I'm a Bird With No Legs

Look how beautiful my view is!!! I couldn’t believe it as we drove through the many, many hills on our long trip to the Southern Province. This was the first time I was able to see where I will be living for the next 2 years. I got to meet all the teachers I will be working with and meet all of my future students. It couldn’t have been more exciting!

*I realized (thanks to my mom) I never told you I did pass my language exam with a Novice High score!

The visit began with my headmistress taking me on a 7-hour journey through Rwanda by bus. This actually wasn’t a terrible ride. My friend, Matt, who will live in the next village, and I met an extremely kind, encouraging, and enthusiastic volunteer from the Northern Province who kept us company the entire time. We stopped in our regional town before completing the next leg of our journey on dirt roads. As we drove further and further from our regional shopping town a pit began to form in my stomach. I am remote. I forced my mind to stay open as the drive turned into another 3 hours. My headmistress pointed out the village as we drive passed towards her village (she lives about an hour away). From my quick glance my village looked like 2 shops and maybe 5 houses with a giant health center and that was it. When we finally reached the bus stop the hill opened up to a bigger village with almost everything I could need, except peanut butter, but we are convincing a shop owner to start selling it.

I stayed with my headmistress the entire week since my house was still being repaired for my return in 2 months. This week was a whirl wind and I wasn’t even very busy. I became overwhelmed and shocked very quickly. The first morning, I woke up to my headmistress and her family doing chores around the house. I had a plan to meet Matt, the volunteers he will replace, my site mate, Megan, and the two missionaries that live in our regional town for lunch, but my day was free until 2pm. I awkwardly sat in my room waiting for someone to tell me what to do or where to go. This was the first day since I arrived in Rwanda that my day was not planned for me and I reverted back to a child. Thankful technology saved me! And I quickly text the other umuzungu (white people) to meet up in town. It took time, but I was able to ask my headmistress to help me get a bus to their town (the market town) to meet them. Truthfully, we did nothing, but speak English and one of them showed me how to make a Peace Corps Oven using the charcoal stove and 2 pots to make a Dutch oven. We were a ridiculous scene, all 5 of us walking to the missionary’s house. I don’t think there have ever been this many white people in this village before. We had an amazing meal with the missionaries who made us pizza (with real cheese!) and even had ice for our Fantas! This is only exciting since we have been and will be living without these American necessities for a long time. It was comforting to have a normal American meal and only speak English for once.

The very next day, I was told we would be visiting my primary school and having lunch with my site mate, Megan.

After a very long morning of waiting to leave (I’m still not used to the Rwandan sense of time), we finally made our way to school. My headmistress and I had a difficult time navigating bus schedules, moto drivers and finally got a ride from her friend, down the hill to school. Beata gathered the students and had me introduce myself in English and Kinyarwanda and then introduced me to each teacher. Since next week is testing week the students are finishing work and reviewing, so most of the teachers are not teaching full classes. I excited waited until we could leave to visit my house. I will be living in a house owned by Seth, the schools Kinyarwanda teacher (Yes! Built in Tutor!). I will tell you all about my house after I move in. I was able to meet Megan and her supervisor Titi for lunch at Megan’s house. They quickly invited me to visit Megan’s hygiene project in another village. We began the slow hike up to the village to remove jiggers from children’s feet. I quickly found a group of children to play soccer and volleyball with and for the first time in this journey to my site I felt at home.

Since my Headmistress was suddenly very busy with district meetings I was left to my own devices most of the week and I felt like a baby who didn’t know how to walk. All of the sudden, I had to make my own decisions and figure out things by myself. Suddenly, getting a bus ticket on my own was a feat and walking through town was a struggle. Thankfully, my fellow volunteers helped me out and came to my rescue when showing me around the market town and my village. Quickly things didn’t seem so scary anymore. I remembered that buying food here isn’t that different, that no one will get upset with my Kinyarwanda skills as long as I try and that it’s okay to walk by yourself. They were also able to remind me that it’s also okay to be an umuzungu and watch a movie for a bit.

I quickly began exploring more of my village and meeting everyone in it. I observed my fellow teachers and grew more excited at the thought of teaching again in just a few short months. I was even able to take part in a hygiene workshop about hand washing. This was a reminder of what I came here to do and that things aren’t so terrifying if you just go out and do them.

This week did pass by quickly and I can honestly say I am so excited to return very soon, I couldn’t be happier with my site in the hills far from the city, but close enough to get peanut butter.

Thank you!

I would like to take a second to thank some friends that helped me this week in a moment of panic despite me being completely wrapped up in my own life. My best friends, Halah, Kasey, and Jordan stayed up until 2am (their time) talking me down as I panicked about not know what to do. I couldn’t wish for better friends and support back home that will never tell me to come home but will remind me of why I’m here and who will always give me perspective (and answer my weird medical questions). Only true friends will listen to me rant about being served dried sardines for 4 days. Thank you guys! I miss you tons! Kilimanjaro 2020!!!