Not that I think that's a useful skill but it took three trips yesterday to finally be reunited with my luggage so I know the place pretty well. And they know me! Thankfully all the calendars were included too although I will now have to try get them to the other side of Rwanda. hmm. It's good to be in fresh clothes!
Alright will try make this one quick too. I've been left alone at a coffee joint called Bourbon while my friends go change money etc.
Apart from them loosing my luggage (at least I think it was them, but I will of course be trusting of them again) the layover at Nairobi airport also taught me that it takes no more than four Kenyan police men to calm an irritated, shouting, angry Keyan self-proclaimed "diplomat" down. It sounds stressful but everyone was smiling and laughing and I fell in love with the way Africans go about peace keeping. Good times. Also a couple of really neat bookshops in Nairobi airport which I will have to check again on way home.
I've had two days of orientation which included a trip to the Kigali Genocide Memorial. I was kind of ho-hum about going as I read a bit about it before I left and also my guide was heavily pregnant and I felt a bit bad about making her walk around again, but she was very happy to and she shared quite a bit about her own experience which was very touching. There are two quotes that stick in my mind that were in the "child victims" part of the memorial. A 7 year old's last words were "UNAMIR will save us." Chillingly wrong. A (then) 11 year old survivor is also quoted "It's hard to imagine that I wont have my parents around anymore, yet I know who killed them and I know their children still get to have their parents." I could go on and on about the genocide but I would encourage everyone to read about it. I'll be sure to let you know of a couple of good books about it. What is amazing is really how the country has moved on in such a truly unbelievable way. The memorial is very well put together and I spent a couple of hours going around it.
I think part of the success of the country at the moment is down to the phenomenal President Paul Kagame. Apart from a choice first name, he is an inspirational leader. One of the things going on at the moment is the 9th "National Dialogue" where the President gets EVERY elected official in the country to present their vision to the public and take questions. It's been on every TV and radio around and people here are glued to it.
I also got to visit the orphange I will be working at. There are 141 children and 28 staff. Conditions are very low but they make the best of it. I was fortunate to get to meet the very busy manager who was excited to meet me and especially to hear that I teach science. He said there is a boy who is sitting an exam to get into college early next year and he is stressed about physics. Additionally the kids who are at school find science pretty tough and would appreciate a few tutorials too. I'll write more about the place when I start on Monday.
This weekend I'm trying to familiarise myself with buses and "motos" (motorbike taxis) and generally try and stay alive on roads with traffic that reminds me of the Philipines. The roads themselves are a mixed of paved and dirt, all with potholes. It's good fun. Checking out more of the city and a few other things are on the list too including an "African Party" I spotted a sign for not far from where we're staying!
Ok the others have come back so will leave it there. Murabeho.
Alright will try make this one quick too. I've been left alone at a coffee joint called Bourbon while my friends go change money etc.
Apart from them loosing my luggage (at least I think it was them, but I will of course be trusting of them again) the layover at Nairobi airport also taught me that it takes no more than four Kenyan police men to calm an irritated, shouting, angry Keyan self-proclaimed "diplomat" down. It sounds stressful but everyone was smiling and laughing and I fell in love with the way Africans go about peace keeping. Good times. Also a couple of really neat bookshops in Nairobi airport which I will have to check again on way home.
I've had two days of orientation which included a trip to the Kigali Genocide Memorial. I was kind of ho-hum about going as I read a bit about it before I left and also my guide was heavily pregnant and I felt a bit bad about making her walk around again, but she was very happy to and she shared quite a bit about her own experience which was very touching. There are two quotes that stick in my mind that were in the "child victims" part of the memorial. A 7 year old's last words were "UNAMIR will save us." Chillingly wrong. A (then) 11 year old survivor is also quoted "It's hard to imagine that I wont have my parents around anymore, yet I know who killed them and I know their children still get to have their parents." I could go on and on about the genocide but I would encourage everyone to read about it. I'll be sure to let you know of a couple of good books about it. What is amazing is really how the country has moved on in such a truly unbelievable way. The memorial is very well put together and I spent a couple of hours going around it.
I think part of the success of the country at the moment is down to the phenomenal President Paul Kagame. Apart from a choice first name, he is an inspirational leader. One of the things going on at the moment is the 9th "National Dialogue" where the President gets EVERY elected official in the country to present their vision to the public and take questions. It's been on every TV and radio around and people here are glued to it.
I also got to visit the orphange I will be working at. There are 141 children and 28 staff. Conditions are very low but they make the best of it. I was fortunate to get to meet the very busy manager who was excited to meet me and especially to hear that I teach science. He said there is a boy who is sitting an exam to get into college early next year and he is stressed about physics. Additionally the kids who are at school find science pretty tough and would appreciate a few tutorials too. I'll write more about the place when I start on Monday.
This weekend I'm trying to familiarise myself with buses and "motos" (motorbike taxis) and generally try and stay alive on roads with traffic that reminds me of the Philipines. The roads themselves are a mixed of paved and dirt, all with potholes. It's good fun. Checking out more of the city and a few other things are on the list too including an "African Party" I spotted a sign for not far from where we're staying!
Ok the others have come back so will leave it there. Murabeho.
Wow humbling experiences already, I'm looking forward to reading about when you really get stuck in!
ReplyDeleteHumbling indeed. I'm planning to visit another memorial just outside of the Kigali in the weekend. It's a church where hundreds were massacred and all their clothing etc still lies all over the place. Could be time for deep reflection.
ReplyDelete