just for kicks

The sounds of Mwezi:
Crowing roosters
Grunting pigs
Mooing cows
Screaming children
Buzzing insects
Chirping (or squawking, depends on the species) birds
Theme song to the Office or Gilmore Girls (our house only)
Any song by Akon (Rwandese LOVE Akon)

Fun tidbits:
Red and white striped shirts are the fashion amongst Rwandese women in Mwezi. I don’t know why, but I see at least 4 a day.
When teaching about time on our birthday, a few staff walked in late and one of the women who was there on time turned around and said “you are late. Where were you?” to them. I loved it. We taught the verb “to be” and question words (where, why, what, who, how, when) earlier in the week. I was so proud. Also, after my first class, I got a text from one of the staff saying “hey ali, whats up?” I thought it was a text from an American! I’m such a good teacher. Haha.
Emily and I have begun writing down the amazing designs that end up on igitenge here. I will compile a list of the most outrageous and post at a coming date.
We squished a gecko on the door sometime, I found him today and if you know me at all, I have a very low tolerance for animal cruelty (stop laughing Anila), so needless to say it’s eating me up inside. I feel really bad for the little fella and have to cover my eyes every time I go out the back door so I don’t see him. I’m too much of a wimp to scrape him off.
We have lightning bugs here! I am so excited about this because I’ve never seen one before and I was walking over to the nuns house one night and saw something flashing in the grass and shined my flashlight on it and it’s a firefly! They hang out in my poor excuse for a garden in the back.
Inshuti iruto inshuro – a friend is worth more than a days wage (a typical Rwandan saying e.g. an excuse for stopping work when a friend visits)


P.S. almost fell on my face today multiple times, but I still have yet to fall in the mud. I will keep you updated and take a picture when I finally take the plunge.