Friday, March 4, 2011
Hidden under a load
I am constantly amazed by how many things and how much people carry. Unlike Senegal, Rwanda has no horses that I can see. People sometimes use bicycles but more often themselves as beasts of burden.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Children in the hills
Our walk took us past the reservoir and across the rice fields into some of the "thousand hills" of Rwanda. We met so many people on our way and had many opportunities to greet with Mwirawe (Hello), Amakuru (How are you?), and Ni meza (fine). These chidlren were happy to pose for us. The young girls typically have such short hair, I can only tell they're girls by their clothes.Women on road
I'm always reluctant to take people's photos without permission, but these women were quite happy to pose for us! We had forgotten our cameras the day before and were so frustrated becasue we were collected by a group of 15 children who surrounded us and walked along with us for about 20 minutes.Children working and playing
Tom and Margaret and I went for a walk last weekend and were temporarily adopted by these charming children, who danced along with us for quite a while. They were so playful, we had to remind ourselves how hard they were working to take wood home to their families.
The Librarians - Part of the family
Tom (USan) and Margaret (German) live in Germany and are here for six weeks setting up a library which came from an army base that closed in Germany. The library (with 20,000 books) is housed at the university and is the largest English language library in Rwanda. In the photo we were celebrating Tom's 74th birthday; he's very well preserved!
My family! Telesphore, Jean Claude, Deo, and Celse
It seems so very wrong to live alone in a three-bedroom house in Rwanda, and it's lonely too. I was lucky to find La Petite Seminaire right across the road, and now I have lunch and supper with the priests. They are so kind and funny, and we have a lovely time and great food from their dairy herd, goats, and gardens. I told them that being with them is like being in my own musical because they frequently break into song during the meals.
My favorite lunch is goat liver brochette (!) with fries and aubergine with lovely lovely cabbage salad.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Heading to the Nile
We cross over this river on the way out of Kigali heading to Gitarama. Lovely to think about it heading to the Nile River.Lots of public transportation in Rwanda!
These white vans are the Rwanda version of Car Rapide in Senegal. They pack as many people in as possible and don't go until they're full. If people get off, the vans wait until more people get on.I take the shuttle, a 25-person-or-so mini bus, to Kigali. The shuttles leave at least every 15 minutes and cost 900f francs (about 500 francs to the dollar).
I discovered last week that I can get picked up and dropped off right in front of my house.
My primary form of transportation
Taxi motos are the easiest form of local transportation for me, both in Kigali and Gitarama. When I had my embassy security briefing, the officer warned us to take "real" taxis and not moto taxis. Then he turned to me and said, more or less, "Well, since you live in Gitarama, do whatever." No taxis in my town!The drivers are generally very courteous and drive carefully, and passenger helmets are mandatory. It costs me between 40 and 60 cents from one end of town to another in Gitarama.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Neighbor's house
Rwanda, at least the parts I have seen, is unbelievably lush and green. I've also read that it's the most densely populated country in Africa, which I find hard to believe given this scene. This house and mine are owned by the Catholic church, I gather, and are on the edge of town in the diocese of Kabgayi. So beautiful but so lonely...And my neighbors won't be back until March, I hear.
The good news is that we are on the main road, so from my window, I have an ongoing parade to watch.
Road to church complex
This church complex, Diocese of Kabgayi, houses the church (of course), a school, a convent, a hotel and restaurant, and some other buidlings I haven't sorted out yet.Rwanda is overwhelmingly Catholic, a big change from Senegal, which is about 95% Muslim.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
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