Unearthly Bored

I have Finally caved and started listening to books on tape. Sean mentioned the other day that I had not mentioned my lack of music recently and was pleased with my growth that my loss was apparently just a blip on the radar. I had been trying to keep my verbal complaints to a minimum and keep track of my thoughts and media input on paper, but my innate laziness eventually won out and I stopped writing things down. Partially because I was willing to accept the 33 songs on Jen’s computer that I know / would be willing to listen to and have played them on repeat. I even started playing Donkey Kong with the sound on because that was enough melody to feed my ears with. Chris will also let me borrow her ipod when she’s not using it, as will Penny. And Katie has country, so I listened to it all weekend in Kigali. I had also been keeping track of my dreams for a while, but there were a few nights where either I didn’t remember them, or they were ultimately boring. Recently, they have started to be interesting again, so I’ll probably start writing again. It partially depends on the bedding situation at site – I’d forgotten just quite how small twin beds really are.
Right now, I am listening to “The BFG” because I’ve read it often enough that it’s almost like background music. I now have a whole collection of Roald Dahl books along with the Twilight series, the Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow sagas (YES!!!!!) Louis L’Amour short stories (??), Inkdeath series, Thief Lord, and Dragon Rider, and The Black Company Series by Glen Cook (again, ??). [Oh yuck – that’s a terrible voice for the giant.] not that I really have any way to listen to them once I go to site, but I’ll figure it out.

I suppose I ought to continue with last week’s saga. Monday night, Michele and I did not follow directions very carefully and instead of taking a cab to the designated neighborhood, we took a bus to the Peace Corps office which we heard was near the neighborhood. Good thing we tried to go early because we ended up walking for about 45 minutes through the nice Americanized neighborhood complete with tennis courts, golf course, and community hall. When we arrived at the Mbanda house, I felt like I was stepping into a Pleasanton home (Morgan clan will understand this). Huge, classy, beautiful, multiple stories, pool in the backyard, AND (exciting to see in Rwanda) refrigerator, microwave, pantry, island in the kitchen, and a beautiful Christmas tree in the corner adorned with lights, and ornaments – even the necessary 1st grade macaroni made and painted decorations. The Mbanda family was just delighting and delighted to meet Americans that could speak Kinyrwanda. Of course, it helps that I brought Michele with me. We enjoyed a delicious dinner and for dessert, African tea and home made tree-tomato (Japanese Plums) Italian ice.

All right, Christmas. On Christmas Eve, we had another talent show. Kevin and I opened with “Baby It’s Cold Outside”. One house recreated the last 15 minutes of the Charlie Brown Christmas movie from the Christmas speech through the dancing to the tree decorating and finally the Christmas carol at the end – all in about 5 minutes, of course. It was adorable. There were Christmas jokes and finally, Marta and Colleen read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” – Rwanda Style. After our very short talent show, we held a White Elephant gift exchange. I brought a blow up goose that squeaked, and won “A Day with the Frat Pack” which included dinner and a beer. The Frat Pack is Brandon, Austin, and Ryan, and they have quite the bro-mance going on, and they definitely earned their name.
So Christmas morning, people came over to our house way early and we started on our Christmas brunch (which we ate around 12:30). I helped cook initially, but as more people came, I just donated cooking supplies and found other things to do around the house. I cleaned some of the dishes that had started to collect from the week, and then I did my laundry. I finished just in time to wash up before eating. We had scrambled eggs with chicken and cheese and veggies in it, mac and cheese, fruit salad, and hash browns. Oh! And African tea (Hot Milk with Ginger), home made eggnog, and hot cocoa.
Morgan was my first call of the day, followed by Sean, and then my Parents. I did spend my day with the Frat Pack, but it was pretty mellow. Other people watched Love, Actually (which I watched 2 weeks ago) and Elf (which I also watched most of 2 weeks ago). I got to a point where I decided it was much easier Not to try and make December 25 feel like a holiday this year. There is no way to feel the same as when I’m at home, and it’s just too depressing to try. Plus, my time will go by much more quickly if I can just let everything run together.

Day after Christmas? I believe I posted the last blog =D. blimey, what did I do… (yes, still listening to Roald Dahl) yes! I sat at the interwebs for quite a while, trying to figure out how to load pictures – obviously didn’t work… but I think I have figured it out. When I post this tomorrow, I will try again. I went to lunch with Jen and Marta, and then came back and sat all day. Sunday was not much more exciting. I kept meaning to get to the market and buy buckets and cooking pots and things, but I’m sure you’re all aware of just how much self motivation I have with no real schedule to follow. Plus, it was still raining. Right – I haven’t mentioned that yet. As of now – at 8pm on Dec 28th, it has been raining for 5 days. I saw the sun for 3 hours on Christmas morning, 2 hours on the 26th in the afternoon, and another 2-3 yesterday around noon; because, even when it’s not raining, it is permanently cloudy.

Note – I have just discovered how to make this Word document read like a book.

This morning, our first third of PCVs were trucked off to their sites. Jen and I caught a ride into Kigali and I hit up one of the Indian markets for spices and basic foods. I now have 2 types of lentils, rice, noodles, tomato paste, some peanut butter and jelly, and mock Nutella. And Maggi cubes. As far as we understand, this is pretty much pure MSG, and it’s delicious. I’m hoping that Byumba has some stores for anything else I might need.

Ok, I swear I’m not trying to do this backwards, but I keep writing things and remembering other things I need to write about. Like my site! Ok, I don’t know a lot, but I’ll give you what I can. And I’ll try to stop saying OK so much… I am in the Gicumbi district in the north, just south of the capital, Byumba. I will live in a very small shopping strip area. Next to one of the stores, the owner has built a house. It’s pink. I do not have electricity, but I have purchased a gas tank with a thingy that sits on top and you can light like a stove. Yes, I know it has a name, no, I don’t remember what it is. I will also buy 2 small charcoal burners as well. My “kitchen”, toilet, and shower area are all in the backyard. Haven’t seen it yet, so I don’t exactly know what that means. I don’t know if there is a water spigot at the house, but if not, I can hire someone to deliver water to me.
Yesterday, I was delivered my bicycle, bike helmet, and motorcycle helmet to take to site with me. I know my school is only a few kilometers from my house, but I don’t know what the terrain is like, so I don’t know how often I will use the bike. There is a market town fairly nearby in the other direction. Apparently, this is where I will go if I need to charge things. I am hoping for very tiny things, like my phone, I will be able to charge at the school.
I am the closest Ed PCV to Kigali, but I expect I will go to Byumba more often.

Sidebar - I think the hair on my arms has bleached.

No, I don’t really have anything else to say about my site. I don’t know anything yet. I leave on Wednesday, and I don’t know when I will get back to internet again. I certainly won’t have Jen’s computer for any more of these novel sized blogs. Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 marks the first time I will ever truly live alone. I don’t really expect to sleep for at least the first week. And I don’t really know what I’m going to do about new years, but I might try and ignore it too.

- oh for the love of pete – british voice actors trying to sound like Iraqis – just tragic.

In any case, I will be procuring a PO box as soon as possible, and I will post my new address. For those of you who are interested, my phone number is posted on my facebook page. And again, if any of you are interested in the personal thoughts emails I send home, please either make a comment or message me on FB or email me and I will make sure to add you to the list.

Oh yeah – school starts on February 1. I am hoping that the teachers will be at school during January and I can help with their training. Otherwise, I will be writing a lot of letters, and practicing cooking a lot. I certainly will have time to settle in…

another 10 days - only talking about 5 of them

Another 10 days. Some of my peers here keep a diary of our daily activities. This would probably be a good idea so that I have some base when I sit down to write these blogs. I had been taking notes for a while, but am swiftly running out of paper. I bought some more notebooks in Kigali, but I really hope my boxes get here soon.
Ps. It’s 7:30 the morning after Christmas, so my verb tenses probably won’t agree in most of my sentences.
Sidebar – Christmas joke – what does the English teacher call Santa’s helpers? Subordinate Clauses.

And now – a day by day break down. Because you ALL need to know Every detail. ha. Who knows, maybe this will all just be a book some day. Then I’ll be glad I recorded everything…

Thursday night I got to eat pizza for the first time in 3 months. Not phenomenal, but close enough to American pizza to be pretty darn good. Friday we went over to PC office in the morning and listened to a genocide survivor give his testimony. I also talked to our coordinators to find out more about my site, so I’ll get to that in a bit. I bummed around the office all afternoon, and I think we tried some local passion fruit wine when we got back to the housing place. We were staying in a kind of a motel run by nuns next to their convent, church, school, and apparently winery – but it felt like dorms because the public bathrooms were at the end of the hallway/compound thing (all open air, with shaded sidewalks. Like the oakbrook mall, or Newsome HS. ) On the up side, they had showers. With a knob for Hot water. And the toilets flushed. Shazam.
So Saturday we spent all morning getting ready for swear in. For some of us, this meant straightening hair and hunting down jewelry. For others (me included) this meant lying flopped 6 to a bed watching everyone else get ready and finally get up (with plenty of time) to throw on my dress and twist my hair back.


Swear in:
We (all 35 trainees, our teachers, our coordinators, and staff) all bussed over to the ambassador’s house and signed in on the guest book. Then we sat. (because waiting for 50 some odd people to sign in takes a while) We opened up with the student speakers: Michele and Kevin co-read a speech in Kinyarwanda, Julie-Ann read a speech in French, and Katie Basketball (there are 2 katies, both from nebraska, so yes, that’s what we call her. The other Katie I might have ever referenced is the one who live in my house. Oh yeah, and we roomed together in Kigali over this weekend. ) anyway, Katie Basketball read a speech in English. Then we all stood and repeated the same oath all government employees do – except I think you’re supposed to pick either “swear” or “affirm” and actually say “I --- do swear or affirm to uphold the constitution…”. I kinda felt like we should have had caps to throw or something though. Oh well. This was all followed by a very nice buffet and we mingled with all the RPCVs (returned PCV) who came. Why are there a bunch of RPCVs in Kigali you ask? (ok, well maybe you don’t, but a bunch of us did) Because they all work for the State Dept. or USAID or NGOs now. I definitely picked up some business cards for people to contact when I come in to town. We had our cake while watching traditional Rwandan dancing. The dance troupe they invited is composed mostly of “children from disadvantaged families” in an effort to expose them to the arts and more of the world by performing.
We took one final picture with Everybody before we left. It is technically on facebook. I know it’s far away and hard to see us in any detail, but I’ve got a copy of it and when I post any kind of pictures, I’ll zoom in a little.

Sunday a bunch of us just lazed around – laid out in the sun in the courtyard, read and played music on our speakers. A few of us had an adventure and learned that you’re not supposed to fit 5 people in a cab, but managed to get to an Ethiopian restaurant. Food there was pretty good – I’m still not a big fan of the sponge like bread they use for plates, but they have great seasoning and it was a nice change from what we were used to. We capped off our adventure by learning the bus system. Busses in Rwanda always have the same 2 end destinations and certain stops along the way. I say always because the destinations are painted onto the bus, so there’s no switching around or taking another route one day. The Rwandans are Extremely helpful regarding busses as well. When you get close to the bus depot in the center of the city, just start asking around with the name of where you want to go, and someone will point you to the right bus. The drivers Always tell you if you are getting on the right one and won’t let you ride around for hours only to discover that the bus you’re on isn’t even going in the right direction. (presumptuous fear – I could see it happening in America) And if you’re anywhere else in the city, just ask the nearest store owner or person who looks like they know the area well where the nearest bus station is. Busses are pretty cheap too. The only frustrating thing is that it will cost you more to ride in a taxi across town than a bus for 2 hours out of town.
After this adventure, I went to the Rwandan version of BigLots which sells mostly Chinese products. I bought a lot of my kitchen supplies (pitcher, sponges, Tupperware, etc) and a wide bucket and checked prices on various other items. I was really glad to get a head start on my shopping because Monday was going to be hectic.
We had a meeting Sunday night about ordering mattresses and organizing groups for shopping on Monday. Right as we were about to start, we went over to turn off the TV in the dining room (staff was perpetually watching the TV) only to see ourselves on the Rwandan evening news! Apparently those cameras at our swear in were news cameras and they got some great shots of us looking ridiculous as we all try and be as serious as possible taking our oath. They also recorded Michele’s speech and interviewed her after. This broadcast has had some positive and negative effects: 1 - everyone knows who we are, and are excited to talk to us now. 2 – this, in turn, means we are getting hailed on the street a lot more. 3 – people think we can All speak as well as Michele and try to start conversations. 4 – especially men because the only thing better than a muzungu wife is one who already speaks his language.

So Monday was nerve-wracking. We split into 2 groups and put all our personal belongings onto the busses (that we would ride home on) and anything we bought into trunks that were labeled for us on the back of 2 large trucks. Group 1 would go to T2000 (the biglots store) and group 2 would park near the upper-scale grocery / malls that were across the street from each other. We start around 9 and at 11:30 everyone would switch sites. So you had to know exactly what you wanted to get from each site before you went, or settle for buying something that you could have possibly found cheaper or a better quality at the other store, or buying it twice. But before I could even be concerned with the shopping crunch, I had to figure out how to stay an extra day because I was supposed to meet Erika’s parents, Chantal and Mbanda, for dinner, and the reception desk had been closed on Sunday and I don’t speak enough French to make myself understood. (or KR, obviously) ok, I know you can all do this – picture me walking back and forth between the dining hall and my room (including a flight of stairs) about 8 times between breakfast and when the reception opened at 8 and checking with my teacher every stop that they would help me ask for a room and half packing up in case I didn’t get to stay, and half not packing up determined to stay and asking about a hundred questions about the truck/trunk situation because until it shows up, you don’t ever know exactly how things will work. Good grief, my pulse is rising just writing about it.
The room thing worked out and Michele stayed with me for the day. The shopping worked out and I got everything I planned on and some new books – Kidnapped by RL Stevenson and The Europeans by Henry James. I’ve decided I really like authors between 1850 and 1950. I feel more inspired to write after reading their prose.

Ok, I’ll finish my story of dinner and all the Christmas celebrations another time. Probably on Monday.
AND i'll tell you all about my site.
i promise. =)


Until then:
Things in America that I have learned about in Africa:
- Britney Murphy is dead. Who let that happen?
- New artist names Kei$ha (or something ridiculous like that). She’s hilarious. And gorgeous. Char, go look up her video on Youtube right now. First line of the song is “wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy”.
- It snowed EVERYWHERE. Except tampa. Still.

Final thoughts:
- I think Paul would have done well in the Peace Corps – Philipians 4:12-13 – I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being content – whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or need. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.

- but in your dreams, whatever they be, dream a little dream of me

attempt at wireless

We’re going to try and use the wireless interwebs. Maybe I can upload the blog and update Jen’s security at the same time.

Today is Wednesday, 16 December 2009. where has the time gone!! I’m a little happy that it doesn’t seem like 11 weeks. I mean, that’s an entire NCC trimester. Including finals. I have mailed 11 letters, 2 christmas letters, and 2 christmas cards. I have read close to 15 books (stopped counting), done 8 loads of laundry (by hand!), beaten Donkey Kong, drawn 3 real pictures and 2 crap ones. I have read 5 prophets and all the proverbs (and most of the psalms) twice. Tonight, Michelle and I will gather to pray for the third time. I know how to light a fire with charcoal and cook beans (I hope). At least I know I have rice down (thanks dad!).
On the flip side, due to the global postal system, I have only received one letter from home. I know the others are on their way, and I can’t WAIT to see them. =)

I am looking at a sheet of paper that says “congratulations! We recommend you to be a PC Rwanda volunteer”. Last Friday, we all trekked out to the basketball court on the field next door where our teachers had drawn a huge map of Rwanda and they placed us in our districts. I am in the north in Gicumbi with Jenn and Scott, and Michelle and Penny are just to the west. I’m working at a school with a very small population of secondary students.
Saturday, we took our final evaluation and Language proficiency exam. Passed. Exceptional on the Education and cross culture sections.
Monday we received more details about our housing. I know mine is pink. =) and it’s connected to a store front run by a man who works for World Vision. Hoping that means at least Some electricity. I know my bathroom, shower, and kitchen are all outside in the backyard. Ntakibazo – no problem. From Kigali, I take a bus to the nearest large town and then a motorcycle taxi to my house. I think my school is about 2.5 kilometers from my house, so I will either walk to ride my bike every day (depends on how hilly it is)

Tomorrow morning we go into Kigali and sort out bank accounts. Friday we walk around pre-pricing items and exploring Kigali. I might go with Michelle to meet some friends of hers. Saturday is swear in at the Ambassador’s house, and then Saturday night we are being thrown a party. By the USMC. Apparently, the PCVs hang out with the Marines all the time. Sunday and Monday are shopping days. PC have trunks ready for us and then they will truck all our stuff back to Nyanza with us on Tuesday. We will stay here through Christmas, and then PC will start driving us to sites on the 27th. Where we will sit for a month+ until school starts some time in February.
I fully intend to hire a language tutor (funded by PC) and re-learn French. And practice more drawing. Maybe start a garden? I might need some seeds for that… maybe write a book. Learn how to cook, and meet all my neighbors.

Tonight, we are having our Secret Santa gift exchange. PCVs and LCFs – should be fun. I think dinner might be something special too, since it’s our last night together. We also got our shirts today – black t-shirt, PC logo and flag on the sleeve, says Peace Corps Rwanda with a map on the front right chest with the colors of the Rwanda flag, and
I ♥ English
You ♥ English
He/She ♥ English
We ♥ English
You ♥ English
They ♥ English

On the back. Ps. ^ those are hearts if they don’t translate correctly.

Ok, I think I’m all caught up now. Going to sit outside the Cyber and see how long this takes to upload. Hopefully, this weekend will include pictures!! =)

Love you guys!

when you can see the finish line, you realize how much further you have to go.

Ok, first things first. Appendix to my gift list:

- Any kind of packet you can get from a restaurant – ketchup, seasonings, mayo, mustard (especially mustard!), hot sauce (yay taco bell!), salt, pepper, etc.
- nuts. Almonds, cashews, mixed nuts… for snacking (protein supplements)
- tuna packets – not cans, too heavy
- pretty much anything protein. Even just protein bars b/c that’s what I will be lacking here.
- NOTHING I HAVE TO PUT IN A MICROWAVE I know this sounds silly, but many people have gotten microwave popcorn or similar things. Not useful here.

As for the rest of life, sitting through the food and nutrition session today brought to mind a whole slough of issues I wish they would have addressed Way earlier, And given us more answers for.
For instance – even though we have a move in allowance, and can buy pretty much anything we need – where exactly does one find small charcoal stoves. Or gas cans. Or charcoal for that matter. And how are we going to transport all the things we get from Kigali to our sites. Further more, if we are going to Kigali for swearing in and only staying for 24 hours, how are we supposed to go shopping to Get all of our stuff (that we will then cart back to the training site for an other week).
We also talked about how to make gardens – and how to teach people to make gardens. And this included some kind of compost. Which made me realize, what the heck am I supposed to do with trash? I know some people burn theirs, but is someone going to show me how? Where do I dig the ditch? Do I burn it in my backyard, or do I take it somewhere? What about stuff that doesn’t burn, like tin cans? Who am I supposed to ask for things like this? Why don’t we cover This kind of stuff in language and cross culture class?

EVERYBODY GIVE YOU GARBAGE MAN A CHRISTMAS CARD! You are So lucky to have him!

Also, we have been given a booklet on “PCV roles” to present. There are 6 roles, and about 40-45 pages to explain each role. In groups, we have 10 minutes to present each role. Honest to pete. This was the one part of Peace Corps that I was worried about. I know how to teach, I can fend for myself with the food, even if it means eating a LOT of PBJ sandwiches. I kept asking the other PCVs how we were going to be expected to work on secondary projects and they promised me we would be trained. Well here it is – 10 minutes on 6 topics presented by amateurs.

Between the new food concerns, the shopping and transport issues, and now a highly disappointing training session – I’m actually reaching a ‘do I really want to do this?’ stage.
I know things will work out. They always do. And God has his hand on all the details of my life. But I’ve been concerned recently about how stuck in the moment I am – and seeing nothing but cliffs, moats, and metaphorical pitfalls does not encourage me to look up more often.

On an up note – family sent me Christmas pictures, which I leave open in a window the entire time I’m online. Yay snow. Yay lights and trees. Yay people I love. And some cadets I don’t know…

Language test on Sat. fortunately, we talked the coordinator into making us a study guide. Very helpful.
Running out of time and things to say.

Love you!
Write me!

Next on will be better, I promise. =)

good gifts

just in case you ever get the urge to send me a package, here are somethings i could probably use at any given point in time:

- anything you can put in water
ie. hot chocolate, apple cider, powdered gatorade, TANG, ramen noodles, insta-meals (lipton noodles, etc), flavored oatmeal packets, easy-mac, etc...
- anything to write with
black, blue, red pens, pencils, mechanical pencils
- paper
loose leaf, spiral notebooks, plain (cheap) printer paper
- gum
orbit is my fav, but i'll take anything
- beef jerkey
- granola bars
- art supplies
crayons, colored pencils, stickers
**LETTERS**
- old magazines or newspapers
these can be anything from national geographic to time/newsweek to InStyle. they're nice to read for me, and I can use them in class.


i'm sure anything you think of will be fine too, and if there is anything specific I need, i will probably coordinate it through my family and let all y'all know.

love you guys!