Stepping into the unknown....

Monday 16th November 2009
Following a quiet weekend at home, having decided not to go the ‘bad taste’ party on Saturday, I really had to work to drag myself out of bed this morning...the prospect of sitting in the weekly meeting was not a thrilling one...and as a result...and not uncharacteristically, I was late...however...I was not the only one...there were several district workers on the back of motorbikes...hammering along at full speed...but when we got to the meeting hall where the meeting is held...nobody was there and it was already 7.10am...by which time the meeting is usually well and truly underway...and I am dozing in my chair...but that was not going happen today...after only sitting there for a couple of minutes...discussing all the various reasons why we might not be having a meeting...someone came over and informed us that there would be no meeting today as all district staff were to go and plant trees as part of a national project linking in with the environmental awareness week...not sure what it is called but think it might be an international thing? Anyway...the first car of people set off...obviously, if we are doing something to save the environment we should drive there...but we walked...we are the good ones...myself Ruairi and Alexis set off for Nyarunyinya where the trees were to planted...before we knew it we had got back to our house where we had started less than an hour ago...we had lost all of the other workers who had been just behind us...then we realised that actually, Alexis had no idea where we were supposed to be going...thankfully we realised this before we walked all the way down the really steep hill...we called one of the other district workers and were informed that we were meeting by the 7th Day Adventists church, which is just behind our house...only there were no people there...after some discussion the three of us headed down a narrow path, following a 4x4 which was apparently going to the same place...and there we were...none of us knowing where we were or where we were going..but we plodded on anyway...there was much moaning a whinging about just how far we were walking...but for once it did not come from me...after walking for a hour...not knowing if we were going the right way...we arrived at a huge pile of saplings...we collected a tree each (we were only allowed to carry one at time...although they were only the size of a can of beans...it would have been just too much strain for one of our party members!) as we headed on...trees in hand, we were informed that we were going to only make this journey once as Alexis was tired...once at the tree plantation there were people everywhere and the trees were being placed by holes which had been dug in preparation. All this was supposed to start at 7am...yet we hadn’t even arrived until well gone 8am and we were by no means the last people to arrive...after standing around for another hour or so...we managed to find a hoe to start actually planting the small trees...Ruairi had gone off in search of something to do...I stayed with Alexis who wanted to do nothing at all! Perched on a rock...I listened to conversations (in Kinyarwanda) of my colleagues from the district...it was a group of men (maybe in this situation referring to them as boys would be more fitting!) they were laughing and laughing and felt the need to translate this conversation for me...I really wish that they hadn’t...they were comparing the hoes they were using to their ‘manhood’ as one of the guys had a very small hoe, probably meant for a child...thankfully, they only felt the need to translate and repeat the discussion 3 times before the subject was changed...Alexis did not join in...Eventually after being subjected to such discussion, and very bad Rwandan pop music played through a phone...we were all called to the hillside for a meeting, where we would be addressed by the Mayor of the district and the Minister for youth and culture (who is responsible for our district) we found a seat on the grass, but were made to come and sit at the front...the speeches were in Kinyarwandan and lasted far longer than I would have liked! Apparently there was talk of the lazyness of the youth, the importance of trees, and why we should look after the environment...this was all by 3rd hand translation, Alexis translated into French for Ruairi and then Ruairi into English for me...Alexis also explained to Ruairi what a forest was...just in case we were unsure! I also had an interesting conversation with one of the girls from the district...about whether I had a car back in the UK...I explained that I didn’t as I didn’t need one...which was a shock...I then went on to say that they were bad for the environment...and this seemed to come as a complete surprise to the girl...she is university educated, yet still had no idea that cars are bad for the environment...and went on to ask how and why this was...So, finally at about 11.30am...it was over, it had started to drizzle but we headed back up the hill (oh, did I not mention that nearly all of our hours walk to the tree planting sight had been down quite a steep hill!!!) but thankfully, Alexis was in no mood to be walking back up the hill, he suggested that we walk ‘quickly’ (about average walking pace) back to where the district car was parked and see if we can get a lift, if not we will walk slowly back (slowly is just about not in reverse!) To everyone’s relief, more to combat the moaning than anything else...oh who am I kidding...I did NOT want to walk back up the hill!!!!...we got proper seats rather than huddling in the back of the pick up...and we were back at the house in no time...dirty, bitten and a little on the damp side! But all in all the morning should be considered both an adventure and a success...700 trees were planted in Nyarunyinya in our district and 300,000 in total across Rwanda...not bad for a mornings work!

A Week of DOOM and GLOOM

There have been no posts this week...purely because there has really been nothing to write about...having returned from Kigali on Saturday, I spent the rest of the weekend at the house...and then went to the dreaded Monday meeting which was actually in ENGLISH! and only last 1 hour! I guess people didnt have as much to say in English as they do in Kinyarwanda! Anyway...I made it to lunchtime...but I was feeling mighty poorly and sorry for myself...I went to bed when I got home...and stayed there until Wednesday lunchtime...when I dragged myself out of bed and to the office...for a change of scene more than anything! On the way I was nearly run down in a cloud of dust by a huge lorry with 6 men lined up and hanging onto the back door...presumably hitching a lift! Once at the office I successfully managed to book flights for my mum to come and visit in April...Zanzibar here we come! The best news is that she has a 46kg luggage allowance...just think of all the nice things she can bring out! I was cream crackered by the time I got back home so I went back to bed...I just about made it through yesterday (Thursday) but only thanks to the ElectroGas man...you know those moments when you look at someone and immediately...as soon as you see them...you know...you are going to laugh in their face...unfortunately that is exactly what happened...well...to be honest it was not my fault at all...the man was dressed like a fool...ok...so, tall and quite skinny...bright blue ElectroGas overalls...tucked into sparkling white wellington boots...which had clearly never seen a puddle in their lives!...on his head was a white bandana (to match the wellybobs) and the outfit was finished of with a pair of aviator sunglasses...so...stupid as he looked...it was in fact the highlight of what was a pretty miserable week! boooooo!!!!

Thursday 29th October 2009
Today was another office based day...the weather was pleasantly warm...and the rains came while I was in the office...I thought that the day could not have been better planned...I went home for lunch and used that time to pack my bags for my week in ‘The Big Smoke’ also known as Kigali...and thank goodness I did...by the time I made it home from work...I was NOT in a good mood! After felt like an eternity in the district office...it was finally time for home...and not a moment too soon! I was walking along...listening to...Darius...please don’t tell anyone! (the following events are probably payback for listening to SUCH bad music and I should be thoroughly ashamed of myself!) But there I was...walking along...minding my own business...when all of a sudden...my legs decided that they were no longer going to do as I said...and developed a mind of their own...it was always going to end in disaster...especially as it had been raining earlier in the afternoon...so there I was...one minute I was standing...and the next...I was sat in a rather large...somewhat sticky...pool of mud...surrounded by goats...who I am sure had they been able to laugh...would have done so!!! My trousers were covered in mud...all down the back...and a little bit on the front from where I had got up...my shoes were so full of sticky mud that there was no room for my feet...and my toes were so caked in mud that they blended into the ground so my feet looked more trotter-like than ever before...face on I didn’t look so different...apart from I was carrying my shoes rather than wearing them...as I walked through the village to my house...I did the usual greeting...only this time...as I walked past and people saw the mud up the back of my trousers...they made no attempts to conceal their laughter...and they laughed out loud as I walked past...now...there was a group of women stood in front of my house...and they were smiling nicely...so I thought I would get there before them...so as I walked past...I greeted them and did an action for slipping...they stood there looking confused...until I walked past and they too saw the mud...at the time I found it quite funny...by the time I was in the house...I was not quite so amused! After cleaning myself up I decided to cook...I really shouldn’t have bothered! I thought that rice and peas might make for a good dinner...the peas had been soaking...so I put them on to boil...I have no idea just how long they would take to cook! Hours later my dinner was finally ready...but the peas were still a little like bullets and curry powder was not my best idea...I am not going to be cooking that meal again in a hurry!...

Friday 30th October 2009
The crossness of the previous night had barely worn off when I had to get the 7am bus into Butare...following a series of ridiculous mistakes and crossed wires...I was to go to Kigali for the week...Friday until the following Saturday...I needed to get the earliest bus as the secondary school children were going home for the holidays and the buses would be very full...as it happens...it is more than likely that teenagers here are not all that different world over and they were not up in time to get the 8.30am bus...there were a couple on there but nothing like I had been expecting...I got into Kigali just before lunch...I went to the guest house where I would be staying...run by my favourite kind of people...nuns...the place is basic...but clean and they have HOT running water...several other volunteers were also staying there for the weekend, before moving to ‘Le Bambou’ on Monday afternoon...I met up with some others in town for lunch before going to the program office for a working group meeting...this would have worked out a lot better had it not rained on the way to the bus station...and if we had actually managed to get on the right bus! As it happens...we were cold and wet and on the wrong bus...we eventually made it and the meeting was in full swing...I finally dried off and headed back to the guesthouse...before meeting some more volunteers for dinner...

Saturday 31st October 2009
Following a late brunch in a rather posh hotel...’Les Milles Collines’ I wasted the rest of the day mooching around the shops in the city before heading back to the guesthouse to prepare myself for the Halloween party...I decided not to go with fancy dress, but to use it as an opportunity to dress up...so off I went...those of you who know me well...will know that I am not all that keen on house parties...mostly as I am not a fan of other people’s houses...once there I managed to relax myself with a bottle of Primus or 2...there was a mixture of VSO volunteers and their Rwandan friends...I finally made it back to the guesthouse at 3am...following a very pleasant evening...punctuated by some very strange conversations...one which was particularly good...it was a Rwandan guy...he wanted to know what football team I supported...I tried my best to explain that I really don’t like football...but this took more than a few attempts!...I thought he had understood when he started asking about rugby teams...which one did I support...I said I didn’t really but I would always support the English teams...and then we were back on football...how many times did I need to say that I didn’t like football...this went on for some time...when all of a sudden...the guy practically shouted...’what about god!’...I decided that this was an opportunity to be blunt and honest...not that I hadn’t been already...my answer was a simple and straight...NO!!! the guy was so horrified...he just started asking about football again! I was rescued by another volunteer...and managed to avoid any more conversation about football, rugby or god!

Sunday 1st October 2009
Very little was achieved today...after hanging around the city...doing very little...I went with the other volunteers to an Ethiopian restaurant...the food was lovely...but I did not like eating with my hands...boo!!! Back at the Guesthouse...I went to bed at 11.30pm...but I was awake again by 1am...I was covered in bites...on my arms, hands and face!...I finally fell asleep again at 5.30am only to have to get up at 7.30am...grrrrr...

In Country Training 3rd – 6th November 2009
The whole of this week was spent at ‘Le Bambou Motel’ in the Kabagabaga area of Kigali...much to the annoyance of many of the volunteers, the places is a long way out of town...Most of the days were taken up with training sessions...with one free session during which we took the bus to Kimironko market, where I managed to buy more material for my curtains...Although the place where we were staying looked nice...and all the furniture was made from bamboo...it was somewhat disappointing...there was no housekeeping in the rooms...which I wouldn’t mind if I was staying somewhere cheap and basic...but this was supposed to be a nice place! Anyway...we were also supposed to have hot running water...but it seemed the room I was staying in was the only one without it...in fact they were unable to find a vacant room for us to move to which did have hot water...so cold showers it was! After 2 days they said they would bring a water heater...and rocked up several hours later with a kettle! Needless to say...I carried on with the cold showers...several nights into our stay...I woke in the middle of the night...convinced that Porca one of the other volunteers (who wasn’t staying at the hotel) had told me that there were lots of bugs in the top of my mosquito net...so...with this in mind...I set to work pulling it out from under the mattress...I woke up properly several minutes later being hounded by a bloody mosquito...the stupid thing was having a party right next to my ear...I was not impressed! I was hoping it would be around 5 or 6am and then I would just get up...but no...it was 2.06am...so there I was in the middle of the night...in the dark...trying to rearrange my net around my bed...and then I just lay awake...FOR HOURS! The rest of the week passed quickly...and on the final evening (Friday) all the volunteers went out for a drink...or several...starting at ‘Sundowners’ and then moving on to KBC...which is a night club...I made it home at 3.30am but had to be up again at 7.30...to travel back to The Big G...I got back...and just missed the bus back to Gisagara from Butare...I was in a VERY BAD mood...I was being hassled about getting a moto...but with 5 bags...that wasn’t something I wanted to do! I eventually got a taxi back to the house...I have never been so glad to be home!!...what a relief...The rest of the weekend...was spent in the village...