Quick catch up

After a quick turn around with the clothes (god I hate washing..)it was back up to Kigali to meet Sarah, then on to Nyamata in the South East of Rwanda. Els was doing some training in her district of Bugesera and Chris and I were up to help. Before that though, on Sunday, we were treated to a really lovely evening of live music at her local, the ‘Black & White’ bar followed by a game of Taboo at Mary’s. Mary is one of the American girls who lives near Els and works in a girl’s school there. She very kindly let us stay for a couple of days and it really was a treat. The complex she lives in has wireless, hot showers and a water cooler so luxury indeed.

Burundi road trip

The training wasn’t starting till Tuesday so Monday we decided to take the van, another perk of the school, and head up to the Burundi border. Mary bravely opted to drive while Chris played DJ for the rest of us in the back. The landscape is quite different from where I am as it’s much flatter and drier and as we drove I felt like I was in a scene from some road trip movie. Lunch was at La Palisse where we ate by the lake and watched the birds for a while- we actually saw an eagle and some kind of diving bird, before continuing to the border. Once there we weren’t really sure what to do. VSO are still discouraged from driving through because of what happened to a volunteer years ago…and to be honest we had only intended to go this far. So despite a most-friendly border guard encouraging us to ‘keep going’ we took a few pics and turned back. Probably illegal, we decided that posing by the road sign would make a good few pictures. As we did so, we didn’t realise that some children had gathered and were eager to join in. It was hilarious but perhaps not what VSO mean by their ‘sharing skills, changing lives’ motto. On the way back, Mary took us to ‘the hole’- a rather bizarre ‘place of historical interest’ which the nuns at her school take the girls to. Legend has it that unmarried girls who fall pregnant were taken here and left to die…Strange choice for a school trip.

The rest of the week was spent training. It was nice working in a different district, with different teachers and it was fun to train with Els and Chris. Els had a little accident a couple of weeks back on her moto (glad it’s not just me then..) so I had a go, just to make sure the moto wasn’t dodgy (as if I really know…).It seemed ok and she managed to drive to all the trainings without falling- really good considering there was a horrible bit of scree to get through. Me and Chris took motos but even so it was pretty hair-raising.

For the last night, we stayed at Els’s. She lives at the back of the house of a Rwandan couple. After the school, it was a contrast but lovely nevertheless. It’s very cosy with a bedroom and a small living area. The toilet is a drop pit (surprisingly clean) which doubles up as the ‘shower’ room. So, with my bowl of cold water and wash bag, I negotiated my way past the rubbish hole and entered the bathing area which I discovered becomes incredibly slippery when wet if you’re wearing flip flops. There is at least electricity though so I could see what I was doing. As I washed, I became aware of voices very close by…then peering through the holes in the wall, I realised that I might not be the only one who could see what I was doing and quickly retreated back to the room where Els explained that she’s in the past been greeted as she showers…Oooerrr!

Just training at the mo, a bit for MINEDUC, then a couple of days with Amy and the diocese schools…Rumour has it schools are going back a week early though so ready for last minute changes, as usual.

Will put some pics here soon when I have better connection...:0)