I’M A PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I MADE IT!!! Sorry this post is a little late… and I’ll be honest… my English is terrible these days and I can hardly think strait… Plus my internet is super slow so I only do a little at a time on my computer if it requires internet :/ hahaha but better late than never eh!!

My site is great and I will do a whole other post with pictures all about Ruli and the team of people I work with and things like that… but right now I want to take a minute and try to express myself and some of the things that have been going on!! For some of you that will mean stop reading and wait till the next post… for others you just got excited!! Either is good by me :) And it won’t be a very long post!!

Well, I am in Africa… anytime I think about it I just want to cry!! There is a part that wants to cry because it’s exciting, new and wonderful!! Where the other part wants to cry because, I am seeing, the poverty, sickness and devastation of a third world country. I want to help them and solve their problems because they are good people just trying to make it through another day!! But I am only one person…

Before leaving America the Peace Corps asked us to individually write down a few ways we would know if we are helping and accomplishing anything. This was so we would have something to look at if we ever thought about leaving early or got depressed because maybe we don’t feel needed or aren’t actually helping in anyway. I did this and the first thing I wrote was “Make someone smile everyday”.

It’s not easy being away from friends and family and especially Mormons… there have been a few times when I wanted to just crawl in a hole so no one would tell me that “If you don’t drink how can we have any fun” or “You will break some PC rules eventually because they are so hard to keep” or “There is so much that needs to be done here but you’ll never actually make a difference”.

All day long Rwandans are staring at me and talking about me and laughing at me and I don’t know exactly what they are saying… but I know enough to know when it’s nice or when it’s not :/ Plus body language says a lot.

I hadn’t been to church in over two months and my spiritual bucket, which normally is spilling over, was getting very low. With so much going on, and never having a break from it, I have been stretched and pushed to new limits!! There is basically a consistent prayer always in my heart/head and I know the Lord is blessing me every day to speak and understand the language and keep smiling no matter what!!

With all this going on I just keep telling myself that “As ONE person I cannot change the world… but I can change the world of ONE person” and I remember that every day I have made someone smile and I have smiled too :) The Lord set a great example when he was willing to leave his 99 and look for the one. That’s what life is about! It’s not about the numbers but about the one person we can help! I can help one person and am doing my best to focus on that!!

Thanks for all the support and prayers and emails and phone calls!!! It means a lot to me and keeps me going more than I can say!! 

My Host Family :)

I would like to introduce you to my host family so you get a better idea of each family member!! 

Dont they all have such great smiles!!

To Start, this is my host mom! Her name is Nyirambabazi Venantie but Rwandans like to be called Mamma and then the name of their oldest child. So Most people called her Mamma Mignone. I think I mentioned this before… but she is a teacher!! But not just any teacher… she is the head teacher (I think that’s like the principle or something) at one of the primary schools in a village not far from where we lived. I never saw the school but she was well known and respected in the community!!

Next is my host dad! His name is Dushimimana Etienne Mugande and normally goes by Papa Mignone or Mugande. When people asked where I lived I would say the house of Mugande and they would know who I was talking about for the most part :) He has many jobs or forms of making money but the main one is that he is a driver for the District Hospital in Kamonyi! He drives trucks and cars as well motorcycles and ambulances depending on what is needed by the hospital!! He also rents out other buildings he owns around town and has some land that farming is done on. But I am pretty sure he pays people to farm it for him!!

Now for the girls!! The oldest was 9 and her name is Mignone! She is very kind and has a lot of responsibility as the oldest!! She also keeps the peace most often I have noticed when other siblings are fighting!! She is a pretty good student and can speak a little English as well as some French and a few words in Swahili!! I think she is very smart!!! She also helped me practice my flash cards on many occasions to make sure I got the pronunciation right :) she has the biggest and brightest smile you’ll ever see and she is basically always happy!!!

Next in line is Viviane!! She is the second to oldest so I basically could relate to her the easiest!! I could see the spark in her eye and recognized it easily from my own mischievous ways!! She is 6 or 7 and just the sweetest thing ever!! She would always dance with me and loved to laugh at nothing :) She also speaks a little English and French but I don’t think she knows any Swahili.

Now for Keniya!! She is 4 and loves to be loved and listened to!! I couldn’t understand her but she would talk and ramble about who knows what!! And as long as I sat there and watched her she was happy!!! She also let me read to her in Kinyarwanda!!! Once I learned the sounds enough to read basically she loved for me to sit and read!! I had no idea what the stories were about but I loved every minute!!! She knew her numbers in English and how to introduce herself but that was all!! She is still in nursery school and has not started learning English yet though!!

Last but not least is Teta!! She is the baby of the family and I think she is about 8 months old!! At first she cried when she saw me :/ but by the end she preferred me sometimes over any of her sisters and would always stop crying and smile when I said her name :) I felt like part of the family when I was there for her first crawling session!!! She also started taking that first step and then falling while I was there!! It made me miss my new niece and nephew in America… but it was nice to still be around a baby!!!

I could not forget the umucozi (House Maid) Jane or the other boy that lived there Johnvier!! They were both very patient with me as I learned to wash my clothes and help cook and clean and helped me with flash cards pretty often!! I would like to say that Johnvier is so extremely smart!! He loves to learn and if given the opportunity he will do great things!! In school he studies Biology and chemistry and French and English and Kinyarwanda and math and probably more!!! I am pretty sure he is an orphan because he is not part of the family but has lived there his whole life!! He tries to speak English but understands way more then he speaks!! A little story to show how cool he is- One night he was doing something out of the ordinary and wouldn't tell me what… even though I was asking :) And he randomly turns on a light outside!!! Ok remember we don’t have electricity… I was so confused!! He takes me into his room and shows me that he has an old car battery and figured out how to wire a light bulb to it and hang it outside!!! That might seem really easy for some of you… but I for sure don’t know how and he had to find the wires and things to figure out how to do it!! AMAZING!!!!

I might have been teaching them to make silly faces... bahahahaha

Well that’s my family!!! They were pretty awesome and I loved them even with all the little things that annoyed me like crazy!!! hahaha

Training!!

Ok this post is mostly all the emails I have sent out… I thought this way people that didn’t get them can still read and if you already have then skip this post :) You won’t offend me!! hahahaha

Email From June 15-Hello friends and family!! I know it hasn't been long since I've seen some of you :) but for others it's been a while :/ either way I love you and I miss each of your beautiful faces!!!

Well, I made it to Rwanda and met my host family today!! They have three little girls and a baby :) we've already had a dance party on the front porch so I'm sure we will all get along greatly!!!

The language is crazy!! But I'm really trying to stay positive and pray I will get it eventually :)

I'm in a house with no electricity and my computer does not like most ways to access the Internet here... So I have my phone that I can do most everything on!!

I'm making this short but will be sending more updates soon... With pictures I hope... If I can get everything to work properly :)

I would love an occasional update from you as well to keep me in the loop and because I would love the company ;)

You're all awesome and I love you!!!

Email From June 20-Hello again!! I made it through the first week!!! It's crazy how much language can effect so much :/ but there are still so many things you can understand without it :)

I was so excited and felt so rested the first time this week I slept till my alarm went off!!! Before I was waking up at 3 or 4 and not being able to sleep after that... It made for some very long days :/ hahaha

I've had my first few classes and me learning this language is not impossible... But will take much work!!! There is a phrase I've learned that I already use a lot... It's "buroro buroro" and it means slowly or a little :) it's my new motto!!!

Last Sunday me and another volunteer I live close to went to a church!! I think it was Presbyterian but I could be wrong :) there were 4 large choirs that each sang 4 or 5 songs and sounded awesome!! It was outside and there were a lot of people!! They made us sit up front with all the choirs which was ok... But then 10-15 minutes in they had us move right up front next to the preacher dude :/ hahaha then they handed us the mic and told us to introduce ourselves :( and then they had us dance with the children!!! That was the best part!!! The whole time there was awesome dancing and loud music but when they asked me to dance with them... Well I got pretty excited!!! It was about 2 hours long and totally worth it!!! Next week, if I can talk my friend into it, we are going to try a different church :) haha

It's super weird to always have all eyes on you :/ I mean I'm not doing anything wrong so I just smile and say "Muraho!" and they all laugh and stair and call me white person like it’s my profession :) hahaha... I try to correct them by telling them my name!! It's a work in progress!!

The children here are the best though!! They are always laughing and giggling and wanting to touch me or have a picture with me :/ haha it can get a little crazy sometimes :)

I've learned how to wash dishes and peel and cut potatoes!! Not that I didn't know before :) but they like everything done a certain way since they don't have a dishwasher or hot water and their potatoes have germs on them that will kill me!! Haha so I'm learning :)

So on Friday evening Darcy (the volunteer closest me) decided to take a little walk!! It was so beautiful!! We walked out to where we could see the hills from a ledge!!! O MY LANTA!!! I wish I had the technology to send you pictures!!! Hopefully soon!! It was awesome though!! So green and beautiful!! It's not tropical here so no palms or big leafed trees but hills and hills of eucalyptus!!!! It was great to be away from the noise and eyes of people!! Having everyone stare and call you white person gets tiring fast... So it was a nice little get away :)

Today, Saturday, was laundry day... Bahahaha!!!! So washing was fun and they laughed at my "trying to copy them" technique :) Though it went pretty well!! Then when I pulled out my underwear (garments... For those of you that know) it got tricky :/ I didn't really want anyone else washing them and I didn't want my awkward looking undies hanging all over the yard :) so I tried to explain and they had no idea what I was saying... But they let me do the washing and I got to hang them in the back behind some other things!!! It worked out :)

That's basically my week in a nutshell!!! There were a lot of firsts this week but slowly things will become more familiar and get easier!!! The language is tuff but I will get it :)

I've loved hearing from many of you randomly throughout the week and will respond slowly!! It costs money to use my phone so I have to budget it out :) but at least I have access to email!!

Love you all lots!!!

Email From June 29-Hey :) it's me again!! I promise the emails will get less the longer I've been here because it won't seem so exciting when things happen for the tenth time and not the first... as they are now :/ haha!!!

Saturday night after I was in my room just chilling and writing in my journal some drunks came to the door of the house... Scared me so bad!!! Luckily my host dad is awesome so I trusted he would take action if needed :) I also noticed the whole house got silent so I followed suit and didn't move a muscle even though I wanted to run out of my room :/ hahaha but don't worry the wondered away after a few and we all lived :)

It's been a good week filled with lots of ups and downs of kinyarwanda!! Many laughs take place and we learn what to say and what not to say :) I'm behind from where I'm supposed to be :/ but my teacher still says I know stuff and if I keep going at this pace I'll do good!!!

On Thursday morning we got to visit a health center!!! As a health volunteer this is where I'll be working once I'm past training!!! It was way bigger than I thought and way awesome!!! It's scared me a little because I'm really not one to like sick people or issues with the body or blood or vomit or needles... So it was interesting to see a facility like one I'll be working in!!! But I'm still excited and can't wait to see what I get involved in!!

Here in Rwanda they have a monthly holiday!!! Every last Saturday of the month everyone gathers in each community to work on a project!! Its called Umuganda and that means community service. They've been doing this for the past 6 years and I guess everyone really loves it!!! I got to participate this Saturday and it was good!!! We all went out to help clear weeds that had grown on a road!! It was pretty easy!! After everyone gathers and finishes the work they have a little meeting!! Not sure what a normal meeting consists of... But today we heard from the secretary of government for this area and he told the guys not to drink so much!! Then the chief of police talked about things that are important and things that are not important for them to get involved in!! Then I left... But I was told at that point if anyone has a problem with someone else about anything they can bring it up and discuss it :/ that meeting can get a little long!! The idea of this whole thing is great though!!! If once a month everyone picked up trash for two hours in their city the USA would look amazing!!! Just saying :)

Not as much excitement this week just because I go to class every day and don't get out much... I'm also not allowed to leave my village :/ bahaha!!!

The picture below is of my teacher and the other volunteer in my language class!!  We three spend lots of time together :)

Thanks again for emails and support!! I look forward to another week here :)

Email From July 7-Hello again :)

So I've been to a Catholic Church service and that was interesting!! I'd never been to mass before so it was new... It's so interesting to see how different religions worship and how they find a connection with what I call God!! Everyone's got their own thing and that's cool!! But I'll admit that I miss my church a lot... I can't wait till I have the freedom to go as I please and see a few Mormons :)

The other day a couple volunteers and I were walking and there was a lady selling popcorn!!!! We all basically freaked out :) we were stoked to see something like popcorn!! Since then, we have become good friends with her and regularly stop by for a bag of popcorn and sometimes a cold fanta :) she has a fridge so she can chill them!!! It's only 17 cents in USD for the popcorn and 51 cents for the soda so we don't feel too awful about stopping often :)

It's weird to be here for the 4th of July... Its kind of the big American holiday!!! And celebrating in Rwanda was not the same :/ haha it was kind of nice because it was a holiday here too... It's their liberation day from the genocide!!! It was a little intense since they don't celebrate by having a party or fireworks or a BBQ... But they gather in each village and hear from a few select people about experiences and then they all listen over the radio to president Kegami speak!! Then the rest of the day was normal :) although... We did use this big loud thing to create electricity in the house and cooked in light!!! And the house had light too!!! It was really awesome to have light :) I had no idea I'd miss it sooo much!!! 

So speaking of light... Hahaha if anyone just wants to send a package you could throw in a few solar powered lamp things!!! I would love those for my house so I don't have to pay a fortune in kerosene or candles :)

I cooked for my family this week too!!! Of course it was not the whole meal since they have potatoes, beans and rice at every meal... I just made pasta and sauce :) it was a homework assignment to go to the market and buy food then make an American dish!!! I think they liked it :) I don't normally eat pasta with red sauce so I don't normally make sauce... I thought it tasted like tomatoes :/ haha but it was still fun and good with everything mixed in!!!

I had goat for the first time!!! I've only had meat like 4 times here because it all looks so questionable and I worry about sanitation as well as what part of "meat" I'm eating :/ haha but the goat was pretty good!! Darcy and I wanted to try out a bar and we had heard that this one was really good so we went!!! It was awesome and we had the coldest drinks ever!!! The meat was kind of tuff but had great flavor and was actually meat not bone or fat or cartilage so that was nice!!! And they had these potatoes!!!! O my lanta... They were amazing!!!! We've already decided we could go back there if we need something besides beans and rice :)

I built and cultivated my first garden this week!!! Part of being a health volunteer is knowing about nutrition and growing health gardens or kitchen gardens!!! So the peace corps had us build some out behind where we meet in a patch of weeds!!! It was nice to learn the words as well as see a little if what they already do so I know what level they are at!!! My groups looked pretty good :)

In language class this week we learned money words and how to barter!!! They have no posted signs for prices so when they see a white person they add 2 times the price :/ haha not fun... But now that I know how to barter our homework was to try it out!!! We went to the big market and found some awesome fabric for having clothes made!!! When we asked how much they told us 2000F over what they would have charged a native!!! We knew what to say and got the native price :) we felt so cool!!! I'll send pictures once I have the clothes made :)

Ok I think that's enough for one week!!! To end I would love your prayers and thoughts this week!! I know I get them all the time anyway :) but on Thursday I'm taking my midterm test for my language and I basically wanted to cry when I found that out :) but I've been practicing and hope they at least see how much I've improved even if its not passing yet!!!

Love you all :)

A little side note not from an email!! I have survived this long which says a lot since we have lost two volunteers that decided to ET or Early Termination. We are now down to an even 20!! They both had their reasons which are cool but I didn’t think it would happen so fast… Bibaho (It happens)!! This is my new favorite word to use at home!! I don’t understand normally so after we all get confused I say bibaho and all my sisters laugh!!! I love them so much and am glad to have such a great host family!!! My host mom can get annoying when she tries to help me with homework… or when she tells me to eat more… or when she won’t let me leave the house with my pants because there is some dirt on the knee… but it’s good really!! It’s fun and I am learning lots!! Site visits are coming up and I am excited about that!!!

Email From July 19-Hey!!

Well it finally happened... I had 9 chiggers :/ and the doctor had to cut them all out :( then I had 9 holes in my feet that I had to keep clean while they heal so I don't get infected!! Bahahaha... Yup... I'm still alive though!! And doing pretty well considering :) the best part is that I got to go to the capital and use a toilet and go to a place for lunch that was like chipotle and soooo good!!! Basically it was almost worth the 9 holes :)

We all found out our sites this week and mine is such an answer to prayer!!! There are so many great aspects!! First I'm only an hour from the capital which means I should be able to go to church on a pretty regular basis starting in a few weeks :) next it's not at a health center!! I'm a little bit of an exception... But I'm totally ok with this!! I'll be working with an NGO that does nutrition education and works with farming corporative!! They are an American run NGO and because if this and how close to the capital it is there will probably be English speakers and even a few Americans!!! I feel so blessed and am sure all your prayers made this happen!!!

I'll keep working hard on the language since I still have to reach a certain level!!! But it will be easier knowing it will not be my sole communication at work :)

I met my supervisor today :) she's from America and does not speak the language!! It's sad for her but nice to be able to talk to my future boss :) she's super cool and I look forward to getting to know her better!! She also informed me that my house for the two years has electricity and running water in the house!!!!!! Say what?? Like she said I'll have an actual shower!!! How crazy is that!!! I can't wait :)

While here in Kigali the peace corps put us up in a nice hotel with showers and electricity and a pool and it's been super great!!! One night all of us decided to go to a pizza place... It was so wonderful!!! And it was like Italian pizza too!! Then I got ice cream... I couldn't believe it!!! It was pretty cheap and I don't drink alcohol so compared to everyone else's bill mine was still super small!!! The best part though was walking home and seeing the MISSIONARIES!!!!!! O my lanta... I think I almost hugged them :/ hahaha and then I wanted to cry from joy and then they just looked at me like I was crazy and it was great!!! They told me where the church was and I hope I can find it again :) I'll get to go in a couple weeks!!!

Well I'm at site now and it's super exciting!! The team here seems really cool and I can't wait to get to know them all better :) also I got to walk around my village and it's super small compared to my host family... But it should be good!! My house is huge and the ceiling is like 10 feet tall!!! And the back yard is awesome!! I'm hoping they let me add on to a few things to get my hands dirty sometimes :) it's pretty awesome and I'm excited to move in a few weeks!!

Well that's enough this time :) love you all!! Have a great day!!!

Email From August 13-Hey Y'all!!

Well not much has changed... Still working hard at the language and hoping in a few weeks I score high enough to get to stay!! They switched up teachers and classes to help the three of us that are struggling... Now I have my own teacher and switch half way through the week to help my listening!! I'm improving lots because of this but man does it wear me out by the end of the day!!

This past Sunday we all got to go to the capital and visit the genocide memorial and that was a little intense. For most of you it shouldn't be a shocker that there were many tears as I read about and saw pictures and films about thousands of innocent people being killed. It's sad to think about but also amazing to see how far they have come in not even 20 years!!! I've already started hearing personal stories from Rwandans and they are such strong people!! It's amazing!!

Part of their display has a room with worldwide genocide information... Wow!!! This world is full of so many kinds of people all doing what they think is "good" and helping. I don't know what it takes to kill another human but some people have got it all wrong when they can convince a group of people to kill another group of people for any reason. It's a lot to think about :)

While we were in the capital we had a few hours to wander!!! A few of us went to a store and were all shocked at the amount of options!!! After having been in a village with basically nothing it was awesome to see a real store that feels like Wal-Mart!! Darcy bought a notebook with lines in it and was telling everyone!! I found a muffin tin I want to get for when I move out of my host families house!! And a few others were excited about chocolate!! It's the little things in life that matter :)

This weekend we got to go to the national museum of Rwanda!!! It was smaller then I thought it'd be... But actually more informative then I thought as well!!! It was super great and I loved the little garden out back :) we only had about 2 hours after that in the city and it was not as big as the capital so basically we just found a place to eat and then traveled back to our host families!!!

On the drive back we just happened to see monkeys hanging out right along the side of the road!!! It was awesome!!! And the driver just stops on the road so we can all take pictures and stuff!!! It's crazy how it was totally fine that this huge bus just stopped to let the white people take pictures!!! But I'm glad we did :)

The picture at the bottom is of my sisters eating some guacamole I made with some other volunteers to share with my family!!! They loved it :)

Well that's it this time round!!! Keep being awesome y'all and I'll keep surviving :) only 1 week left of training!!! Yahooooo!!

Peace and blessings

Well, I hope that’s a nice recap of training and all that took place the last two months!!

The First Few Days!!

I was going to do a whole post about staging… but then I realized how short it would be… so it is now staging and the first few days :)

It’s so crazy to meet everyone I have stocked on Facebook :) but so far everyone seems super awesome!! I can’t wait to get to know them all much better!! I didn’t really take any pictures because we were all just sitting around in a room listening all day… it was good info and I see why it’s important but it was a little long!!

Last meal in the states was at a cute little diner just down from the hotel and I got a burger and fries and a milkshake!!! There were about 8 of us that decided to go from the group while the rest went into Philly and did a little partying at a nicer place!!! The diner was perfect and now I get to try to sleep one last time in America!!!!! I’ll let you know more when we land!!!

The First Week!!

Well we made it!! We all got to Rwanda and had major jet lag :( There were some health and language classes but I don’t really remember much of what happened because I was so out of it!! We stayed in the Peace Corps Office in Kigali for I think about 2 and half days. Then we went to Kamonyi where we will be staying for the next 10 weeks of training!! Meeting my host mom was pretty intense and awesome all at the same time!!! We were all sitting there looking at all the host families on the other half of the room and just wondering which would be ours!!! When they called my name I couldn’t help but start to cry!! This was basically the moment I had been waiting for a very long time!! It hit me hard that I was in Africa and meeting a lady I would get to spend the next 10 weeks with!! It was awesome and completely devastating all at once!!! Here she was in her beautiful African dress and I couldn’t say a word to her :/ I found out she was a teacher which makes sense because we read the program probably a dozen times and she said it was my homework to learn those words by tomorrow :) well that didn’t happen… but I thought it was awesome!!!

We finally got home and there was food ready for us to eat!! I thought we would eat together but she basically just watched me… not my favorite but it happens. Then she showed my around the house and all their animals!!! And then THE HOLE… it caught me a little by surprise because it was the first one I have seen and known I would be using every day to go to the bathroom. Kind of scary but I think its already getting better!!!! I went to my room and was there for a time till my sisters got home from school and I wanted to meet them!!! Since I could not talk to them… I decided to try to bond by dancing a little to the music playing on a radio. That went really well and we basically had a dance party for about an hour right there while all the neighbors watched!!! I told them I was tired (which I was because I still had bad jet lag) and went to my room till they called me awkwardly out for dinner… the food here is pretty good!!!

Sunday was interesting but I am glad I got to share it with Darcy (another volunteer that lives closest to me!!). The morning was interesting because I didn’t know exactly how to bathe or ask for water… I ended up taking a very cold cold cold bucket bath that left me feeling still dirty and not looking forward to the next morning. After my mom communicated to me somehow (I don’t know how we communicated at all those first few days) that I was going to church with Darcy I waited for them to come and pick me up!! It was such a relief to see Darcy and to be going to church!!! Except church was nothing like I expected… hahahaha!!! It was outside and they made us sit in the very front almost right by the main priest dude 8-| Then at some random point they had us introduce ourselves… let’s just say that did not go over very well. But the choirs and music were awesome!!! There was a point where they wanted us to dance with the kids and that was awesome!!! Again it was a moment when I couldn’t hold back the tears… this was something only read about in books or watched on TV and I was doing it!!! How awesome!!! I couldn’t help but feel blessed to have this opportunity!!! Church lasted I think over 3 hours… so that was a long time to have no idea what was going on. But there was a guy trying to translate for us… it was… interesting :) hahahaha

Monday was a little better of a day because I got hot water for my bucket bath!!! And we all got to go to the Peace Corps Hub about a half hour walk away!!! The walk was interesting since everyone was calling out abazungu (spelling might not be correct) and trying to greet us and talk and stuff and we only know a couple words… it was a long walk!! But the hub was nice!! There was lots of English spoken and we got to hear from the doctors and we got shots and we got lots of other training!!

The rest of the week basically went like Monday other then we also had a few language days which were super confusing but it’s good to get started on it!!!!

Here are some pictures of my house and room and living space!!! And of course I couldn’t forget the hole :) 

This is the front of the house

The back yard!!

The kitchen where you use charcoal... they also cry cassava all the time!!

This is the wood burning stove... Its in a room but still outside...

These are their two cows and the goat!! They also have ducks and chickens and rabbits!!

This is basically what breakfast looked like everyday... unless there was nothing :)

My bed!!!!

My clothes and things in my little space!!

The hole...

The shower!!