Motorcycle diaries...

Well after the excitement of the earthquake, the rest of the week has turned to be pretty uneventful. Two weeks of exams started on Monday so the only school visits I did were to the central schools we’re using for May. I managed to get the bike for most of the week too although it was very much in demand and I’m not really sure what the rules are about who gets to use it and when and of course there all kinds of problems I hadn’t anticipated…

Marc was really insistent last week that I present my itinerary to him by Friday so he could secure the bike for me the following week. So I did. Not only that but I also endured the 2 hour management meeting (in kinyarwanda!) which he’d also encouraged me to attend even though Alphonse (the lovely mayor) had agreed there was no point. Anyway, meeting over, Marc sheepishly explains to me that there’s a problem with his bike (He always says his - it’s actually the district’s, I know this but I don’t say anything). No insurance. Oh brilliant…He then says that he needs to go to Kigali for a meeting and wonders how I feel about riding without it…The look told him exactly what I thought and surprisingly he delayed his trip and popped into town for the renewal forms…Ha!

On Tuesday, after a detour to the mechanic’s - the children had thought it funny to pull one of the wires on Amy’s bike – I got back to the office, starving hungry, so nipped to Eden for an omelette speciale. It’s a nice place just such a shame they insist on playing bad music at full blast,. It’s the same on the buses though where I try and sit as close to the speaker as possible now just so I can muffle the sound - I feel it’s my public duty.

Emmanuel asked to borrow the bike late Tuesday. No problem, he’s one of the secretaries (there are lots of them for different things, good governance, social affaires etc). Anyway, Wednesday morning he still wasn’t back so I texted him to remind him that I really would need the bike by 12pm that day. I didn’t expect the reply I got. Unfortunately, it seems that both his grandparents had died so he wouldn’t be able to bring the bike back…Fair enough.

So, of course, I went in search of another and luckily for me Alexis who works for one of the ‘Anti-Aids’ initiatives in the district could lend me his. Before, he gave me the keys he just wanted to check a few things - the usual: Did I have a licence? Did I have a helmet? and of course most importantly, was I married or single?...It’s hilarious. Everyone wants to know which you are. Either, or, there’s nothing in-between. I wouldn’t be surprised if before an operation here the anaesthetist checks your status before putting you under.

Ah I love it when I see the postman. There’s actually two of them but one is strictly for post ‘in’ the other for post ‘out’. Can be quite irritating if you know you have something to collect but ‘the other’ is on lunch. Anyway I had received 3 parcels and luckily they had both eaten so in I skipped to collect them. As usual I like to really savour the moment of opening so waited till I got home, cup of tea in hand and excitedly got to work. Moments later I was in Green & Black’s heaven and once again very grateful for all the goodies and I still had one more to open, the biggest. Anyway, on opening I was bemused to say the least. Amongst the toiletries and supernoodles was a large England top and two packs of coloured pencils…These were from my mum who has strict instructions now of what I need and what I don’t so while the pencils were a nice thought for some children, the England shirt was a bizarre inclusion especially as I can’t stand football…Anyway, it turns out she didn’t send either the pencils or the shirt so we think they may have been added in transit. I was worried that they had replaced something else but it seems not. Both postmen agreed that it was a bit of a mystery but couldn’t offer me any explanations…Strange eh?

Umuganda

It’s Saturday morning now and I’ve just remembered it’s umuganda - shops closed till 11am + community working together on various projects = muzungos sleeping in. Yesterday I managed to get all the resources we need printed and ready to take to Kigali for photocopying at the Programme office…It’s ICT2 next week. The timetable doesn’t look too bad, lots of kinyarwanda lessons and sessions about everyone’s roles - how they do or more likely do not match up to descriptions etc. We’ve also got meetings with our programme manager’s to speak with them about various issues. I’m actually very excited about having a hot shower and 3 meals every day. Of course I’m completely spoiled here what with Anne-Marie being here and cooking for me 4 days a week but when she’s not, god it’s hard work. Take yesterday, having done everything I needed to do by 2 pm, I wandered home thinking how nice it’d be to sit in the garden before starting dinner. I normally use the kerosene stove but tonight, I’d have a go with the charcoal, how hard could it be? So anyway, having chilled out sufficiently, I began to start chopping, it must have been about 4pm. I had loads of veg to use up so once again, I’d do a soup. Half way through the preparations J called, the onions were taking their toll so we said we’d speak later after all this shouldn’t take long…But this is exactly why the day just zooms past here- everything always takes sooooo long. A box of matches, one pile of cardboard and a good 3 hours later I was still there willing the charcoal to take. The vegetables themselves seemed to understand my frustration, even the cabbage looked sad…But just then, Latislas arrives for his night shift, thank god. In 20 minutes, the embers were glowing, I was slow roasting corn on the cob and the soup was on the boil. Apparently, it’s all about the funnel (some kind of bottom/lid-less paint pot). Anyway, I know exactly where he keeps this now so I’ll try again tonight. Might start a bit earlier though.

Oh my god, I’ve just wibbled on and not said how excited I am about Uganda, cos I am! We’re going on the Saturday after the week in Kigali and have a pretty full schedule taking in the lakes and other points of interest. Jason and Anna from my first VSO course were placed there last month, so it’d be nice to catch up with them if I can. Apparently, the bus only takes 7 hours to get to the border so really not that bad.

Right, it’s another appointment with my laptop tonight. I managed to watch episode 2 of ‘Mistresses’ last night so it’s the next one tonight (everything in moderation…) I can’t believe how excited that makes me but it’s all about perspective I guess and when you haven’t seen TV for months, you really appreciate it…Before that though, it’s a beautiful day so I’m off out to see which shops are open yet.