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.

Shrine outside Catholic church complex in Kabgayi

Center of Gitarama and big pot!

Colleague Vivens in English Resource Center

View of Gitarama from main road

View of road from my house

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Patch of sweet potatoes in front of my house

First of three bedrooms in my house

My dining room and sorta kinda kitchen

My living room

My sweet house in Gitarama

View of Kigali on the road to Gitarama

Warm and gracious housekeeping staff at hotel

Taxi motos - cheap and fast transportation

Eugenie is my very supportive embassy contact

Living the high life for a few days with rides in the US Embassy van - woo woo

Racheal, an English teacher from Uganda I met through Duke Int'l Houselistserv!

Hotel des Milles Collines AKA Hotel Rwanda

(Very clean) street scene Kigali

View of Kigali from hotel balcony

Josee the lovely desk clerk!

Pett Prince Orange Court Hotel - Lovely introduction to Rwanda!

Piu, my waiter and first Kinyarwanda teacher