a part of Kigali near to where we live in Kimihurura. We stayed longer than we planned and were in a hurry to get home since we had someone coming to our place. So instead of the 40 minute walk or the 20 minute bus ride we opted for motorbike taxis. These are much cheaper than car taxis – 300 rwf compared to 1500 or 2000 rwf for the same distance. I try not to take these very often and only when I am with someone else, but they are faster, cheaper and more convenient than other modes of transport. Also, I really like riding the motorcycles which is funny since I hated Dad’s so much when I was a kid! On Saturday Pip’s moto left ahead of mine since I took extra time to make sure that my helmet was tight enough. Good thing!
About half way home I was in the left lane and a minibus taxi driving in the right lane decided to pull a u-turn right in front of us. Let me tell you, this scared the crap out of me! I can still see the bus and remember how it felt realizing that we couldn't avoid it. My driver did manage to avoid actually hitting the bus, which is good since that would have really hurt, but we still ended up on the pavement. We ended up sliding on the bike's side. I remember laying on the pavement thinking, ‘I can’t be ok. Where does it hurt because I can’t be ok” Everyone stopped and the police came and we caused a big scene - it is not everyday that a muzungu is in a moto accident in Kigali. But I was totally fine. When two guys helped me up, I didn’t even have a scratch on me, which is a little crazy since I was wearing a tank top and we slid on the pavement a couple of meters before stopping. I have a few brightly coloured bruises to remind me of the occasion from where the bike and I collided and from where I hit the pavement, and I am still a little stiff. Nothing is broken and I don’t even have a cut or scrape on me. A couple days from now I will hardly notice, but you will not find me on a motorbike again anytime soon!
I know that I am lucky. It could have been worse but God was definitely watching over me and his hand was on the whole situation. My driver was also fine, just really really angry with the bus driver. Even the bike seemed like it would be ok!
Pip and I were at a friend’s house in Gikondo, a part of Kigali near to where we live in Kimihurura. We stayed longer than we planned and were in a hurry to get home since we had someone coming to our place. So instead of the 40 minute walk or the 20 minute bus ride we opted for motorbike taxis. These are much cheaper than car taxis – 300 rwf compared to 1500 or 2000 rwf for the same distance. I try not to take these very often and only when I am with someone else, but they are faster, cheaper and more convenient than other modes of transport. Also, I really like riding the motorcycles which is funny since I hated Dad’s so much when I was a kid! On Saturday Pip’s moto left ahead of mine since I took extra time to make sure that my helmet was tight enough. Good thing!
About half way home I was in the left lane and a minibus taxi driving in the right lane decided to pull a u-turn right in front of us. Let me tell you, this scared the crap out of me! I can still see the bus and remember how it felt realizing that we couldn't avoid it. My driver did manage to avoid actually hitting the bus, which is good since that would have really hurt, but we still ended up on the pavement. We ended up sliding on the bike's side. I remember laying on the pavement thinking, ‘I can’t be ok. Where does it hurt because I can’t be ok” Everyone stopped and the police came and we caused a big scene - it is not everyday that a muzungu is in a moto accident in Kigali. But I was totally fine. When two guys helped me up, I didn’t even have a scratch on me, which is a little crazy since I was wearing a tank top and we slid on the pavement a couple of meters before stopping. I have a few brightly coloured bruises to remind me of the occasion from where the bike and I collided and from where I hit the pavement, and I am still a little stiff. Nothing is broken and I don’t even have a cut or scrape on me. A couple days from now I will hardly notice, but you will not find me on a motorbike again anytime soon!
I know that I am lucky. It could have been worse but God was definitely watching over me and his hand was on the whole situation. My driver was also fine, just really really angry with the bus driver. Even the bike seemed like it would be ok!
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