Mu-Mugyi...to the city....

Hello friends and family!! So, I cannot even think of everything that has passed through my mind the last 48 hours....been taking in A LOT of sights, and I must say that the first thing I have d\noticed is how incredibly polite people are here. Anytime I have a question, everyone is so willing to help find the answer for you.....There have not been too many cultural challenges, but I think that is because I haven't started my work yet. Orientation is tomorrow and my work at the orphanage will begin Tuesday.

Today I have just started wandering through the city center of Kigali, from my introduction to the city yesterday. I went to buy my permit today for the Gorilla trek. They apparently really do not take bills that are torn....not even like a centimeter! As I was trying to pay for my permit, the lady handed me back a quarter of the bills I gave her saying the bank wont take them....very interesting...hoping the forex bureau won't be as picky....very interesting...at any rate, she is holding my spot for Sunday, September 5. I will be able to take a bus to the city on Saturday, stay the night, and do my trek that morning....it is exciting to have that on my schedule to look forward to now! I just have to come back tomorrow to finish paying for the permit :-)

So....yesterday was a pretty amazing day....I will actually be very surprised if I remember all the things I was thinking and observing and contemplating through the day. I got a new roommate...she will be here just 2 weeks, but it is nice to have someone to talk to about our observations...Four of us headed to the city center yesterday for our first tour of the town. The streets were eerily quiet and as we waiting for a bus, we were told it was National Cleaning Day - the last Saturday of every months. And yesterday they were spending the day cleaning the polling places for elections next Tuesday. So, until noon, no buses and no businesses are running. We decided to take a very long walk all the way to the city. I really wish I knew how long it was, but it took us over an hour, up and down...We had a pretty interesting tour of a city that was so desolate, like a scene from a ghost town in a wild west movie or something...

On our venture into town, I saw some huge amazing white pelican type birds high up in the trees. I couldn't see them today, but yesterday they were flying all over and I was able to see them actually feeding the little baby birds in the nests! They were so beautiful!

On the main road to Kigali that we walked, there were many construction workers paving one side of the street. There was a car driving by filled with Asians and as we got up the hill, they were out with what appeared to be some locals, almost surveying the work. It is interesting to observe such things and see what I have rad in the papers in real life. From what I understand, Kagame has been working hard to clean up the country to attract investment opportunities, many from China. I found myself wondering if perhaps these men represented a company investing in the project or another company that perhaps Rwanda is trying to peak their interest to invest and was showing updated infrastructure....it was kinda cool for me to make the connection :-)

Once in Kigali, we got to see the Hotel Mille Collines, which is the hotel made famous by the movie, Hotel Rwanda...there is nothing there that reflects it being in the movie, so the main reason to see the hotel was because they have a pool and hot showers! :-) So if I am every craving a pool or hot shower, for a small fee, I know where I can go to feel a bit at home :-) It was actually really quite gorgeous, as well, the pool overlooking the hills all around Kigali! In fact, all the scenery is amazing here, though a bit bitter-sweet. So far, the views of the hills lend themselves more towards red metal roofs packed together quite like sardines with the highest, green part of the mountains fogged over by a dusting of smog. I asked one of the other volunteers about the strong smokey smell here. I haven't seen anyone burning anything, but but apparently it comes from the smoke of the charcoal or wood stoves they use in the back of their homes to do the cooking.... So my mind immeditaely though - biodigesters anyone?! :-) I really do wonder what organizations around this country may work on such projects. I would be so interested to see the countryside and find ways to introduce things EARTH Universtiy does, such a peri-urban agriculture. I have seen some women carrying some fruit around, but not like when I was in Ghana. I know their terrain is quite different but I wonder where they are growing and getting this fruit from. It really is not abundant like I was obviously falsely expecting! Also, I have been surprised that there are not any street vendors....just goes to show, EVERY culture is VERY different!!

During our trip in Kigali yesterday, we had lunch at our first Kigali Buffet :-) This is where the locals eat. What delicious foods we had - fruit, salad, rice, beans, greens, fries, and meat, if one so chose (though I did skip this part...)

Upon getting our first bus back to Remera, we decided to try and find the Hero's Memorial where some famous people from Rwanda's political history have been burried, along with a Tomb of the Unknown. After a couple mile walk to the stadium, we were to go just a few hundred meters past to see the cemetary...we had to have gone a few hundred thousand!! lol After many unsuccessful attempts at stopping people to see if they knew where it was, even asking in broken French, we finally circled back around and found it behind quite a large gated area. However, because it was a public holiday, it was locked!! Our attempt at the door only startled the security people with guns,getting up to come our way, so we quickly dispersed....a bit of a disappointment, but it was an interesting adventure.

Ah...so language here is something that has been interesting to observe. You know me...I' too shy to try my french unless I have to, but one girl here is so great at just throwing it out there. She will even speak in French while they respond in English...I found myself very curious as to why they wouldn't talk back in French if it would be easier for them. I am getting the sense, and after much discussion over dinner last night, that knowing English is something people are very proud of and probably are eager to continue speaking it at every opportunity. Apparently, French will eventually fade out and the two languages that will remain will be English and Kinyarwanda - of which I am trying to learn! :-) Miramutsé for good morning; murakoze for Thank You; and mu-mugyi for downtown (Kigali). Very fun trying to learn :-) Actually, while looking for the cemetary, i was trying to talk to a young woman in French. In asking about the cemetery, she started talking about a Technical University down the road! LOL apparently I am not very good at expressing myself! So then I asked about the Hotel de Printemps (another landmark that was supposed to be near it), but she must have thought I asked her just about spring (which is Printemps in french) because she started talking about the sun!! LOL so yeah, I may be giving up on my french here!! :-)

Ah, oh yes!! so, the election coming next week, there are sooooo many people out on the streets, driving cars with flags hanging out the windows, sitting in the back of trucks singing songs about Kagame...it is very interesting to see such outward support of the president...but I must say, the songs are pretty catchy! :-) At lunch I was bouncing around to a song and suddenly found myself singing the chorus because I realized what I was saying, "Tora tora tora Ka-ga-me" Vote, vote Vote Kagame! Yeah, we kinda got a good laugh at it. I won't really go much more into politics than that :-)

I am really looking forward to starting my work at the orphanage on Tuesday. We passed some kids on the streets today and I just cannot wait to meet that ones that I can really get to know. They just look up and smile and greeting them, they just roll their heads back and laugh....soooo adorable!!

Well, my time is quickly coming to a close. I should be back on in a week, if not sooner and I am sure it will be full of my impressions from my first week with the kids. Thanks again to you all for your support getting me here! I hope this helps keep you posted...