Frequently Asked Questions Part 3

Here is the final post answering the rest of the frequently asked questions people ask me and my family about my life here in Rwanda.

11) What are traditions or cultural norms in Rwanda that are different than American culture?

This could take days and weeks to explain, and I still only know and understand a small part of Rwandan culture. Lets quickly discuss things that are drastically different from American culture. One of the big things that many volunteers struggle to understand id dating culture in Rwanda. This is still a very conservative practice, where no one really dates, instead you’re proposed marriage and then you are considered ‘dating’ until your wedding date. There is also a dowry that is paid to the bride’s family and negotiations for this dowry are reenacted during the traditional wedding ceremony. This also leads to a very different culture of consent in Rwanda. In traditional communities, consent is given when a woman either enters a single mans house without another woman or allows a man to enter her house without an accompanying person. Luckily, Peace Corps warned us about this culture so we could all be aware. Even when my landlord enters my house to fix something or help me, all doors and windows stay open and usually one of his children comes along.

There is also very strict traditions about naming a baby. The community will not know a baby’s name, until months later, at the traditional baby naming ceremony. During this ceremony every guest will hold the baby and guess it’s name whiling giving a small amount of money or a gift such as; baby formula, powdered milk or diapers. Usually, I pick a random Rwandan name of one of my students and everyone thinks it’s hilarious. I could continue for forever on different cultural practices or traditions I’ve experienced, but I would never do Rwandan culture justice.

Below is a picture of my students ready to perform a traditions Rwanda dance for our end of school year celebration.

12) Is Rwanda safe?

The answer is YES. I have rarely felt unsafe in Rwanda. People are overly friendly and welcoming. I have never felt that I would be physically harmed in anyway. The government is extremely responsive to security issues and takes great pride in keeping everyone safe. Guns are not allowed to be owned by citizens and security officers are everywhere. The majority of the safety issues that happen in Rwanda comes from conflicts in the surrounding countries. Volunteers like to say, “Rwanda is a very safe country, in a very bad neighborhood.” Sadly, every country surrounding Rwanda has pretty severe unrest at times, which sometimes spills over the boarder. This happened on the southern border (somewhat close to where I live) just over a year ago, when Burundian rebels crossed the border in the rain forest to steal from rural villages on the border. The response of the government was quick and severe. This is why there is a helicopter pad close to my village now; the army began more patrols not he border and temporarily shut down the market where Burundian sells would cross over to sell in Rwanda (this market recently reopened). There is still a large increase in security within the rain forest still, with a soldier placed about every 100 feet along the road. Right now the biggest threat to Rwanda is Ebola crossing the border from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but the government has already put into place many plans for when this does eventually happen.

13) What is the transportation like in Rwanda?

Transportation in Rwanda is surprisingly easy. Busses travel around the country for a fairly low cost, reaching all of the large towns. Many of the busses leave every 30 minutes to different places, and I am allowed to take a motorcycle taxi on unpaved roads to get to my village or another volunteer’s village outside of large towns. But, I also tend to walk places a lot, since Peace Corps rules limit the places you can take a motorcycle taxi. If I did not have to follow Peace Corps transportation rules, it would be even more convenient and efficient, especially in Kigali. Travel within Rwanda does take time though, especially since I live very rural. It takes me 1 1/2-2 hours to get to the largest town near me and about 5-6 hours to go to Kigali. The transportation in Rwanda has taught me to be loose with my plans, since busses break down, run out of gas, and roads can very muddy and dangerous at times, so even a short journey could end up taking you all day.

14) What is the most difficult thing about your service?

This changes depending on my mood or how I’m feeling on any particular day. This past week I was having a very difficult time with people watching me and even following me. While most of the time this doesn’t bother me that much since I understand people (especially children) are just curious, but I was very annoyed at how people would film me running by in the morning or even stop to yell down the road at me. Other weeks, it’s basic living that is much harder in this country than in the United States that has a lot more conveniences at your fingertips. I also get frustrated at the rules Peace Corps imposes on volunteers sometimes, or the sometimes unrealistic expectations my community can impose on me. It all changes depending on the situation. Peace Corps’ slogan used to be “The most difficult job, you’ll ever love.” And it’s one of the most true statements I have ever heard. Life is never as easy as it was in the US, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love waking up here every single day.

15) What is your favorite part of your service?

While I still have half of my service to go, I have loved so many different parts of my past year here. One of the biggest things for me is how close my community is and how much they are welcoming and willing to help me out. The other day I got caught in the rain, then my Moto broke down and I had to walk partway home in the dark. This is something I would have hated doing in the US, but I truly feel safe in my community and I know that if I knocked on any door someone would help me if I needed it. I also feel this when it rains in my village; anyone will let you take cover in their house or insist you spend the night so you aren’t returning home in the dark. This is one of the things I know I will truly miss when I return home. While there is still sometimes a sense of community within your friends, you often have to seek it out or work hard o find friends who will truly drop what their doin to help, and in Rwanda it’s just an expected part of the culture.