Friday (4/9), I forgot that the PC office closes at 1, so I came in around 4 to pick up my credit card, passport and WHO card so I could fly and no one was here! I called the duty officer and apologised profusely and she tried to figure everything out for me. Our medical officer left us for Morocco, so we have an interim lady here and she doesnt quite know where everything is and our medical secretary had left for the weekend to visit her family. We couldn't quite figure out how to get my WHO card until Saturday, when I came and picked everything up. I flew out on Sunday and without my credit card, I was unable to purchase my second ticket from Nairobi to Lamu, so as soon as I got into Nairobi, I had to quickly leave the airport and rush over to the smaller, local airport and buy a ticket on the flight leaving in one hour! I got the last seat on the plane and made it with more than enough time. I ended up buying a $2 kit kat while I waited! The flight down was crazy full of white people, we stopped first in Malindi then continued on to Lamu. A lady sitting next to me was part of a wedding party and the bride came around offering cake and to be nice offered it to me also. It was pretty good. I got into Lamu and had to take a boat over to the island where jon was waiting. We hit the ATM, then took another boat over to the jetty and then caught a ride with someone to his village and the walked to his house. His house is really nice. He is the 3rd volunteer to be at that site, so when he got there it was fully furnished and already had a lot of things, so he used all of his settling in money to decorate and make it homey. Its really flippin hot and humid though!
Monday and Tuesday we took the boat over to Lamu, then Monday we walked to Shella beach and Tuesday we took a boat. Shella is a very touristy area and is beautiful! Monday, we saw some rain clouds rolling in over the ocean, so we quickly packed up and ran to one of the fancy hotels where we sat and had drinks until the rain stopped. It was high tide, so we couldnt walk along the water and had to take a path through the 'forest' to get back and catch a boat to the mainland. Tuesday, we spent the whole day at the beach, but didn't make it before the rain began. We jumped on a boat to go back to Lamu town, but got caught in the rain while on the boat. We got SOAKED! But it felt good cause it was so hot out.
Wednesday, while waiting for someone to come through town going towards the jetty, we saw a big bus and jumped on that to get a ride and there were 4 PCVs on there going to Lamu for vacation, so we showed them to their hotel and hung out with them that day in town. On the way back to Mokowe (Jon's village), we got caught again in the rain on the boat and had to wait for a bit at the jetty before catching a ride and then we had to walk through the rain, trying to avoid the giant puddles that had formed in the last few days (when I arrived, there was one small puddle, by the time I left, it was a giant wet lands and there were no dry areas to walk on) back to his house. Thursday was super cloudy and rainy and we were unable to take our Dhow trip, so we went into town late and just hung out with the girls in town and got food and juice (Lamu is known for its juices). Friday, we got up early and went over to Lamu to take our Dhow trip. The 6 of us went with 4 crew and we sailed out into the Indian ocean where we went snorkling, fishing and had lunch on an island. I cut my foot on some coral after snorkling for only about 10 minutes and couldnt get it to stop bleeding, so I spent most of my time in the boat. The captain got me to help with the fishing for lunch and I caught one! They made the most delicious lunch with coconut rice from real coconuts (which we got to eat some and drink the milk), a vegetable stew, grilled fish and lots of fresh fruit. We sailed over to an island and walked through the water a bit to get onto the land and ate lunch there, but the tide came in quickly and we ended up having to swim back to the boat. It was definitely the best part of the trip! We stayed in Lamu that night and slept at the hotel the girls were staying in and caught the early bus to Mombasa the next morning. It was about a 7 hour bus trip (which is my travel time from site to Kigali) and when we got in we immediately walked over to the other bus company to buy a ticket for the next morning to Nairobi. Little did we know it was so far! Its already so hot and humid in Mombasa, and a 20-25 minute walk with luggage in the city is NOT fun. We took a tok tok (the three wheeled cars) to the hotel afterwards and just laid in the air conditioned rooms. We met up with 6 other PCVs and all had lunch, then went back to the hotel after going shoe shopping for Jon. We met up again for a late dinner and then went out to a bar cause it was one of the guy's birthdays. I went home early because i was tired and really excited about the AC! I had my own room, so I just sat and watched CNN for 2 or so hours before sleeping. I actually got too cold at one point, quite a luxury after being so disgustingly hot the previous 6 days. The bus to Nairobi was almost 9 hours and by the time we got there the cut on my foot wasn't looking so good, so Jon called the PCMO and she said she'd send a car for me in the morning to take me to the office so she could look at it. I had dinner with all the Kenya PCVs in Jons group and we hung out that night and Monday morning I went to the PC office in Nairobi and got my foot cleaned up and bandaged. I got a ride to a shopping center where my taxi guy who drove me to the other airport when I first got in was meeting me to take me to the airport. I walked around with one shoe on and went into clothing stores, book stores and grocery stores (yeah, Kenya and South Africa have grocery stores in their malls). He was an hour and a half later than I asked him to be cause of some crazy traffic, so I got picked up from the shopping center an hour and a half before my flight and got to the airport less than an hour before my flight. Luckily, there were no other passengers waiting to check-in, so I got checked-in and through security in less than 5 minutes. Even had time to shop around in Duty free before flying back!
Had a wonderful time, but I'm happy to be back. Rwanda really is starting to feel like home to me. I was constantly praising this country and defending it when the other PCVs would ask me questions or criticize. Kenya was awesome, but I love Rwanda.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
First part of April
1/4: April's fools day. Didn't pull any tricks. Went to Kamembe with the priests and nuns. The market wasn't really open so early, so I was about to catch the bus down to the AIDS Relief office when I ran into Tricia. We went into the food market and bought a few things. Not many people were there yet, but I got carrots, garlic and cucumbers and a small package of curry powder to send to Cindy in Guatemala. Then I went to the shops and bought a small packet of Rwanda tea and some Ugandan gin (Waragi). I took the bus down the hill and went into the office, but they were all in a meeting to I put together my package and took my letters to the post. The guy asked me what the bottle was and i told him Waragi, but not to worry because it was in a plastic bottle and all he said was "it tastes better in glass". haha, i thought he was going to reprimand me and tell me you cant send alcohol in the mail. When I got back to the office, they were out of the meeting and I met the new head of CRS who is an RPCV and who was a country director of peace corps before and really interested in getting us things to do! I am so happy! I finally have things to do, but I told him I am always open for more and am very willing and excited to have things to do. I also met a new AIDS Relief staff who lives in Kigali and she was PC a few years ago and also is very excited to have us and wants to give us more to do and invited us to her house any time we're in Kigali to watch TV and play Wii. Sweet. I used the internet and then went back up the hill to wait for the ride home. I sat and had a small Primus and then ordered and sandwich while watching a chinese show dubbed in french. I called the architect who wrote the budget for the maternity ward, but he couldnt come meet me until 2:30, so I waited by myself eating my sandwich and drinking my beer. I was bored and lonely and then got a call from the nuns when the architect said he was 5 minutes away. Called him back and cancelled and went to meet the nuns. The priest called the guy and had him meet me at the gas station while they filled up and i gave him my drawing of the building and asked him to reduce the budget if possible. I bought fabric and batting in the market and almsot got away with the fabric scraps for free, but went back to ask for more and she asked for money.
2/4: Only 10 pregnant women today! Very slow day. Went to update the HIV data for March, but found the computer with all my grant proposals on it dead!!!! I almost cried. I printed out most of it, so I have it, just need to retype it all. March 2010 had zero positive HIV tests!
3/4: Went to Parish to meet with architect to get new budget. Drink beer with the priest, see the floor plan he came up with and the 3-D image of the building. I asked to make a few changes and he did and then we went to the clinic to print it out and to show him the current maternity building. It was raining, so I got stuck. Didn't get home until 3 and hadn't eaten lunch, so i was hungry! Emily left, I packed for Kenya. The guard came while I was packing, so I went out to say hi and he tells me that holidays are when thieves like to steal because everyone is gone at church, so he said he was going to beat them with a stick and kick them tomorrow.
4/4: Went to the 7:30am mass. Didnt get to say hi or see any of the nuns (which is the whole reason I came because they asked me to). I sat in the back by the door and left a few minutes early to catch a moto at 9:30 to go to brunch with other PCV's. There was a taxi right at the end of the dirt road, so I was able to jump in and go right away. Got to their dirt road and there was a moto there who could take me, but he was the only one and it was raining and it was Easter, so he charged me 300 extra. It was so muddy and slippery, we had to stop 3 different times, and i had to get off and walk and then we fell between the logs on a bridge and we almost slipped over and had to have two other men come and help right the bike. I finally got there and asked a guy where the muzungu lived and he said with the nuns, so we went to the nuns and I asked them if they knew my nuns and they did and asked me my Rwandese name, so I told them and they were so excited and happy and wanted to take a picture with me and then gave me "coffee" (it was a splash of coffee with lots of hot milk and sugar) and sweet bread. Everyone else had gone back to Christa's to start cooking brunch, so I had to have a nun walk me to her house since it was the first time I was visiting. We had an amazing brunch and i think it was the most i have eaten in a year! Went back and slept at Tricia's house.
5/4: Caught a bus to Kigali with Tricia. Got in and they changed the taxi stand for my bus to my office, so I have to go back up where I came from. Went to the office to drop a few things off then met up with Adam.
6/4: Happy Birthday Maria! Went to PC Office and worked on grant applications and my blog. Watched soccer with a bunch of people that night.
7/4: Start of Memorial week, stayed in and then Adam had some people over to the house.
Rest of the week was pretty laid back, I went into the office every day to work on finishing up the grant applications and we went over to people's homes or had people over cause most places closed early. Went out for dinner one night and had some delicious ravioli and I met the guys who are building a casino here.
2/4: Only 10 pregnant women today! Very slow day. Went to update the HIV data for March, but found the computer with all my grant proposals on it dead!!!! I almost cried. I printed out most of it, so I have it, just need to retype it all. March 2010 had zero positive HIV tests!
3/4: Went to Parish to meet with architect to get new budget. Drink beer with the priest, see the floor plan he came up with and the 3-D image of the building. I asked to make a few changes and he did and then we went to the clinic to print it out and to show him the current maternity building. It was raining, so I got stuck. Didn't get home until 3 and hadn't eaten lunch, so i was hungry! Emily left, I packed for Kenya. The guard came while I was packing, so I went out to say hi and he tells me that holidays are when thieves like to steal because everyone is gone at church, so he said he was going to beat them with a stick and kick them tomorrow.
4/4: Went to the 7:30am mass. Didnt get to say hi or see any of the nuns (which is the whole reason I came because they asked me to). I sat in the back by the door and left a few minutes early to catch a moto at 9:30 to go to brunch with other PCV's. There was a taxi right at the end of the dirt road, so I was able to jump in and go right away. Got to their dirt road and there was a moto there who could take me, but he was the only one and it was raining and it was Easter, so he charged me 300 extra. It was so muddy and slippery, we had to stop 3 different times, and i had to get off and walk and then we fell between the logs on a bridge and we almost slipped over and had to have two other men come and help right the bike. I finally got there and asked a guy where the muzungu lived and he said with the nuns, so we went to the nuns and I asked them if they knew my nuns and they did and asked me my Rwandese name, so I told them and they were so excited and happy and wanted to take a picture with me and then gave me "coffee" (it was a splash of coffee with lots of hot milk and sugar) and sweet bread. Everyone else had gone back to Christa's to start cooking brunch, so I had to have a nun walk me to her house since it was the first time I was visiting. We had an amazing brunch and i think it was the most i have eaten in a year! Went back and slept at Tricia's house.
5/4: Caught a bus to Kigali with Tricia. Got in and they changed the taxi stand for my bus to my office, so I have to go back up where I came from. Went to the office to drop a few things off then met up with Adam.
6/4: Happy Birthday Maria! Went to PC Office and worked on grant applications and my blog. Watched soccer with a bunch of people that night.
7/4: Start of Memorial week, stayed in and then Adam had some people over to the house.
Rest of the week was pretty laid back, I went into the office every day to work on finishing up the grant applications and we went over to people's homes or had people over cause most places closed early. Went out for dinner one night and had some delicious ravioli and I met the guys who are building a casino here.
March
1/3: Took bus back to Mwezi and the rain came half hour after I walked in my door. Mama Vanessa (the women who holds my helmet for me at the town on the road) gave me two fantas to take home with me for me and Emily. A kid yelled "umuzungunyarwanda" at me while I was taking the moto. Made me happy cause it means I am a white rwandan. Also, saw a bunch of people I knew, so waved to them and had some more kids yell "Alice". Its always hard coming back to the bush, but its nice to have people who know me now. Had one girl yell "Hi! I love you!"
2/3: Meeting with the community health workers, supposed to start at 8am, so i showed up at the clinic early, even though i knew it wasnt going to start on time. Started at 10. I taught about kitchen gardens and handed out copies of the directions and materials list in Kinyarwanda to the different cells. After the meeting I helped in child vaccination.
3/3: Worked with the pregnant women. Saw a CRS car go past the clinic up the hill towards my house. The moto driver had just come down the hill, so I asked him where the car was going and he said my house, so he gave me a ride up. They brought our packages to the house and then gave me a ride back down to the clinic. I got a box with 4 skirts in it and opened it in front of my housegirl, so I gave her one of them. She was very happy, but tried to iron it. The head for the Artisan Center came with the Sector head of cooperatives to the clinic and I met with her and asked her about the women selling things in the center. She said it was possible, but they needed to pay a joining fee and fill out some paperwork. I asked her about the quilted bags and my women will be the only ones with that product, so I'm pretty excited they have the entire market (at the center). Took a cold shower cause it was so humid and hot!
4/3: Meeting with co-op. Started hour and a half late, but was very successful. The head of the artisan center came and explained everything to the women and gave us the paper work. I started teaching how to quilt using my pieces and a chalkboard, (the women only speak Kinyarwanda, so my little French is of no help). The women asked about getting money for supplies, so I am looking into a few PC programs. Emily left, so I was home alone that night and ate an early dinner cause i was bored and then packed for tomorrow and tried on different outfits for the wedding.
5/3: Got into Kigali early and stopped at a few shops to buy black shoes to go with my outfit and a black, leather bag. Found both after going into about 12 different shops. Went to the wedding, it was really nice. The bride and groom were followed in by about 20 dancers and then they performed. I've only really seen friends or girls dancing, but these were professional adults, men and women and it was amazing. I really enjoyed watching the dancing. The wedding was a bit like the ones i've been to in that the men shared a beer together and both spoke of fulfilling their promises (give cows, give a good woman). The president just walzed in unannounced in the middle of some guys speech. It was in Kinyarwanda, so I was kind of zoning out and looking into space and then I saw a guy come in and then realized it was the president and it kind of caught my breath "holy crap! Thats Kagame!". Didn't expect him to walk in so casually, all alone. We left early cause they were only serving sodas and this was unacceptable to the boys, so we went to a bar for a bit, then to the fundraising concert. There were not as many people as we hoped, but it was still pretty good. Went to a bar afterwards and then home.
6/3: Woke early to go help at Operation Smile. There were SO many people there from all over the country hoping to get the free operation. There were newborns up to an 86 year old woman. I played with the kids, coloring and reading book and blowing bubbles, but the kids stole my books! :( Should've given a disclaimer before handing them out. They were getting so many other things for free, how were they to know these were only for sharing? I helped with patient files and taking the photos. The photo taking was extremely difficult because we had to get the kids to put their heads just so, in 4 different positions. Kids were screaming and crying and kicking and twisting (reminded me of the vaccination campaign). One little girl came and stood between my legs when I was sitting and then she laid back and put her head in my lap and she just hung out with me for a good 20 minutes. She was so cute, I'm mad I forgot my camera. I was there all day and then went out to pizza. I got take out to bring to Adam, but when I showed up at his house it was full of people and I felt bad I didn't bring more. He got bamboozled out of his pizza and only got to eat one slice.
7/3: Back to Operation Smile, much quieter and calmer today because it was mostly adults and older children. We redirected patient flow so things ran a lot smoother and faster. I helped with photos and patient files again. There were 371 patients by the end of the day. Went to the bar with the volleyball court afterwards, but every one had finished playing, so we went to the sitting room. After we walked over to the club, but there was a cover and we didnt want to pay, so we went to a little hole in the wall bar for an hour then home.
8/3: It was Women's Day, so the bank and my office were closed, so I couldnt do my errands. Met some friends for breakfast, but by the time I got there they were having a staff meeting, so I couldnt order food. Went back to Adam's and then out to the bar and mom called then home. Early night.
9/3: Mom and g-ma's birthday! Went to my office to turn things in, went to the Rwandair office to buy my ticket to Kenya then went to the bank to get a password for internet banking. As I was leaving in the morning, I was on the small path up to the road and two boys came up and gave me hugs. It was nice.
10/3: Went back to Nyamasheke. Went over to the nun's and they fed me and gave me tea. There were a bunch of white people on my bus! It was strange. I'm not used to seeing so many come my way. 4 got off in Gisakura, so I called Kate and told her I dropped some bazungu in her town.
11/3: Woke up feeling really bad. Barely made it out of bed and was a half hour late to the meeting with the co-op. 3 women were already there by the time I got there, but 20 show up by the time I go home. I filled out the VAST request for money, helped with their bags, but went home early cause I did not feel good. I did some laundry, read and then took a nap. I went over to teach Sister Dormina how to make pizza because she had asked me the day before, but she had gone into the city.
12/3: Went to work, finished with the pregnant ladies by 10:30ish then had to borrow money from the Social Affairs head to buy some eggs. Turns out they were hard boiled. Tried to crack them into my pan to make an omelette, but nothing came out! I read a LOT! Started and finished New Moon, after finishing my first book.
13/3: Felt worse this day so I didnt get up until 10:30. Didnt eat until around 4 when I had some soup. Emily got home and I went over to the nuns to make pizza. It was fun and they really liked it. I ate a slice and drank some tea. Operation Smile performed 242 surgeries by the end of the week.
14/3: Worst day. Couldnt move. Stayed in bed all day, didnt eat. Had a fever, read a lot, slept a lot. Fever finally broke around 10pm
15/3: Stayed home with housegirl. Feeling better, able to move around a bit and eat a little. I organized a few of my things and found 38 dollars in an envelope!
16/3: Went into work and collected HIV testing data from PMTCT and VCT. Put it all into an excel file for 2009 by month and calculated the percentage. Showed it to the nun and a few other employees and talked them into doing a big testing campaign in December. I said it was dispicable that we only tested around 150 people in the month of December because December 1st is World AIDS Day and we should be testing everyone!
17/3: Lots of pregnant women! Filled out charts, took blood pressure, tested for HIV and syphilis. Learned how to ask in Kinyarwanda when the date of her last period was and how to calculate the date of birth.
18/3: RAIN! Got a list of names of the co-op members. Only 5 were there by 9am, but by noon around 15 were there. Two had finished their coin purses with zippers and all and they looked really good. I took picts and will post soon. Helped one cut pieces to make a shoulder bag. One of the women is in charge of collecting 100 francs from each woman to save up to pay the joining fee. They did this all on their own and even had a note book to keep track of who pays each week. I'm happy its becoming so sustainable, so when I go they can keep it up! I got prices for a few things so I can write my budget for the project proposal and get some money for the women to buy supplies. Met a guy from the Ministry of Justice whose first question to me was "Are you in the Peace Corps?" I have never met someone who knows PC, so it totally threw me off guard, but I guess he had a gf in PC back in 93 and they still keep in touch. Got home to two boxes, one from g-ma jo and one from dad and mary.
19/3: Worked with pregnant women. Translated handwashing materials from King County Public Health and distributed copies to all the schools to put near their toilets.
20/3: Went to buy beers. Went to agasoko (small market) and bought some tomatoes and then heard a moto, so I turned around and it was Adam! We walked back to the house together and then the nuns got home and he met them. I made a quiche.
21/3: Watched TV shows on Adam's computer, went over to the nuns to introduce him properly and stayed to chat and drink fanta and beer. Made mac and cheese. Had some teenagers come to the fence and demand food.
22/3: Adam went back :( Housegirl asked me if he was my brother!
23/3: Emily left in the morning. Used internet at health center, got the applications for Peace Corps Partnership Program and Mothers to Mothers to fund the construction of a new maternity ward at the clinic. As I walked home for lunch a boy said to me in English "Good morning. How are you? Sit down." Haha
24/3: Worked on applications, realize I have no idea how to write the budget, ask if we can get someone who works in construction to write one for me. Found dried peas at the shop, bought them, but they take FOREVER to cook. Games day at the primary school, heard lots of singing and banging of sticks and cheering.
25/3: Meeting with co-op. 15 came. Lots of finished products! Told them I was going into Kamembe next thursday and if they wanted me to get them something to give me money before wednesday. Cooked peas on the nuns stove (so I wouldnt have to use my gas for 3 hours) played with their cat, had some tea and taught Dormina English.
26/3: Sooo many pregnant ladies!!! Got their charts, wrote weights and took blood pressure. There were 4 long benches of women, so I scooted down and across each while taking the blood pressure. Would've been a funny picture. One muzungu in the middle of the women facing backwards on the bench. Sister Mary came over with the budget that night when I was eating and it was WAY more than she first proposed. I gave her some of the fried rice and she asked me to teach her how to make it.
27/3: "slept-in" (9ish), read, listened to the radio and my ipod, did sudoku and word searches.
28/3: Was planning on visiting people, but it was super foggy and rainy and windy. I washed my blanket in the morning before the clouds rolled in, worst idea! didnt dry at all! Cooked peas at the nuns again and played with cat and taught English to Sister Kizito. Ate some bread with butter and honey and drank some tea with milk from Mutesi (my neighbor cow). Watched their house girl grind meat by hand. Cleaned up the wings from the crazy, plague bugs. Some kids came to visit after church and I gave them juice (Tang!) biscuits and pencils and we colored in coloring books and then took photos. They were just taking random pictures then they started posing. It was funny! I gave them bouncy balls and they were estatic! Kept saying "thank you. thank you." while shoving thumbs-ups in my face. I visited at the nuns and met a priest who works near the Cyamudongo forest. The tea kettle broke, so I opened it and Macguyvered a solution. I took a spring from a pen and put it into the top to hold the opener. I was pretty proud of myself.
29/3: Worked on the grant proposal and read a lot.
30/3: Worked on grant proposals. Used internet quickly at the clinic to send an email to one of the organizations. Boys from the secondary school came to visit after school. Learned that the clinic has to send weekly text messages about the number of people sick with certain diseases and number of deaths to the district hospital. Took photos of the clinic for the grant proposal. Noticed that the child immunization charts have changed from saying UNICEF, Global Fund and Rwandan Ministry of Health, to only Global fund and MOH to just MOH.
31/3: Worked on grant proposals. Nun not at the clinic so went to find her at home, but she was sleeping. The guys from the electricity company had come, so had to let them into the house to see the fuse box. They are giving us our own meter, so we have to buy our electricity ourselves instead of paying the nuns. They put up a box with a meter and started to run the lines to the main one, but ran out of wire, so had to stop and come back a different day. Ate lunch with sister mary while going over the grant proposals. Played with the cat, did laundry and started packing for Kenya (I get too excited about vacations). Asked the Priest if I could go in the car to Kamembe tomorrow. The community was fixing the roads in the morning, but they were taking the grass off the slopes! Doesnt make sense to me, cause now the rain is just going to wash the dirt into the trenches they were digging for the rainwater.
2/3: Meeting with the community health workers, supposed to start at 8am, so i showed up at the clinic early, even though i knew it wasnt going to start on time. Started at 10. I taught about kitchen gardens and handed out copies of the directions and materials list in Kinyarwanda to the different cells. After the meeting I helped in child vaccination.
3/3: Worked with the pregnant women. Saw a CRS car go past the clinic up the hill towards my house. The moto driver had just come down the hill, so I asked him where the car was going and he said my house, so he gave me a ride up. They brought our packages to the house and then gave me a ride back down to the clinic. I got a box with 4 skirts in it and opened it in front of my housegirl, so I gave her one of them. She was very happy, but tried to iron it. The head for the Artisan Center came with the Sector head of cooperatives to the clinic and I met with her and asked her about the women selling things in the center. She said it was possible, but they needed to pay a joining fee and fill out some paperwork. I asked her about the quilted bags and my women will be the only ones with that product, so I'm pretty excited they have the entire market (at the center). Took a cold shower cause it was so humid and hot!
4/3: Meeting with co-op. Started hour and a half late, but was very successful. The head of the artisan center came and explained everything to the women and gave us the paper work. I started teaching how to quilt using my pieces and a chalkboard, (the women only speak Kinyarwanda, so my little French is of no help). The women asked about getting money for supplies, so I am looking into a few PC programs. Emily left, so I was home alone that night and ate an early dinner cause i was bored and then packed for tomorrow and tried on different outfits for the wedding.
5/3: Got into Kigali early and stopped at a few shops to buy black shoes to go with my outfit and a black, leather bag. Found both after going into about 12 different shops. Went to the wedding, it was really nice. The bride and groom were followed in by about 20 dancers and then they performed. I've only really seen friends or girls dancing, but these were professional adults, men and women and it was amazing. I really enjoyed watching the dancing. The wedding was a bit like the ones i've been to in that the men shared a beer together and both spoke of fulfilling their promises (give cows, give a good woman). The president just walzed in unannounced in the middle of some guys speech. It was in Kinyarwanda, so I was kind of zoning out and looking into space and then I saw a guy come in and then realized it was the president and it kind of caught my breath "holy crap! Thats Kagame!". Didn't expect him to walk in so casually, all alone. We left early cause they were only serving sodas and this was unacceptable to the boys, so we went to a bar for a bit, then to the fundraising concert. There were not as many people as we hoped, but it was still pretty good. Went to a bar afterwards and then home.
6/3: Woke early to go help at Operation Smile. There were SO many people there from all over the country hoping to get the free operation. There were newborns up to an 86 year old woman. I played with the kids, coloring and reading book and blowing bubbles, but the kids stole my books! :( Should've given a disclaimer before handing them out. They were getting so many other things for free, how were they to know these were only for sharing? I helped with patient files and taking the photos. The photo taking was extremely difficult because we had to get the kids to put their heads just so, in 4 different positions. Kids were screaming and crying and kicking and twisting (reminded me of the vaccination campaign). One little girl came and stood between my legs when I was sitting and then she laid back and put her head in my lap and she just hung out with me for a good 20 minutes. She was so cute, I'm mad I forgot my camera. I was there all day and then went out to pizza. I got take out to bring to Adam, but when I showed up at his house it was full of people and I felt bad I didn't bring more. He got bamboozled out of his pizza and only got to eat one slice.
7/3: Back to Operation Smile, much quieter and calmer today because it was mostly adults and older children. We redirected patient flow so things ran a lot smoother and faster. I helped with photos and patient files again. There were 371 patients by the end of the day. Went to the bar with the volleyball court afterwards, but every one had finished playing, so we went to the sitting room. After we walked over to the club, but there was a cover and we didnt want to pay, so we went to a little hole in the wall bar for an hour then home.
8/3: It was Women's Day, so the bank and my office were closed, so I couldnt do my errands. Met some friends for breakfast, but by the time I got there they were having a staff meeting, so I couldnt order food. Went back to Adam's and then out to the bar and mom called then home. Early night.
9/3: Mom and g-ma's birthday! Went to my office to turn things in, went to the Rwandair office to buy my ticket to Kenya then went to the bank to get a password for internet banking. As I was leaving in the morning, I was on the small path up to the road and two boys came up and gave me hugs. It was nice.
10/3: Went back to Nyamasheke. Went over to the nun's and they fed me and gave me tea. There were a bunch of white people on my bus! It was strange. I'm not used to seeing so many come my way. 4 got off in Gisakura, so I called Kate and told her I dropped some bazungu in her town.
11/3: Woke up feeling really bad. Barely made it out of bed and was a half hour late to the meeting with the co-op. 3 women were already there by the time I got there, but 20 show up by the time I go home. I filled out the VAST request for money, helped with their bags, but went home early cause I did not feel good. I did some laundry, read and then took a nap. I went over to teach Sister Dormina how to make pizza because she had asked me the day before, but she had gone into the city.
12/3: Went to work, finished with the pregnant ladies by 10:30ish then had to borrow money from the Social Affairs head to buy some eggs. Turns out they were hard boiled. Tried to crack them into my pan to make an omelette, but nothing came out! I read a LOT! Started and finished New Moon, after finishing my first book.
13/3: Felt worse this day so I didnt get up until 10:30. Didnt eat until around 4 when I had some soup. Emily got home and I went over to the nuns to make pizza. It was fun and they really liked it. I ate a slice and drank some tea. Operation Smile performed 242 surgeries by the end of the week.
14/3: Worst day. Couldnt move. Stayed in bed all day, didnt eat. Had a fever, read a lot, slept a lot. Fever finally broke around 10pm
15/3: Stayed home with housegirl. Feeling better, able to move around a bit and eat a little. I organized a few of my things and found 38 dollars in an envelope!
16/3: Went into work and collected HIV testing data from PMTCT and VCT. Put it all into an excel file for 2009 by month and calculated the percentage. Showed it to the nun and a few other employees and talked them into doing a big testing campaign in December. I said it was dispicable that we only tested around 150 people in the month of December because December 1st is World AIDS Day and we should be testing everyone!
17/3: Lots of pregnant women! Filled out charts, took blood pressure, tested for HIV and syphilis. Learned how to ask in Kinyarwanda when the date of her last period was and how to calculate the date of birth.
18/3: RAIN! Got a list of names of the co-op members. Only 5 were there by 9am, but by noon around 15 were there. Two had finished their coin purses with zippers and all and they looked really good. I took picts and will post soon. Helped one cut pieces to make a shoulder bag. One of the women is in charge of collecting 100 francs from each woman to save up to pay the joining fee. They did this all on their own and even had a note book to keep track of who pays each week. I'm happy its becoming so sustainable, so when I go they can keep it up! I got prices for a few things so I can write my budget for the project proposal and get some money for the women to buy supplies. Met a guy from the Ministry of Justice whose first question to me was "Are you in the Peace Corps?" I have never met someone who knows PC, so it totally threw me off guard, but I guess he had a gf in PC back in 93 and they still keep in touch. Got home to two boxes, one from g-ma jo and one from dad and mary.
19/3: Worked with pregnant women. Translated handwashing materials from King County Public Health and distributed copies to all the schools to put near their toilets.
20/3: Went to buy beers. Went to agasoko (small market) and bought some tomatoes and then heard a moto, so I turned around and it was Adam! We walked back to the house together and then the nuns got home and he met them. I made a quiche.
21/3: Watched TV shows on Adam's computer, went over to the nuns to introduce him properly and stayed to chat and drink fanta and beer. Made mac and cheese. Had some teenagers come to the fence and demand food.
22/3: Adam went back :( Housegirl asked me if he was my brother!
23/3: Emily left in the morning. Used internet at health center, got the applications for Peace Corps Partnership Program and Mothers to Mothers to fund the construction of a new maternity ward at the clinic. As I walked home for lunch a boy said to me in English "Good morning. How are you? Sit down." Haha
24/3: Worked on applications, realize I have no idea how to write the budget, ask if we can get someone who works in construction to write one for me. Found dried peas at the shop, bought them, but they take FOREVER to cook. Games day at the primary school, heard lots of singing and banging of sticks and cheering.
25/3: Meeting with co-op. 15 came. Lots of finished products! Told them I was going into Kamembe next thursday and if they wanted me to get them something to give me money before wednesday. Cooked peas on the nuns stove (so I wouldnt have to use my gas for 3 hours) played with their cat, had some tea and taught Dormina English.
26/3: Sooo many pregnant ladies!!! Got their charts, wrote weights and took blood pressure. There were 4 long benches of women, so I scooted down and across each while taking the blood pressure. Would've been a funny picture. One muzungu in the middle of the women facing backwards on the bench. Sister Mary came over with the budget that night when I was eating and it was WAY more than she first proposed. I gave her some of the fried rice and she asked me to teach her how to make it.
27/3: "slept-in" (9ish), read, listened to the radio and my ipod, did sudoku and word searches.
28/3: Was planning on visiting people, but it was super foggy and rainy and windy. I washed my blanket in the morning before the clouds rolled in, worst idea! didnt dry at all! Cooked peas at the nuns again and played with cat and taught English to Sister Kizito. Ate some bread with butter and honey and drank some tea with milk from Mutesi (my neighbor cow). Watched their house girl grind meat by hand. Cleaned up the wings from the crazy, plague bugs. Some kids came to visit after church and I gave them juice (Tang!) biscuits and pencils and we colored in coloring books and then took photos. They were just taking random pictures then they started posing. It was funny! I gave them bouncy balls and they were estatic! Kept saying "thank you. thank you." while shoving thumbs-ups in my face. I visited at the nuns and met a priest who works near the Cyamudongo forest. The tea kettle broke, so I opened it and Macguyvered a solution. I took a spring from a pen and put it into the top to hold the opener. I was pretty proud of myself.
29/3: Worked on the grant proposal and read a lot.
30/3: Worked on grant proposals. Used internet quickly at the clinic to send an email to one of the organizations. Boys from the secondary school came to visit after school. Learned that the clinic has to send weekly text messages about the number of people sick with certain diseases and number of deaths to the district hospital. Took photos of the clinic for the grant proposal. Noticed that the child immunization charts have changed from saying UNICEF, Global Fund and Rwandan Ministry of Health, to only Global fund and MOH to just MOH.
31/3: Worked on grant proposals. Nun not at the clinic so went to find her at home, but she was sleeping. The guys from the electricity company had come, so had to let them into the house to see the fuse box. They are giving us our own meter, so we have to buy our electricity ourselves instead of paying the nuns. They put up a box with a meter and started to run the lines to the main one, but ran out of wire, so had to stop and come back a different day. Ate lunch with sister mary while going over the grant proposals. Played with the cat, did laundry and started packing for Kenya (I get too excited about vacations). Asked the Priest if I could go in the car to Kamembe tomorrow. The community was fixing the roads in the morning, but they were taking the grass off the slopes! Doesnt make sense to me, cause now the rain is just going to wash the dirt into the trenches they were digging for the rainwater.
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