Driving into/around Kigali revealed a beautiful, organized, relatively “modern” (Western) looking city. This, I will admit, made me feel comfortable since it somewhat familiar looking, although there is a part of me that enjoyed the simplicity and laid-back life in the village of Burkina Faso. Since my home is off one of the big roads, down a bumpy dirt road where no whites live so I am expecting to get a full experience of life in Africa (more specifically, Kicukiro).
-highlights:
- · meeting my host family! (they have already hosted Americans)
- · conversations (in French!) with Felix about cultural practices of dating, marriage, etc.
- · spending time with Ruth and Krystan (MCC workers in Kigali, 10-15 minutes from my house) and their adorable 13-month old daughter, Misha, who smiles and laughs 80% of the day!
- · Mwana Nshuti visit #1 (that’s where I’ll be working!)
- · not getting lost on my first solo adventure in town (and getting ice cream at Bourbon Coffee)
- · being able to have a very basic conversation and form a few sentences after just one morning of Kinyarwanda lessons (thank goodness we have 3 weeks of practice, because this language looks complicated! I am definitely excited about trying to learn it, though, since my students only speak Kinyarwanda)
- · making a friendship bracelet with my host sister, Vestine (age 23)
-challenges:
- · adjusting to my status here and my assumed “power” (needing to politely let my host family know they can go to bed at 9pm by making up an excuse to go to my bedroom…otherwise we’d probably sit there until midnight if I didn’t leave; being asked to make a speech in a room of adults when I don’t even know what is going on; strangers staring at me and children coming up shyly and wanting to shake my hand)
- · free time (I have more down time than I know what to do with! I’m used to being busy, and now I don’t know the city or have people to go visit yet…)
- · Thinking about teaching since I don’t speak Kinyarwanda and figuring out scheduling with the part-time English teacher, Augustin (no idea how we’ll approach this whole teaching thing yet…)
- · Wondering who my friends will be…
-other musings:
- · “God knows all languages” – this is what the Coordinator of Friends Peace House said before he prayed and I liked it!
- · Kigali is an interesting mix of “poverty” and “privilege” (for lack of better words). For example, my house looks very nice but there is no running water inside (just a sink outside). There are probably other examples of this and I will maybe do a better job explaining it later… I guess it comes down to cultures having different priorities/necessities.
fancy dinner on my first night in Kigali at Bourbon Coffee (chicken sandwich and ice cream!) - people pictured are (L-R) Felix (Burundian MCC worker), Janelle, Krystan, Misha (baby), Ruth, Paul (MCCer in Buja)
The girls at Mwana Nshuti (the morning group) - my future students!
My home!
Overall, I am doing well. The adjusting/learning process is underway and I have 3 weeks of language study and continued Kigali orientation before work officially starts. Thanks for your prayers, emails and comments!
-Bethany
P.S. I have a mailing address now and can easily (and cheaply!) receive mail and packages.
Bethany Blackwood
BP 4678
Kigali,
RWANDA
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