Weekend in Kigali

Oh dear, not really sure where I left this blog last time so will just pop down a few things which happened last week as they come to me. It’s Monday morning now and I’ve had a fantastic weekend in Kigali, but more of that later…

Well I guess it’s a good thing. I had a meeting at last with Innocent which although wasn’t particularly helpful, did at least break the silence! According to him there are no motos I can use which is annoying to say the least. If I do want to visit a school (pretty essential) I can attend a weekly management meeting where I can see if there are any cars available (?). Not great when I’m trying to arrange a timetable for the schools. The other thing is phone calls. There is no landline here so I’m going to have to be creative about how I contact them. So, he wasn’t too useful. My programme manager isn’t too impressed with him but just told me to be patient and to approach the mayor instead (!) Thing is everyone seems to be on holiday so will concentrate on just getting to know the names and positions of everyone in the district, it’s a small world round here so I think it’s time well spent!

Despite Innocent’s apparent lack of interest and the rumour that he’s off soon anyway, I did get to attend a meeting with the head teachers. Great, I thought, an opportunity to introduce myself,...6 hours later, bored and hungry I was regretting this naïve enthusiasm. It was incredible how slow the whole thing was. There were over 80 of us there, so we began by introducing ourselves, one by one, before being subjected to just hours of talk-not even a coffee break! My boredom was compounded by the fact the whole thing was in kinyrwanda. A well-meaning head realised this and began to translate everything into French but his French was probably as good as my kinyarwnda so the whole thing was just painful. I really tried to remain interested but by the end, my smile cracked, I couldn’t even pretend and I let out a few strategic yawns hoping someone would take pity and release me, but no one did…

I met my neighbour last week. She turned up in my garden having made it past my ever so vigilant guard… It turns out she’s the sister-in-law of my land lord. I’m realising how small the town really is. I wasn’t quite ready for it so have promised an invite soon. Shall have to stock up on fantas and nido (milk powder which is added in such large amounts to tea and coffee that I wonder just what Nestle put in it…). Anne-Marie kindly walked her home… It’s just one of the little tips we were given at ICT that when you have guests you should walk them not only to your door but if possible to their house…Basically however far you go with them reflects their importance to you. Funny.

Walking to work is different here. For a start there are just so many people on the road. Wherever you look people are walking. School children in large groups, mothers with babies on their backs, boys with bikes (since the hills are a nightmare..). There is just this constant flow of people. Obviously being a ‘muzungo’ I attract a lot of attention, most of it is positive and I can honestly say so far, I’m enjoying the celebrity. I’m sure it will lessen as we all get used to seeing each other but I feel like the pied piper at the moment. Children stare open-mouthed as I walk past, then join me. I sometimes don’t even realise they’re behind then I hear the giggling and notice my shadow has changed…I’m able to tell them, ‘nitwa Amalia’, so I’m no longer just a muzungo!

KIGALI
Am once again writing retrospectively which is taxing for the old brain… Annoyingly, Google’s not working my end so not sure when I’ll be able to upload this either, damn!
Anyway, Friday morning Amy and I made the 11am bus for Kigali, so got to the capital in good time and before the programme office closed. Managed to get my expenses in and find some good books. Am doing lots of reading lately what with the slow pace of work- managed to find We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed with Our Families- it gives another perspective on the genocide…I also picked up a lighter one for bus journeys!
It was great to meet up with everyone again. Bridget, Sarah and myself met some of the other vols for pizza and beer at Sol e Luna, a really lovely restaurant in Kigali with a fantastic view. It’s was quite close to Sarah’s where we were all staying so no hassles to get back either.

Saturday was Valentine’s day and here in Rwanda it’s pretty much celebrated as back home - lots of plastic roses and tacky cards. I’m not normally into any of this but having cut out a large red heart, I admit I attempted my own romantic gesture with skype…Had arranged to call the boy and much to the amusement of some other vols in the café sent my love back home! He had dressed up specially and as usual so lovely to see him, especially since my texts still aren’t getting through. Have now given up on MTN. I went in yesterday to see if they knew why the texts weren’t being delivered and it was only after they made me send three more that they admitted they had no idea why it’s happening but perhaps I could go to their head office in Butare, argghh!

So after spending 3 hours in the internet café and shamelessly using the wireless connection we headed back to Sarah’s to get ready for the party. More of our group were staying tonight so we decided to treat ourselves to dinner at the Ethiopian restaurant first. To be honest, I wasn’t that impressed with the food but it was great being with everyone again. The bread (injera) had a strange texture and was rolled up tightly- think bandages- which I wasn’t too keen on. Still it was an experience and the coffee was lovely-the beans having been roasted and ground in front of us made it taste all the better!

We left the restaurant quite late in the end so had missed most of the party. Still there were lots of other vols to catch up with then it was on to a club. It was actually better than I expected but so packed. After lots of crazy dancing and even crazier posing for dodgy photos we got back around 3am…

Sunday was spent in Bourbon café for another wireless fix. It’s not exactly free but for everything you buy you get a certain amount of time…In the end then I ordered a massive burger and chips, coke, coffee and a zucchini cake (sounds horrible but is actually very tasty!). All good for my hangover. This time I got to speak with my brother, Nick, which was great.

At this point, I must tell you about Nakumatt, (ahh Nakumatt!). It’s one of the big supermarkets in Kigali and acts like a magnet for everyone but especially those of us who come from the more remote areas.. I went a bit mad but am so pleased with my purchases-I now have a kettle, hoorah!

After saying goodbye to everyone and making plans for the next couple of weekends, me and Amy met up for the 5pm bus back home. I forgot that it would be dark by the time I got back and wasn’t looking forward to the trek which included a steep hill up to the house in virtual darkness. With all the shopping I’d done my rucksack had all kinds of paraphernalia hanging off it and I struggled to keep upright. Along the route there were, as usual, people just walking and although at first it felt a disconcerting not being able to see properly, constant mumbles of ‘mirewe’ (good evening) made me feel safe and it was good to be home!


Yesterday was a good day in terms of work. I’m thinking that since I did a bit of translating for him, Innocent is much more interested in taking me along to things. Today I was honoured to be included in a tour of two schools. We were seeing how they were getting along with the recent changes. I went with Clement from the ministry of education who proceeded to ask the heads lots of questions about how they were finding the new system. To be honest the cynic in me suspects that the heads were not being particularly honest in their reponses but just wanted to please the questioner. Since January, schools have undergone huge changes in terms of the content and structure of teaching. These include the instruction from government that all lessons should now be taught in English and that the day be split so the same teacher teaches all lessons to a class in the morning then repeats this to a new set of children in the afternoon with just half hour break in an already tiring 10 hour day.


Tuesday

OOoo I feel a little bit naughty but I think I’ve managed to get a bike! As I’ve said, Innocent tends to get a bit nervous and evasive whenever I mention using a district bike. I know full well that there are a pool of them but I think he just can’t be arsed to sort anything out. So today I decided I would get one, I just needed to convince the right people that I should have one…Simple!
So in I go to the executive secretary (he who can give the bike) and ask which bike would be available for me on Thursday because I need one to visit Kirehe.
‘Oh’ he says ‘do you know how to ride?’
‘Oh god yes, had to to come here…’
He then goes quiet so I continue with the rhetoric..
‘I mean I have my licence and everything at home, I’ll bring it tomorrow before I take the bike out. Oh and don’t worry I have my own helmet too ’.
And just like that I get the bike!

Thing is I am just a teensy bit worried. Apparently all the VSOers who came in September were made to take the bike test here…Some new rules. But it’s all a bit vague and no-one’s actually said anything to me so am sure it will be fine.


Wednesday

Why did I say yes?
Once again, I am just back from a ‘little trip’ to see some schools except it wasn’t that simple, nothing here ever is. I was in the office at around 8am when Clement rocks up and wonders if I’d like to go with him to see a couple of schools in Mushubi. Now I’d heard this was quite a way but once again I underestimated quite how far it would be, how long it would take and most importantly how long I would be without food! The school visits themselves didn’t take long but because all the schools are so remote, we were once again on dirt tracks and at the mercy of the weather which decided to be particularly cruel. Still, this wasn’t going to stop Clement taking advantage of the district car and bagging himself some bargains in the local market while I sat thinking about my lunch I’d stupidly left in the office thinking we’d be back in time! He did try and bribe me with some biscuits and though I was strong for a while, they were soon gone. As we made our way back down the mountain, there were 3 buses completely sunk into the mud with passengers trying in vein to get them moving. Even in our 4x4, the journey was pretty scary. Twice we had to be ‘bounced’ out of the river of mud so we could continue our mud slide down until at last we were on the only tarmacked road in the district, thank god!