buhoro buhoro

Well, I've been here for three weeks now and totally still have yet to figure out all the things I should be doing ;) I miss my fellow PCVs soo much! But we will reunite soon. Last week went by so quickly. I've started teaching English and life skills at a secondary school. It is seriously the highlight of my week! I have 40 students...many of whom are my age. Last week I taught them the "Where is Thumbkin?" song we learned in training. I also got them to listen to the Beatles' "Yesterday" and figure out what it meant (oh my kids are totally going to be Beatles and Bob Dylan experts by the end of two years)....but well, the speakers didn't work. So, I had to sing the Beatles out loud (bah to poor singing abilities). Anyways, they loved the lesson. I told them that they could go and NO ONE moved. They wanted to keep going and keep learning. I was seriously impressed by them! So, we kept going....I asked them what they wanted to learn about in class. One boy raised his hand and said, "gender." I was taken aback a little bit. He explained (and was echoed by several others) that they wanted to learn about gender roles and female empowerment issues. I was so impressed by them! So, we're going to start talking about those topics soon.

Sidenote: my house is invaded by ANTS! Everywhere! They got the bread and the precious cheese that I had. So if anyone has suggestions on how to get rid of them without chemical (since where the heck would I get that?) keep me posted! Other than that, not too many other things to talk about. Murekatete is said 50 million times a day...well probably at least 100. I'm getting to be known around here....not muzungu girl but by my name (a step!) Now, I just have to figure out how to communicate more than just the basics. Some kids came by on Saturday and we drew pictures and sang songs. If anyone feels like sending me art supplies, we will most def. use them!  

Oh! And watched the Barcelona v. Chelsea game here. There are tons of Barcelona fans! We went to a place where you only had to pay 100 and then watch it on the big screen. So, there I was, the only girl surrounded by about 400 guys watching this thrilling and insane game...goal in the 92nd minute! Ridonculous! Anyways, lots of fun and made a few new friends. 

Au Bientot

Mr. Taylor Warren---Official Peace Corps volunteer

Mr. Taylor Warren, Peace Corps Volunteer

 

Ya, um that’s what my official PC invitation letter said. Ha! Well, I didn’t realize that Peace Corps thought I was a man….yikes. Is it my hair? Or the way I dress? Do I have a weird manly voice? Ermm……hope not?

 

Ha, anyways, ntakibazo, narasetse. Ubu! Ndi umukorerabushake wa Corps de la Paix! So, excited! Moved already to site and ndishimye cyane! Had meetings with officials here who were very nice and seem to be excited for any kind of project we want to start which is pretty cool! So, yesterday went to three health clinics and a hospital in the region. So good and got to hang out with kids and play games and sing songs (trying to remember Kinyarwanda as much as possible, they were totally testing me on stuff too, which is exactly what I need!). It was so fun. They were at an orphanage in my area (well had to drive far to get there) and they drew me pictures and we all talked about what they wanted to be when they grew up. 2 hours flew by and I really hope that I get to go back again. The girls all wanted to be various things. Teachers, nurses, doctors, and wait for it----one day President of Rwanda! They’re so motivated in their studies and I was so proud to meet them. I hope I can come back and visit them more. They kept saying ejo, ejo! And I couldn’t see them the next day but hopefully soon! I’ll update you on stories about them too…

 

Wait- let me back up----- So, we have two host fams. Which is pretty cool. We got to go to a baptism party for my adorable 7 month old sister. She is sooo cute. Ahmed was able to take some pictures. Anyways, there’s this dance that all the women do that supposedly makes you look cow-like (a good thing ladies----) Anyways, my host mom totally grabbed me up and made me do it. I have no idea how red I got, but I’m sure I did not get to look cow like. You put your arms out and sway a bit and well my sway was more like a What do I do!??!?!?!? The RED muzungu looks like an idiot?! But everyone clapped for me trying, and I totally died laughing too. But it was such a good time (had 3 fantas---so tasty. Tip: if you finish your drink, they will bring you another one, so if anyone goes to a Rwandan party---drink slowly unless you want be like me with 3 fantas---I wanted all of them and they were good but maybe you don’t want that much sugar ;) Anyways, tons of fun though and got to meet more people! Everyone is so impressed that we are at least trying to speak their language (though I’m totally at the stage of butchering it ;) Oh and they love my Rwandan izina, murakoze Kassim. Nitwa Murekatete which means “one to be cherished.” They all seriously crack up when I say Nitwa Taylor cyangwa Murekatete. But that’s what people call me here. Taylor is hard to say so it’s my Rwandan name or umuzungu. I prefer my Rwandan name, so hopefully umuzungu will subside.

 

Also, last night my other host mom had a surprise birthday party. Which I was totally late for. In the field til 6 and then well----yikes. Ok, so I’m pretty tough. But there’s one thing that I just cannot handle. And that is: mice/rats. Ok, they’re gross and I can’t handle it. Bugs any day---whatever. I’ve killed 20 mosquitoes (I also have 22 bites right now---so I think the mosquitoes are winning?), 2 spiders, a big thing that I have no idea what it is, etc. But mice?! I screamed and yelled and said some words I should regret and ended up somehow standing on a chair. I just saw something big move from under my bed. MY BED!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, we don’t know where it went but somehow it came out of my room (so says Ahmed). The theory is that it went under the door of the outside (big gap) so we’ve now duct taped it shut (every future PCV should remember to bring duct tape, it’s important!!). So hopefully no ROUS’s (point if you know what that is).

 

Anyways, the surprise bday part was also tons of fun and got to see their wedding video (adorable) Talked to a couple of PCVs on the phone and then tried to sleep hoping that a rat would not crawl in my hair (it’s on an episode of SATC and has since freaked me out). Update: it didn’t crawl in my hair---but I remain vigilant!