I am continuing to make Kicukiro my home and for the most part I am enjoying adapting to the lifestyle here (meaning I don’t wear my watch anymore and I have begun to be accustomed to going with the flow rather than over planning for things beforehand). Last weekend I ventured out of Rwanda – I went to Kampala, the capital of Uganda, for an Ultimate Frisbee tournament! It was a fairly tiring weekend but it was great to experience another bustling East African city and play my favorite sport. On the recent home front, I realized that holidays aren’t quite the same abroad L but that I have many things to be thankful for here and I don’t actually need to eat turkey and pumpkin pie or see my family and friends (though those were missed). I “shared” Thanksgiving with my host family and students so we were able to share about things we were thankful for, which was nice. I appreciate the people here who make me feel welcome and the things I am able to see, learn and do here. Speaking of which…I will share with you some of the sights and sounds of Kigali and Kampala in words and photos…

K I G A L I

I SEE…a plethora of cornstalks near 8 feet tall, almost ready to be harvested (in my host family’s yard); many rolling hills covered in fields and small red tin-roofed houses (even in the city!); children and adults alike staring at me, especially as I bend over to pick green beans in the field at Mwana Nshuti; nighttime hills sparsely speckled with bright lights, looking like stars on the ground (most homes have a bright LED(?) outside that is on all night); smiles and bright faces as I greet people in Kinyarwanda…

I HEAR…motos honking for people to move or to attract a passenger; greetings in Kinyarwanda that I understand and a flurry of words that sound like a language I might one day know; Rwandans at church singing and praying in loud, confident voices at many different times during the week; my host mother summoning me for a meal: “Bethany…come to table!”; raindrops falling gently or in a hurry on the tin roof…

I SMELL…exhaust from trucks; the fresh air during or after a nice rain…

I TASTE…Fanta citron (carbonated lemonade) at any party or meeting where drinks are offered; vegetable soup with a variety of locally grown veggies, introduced by our visitor Elizabeth last month and a recurring meal in our family now; delicious chocolate and fruit-flavored homemade ice cream at a café on my way into town…

I FEEL…the soft, crumbly dirt in the fields at Mwana Nshuti as I help weed; little Chris’s hands as he reaches for me; dusty chalk on my fingers while teaching English; the wind blowing in my face and rejuvenating me on a moto ride after playing Ultimate Frisbee; my feet squishing into the mud on the road after a big rain; people’s bodies pushing into mine on either side as I ride on the bus; many people’s hands as I greet those I know and those I don’t…

Things are growing at my house! The harvest will begin in 3-4 weeks...and the corn is so tall! 

Helping make peanut butter! It's great being able to have one of my favorite foods here - natural peanut butter !!

This is a sewing cooperative of 10 young women, most of whom graduated in the past 2 years
from Mwana Nsuti from the vocational sewing program (same as my students are in this year). 

They proudly showed us what they are capable of making!

Kicukiro Center. The market has food, fabric and some household essentials.
Outside are taxis (motos and small buses) waiting to take you to town or elsewhere in the city.

K A M P A L A

I SEE…large animals, unexpectedly: a zebra near the side of the road 2 hours outside of Kampala, storks taking up watch on building tops, and a camel meandering slowly near our Frisbee field; people outside talking and having a good time at almost all hours of the night as we drive; Americans, Canadians, Ugandans and Rwandans covered in mud, chasing the Frisbee down the field…

I HEAR…music blaring from a small pickup truck driving through town; people on the sidelines cheering on my Frisbee team…

I SMELL…meat being cooked and served on skewers on the street; public toilets that make my home in Kigali (even without running water) seem like a dream…

I TASTE…warm delicious rolex (chapatti with egg and veggies rolled up inside) bought from a street vendor and consumed on the spot; a salty, crunchy food that doesn’t seem as bad as I imagined grasshopper would be; mud in my mouth after I dove for the Frisbee…

I FEEL…hot water splashing on my back after our voyage and reminding me what a luxury it is; pleasantly squished and carefree on the back of a moto with the driver in front and my friend Sue behind me (the moto seats are extra long in Kampala!); a slippery Frisbee in my hands, which I try to wipe off on my brown, muddy shirt; a soft pillow under my head after a very long drive – a sign that I can finally close my eyes and rest…

Hangin' at the equator in Uganda! 

A perfect street-side snack (aka breakfast) - chapatti and egg! Yum!

The frisbee players - 6 from Kigali and ~20 from Kampala. Fun people!

Hannah and I showing off our clothes and skills at the end of the tournament!
(Ok we might have gotten a bit dirtier on purpose, trying to practice bidding/diving for the Frisbee...
but we were almost this dirty all day thanks to the muddy field!)

Happy belated Thanksgiving to you all! I am VERY thankful for each one of you.