These are some other volunteers here in Rwanda...we came to the forest together...in pale blue and a cap is Karen...in the middle...Julie and in the black and a cap on the far side is Melanie...

Nyungwe Forest National Park Photos

Here are some photos taken in Nyungwe forest...The monkeys were awesom and the water in a couple of the pics in Lake Kivu....we were still about 20km from the lake...but it was clearly visable!!! I am going to put some more on in a second...but not sure how much time I have got left on the internet...hope you like them!!!

Friday 23rd October 2009
This morning Ruairi headed to Butare...My bag was packed for the weekend of fun...my clothes for travelling in were out ready...all I had to do was get through one more day in the office...and how hard could that be? I got to the education office at just gone 7am...Alexis was already there with our new ‘big boss’ Simeon...I stood in the doorway...and Alexis appeared to be looking straight through me...after a while...(I am not sure if maybe he was trying to remember who I was) he came back to life and explained who Simeon was (as if I didn’t know) he then informed me that there was no generator...and that he had a meeting...so I was told to ‘do whatever I want’ and with that I headed to the district office...at least they would have electricity and internet! I managed to last out until 2.30pm...by which time I was so miserable...there was nothing left to do but go home...once back at the house...I decided to repack everything...got changed and before I knew it, it was 4.30pm and I needed to get back to the office to catch the bus to Butare where I was to meet the others...just as I opened the door...it started to rain...and rain...and rain...I don’t just mean a little bit of drizzle...this was rain to put even the best waterproofs through their paces...but there was only one thing for it...I had to go...so with the waterproof cover on my camera case...dressed in a very fetching poncho...with an umbrella for a little extra protection...I headed out...much to the amusement of the locals...who didn’t even try to disguise their laughter at the soaking wet mzungu...by the time I had slipped, stumbled and sloshed my way to the office...I was nearly dry...with the exception of my legs, feet and any clothing which was not covered by the poncho...where the muddy rain had splashed back from the dirt covered road...my legs and feet were caked in a red/brown/mud/water solution...I looked awful...and i had a really pretty skirt on too!!! (which was also covered in mud) I was laughed at in the office, and by the time the bus arrived...the rain had stopped...typical!!! I met Melanie in Butare and we headed to the guesthouse where I got changed...and later we met with Julie...had a COLD beer and some dinner before heading to bed...only to suddenly remember...I only had one job to do...and I had forgotten...I was supposed to book the bus...it had to be done in advance as the bus doesn’t usually stop in Butare...crap it!!...During the night...I woke...and was horrified as when I looked at my mattress...it was covered in thousands of insects...I have never moved so fast in my whole life...I was up...armed with a torch...only to discover that it must have been a Larium induced hallucination of some sort...

Saturday 24th October 2009
Julie saved the day...up at the crack of dawn she headed out to book us onto the bus...I got dressed and headed to the bank and the post office...both were short visits, which is unusual for this country...the bus was booked for 10am...Karen was due in from Gitarama at 9.15am...we had breakfast and went to meet her from the bus...and then we waited...and waited...and waited...and finally at about 10.25am we were told to get onto a bus...and we were driven to meet the bus...the bus, unsurprisingly was very full and we all had to sit on the fold down chairs in the aisle...the journey took 3 hours 40mins...on a road which winds up and down the mountain side...the road actually goes all the way to Cyangugu, on the Congolese boarder...but we got off at the Gisakura tea estate in Nyungwe Forest National Park. Off the bus and armed with a million bags...we made our way, on foot, to the guesthouse on the tea estate where we were to stay for the weekend...it was basic but comfortable and the guard made us tea (from the estate) when we arrived...after tea and lunch...we walked to the ORTPN (not really sure what that stands for) where we booked walks in the park the next day...it was early to bed as we had a long day ahead on Sunday!

Sunday 25th October 2009
Up bright and early...beautifully dressed in t-shirt, walking boots and jogging bottoms tucked into my socks...following the advice of our guide, who met us at the guesthouse at 8am...the first walk we were to do was monkey tracking...the walk was reasonably easy and the moneys were incredible...colobus monkeys...black and white...with 3 fingers and a thumb...the leader of the troupe, surprisingly, is not a colobus monkey but is a crossbreed...this is very rare...but the other monkeys do as he says...from there we walked through a small patch of the forest (1km2) before heading for the main forest which covers 115km2 ...walking through the forest we had to walk quickly as there were huge numbers of ants...looking to hitch a ride...one did in fact manage...I looked down on my trousers to see an ant the size of small horse hanging on with its pincers...I tried with all my might...I really did...but it was no good...the squeals just had a mind of their own and seemed all the louder in the forest! Thankfully I was rescued by our guide, who managed to take the giant ant off me...but it wasn’t just the size...they really bite...and really hurt! Out of the forest we walked through the tea plantations and areas where they dry the tea using Eucalyptus trees...not sure how they do it...but they use those trees as they are sustainable. When a Eucalyptus tree is cut down, it grows from the stump...and will be big enough to use with 3 years! Down a dirt track, through the tea plantation (actually through the tea plants) and we found ourselves back in the forest...up and down...over bamboo bridges...slipping and sliding...we made it to the waterfall...it was amazing...the water is not clear as it flows from a nearby swamp which contains lots of animal remains, including the remains of elephants...the noise produced was really loud...we decided that this would be a good place to stop and have our picnic...we walked back the same way we came...about 20 minutes from the office...it started to rain...in the same fashion as Friday...but armed with my trusty poncho...I was dry (apart from the bottom of my trousers) when we got back but unfortunately this was not the case for the others! After stopping for a pop...we slowly made our way back to the guesthouse...we must have walked nearly 20km today and most of it was in the rain forest...up and down mountains! Buckets of hot water were used to shower with in the vain hope of stopping the aches and pains...dinner of chips, rice and goat stew was consumed...and photos were looked at...before we all fell exhausted into bed...

Sunday 26th October 2009
Hardly able to move...I crawled out of bed...every muscle ached...and even brushing my teeth was cripplingly painful...we had breakfast and quick tour of the tea factory. Unfortunately it was not running as Monday is cleaning day...but was interesting to see none the less. Collecting our bags, we headed for the bus stop...again this was not a normal stop so the bus (when it finally arrived) had to be hailed...this was done and we were on our way...the bus driver thought that he was on a race track and went hurtling down the narrow and winding mountain road...I slept some on the way...but when I woke...I found that the lady I was sat next to was doing some sort of strange breathing thing...I then realised...no...she was not breathing...she was burping...CONTINUOUSLY...it was DISGUSTING! I was informed that by the man next to me that she was ill and had air in her stomach...sad as I was for her...I was sadder for myself...yuk yuk yuk!!!! Finally we were back in Butare...Julie had hated the journey so far, so much that she decided to get off in Butare and get another bus from another company back to Kigali. We went for lunch in Mataar and then got the bus home in our opposite directions...The bus journey back to Gisagara was squashed and slow...with the local staring, pointing and laughing in their usual fashion. At home I unpacked and showered...still aching and sore...I finally clambered into bed at 8pm...

Monday 27th October 2009
Today is the start of the P6 exams. At 7am Alexis called to say that we were to meet him at the education office at 8am, when we would go in cars to visit schools, making sure that the exams were running smoothly...we arrived in the office and Alexis was nowhere to be seen...no surprises there then...eventually he arrived and had with him a MINEDUC official...it was decided that Ruairi would go with Alexis and the man from MINEDUC, while I would go with Protogen the head teacher of the local secondary school St. Phillipe Neri. Before we left for the schools we had to go to the district office to collect 3 enormous metal signs...big as they were...it was funny to watch 8 men struggle getting them into the back of the 4x4...not just because of the size of the signs but because they were completely cackhanded about it...in the end they got them in and secured them...and we were off...first stop was Ndora...and I was in a huge surprise...I am also thinking that we should threaten the children in Year 6 with this...as during the exams...the schools are guarded by armed soldiers, policemen and local security...and I am not talking about a little pistol...they have huge, huge, huge scary guns...I wasn’t going to do anything wrong! Everything appeared to be running smoothly so we headed on with our journey...while walking back to the car I was talking with Protogen about where the schools are and when he said one was near the border of Burundi I said that I will have been close to two borders this week as we were only a short distance from the Congolese border...a short while later we pulled up at the side of the road and dropped off the smaller of the three signs...the signs are something to do with stopping corruption...anyway...there was a bit more of a struggle and the sign was out and we were on our way again...next stop was the Kibirizi sector office...he we dropped another sign and picked up a policeman...at the second school every was again running smoothly...but this is not surprising considering the armed guards outside all of the schools to ensure that there is no cheating...either by teachers or children...the system for setting the exams puts the British system for SATs to shame! Several versions of each paper are sent to the printers in the UK...then 2 employees from MINEDUC (the Rwandan Ministry of Education) go to the UK to choose the final versions of the papers which will be printed and used...the papers are then flown to Rwanda where they are met by the army...they are kept in storage overnight with 2 armed soldiers...they use two so that they can keep an eye on each other! Then the papers are taken (again with armed soldiers) to the district education office...from there they are dispatched to the examination centres...there are one or two in each sector and the all the children from surrounding schools will go to the allocated exam centre for their sector (exam centres are in the most central and accessible schools). The children take the exam under the supervision of the army, police and local security...all with guns...two children from each of the examination rooms has to verify that the packets of exam papers have not been tampered with and the supervising teacher is not permitted to see the paper until the exam is over...MINEDUC officials and the director of education visit the schools to make sure that the test is being carried out properly...when all the exams are finished...the papers are collected and taken to the education office in the district by more armed soldiers and they will be guarded for the night...the next day they will transported to a centre in province, so for the southern province the centre will be in Butare and there the papers will be marked...so, there is no cheating and the children are not permitted to ask for any help, including the reading of the paper...P6 is the equivalent of Year 6 and the children are supposed to be aged around 11...Not only are they not to ask for any help in the reading of the test...but these children until last year, had all their education through French...now they are sitting exam papers written in English! Anyway...we plodded on to some of the more remote sectors in the district...on the way we picked up 3 hitchhikers and Protogen decided that he was going to drive so the driver was now sat in the back with me and one hitchhiker, while the other two were in the pickup bit...after we had finished visiting the schools, we went to the sector office in Nyanza sector...the policeman had to do something...and then Protogen said that as we had seen all the schools, we would now see the border of Burundi...we picked up someone else to give them a lift...but less than two minutes later they had been dumped out and a soldier (with his huge great big scary gun!) was now sat in his place in the back of the car with myself and the driver...we seemed to be driving for ages...on possibly the worst roads I have ever seen...with grass growing not just down the middle or the sides...but covering the entire road! Finally we came out onto a proper tarmac road...something which I didn’t realise we had in Gisagara...we dropped off the soldier...and headed down the road...after what felt like ages...we were at the border...I hadn’t realised that I was going to be taken all the way to crossing...the countries are divided by a river. I was taken into the offices to meet everyone...it soon became apparent that both Protogen and the policeman had a lot of connections at the border...we met a tall broad and rather intimidating man who walked us past the boarder for Rwanda, and into the neutral area between the countries...I was a little unnerved as I didn’t have my passport but I later found out that that would not have been a problem and we would have crossed all the way into Burundi had we not been with a policeman in a Rwandan uniform...the man we were with just happened to be the first commander in charge of border control. There was a lot of chatter in Kinyarwanda and then we started to walk back towards the car...and then past it...it was maybe 12.30pm...the sun was strong and I was starting to think that I might need a wee...I was hoping we would walk back to the car but no, we went to a bar instead...Protogen, the policeman and the first commander each had two beers and the driver had a fanta...I had nothing as I didn’t want to use the ‘facilities’ in the establishment we were in...you never know what you will find...Everyone found it very strange that I didn’t want a drink of any kind and I didn’t really want to explain my reasons why...so they just thought I was strange...then they ordered another 2 beers each...and goat brochettes...which are basically kebabs...I then had to try and explain why I was not eating them, they could not quite believe that I didn’t eat meat...and then more drinks were ordered and we were joined by the Executive Secretary of the sector...I was asked what I thought of Burundi...and I STUPIDLY said I thought it looked very much like Rwanda...I was quickly corrected...they are in fact very different...Burundi being dry and brown while Rwanda is green...I still maintain that they look the same! Anyway...finally at 5pm after 6 beers each had been consumed...it was decided that we would go home...after 4 and a half hours...I am glad that I didn’t have a drink...I never would have made it and then there was the hour long journey back to the village on dirt tracks...thankfully, the driver was back in his rightful place behind the wheel...and we were off for home...not long after setting off we picked up yet another hitchhiker...who sat in the back with myself and Protogen, while the policeman was in the front with the driver...then we picked up another 3 hitchhikers...one more in the back...so 4 people squashed onto 3 seats and 2 in the pickup...then we stopped and to my horror, the driver got out as we were near his house and protogen and his 6 beers drove the rest of the way back...we slowly dropped off the hitchhikers we stopped a car in the middle of the road...and one of the men got out...took what loked like it might have been the driving licence of the other car and we set off again...finally we were back at the education office...and not before time...I suggested that maybe as I had been sat down all day, I could walk from there...apparently not...I was driven all the way home...nearly mowing down a few guests for a local wedding on the way...I have never been so happy to see my house! Back in one piece...so just to recap...
1 border crossing
3 bottles of fanta (for the driver)
8 goat brochettes
11 hitchhikers (including one with a GUN!!!)
22 beers
What a day!

Tuesday 28th October 2009
I think I have just about recovered from yesterday’s excitement! Today I was off on school visits again...this time with Alexis, while Ruairi went with the man from MINEDUC again...I was collected from the house at just gone 7.30am. Today we were to go to 5 sectors...but as I was with Alexis the visits were short...We arrived at the first school and Alexis nearly had a fit...as the exams hadn’t yet started he ordered the children to come and tidy up the grounds as there was litter scattered everywhere! The school was not in the best state and the toilets were VERY smelly!! We left and Alexis was not in a mood for messing...at the next school he was all of a dither as the desks were too close together...he made sure that they were all in the right places and then the exam started...we made it round three more schools before he was too tired to do anymore work and we headed back to the office...Alexis got out of the car and when I asked about whether I would see him that afternoon at the district office...I was told to ‘go home and take pause’. I was driven home...had some lunch and headed out the district office...I walked home in the shadow of a giant rain cloud, but made it home long before the rains started...

A warm beer is better than no beer...isn't it?

Thursday 22nd October 2009
So this morning, I decided that today HAD to be a better day...however, dressed as I was I am not sure quite how I thought this possible? This morning I woke up and decided that today was the day to break in my new walking boots (you will understand why when you read on) but I wear skirts in the office, I don’t know why, but I like to keep my trousers and jeans for outside of work. So there I was...Black, mid-calf length skirt, with walking boots and socks on...you really have no idea just how cool I looked...Unfortunately this was not the opinion of the locals who looked at me and my strange ensemble with what can only be described as disgust...but I had to remember that this opinion was coming from people living in the ‘shell suit’ capital of world...I went to the education office first thing in the desperate hope of something to do...as usual, I was bitterly disappointed...I lasted about an hour and a half but then I had to go to the district office to use the internet. I need to download smart notebook, but it can take up to 9 hours...that would mean spending a whole day in the district off...and what better day to do it than today! So off I headed...strolling along...and then I realised, yet again, just how lucky I am...I might not have running water or electricity, I might have to share a toilet with boys and cannibal spiders and I might have to get up at 5.30am in the morning...but all of that has got to be worth it for the most amazing views in the world...it really is stunning and the pictures don’t quite capture it...anyway...I actually managed to find a file which down loaded in under 15 minutes which was good...I had little battery left, but Ruairi was supposed to coming over to the office soon with his surge protector...unfortunately he was held up by Francois and Alexis...who wanted something printing...but the education office printer had been ‘borrowed’ and subsequently broken by another office...he was so delayed that the battery on my laptop gave up...and I ended up helping Sylvere-Chris download and set up Skype in his computer. I am still struggling to understand why he wants or even needs skype as I am the only other person he knows with an account and I sit opposite him for most of the day! When I am not in the office, I have no internet...but he wanted it and I had nothing better to do! I somehow managed to sit in the same chair at the same desk, with nothing to do, for 8 hours...I still am unsure as to why I didn’t go home for lunch!?? I was ready for home. Once back at the house, it was time to take off the boots as my feet were bloody hot and pack for my first real Rwandan Adventure. This weekend myself and a few friends are going to go to Nyungwe Forest National Park (hence the breaking in of the walking boots) in the hope of seeing some monkeys and possibly in chimpanzees, although they are not often seen by tourists, I am not giving up all hope! Bags packed I headed out for only the second evening since I arrived in this town. It appears that Enok...a local secondary school teacher was concerned that I was avoiding him as I had not been going for drinks with him and Ruairi, that and the fact that he had just taken up the lease on the only bar in the village with a generator. So off we went. Much like the daytime views here...the night views are often equally spectacular...Although there is no manmade light to be seen...the moon is bright and there are thousands of stars in the sky...I have never seen so many...they are incredibly...they are just scattered in the sky...and the moon hangs differently here too...it hangs more like a U than like a C as it does in the UK...Enok’s bar is a little further out of town than the other one (the one where you have to drink warm beer in the dark) but it does have lights and plug sockets!...the only thing it is lacking is a fridge...anyway...I finally made it after cheating death...when I was very nearly run down by a man on a push bike...waslking along with torches in hand you would have thought that the bike would have seen us...but apparently not...I heard something from behind...and when I turned around...the bike had almost caught up with me...I really dont understand how he didnt see us...as he had a light on his bike too...and there was a whole part of the road which was nit being used...but thankfully I was unharmed (never one for being a drama queen!) and made it to the pub in one piece...just...on arrival Ruairi and I found Enok sitting in one of the little bamboo huts...watching Bruce Lee films...I have never before seen one...and I know realise why...and I am not sure that I will be going out of my way to watch one again...after several hours...1 bottle of Mutzig beer and a Sprite later, served by a 15 year old boy (not sure I am completely comfortable with that!) it was time to head home...but having drunk all of that...it was a race against time...would I make it home in time to make it to the loo...thankfully and much to the relief of everyone...I did...but it has to be said that it was a close call and I have also discovered that ‘front door syndrome’ also happens here...Thankfully there were no horrors hanging out on the door or the door frame...I emerged and went to the veranda to watch the stars with Ruairi before heading for bed...but there I was stood in the dark...when all of a sudden...there was a flash of light...I was very confused...and asked what the flash was...only to be informed that it was in fact my rather temperamental head torch which I had forgotten I was wearing...god, I felt like a complete idiot...and off I went to bed...just I was getting into bed though...something caught my eye...it had eight legs, eight eyes, and was larger than your average spider....and it was crawling on my bin...now..I am more than aware of the consequences of my actions and the fact that it is probably more scared of me than I am of it (although I must say that I am not convinced by that) but...when I come back as a spider (as we all know that that is what happens if you kill one) I am not going to crawl over a mirror...so I will not scare myself...or infact see just how scary I am...anyhow...the spider ‘unfortunately’ collided with a bottle of water...and that was the end of the spider...and I could nearly sleep soundly...

Wednesday 21st October 2009
There is really nothing of any significance to report today. The morning was spent in the education office...where yet more solitaire etc was played for the best part of 5 hours...home for a short break and then to the district office where at least there is the internet to entertain! Once back at the house...as if I had not had enough Pride and Prejudice for one week...I watched the film...all in all a particularly boring day!

Bikes, bumps and bloody mountains...

Tuesday 20th October 2009
This morning was a slightly later start than usual...we had decided the night before that we were going to visit another school today....this one was slightly further than Ndora and would require the use of another moto...I really do not like motos...but I just have to grit my teeth and put up with it some times...so off I went on the back of Alexis’ bike...now I was expecting to go as far on the ‘main road’ with little trouble...not when I say main road...what I actually mean is a slightly wider than our average dirt track...we took a turn off the main road and I expected that the road would be pretty similar...oh how foolish I feel...looking back I really should have known...well...the road was little more than a dirt lane and was very muddy in places...as it wound up hill and down dale...but when I say that...what I really mean is up and down mountains!!! The hills were bigger than I had anticipated...I am never quite sure if I have more of an issue going uphill or down...The road was bumpy...and much of the journey is spent trying to avoid large rocks and pot holes...winding and weaving along...Going downhill the bike squeaked, clunked, shook and grumbled along...and one can never be sure just how reliable the brakes are and these hills are extremely steep...back up the hill is pretty much the same story...with the added fear of falling off the back...I often have this image in my head...almost like a cartoon where I am riding along on the back of a moto...and bit by bit the bike falls apart and in the end I am it is just me on the seat with one wheel...almost like a unicycle...speeding uncontrollably downhill...so there you have it...after going over a very steep bridge and nearly having to get off as we were stuck in mud...we arrived at the school...we had a brief chat about training needs...etc...and an even briefer tour of the school, as the children were sitting exams...following this...we headed back to the main, following my suggestion, on foot...it wasn’t long before it started to cloud over...with enormous, dark grey rain clouds...thankfully they passed and we made it back the main road, dry and still in one piece...Alexis was very late collecting us as he had headed back to Butare to have the chain tightened on his bike (although I wasn’t aware that motorbike had chains...would that affect its performance?) and I was now assure that it would no longer make the loud clunking noise it had been making before! Back at the house...there was nothing for lunch...the bread had not been delivered to the village and the backup supply of biscuits had also been finished...we boiled rice for lunch and made enough to have for dinner too. I headed out to the district office shortly after lunch...and with my ipod on...I was storming along in the strong midday sun...I was stopped on the way by three ladies...they were jabbering on about something...I had thought that they were saying how nice my bag was...but I don’t think that that was the case as they used the word ‘fanta’ which can be anything to drink...water, juice, pop...quite why they were asking if I had fanta in my bag is beyond me...as you should not drink (or eat) in public...I made my excuses and upped my speed even more...and found myself with a rice induced stitch...I don’t think one should walk that fast just after lunch...at the district the office I usually use was full so I camped in the hall...but it has a bad echo...and was very cold...but at least I was not in the rain...it seems that the rains have become more frequent and it now rains nearly everyday...at 5pm...I was ready for home...walking in the beating sun is far more tiring than you realise at the time!

International Monday Sadness...

Monday 19th October 2009
Why is it that no matter where you are in the world...Monday mornings always leave you with that feeling of dread...that runs through your entire body...well...that is exactly how I felt when I woke this morning and remembered that I had the dreaded 2 hour morning meeting ahead of me...on arrival at the district office...it became apparent that this morning was going to be even more painful then my previous experiences of the meeting...Alexis was nowhere to be seen...which meant no translation...into English or even French...oh the sadness...but, taking me somewhat by surprise...the meeting was drawn to a close after just 1 hour and 40 minutes...woooooohoooooooo!!!!!! SO why was I the only one celebrating?...Maybe because my favourite kind of people are going to make an appearance next Monday...and who are these people??? THE INSPECTORS!!!! Thankfully they will not be interested in the volunteers...but everybody else in the meantime has a lot of work to do...especially as there are a lot of people with new jobs and extra responsibilities...Because Alexis was in hiding...there was no key to education office...so I camped out in the district for the day...Lunchtime came...and we walked back to the house with one of the men from the office...my word...some of you guys think I walk slowly...this man put me to shame...I had to keep adjusting my speed to slow down for him...Spent the rest of the afternoon in exactly the same place as I always do...Alexis did finally put in an appearance and it turns out he had been in a meeting...where are about what I am still trying to work out!!! He was just going to head over to the education office...but it was looking very much like it was going to rain very heavily at any given moment...Alexis assured us that he was going to go...but would run (the journey would still take a good 10 minutes to run!!...and Alexis NEVER runs anywhere!) I must say that I was impressed to see that he upped his pace and was definitely walking faster than usual...whether it could be called a run though is another matter...he made it about 5 metres to the gate...then he must have got tired as he was starting to slow...lucky for him...a person on a motorbike came along just at the right time...he hopped on the back and I am in no doubt that he made it to the office before the rains really kicked in...I really do like Alexis...but the man really has no idea what running actually is!!! Finally we headed home for the final instalments of Pride and Prejudice, and some proper...yes proper...chocolate...from our friends at green and blacks...yum yum yum...

Master...Motos...and...

Sunday 18th October 2009
Yet again we were woken by the builders this morning...so we got up and tried to make breakfast...we decided that a Rwandan style ‘cooked breakfast’ was in order...but we didn’t have any of the traditional ingredients and the left over burgers from last nights dinner did not look quite as nice in the cold light of day...we decided to mash everything up in the pan and make a kind of bean omelette...but we didn’t use enough egg and it was...well I am not sure what it was...but when I get round to putting the photos on my laptop...you will see...needless to say it tasted far better than it looked...but that was not really very hard at all!!...The weather was grey and wet for the entire morning...not dissimilar to a wet day in the UK...so we played yet more cards...when it had brightened up a little...Melanie ordered and moto to get back to Butare and I spent the rest of the day hanging around the house...

Saturday 17th October 2009
I was hoping for a nice lie in this morning...but yet again I was most disappointed...this time though, not because of the builders...but because I woke up at 5am suddenly remembering that I had not put the beans in water to soak...so up I got and started preparing the beans...it didn’t take long and I was able to get back to sleep...but the builders arrived at 7am sharp and started hammering and scraping and generally making as much noise as was possible...I stayed in bed as long as possible...well until I got a message from Melanie saying that she was in Butare...and then it was a race against time...I not only had to get up but I still had to shower...and in such cold water...it takes time! I was ready just as she arrived...we did pretty much the same as always...chatted, gossiped...and she had brought me some lovely candlesticks for passing my masters...they are really beautiful!!! We put the beans on to cook and decided to have a Mexican theme to our meal...Guacamole (homemade!) and homemade spicy bean burgers...the cooking took us most of the afternoon...and the meal was surprisingly nice for an experiment without any recipes!! The burgers were a little dry and black around the edges (just how I like them...well done not dry!) and they certainly lived up to their name...SPICY!!! But we know where we went wrong...we played cards by candle light...I am really no better at cards here than I am in the UK...but it was something to do!!!

Friday 16th October 2009
This morning myself and Ruairi headed for Butare on the bus...I was off to finally get my green card which I have heard can be quite a difficult and time consuming process...We started at the Rwanda Revenue Authority...to pay 5000rf for the Green Card...only to be told that they do not take money in the office but that have a bank account with the Ecobank...so off we went...and waited in the queue to pay my money...I was soon finding myself getting a little cross...do people not know how to queue...I was pushed in front of once...and I was not going to let it happen again!!! Anyway...the money was deposited and I had the receipt which then had to go back to the Rwanda Revenue Authority...so that they can then write me another receipt to take to the person who deals with immigration in the Butare district office...so that was our next stop...and it was surprisingly pain free experience...even if it had taken 3 attempts to work out that the only time I can apply for a green card in between 7am and 10am on a Friday morning...and I am not sure that I am happy with being classed as an ‘alien’ as I am from another country...but all that aside...I am now the proud owner of a Green Card! I hung around in Butare for a while...did a little bit of shopping and Ruairi got the bus to Kigali for the weekend...this was my perfect chance to try out a moto home on my own...which I did...and I made it back in one piece...and although I don’t mind the flat...it is the hills which I have the real problems with...I really don’t like it, but at least I can say that I have done it! Back at the house, I debated going back to the office...but the heavens opened and the rain lasted for most of the afternoon...by which point there was no point it going in...and I stayed at home...

Thursday 15th October 2009
This morning I walked nervously to the education office...on arrival we were met by Alexis who was waiting for the bus as he was going to be spending the day in meetings in Butare...this meant that we would be in the office on our own...I managed to wait it out until 9.30am (my time) before I walked over to the district office where I would be able to use the internet to get the result for my dissertation, which will determine whether I pass or fail the whole course...and 2 years of hard work were in the balance...but on the way to the office I managed to talk myself into believing that I had done as well I could have done (given the circumstances of moving house and then leaving the country!) and whatever happened...I should be pleased...(as if that was really going to work!!!) Anyway...in the office I sent the email requesting my results and then obsessively checked my emails every 10 seconds for the next half an hour...and then the internet cut out!!!! WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO!!!??? Thankfully it was only a temporary problem and I was back online within about 20 minutes...the waiting was awful...but in the end I got my reply...and...I PASSED!!!!! Although I think I was relieved...it was a complete anticlimax...I think mainly due to the fact that I am not with any of the people who had to put up with me while I was writing my essays and ultimately writing my dissertation...after writing a few emails I headed back to the house for lunch...I told Ruairi I had passed and spoke very quickly to my mum and dad which was nice...then it was back to the office for the afternoon...

A spectator sport?

Wednesday 14th October 2009

I Honestly wish that I had work to write about...but the sad truth is that at the moment...nothing is happening...I need to get into schools as time is running out before the exam start...but I am not really feeling like I have the energy or strength to hang onto the back of a motorbike for the best part of 25 minutes...I have had a reasonably good response from schools wanting to be Model Schools and once that is up and running properly life will be far more interesting...I went into Butare first thing on Tuesday morning and bought lots of supplies...big marker pens, biros, a metre ruler...things which I can use to make resources in the classroom (mainly on rice sacks)...I have seen some really nice pictures of rice sacks which have already been made up...they look awesome...I also thought that I could make them into costumes for role play activities...who knows? Again...any ideas would be welcome as to what I could do with them...I know that there are some very imaginative teachers reading this!!!! Anyway...yesterday was an extremely slow day...I struggled through though! Ha ha ha...at 4.30 the generator was turned off in the office...and it took a while to realise that it was for ‘sport time’. The generator being turned off so abruptly with no warning meant that there was a horrid noise coming from the surge protectors...a persistent beeping noise...grrrrr...Alexis then wandered into the office and explained that it was time to play sport...I asked what sprt he liked to play...but you need to remember that this is a man who complains bitterly at the slightest walk...and will do virtually anything in order to get a lift!...but apparently he runs every morning and evening and does press ups...and he was going to play football...it was a few minutes before people started to head towards the football pitch...where it was to district staff V the local army battalion...I asked a few of the women if they were going to be taking part...and their response was just to laugh (I take it that is a no then?) and needless to say...Alexis never materialised on the football pitch...in fact the only member of staff that was recognisable on the pitch as a member of staff...was the Mayor...who towered over and above EVERYBODY else...including the soldiers...seriously the man is really big...before he was the mayor...he played for the Rwandan national volleyball team and the Rwandan Basketball team...I didn’t stay to watch the match...and instead headed home...only to find that the lock on the back door was broken again...whoever thought it was a good idea to put the old lock back on the door must have been some sort of joker...We think that Alexandre phoned the locksmith as he was on the phone and making lots of gestures at the door...we will see if it is fixed tomorrow, by the time we get home...

The Weird and the Weirder...

Tuesday 13th October 2009
I am now back from the brink...never one for exaggeration...I am feeling much better and decided that I was fed up of hang around in the house...so I went back to work...In the education office both Francois and Alexis were convinced that I was still ill but I managed to make it through the morning and to the afternoon in the district office. I didn’t really do all that much as I was so tired...but I have remembered some very interesting reading which I did on Monday...While Ruairi was in Kigali at the weekend...he bought a Ugandan newspaper...Saturday Vision it is possibly the most incredible news paper I have ever read (not that I have read many though!) but really...it puts British tabloid papers to shame! Lets start with a couple of stories...

Drunk teacher staggers in front of Oyam district boss
A primary school teacher in Oyam district recently got into trouble for drinking during working hours. Ongada was with his mother-in-law when the Oyam District boss, Charles Okello Engola, bumped into him. Ongada fumbled and as he tried to stand to beg forgiveness he fell down. Engola gave him a stern warning as residents carried him away.

Family evicted over sick child
A family was evicted from their rented home over an ailing girl. The elderly landlady gave them marching orders saying if the girl died in her house, she would bring bad luck and tenants would abandon her houses.

Street vendor leaves baby in box
A vendor, last week left her baby in a box. The woman only identified as Mama Justine, had put her baby to sleep in a box but when she was leaving, she forgot the box behind. Moments later, passersby heard a baby crying and gathered around. A guard picked up the baby and said he would take it to the mother.

Food attracts men to meeting
The women of Bulera sub-county met last weekend to discuss the problems in their homes. However, men gate crashed the venue knowing that food would be served. When the women got out for lunch, they found that the men had served themselves as many as three plates of food.

There was also a longer article titled Swirly whirly girly-boys: Are they proud of it?...basically discussing effeminate men...and from what I can gather...how wrong it is...especially when they date tomboys...When a girly-boy dates a tomboy, the dude ends up acting like the chic and the chic acts like the dude. There are also some very entertaining illustrations to go with this story...

TOP 10 LOVE BOOSTERS (according to the Ugandans...)
Communication
Forgiveness
Companionship
Romance
Money
Status
Children
Outings
Gifts
Faithfulness

TOP 10 LOVE POISONS
Adultery
Violence
Desertion
Bestiality
Homosexuality
Promiscuity
Public Scorn
Witchcraft
Poverty
Impotence

Then I happened across the lonely hearts...where the adverts were openly asking for people to contact them with the intention of getting married...but I think my favourite one was... Single man, 42, wants a caring and god fearing lady 30-43

I think we might have to get this paper every weekend...it is bloody awesome! If not a little on the super strange side!

Other than that there is nothing really to report...apart from the fact that I have officially got a heart of stone! Last night I watched The Kite Runner and although I was sad...there was not a single tear in sight...not one...nothing...not even a little bit of welling!!!

'the views expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of VSO'.
Saturday 10th October 2009
I woke in the morning after a very restless nights sleep...feeling decidedly poorly and sorry for myself...I decided that although I wanted to spend the weekend out of the village...really I needed to head home and go to bed...after asking round for a while, we were eventually spotted by the moto driver Alexis...he offered to take me back to the house...but I explained that I wanted to get the bus as I was not feeling very well...he was very understanding and explained where the bus went from and at what times...I returned a short while later and there was a bus there ready and waiting...I got on waited for it to fill up and depart...20 minutes later I was still sat there...then the engine started...but we were turning round...why the hell are we going in the wrong direction???!!! Oh no...just getting fuel...then we were on our way...oh no...we are going back to where we started to wait for yet more passengers...after some time...several more passengers and an argument or two we were finally off...and I was back in Gisagara...where it was blowing a gale...the street was foggy with dust in the air...and the rain was on its way...but I was stopped by a nun on my way home...we had a brief chat and I explained that I don’t speak much Kinyarwanda...but I understand some French but I am not very good at speaking it...she explained that she didn’t speak any English...but this didn’t seem to matter...Her name was Francois and she lived in the convent behind where they are building the supermarket (and it will be run by the nuns) I think I was invited to visit and she would teach me both Kinyarwanda and French...then she asked if I was a Catholic...I said no...she then asked if I believed in god and I replied that I didn’t know...wasn’t quite sure what she would do otherwise...but she just laughed and seemed to accept that (which makes a nice change!). By the time I got home the rain was starting...and I just made it into the house before the most almighty storm...I was feeling much better and thought that maybe I had been healed by the nun...no such luck...about an hour later...I was feeling rubbish again...I made my bed...and there I stayed...listening to Harry Potter story tapes...for the next 3 days...

'the views expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of VSO'.
Friday 9th October 2009
Today we were visited by Charlotte from the VSO programme office...it was a welcome visit...mainly as she came baring gifts of a new kerosene lamp that will hopefully work, and rice sacks on which to make some resources for schools...just basic things like number squares etc...any ideas that people think might be useful and can be displayed in a classroom on a rice sack...please let me know! I started in the district office and decided to try and walk in my new walking shoes...why on earth I thought that this would be a good idea is completely beyond me! Why they are called walking shoes...when then smallest amount of walking left me nearly crippled in pain as the skin was torn from my toes...bit by bit...is absolutely beyond me!!! Walking shoes my a***...I think I will struggle to sit with them on...however...it may have been partly my fault for thinking that they could be worn in without socks on! Anyway...I managed to make it home...bleeding toes and all (I was just relieved that my toes were still attached to my foot!!!) where we were met by Charlotte and Bosco (the driver) The previously mentioned items were dropped at the house...weekend bags which had already been packed were collected and we left on a whistle stop tour of the schools the new head teachers will be working in when they arrive in January...we started with Cyamakuza...which is a nice school...we had a short meeting with the head and then a brief tour of the school and the grounds...just before we left I was handed the form for the school to apply to be a model school...will be nice to have a school in walking distance...(although I was secretly hoping that Nyaruninya school would also had their form in too...and they were the next stop...on the way...I thought I saw an awful sight and couldn’t understand why no one was panicking...I thought a mother had dropped her child from the sling on her back...meaning that the child would have hit the floor with quite a bang...as it happened...the children had been walking and toppled...At Nyaruninya the school was as welcoming as ever...but again we didn’t stop for long...the teachers from the schools where the other head will be working in, in Kibirizi, were at the sector office...so we agreed to meet them there...these meetings were even shorter than the previous ones. From there it was onto Butare...where we to have lunch...I had not realised that a Croquet Madame was basically a toasted sandwich with cheese and pineapple...or is that just a Rwandan thing? Although it was very strange...it was edible...I stayed in Butare as I had to get a green card and get some money out of the bank...the green card was a none starter...and I should have thought about that...with it being Friday afternoon...the bank was a little more successful though (thank god!). I was to stay in Butare for the night with Melanie...before heading to Nyanza for the rest of the weekend...the first job when Melanie arrived was to collect her birthday present from the DLR office...this was done and we went to open the parcel with a drink in Matar...the present can only be described as the most incredible...beautiful...amazing chocolates from France...which due to the time they had taken to arrive...had in fact gone mouldy! Even the wooded box and the cloth bag were covered in mould...in was so sad!!! We managed to rescue some of them...but it was not a pretty sight! We headed to the Africana lodge to drop our thing before heading out for drinks and dinner...I hadn’t had beer for so long!!! We chatted the night away...gossiping witha couple of drinks...and then headed back to the room.

'the views expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of VSO'.
Thursday 8th October 2009
So...yesterday I should have stayed in bed...oh my word...I have had one of the most tedious days in the whole entire world...although I had a bit of a lie in and didn’t make it to the office (following all the excitement of yesterday!) until 8.30am...I then sat, in the same bloody chair, from 8.30am until 4.45pm inputting the teachers results from the English test...I have never done anything quite so boring in my whole entire life! EXCEL IS NOT MY FRIEND! It was absolute hell on earth! And the hand writing...oh the handwriting...I thought I had met some teachers with bad handwriting...and even some children...but clearly I had never seen these lovely samples...they were sooooo bad...I am sure that half of the names are wrong! Anyway...I did absolutely nothing else today so there is really nothing else to say...apart from a few people have said that although they are reading my blog...they are unsure as to whether I am enjoying myself...it is really tough...but yes I am enjoying it! And please could the person who I don’t know who they are...let me know who they are...does that make sense...I think so...???

'the views expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of VSO'.
Wednesday 7th October 2009
Ruairi spent the night in Butare last night as there are two new volunteers coming out in January. They are two head teachers from the UK here for 6 months to work with 2 schools. Although they will be working in the disctict of Gisagara they will be living in Butare as there are no unoccupied houses in the central area, which is where I live. One of the volunteers will be working in Ndora at Cyamakuza and Naraninya schools, while the other will be in the sector of Kibirizi working in another two schools, but the bus route to the area needed to be checked first so Ruairi was doing that, and also visiting the schools. I on the other hand...headed for the Education office...that was probably my first mistake (apart from actually getting out of bed this morning...now that was really the rooky mistake...you would have thought I had learnt by now!) But I headed out all the same...I arrived to find Francois there and sat in his chair...a man who I didn’t know, just sat on a chair near the door and it wasn’t until I had walked in properly that I saw Alexis sat where I usually do...he was most apologetic and moved to another chair in the middle of the office...but surprisingly...not to his desk...now the alarm bells should have started ringing when I realised that I couldn’t hear the racket coming from the generator and Alexis wasn’t working at his computer...A few minute later we were asked to leave so that the floor could be cleaned...and it was then that I was told that the generator wasn’t working...back in office a little while later I just sat in the chair...now this time there was literally NOTHING to do, as the battery on my laptop was so low it wouldn’t even turn on...I lasted an hour and 15 minutes...I think that that is pretty good going! I finally said that I was going to over to the district office as they have got a generator that is on...now, there is no problem with the generator in the education office...but the man who is paid to come in and turn it on has not been in for 2 days! Anyway...I spent the morning at the district...but by 12pm I needed to go for lunch, just for something to do...Ruairi arrived back and we headed back to the district together...By the time it was time to go home...I was so very angry! I had written a very long email...(not in word and not saved) and my computer crashed...meaning that the whole thing was lost! Back at the house we realised that the lock on the back door was broken...it apparently takes nearly a million Rwandans to fix a lock...ok maybe not a million but there were enough of them all hanging out in the kitchen...thankfully Enock had arrived and was able to translate, and we were also able to talk with Alexandre (once the lock had been replaced)It turns out that yes the roof in his new house does leak...right over his bed...while the rain is also coming under the door...we also asked what he was doing for a toilet...as we had thought that there was one in the old house for him...turns out he has been using the same one as us the entire time...he is just very careful and goes to the loo before we get up, after we go to bed or while we are at work...he must hate it when I am at home for the whole weekend...I NEVER go out...and I have never known him to use the loo! I don’t mind but I do think that the landlord should have made that clear from the start!! Anyway...it was one of those days when you should have just stayed in bed!

'the views expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of VSO'.
Tuesday 6th October 2009

Before i start..please could someone tell me who 'xurxo33' is? I have no idea...and I would really like to know!!! pleeaaase!!!!!!

Anyway, this morning looked greyer than usual...I set out in a t-shirt...with a cardigan in my bag...thought it was going to be a cool cloudy day, all day! I visited Naraninya primary school...it is about 20 minutes away on foot...with some of the most incredible views! The school itself is at the top of a short but steep hill...it is possibly one of the best schools in the area, but they have very little in the way of basic resources...even down to classroom and office space. The principal’s office is at the back of one of the year one classrooms, while the teachers have built their own staffroom in the playground...using wood and tarpaulin...I saw 4 classes...3 English (p1, p2 and p6) and a p2 maths class...all the lessons were taught through English...and these are some of the best lessons I have seen since I arrived here...the teachers were enthusiastic and use what visual aids they have...even drawing the questions on the board, so that the children understand...there is something so nice about this school...so caring...I think it might be my favourite...having said that, at the end of the p6 English class they sang me a song...then asked me to teach them one...no we all know that Christmas carols are my speciality...but I just couldn’t do it!!! So I taught them the song I always turn to when in doubt...the one we used to sing with my granddad...Here we are again, happy as can be...you know the one...and if you don’t...if you work at Grange just ask the children I taught in year 1 who are now in year 4...they will tell you! They seemed to like it though...and as I left the classroom and walked away, I could hear them still singing it! From there I headed to the nursery...it is one of the only ones still running. Nursery is not free and many of the parents can’t afford to pay, and therefore don’t, but they have decided to stay open anyway...and for good reason...it is incredible...they don’t have a classroom...so they are at the back of the school under a tree...the children were singing and dancing and taking part in little role play activities...it was lovely!! I was then asked to say a few words to the teachers before I headed off...I reluctantly agreed and Ruairi translated for me...although I think they understand more than they like to let on!!! It really is a lovely school...sometimes you just get a feeling...this was one of those times! Then it was time for the uphill walk home...and now the belting sun had decided to come out...bloody hell...it was hard work...I did even contemplate crawling at one point...back home...I had about an hour before my maiden voyage on the back of a moto...Alexis (not the charge of education) was called...he is apparently a good driver and has a slightly lower bike...for people with short legs!...he arrived with his friend (for Ruairi) it was explained that this was my first trip and I have been known to fall while getting off...so it he could find a step that would be great...and off we went to Ndora school...the dusty dirt track was very bumpy...the entire time...all I could hear in my head was the bit from Harry potter and the prisoner of Azkaban...when they are on the night bus...’are you ready ernie...we are in for a bumpy ride!’ or something like that...but then this thought was interrupted halfway through the journey when the moto driver turned round (yes he turned round...obviously not right round...but far enough!) to as what I had done to my legs to make them sore...I then had to explain that they were not sore...just short! The humiliation!!! By the time we arrived, my legs had turned to jelly...and my hand ached from holding on so tightly...oh the pain every time I had to shake hands with people! At Ndora school I was supposed to see a science lesson, followed by Religion in p6...but much like the UK...during the run up to exams...I just had to sit through nearly 2 hours of Maths!!! I was introduced to the teacher and pupils...and they were told that I only spoke English...the children understood this...but it seemed that the teacher didn’t...and at the end of the lesson he babbled away in French to me...I did understand most of what he was saying...but the children found it very funny...only to soon it was time for the moto ride home...only this time...it was quite as slow...as were being chased by a rather large and scary looking rain cloud...thankfully I made it back to the district office just in the nick of time...I was very nearly the saddest I have ever been in my whole entire life...I have never seen rain like it...it was even worse than last time...maybe made worse by the driving winds...crazy...thankfully the rain had stopped by the time I came to walk home...I was followed home by an old lady who was wittering on in Kinyarwanda...I have no idea what she was saying...by the time I got to the house I was 6’2” and felt like I was walking with 2 medium sized children attached to the bottom of each shoe...I had been wondering why everyone was walking around with bare feet...and then it dawned on my...for the exact same reason I was considering taking my shoes off...because they were caked in mud! Not only that, half a tree had been pulled down by the winds and was now being gathered up by the locals...but the place was a mess...

'the views expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of VSO'.
Monday 5th October 2009
Happy Birthday Melanie!!! I am back to cold showers in the morning...partly as I hate not having clean hair in the morning and partly because the weather has cooled a little so the shower doesn’t get as warm...walking to work in the morning sun, there was the sound of skidding breaks behind us...I turned to see the Executive Secretary in a pick up truck...skidding to a halt outside a house on the roadside...I think he might have just been checking his brakes worked...he then pulled alongside us and gave us a lift the rest of the way to the office...it was like being in the death mobile...if any of you have had the pleasure of travelling with Tom in the Caddy you will know exactly what I am talking about...apart from this one actually had the seats bolted to the floor and was much newer! On reflection I am unsure as to why I accepted the lift as it only meant that I was arriving in office earlier...and it was the dreaded 2 hour weekly meeting...oh the pain!!! Today however, the 2 hour meeting became the 3 hour meeting...all in Kinyarwanda...but I go the gist of what was being said...people not being paid properly, what everyone had done the previous week and what they had planned for the week ahead...following this it was over the sector office (which is right next to the education office). Today is INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS DAY...so what do we do...we close all the schools!! All the teachers from Ndora Sector were invited to a celebration ceremony...or as they like to call it...a party! (each sector had their own ‘party’) Thankfully, this time I had remembered to take a book...as per usual the celebration which was supposed to start at 10am...had only just started at 11.20!!! Oh my word...seriously!!! we were ushered to the front where we sat in ‘comfy’ chairs...while the teachers were squeezed onto benches...2 and a half hours later...with a bum about as numb as can be...it was over...again the whole thing was held in Kinyarwandan...so...I understood NOTHING! The up side of such occasions being the drinks which follow...I thought it would be frowned upon for me to have beer before lunch (having said that it was 2 in the afternoon...) and also being a woman I wasn’t sure this would be ok...instead I opted for coke...only minutes later to see a female teacher wolfing down a bottle of Rwanda’s finest Primus beer...crap it! So coke it was for me...then lunch was served...2 goat balls, 1 meat samosa and one dry bread roll...I was only brave enough to eat the bread roll...then I was given my second coke...I was so full of pop!!! I mean...I like pop...but I don’t usually have the sugared variety...but they only have sugared drinks here! After a couple more speeches...we made our excuses...’we had a very important meeting at the district office’ collected our things and headed to the office...by the time I left the office...it was really cold!! The weather is definitely on the turn...

'the views expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of VSO'.
Sunday 4th October 2009
Whoever heard of builders who work on SUNDAYS!!! 2 weeks in a row...this really sucks!!! Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish!! I had been hoping for a nice lie in...but that was not to be...it was not just the builders...but also the elephant (or possibly the small bird) break dancing on the roof of the house...again, not a great deal was achieved...but I did notice that above the slightly creepy shadow of a child...is the word Jesus...maybe that is who it is meant to be...not quite sure if that make me feel better or worse...Melanie headed off late in the afternoon. Back at the house, dusk was well and truly on its way...While I was sat in the chair reading my book by the light of a torch...I saw a shadow move under the sofa...following this was some rustling and shuffling...coming from inside the sofa...I called Alexandre and tried to explain that I thought that there was some sort of animal in the sofa...but I don’t think he understood...and by the time he had come in...the noises had stopped...about 5 minutes later..he came into the living room, looked around for a while, picked up a newspaper and sat down on the sofa to read it...he has never before done anything like that...and he didn’t look very comfortable...after about 20 minutes...Ruairi arrived home and Alexandre took this as his cue to leave...it was very strange indeed...I wonder whether he thought I was asking him to come in and sit on the sofa...oh I guess we will never know!!!

'the views expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of VSO'.

Saturday 3rd October 2009

After a nice lie in...it was time to tidy the house...yes, yes...I tidied...but only because I was expecting a visitor...Melanie was coming for the weekend to experience the delights of Gisagara...unfortunately everything in Butare and Gisagara was closed due to local elections...but after some hunting she did finally manage to track down a moto to bring her out! After a little bit of hunting on my part...I managed to find her, as she had not been dropped by the house...I actually found her and a rather large group of children...just after we got back to the house my phone went...it was my mum...but while she was on the phone to me...there was someone at her door...it was Tom...we had a really nice chat...well...as nice as you can have with Tom...the rest of the day was spent chatting and catching up...

'the views expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of VSO'.

Friday 2nd October 2009

Still nursing my very patchy sunburn, I managed to drag myself into the education office at just gone 7am this morning. Ruairi had got the bus as he was off to Kigali for the weekend. I arrived in the office just seconds after Alexis, the generator was not yet on and we were ushered out of the office so that the floors could be mopped. Outside I was chatting with Alexis...Francois was nowhere to be seen at this point!...I have been talking with Ruairi about how old we think Alexis might be...turns out he is 34...he was born in the Congo and only moved to Rwanda following the genocide in 1996, however he does still see himself as Rwandese...we then got onto the subject of teaching in the UK. Alexis was astonished that all lessons in the UK are taught through English...AND we speak English at home!!! I tried to explain that with ENGLISH being the national language of ENGLAND...it was natural for all lessons to be taught through it and for us to speak it at home...he was most surprised...but nothing more was said...Back in the office I asked what there was to do...was there anything he wanted me to do...anything I can help with...ANYTHING AT ALL...the response to all of those questions...no...no...no...rubbish...so there I was from 7am until 12pm...with nothing more to do than write a bit of my blog...oh my days...I even resorted to chess at one point...I have never played chess in the whole entire life...well certainly not on a computer!! Francois came in at one point...set up his computer and then left again...while Alexis had an email to send so had to go to the district office...leaving me in my own in the education office...for hours on end...with nothing to do...I hear you asking...why not go home...well I couldn’t because Francois had left his laptop...but at 12pm I was sent home for lunch anyway! Walking home I was followed by a large group of children who had just been let out of school...but they were all asking for money...knowing that I needed to buy bread for my lunch...I didn’t feel that having told the children I had no money...I could then go and buy bread in...Back at the house...the builders were still milling around...trying to look as if they are actually working...and I asked Alexandre to get some bread...oh my days...it was the freshest, softest...nicest bread I have had since I got here!!! I then headed to the district office in the afternoon where I had to waste another 4 hours...at least this time I had the internet! During the afternoon...there was another big rain but it had passed by the time I came to walk home...unfortunately it had returned by the evening...and going for a wee in the rain is no fun at all!! I also found Alexandre curled up on the veranda at the back of the house...it was very windy and cold...but I think the roof of his ‘new’ house might leak!...it was still raining when I went to bed...rubbish...

'the views expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of VSO'.
Thursday 1st October 2009
The morning while still in the house, seemed like any other...things changed when I stepped out of the door...there was an eerie stillness...there were no children on their way to work...no adults milling around or chatting...the place was like a ghost town...all that was needed was a breeze and some tumble weed...there had been talk of the day being a public holiday...but even if that had been the case, there still would have been children outside the schools, as the announcement would have been made over the radio the night before...we arrived at the office to find it open and the generator on...thank goodness! Alexis was in the office and we were closely followed by Francois...who made his exit a short while later. I had been working for a good 2 hours, when at 9.30 Alexis got a phone call informing him that there was Umaganda this morning, it started at 7am and ran until 12pm. Umaganda is like a national community service. Everyone is expected to do it, without exception, usually it is the last Saturday of the month, so on Saturday people had spent the morning working hard on community projects, making mud bricks, clearing the ditches for the rains...which are still nowhere to be seen! Today, it had been decided, was to be an additional Umaganda...EVERONE was to go to Cyamakuza School and help with the laying of the foundations for the new classrooms. Now this would explain why the village had been so quiet this morning...however there were still moto drivers around, which is unusual! It was agreed that we would walk to the school, which is a fair distance, and join in with umaganda...dropping our stuff off at the house we walked with Alexis, who was moaning bitterly about the distance we had to walk, to the school. On arrival at the school, there were children everywhere, in fact the all the children were in, just playing volleyball nicely while everyone worked around them, I say worked...there just seemed to be a lot of people sitting around...including the people from the district office, who had found themselves a nice shady patch of grass to relax on. Once we arrived, a lot of the people who had been sat, or stood around, gathered to check out the Mzungus who had come to take part. We were on stone finding duty...we had to find the stones to fill the foundations...so I got on with the job...I wouldn’t have minded people being interested in my coming to help, had they actually been doing any work themselves...but just standing watching and giggling...did not amuse me in any way!!! And this was even from people in the district office where I work most afternoons! I was filling buckets with stones and then passing them to an EXTREMELY unenthusiastic Alexis to carry to the foundations! After about half an hour we were all called to the main play area and had to line up...lines of children, lines of district workers, lines of people who live within the community...then the National Anthem was sung...(but for some reason not by Alexis!!!) then it was back to work...only this time a lot more people seemed to be working and I could no longer get to the pile of stones to fill the bucket...and I wasn’t allowed to carry them to the foundations either (although I did manage to get in a few trips, but I was shouted at by a group of boys, who like many others were just standing around, not doing anything, but shouting thank you Mzungu! I wanted to shout back...but had to stop myself!!!) It was only towards the end of the work that it was explained that I was not allowed to do too much work...as it would not be good...(particularly for district staff!!!) if I was seen to be doing more work than them!...explains a lot...but at this rate it will take them 9 years to build the schools for the 9 years basic education...When the work was done at 12pm there was a meeting afterwards, with speeches and a collection...when it was all over...Alexis was very relieved, mostly because he was with us, which meant that he could ask for a lift back and therefore not have to exhaust himself, walking back up the hill (yes...the same bloody one as yesterday!!!) There were a few VERY cross looking faces from the district staff as they saw us in the car...I wouldn’t have minded walking as it was much cooler than yesterday...but we still had to collect our things before heading to the district office! And thank goodness we did...a few minutes before we left the house again...we asked Alexandre to get some bread for us...he returned a couple of minutes later in an excited whirlwind...as he had found someone selling pineapples!!!!! We gave him the money and headed to the office. Everyone was out for lunch and the offices were locked...we sat in the corridor until someone came back to open them...it was only when I had been in the shade for a while that I realised I had caught the sun...but not in any way evenly...I have burnt my forehead...the top of my left arm...and my right shoulder...quite where the sun was I don’t know...my tan is going to be all over the place...