"Hillywood"

Since training began we have had a few different PCV’s come and do learning sessions for us.  It is so exciting to get an idea of what things will be like when we get to post and these are by far my favorite classes.  The PCV that came last week titled her presentation “Hillywood” which compared living in Rwanda to being a celebrity in the U.S.  This is very true and a bit overwhelming to say the least. Here are a few examples she used in her presentation.

·         You are on display all the time

·         You will be followed and stared at

·         You will be paraded around and shown off

·         People will scrutinize what you do, where you go, who you are with, etc.

·         You will be judged by your appearance

I have experienced all of these on several occasions already.  Sunday I attended a meeting for a religious women’s group my reference mother is a part of.  I sat in the front of a crowded room of about 30 women who all stared and laughed at me every time I tried to speak.  Afterward we stopped at all the neighbor’s homes where I was again stared and laughed at. On Saturday I went for a walk with a friend.  On our way back we were suddenly joined by about 15 boys.  It started to rain and luckily another PC house was nearby so we ran to their porch to hide and all 15 followed us right onto the porch and didn’t leave until we went into the house.  This is how it is all the time.  It’s pretty much impossible to go anywhere outside without drawing a crowd.  Even at our house there are children who sit at our fence and look into our windows so we have to keep the curtains in the front closed at all times, luckily our backyard is completely fenced and they can’t see in so we can hang out back there.  Once I get to my post and people get to know me I won’t be such a novelty anymore so hopefully some of it will fade but I will definitely be watched closely my entire time there.  The plus side to that is they will also be very protective and help keep me safe. 

This past weekend was amazing!  On Sunday, for the first time in probably months, I didn’t set an alarm!  I still woke up at 6 am but I laid around in bed until 8, it felt so good!  It was a very low key day spent washing clothes, cleaning a little, writing some cards, spending time with my resource family, and then ended with a nice long phone call with my parents.  I didn’t realize just how much I needed some time to myself, to do things I would normally do at home in the states and regain some of my independence.  It was a perfect day and I feel completely recharged!

This week is pretty much like the others except on Thursday we get our site assignments!  I cannot wait to find out where I will be for the next 2 years.  We had interviews and were able to discuss our preferences I didn’t really say too much because I don’t really know enough to feel confident in making a choice.  I did however, request to go somewhere I will teach biology and not chemistry or physics and someplace that has electricity which almost all the places do.  Next week they thrust us out of our little PC bubble and send us to our sites for a visit.  They haven’t even let us take a local bus by ourselves but now they will send us across the country all alone.  I’m sure it will be just fine though, they always make sure we are well prepared. 

Updates

Hello Everyone

I'm sorry I haven't been better about updating.  I don't have interent on my computer and all my free time is consumed by studying or sleeping.  they are keeping us very busy.  Here are a couple blogs I wrote a few days ago.  I will try and write more often and post them all at once when I get a chance.  Hope you all are doing well. 
Annie

10.30.10
Posh Corps

Every time I begin feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by the lack of running water or the 6 hours it takes to make one meal, I remind myself just how great we have it here in Rwanda compared to PCV’s.  Take for example, Niger where our medical officer was working before coming to Rwanda.  He estimated that only about 15% of us will have issues with dysentery during our service as opposed to the 75% he estimated get it in Niger.  We also have a consistent 75-80 degree temperature range, not a 100 degree average.  The other perks of Rwanda would include the beautiful scenery, amazing fruits and vegetables, and most importantly (so far) no large furry bugs or critters living in my house!  Rwanda is perfect for me! 
Today was an amazing day, it was like Christmas, and we each got brand new mountain bikes!  Each came equipped with a light, water bottle, air pump, helmet and a nifty tool that has far more parts than I know what to do with.  Tomorrow we have a bike maintenance class to learn how to take care of them.  These bikes couldn’t have come at a better time.  The house I live in is at least 3 miles to the training center, other volunteer’s houses, and the city center and I was really starting to feel isolated.  Now that I have a bike I finally have some independence again to go out and explore.  Tomorrow we have ½ the day off which is the first time they have given us any free time at all so I’m very excited to do what I choose!
A couple nights ago we cooked our first meal at our house.  We joined forces with the one of the boy’s houses that’s right by us so there was 11 of us cooking.  We went to the market to buy our food at 5pm, we got home around 7, began cooking and finally ate at 11pm.  This was not a pleasurable experience and I learned quickly how difficult it is to cook with no stove or oven.  We had 3 little grill like things where we heat charcoal and then place a pot on top to cook.  We have no counter to cut vegetables on so we put cutting boards on the ground and chopped all the vegetables on them, no sink or running water to wash dishes so we did it in buckets outside.  This experience made me realize how challenging cooking for myself in Rwanda will be and that I will likely be eating a lot of peanut butter (they have it here mom!) and jelly sandwiches! 


10.29.10
Rwanda Time

Oh my…where do I begin!  My entire concept of time is gone!  I’ve been in Rwanda just over a week yet I feel like it’s been weeks and the days go by so fast but at the end, what happened in the morning feels like it was days ago!  I’m constantly taking in new information and I feel like a child because I have to learn even the simplest things.
Our days have been nonstop!  We left Kigali (the capital) on Sunday and we are now staying in Nyanza which is where we will be for the rest of our training.  It is still a large city but much more manageable than Kigali.  We are all split up into about 5 houses and have to walk each day to the training center.  Our house has one large main room and then 3 bedrooms and a bathroom.   We have electricity (most of the time) but no running water.  Our house has a brick fence around it and a gate.  We have 2 guards (one for the day and one for the night) that stay at the house all the time, they get water for us, clean the house and today he even did our laundry!  I’ve never had such luxuries!  Apparently this is fairly common and when we get to site we can choose to have someone do our chores for us as well.  I live with 3 other PCT’s (Peace Corps Trainees) and 2 LCF’s (Language and Culture Facilitators) who are both Rwandan.  Their job is to teach us how to live like Rwandans; how to cook our food outdoors with charcoal (there is no kitchen) how to buy things in the market, how to ride the bus, etc. etc.  They also spend lots of time work with us on our language skills. 
So each morning we get up and go to the training center by 7 am for breakfast then we have classes.  We usually have a couple language classes each day, a technical training session and occasionally medical or security and safety.  We eat lunch there and most often dinner as well so by the time we get home it’s after 8.  It’s been exhausting!
We have also been assigned reference families who we met on Monday.  These are families that live in Nyanza who we are supposed to spend at least 4-6 hours with each week to learn more about Rwandan culture.  On Tuesday I went to their home just to visit and Thursday I had a meal with them.  This was probably the most fascinating experience of my life.  The family speaks only Kinyarwanda so while I was there with them for about 3 hours we spent a lot of time looking at my language books pointing to different words trying to communicate.  Because of the language gap I’m still not completely sure who is a part of the family and who isn’t but I believe my family has 10 children 3 of which live at home along with 3 grandchildren.  Their house doesn’t have electricity and has about 3 rooms they all share.   We sat on the floor on straw mats; we ate with our hands and from the same dishes.  The food was actually really good; lots of fresh vegetables and fruit (bananas and pineapple) and thankfully my stomach enjoyed it as well!  They have been so welcoming and excited to have me visit. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to spend time with them to really get to know what it’s like to be Rwandan.   At one point I was sitting with my back to the door and I looked and there were at least 10 people right behind me just sitting and staring at me.  It’s fairly unusual for them to see a white person at all but especially inside a regular person’s home.  The people here are completely fascinated by muzungu’s as they call us.  We are constantly yelled at or pointed at walking down the street.  They don’t mean to be rude or mean they are just very curious.
It has been an adjustment here though and I’ve definitely experienced some culture shock.  It’s all very overwhelming, there are people everywhere all the time staring at you watching your every move, nothing looks familiar, the buildings, the roads, the stores, nothing is the same.  I feel very helpless and vulnerable at times because I don’t even know how to buy toothpaste.  But we are slowly learning and gaining more independence which is what I need to feel like I have some control again.  I’ve definitely never felt unsafe though, Peace Corps takes great care of us. 
Well that’s the abbreviated version of life here in Rwanda.  Please send e-mails, pictures, letters, anything!  I want to know how you everyone is doing!  As I get used to things here more I will hopefully be in touch more often.
Annie

I'm Here!

I’m finally in Rwanda!  This has been the most amazing experience already!  We have been staying in Kigali and have had a lot of basic orientation.  We are staying at a conference center and aren’t allowed to leave on our own but we are able to walk around the city with one of our teachers.  It was easily one of the best experiences of my life!  First of all there are people everywhere, just walking around or hanging out outside.  The kids were the best!  They would give you this shy, coy look and then you would wave at them and they face completely lit up!  It was so much fun!  Everything here is completely new.  I wasn’t even sure how to greet people or what was appropriate but I look forward to learning all about the culture and will have plenty of time to do it!  The landscape is beautiful!  There are mountains everywhere and everything is so green!  On our compound there is a church and this morning you could hear the most beautiful African music.  It was so amazing looking out into the mountains with the music in the background, I felt like I was in a movie!

This afternoon we are going to our training site where we will stay for 11 weeks.  I will get a cell phone and internet hopefully soon so I can update more regularly! 

Hope you all are doing well!

Annie

And so it begins...

I just have a minute before I begin my long journey (about 36 hours long) to Rwanda.  It starts today with a clinic visit and just one vaccine (Yellow Fever) then a bus ride to JFK then 2, 8 hour flights first to Brussels then finally to Rwanda.  There will be more details on the days leading up to this but I just wantedt o pass along some information.  Below is the letter Peace Corps asked us to give our family and friends.  It includes things to expect (so nobody freaks out when they hear crazy stories) and other things like the best way to send mail including my address. 

I cannot begin to thank every single person I know for all the well wishes, kind words and support.  You really have no idea how much it means to me and I will remember it all for the next 27 months!  I'm so lucky to have such amazing people in my life!  Thank you!

All the best,
Annie


January 2010

Dear Families:

Greetings from the Rwanda Desk in Washington, D.C.  It is with great pleasure that we welcome your family member to Peace Corps.  During the past year we have received many requests from Volunteers and family members alike regarding travel plans, sending money, relaying messages and mail, etc.  As we are unable to involve ourselves in the personal arrangements of Volunteers, we would like to offer you advice and assistance in advance by providing specific examples of situations and how we suggest they be handled.

Irregular Communication   
The mail service in Rwanda is not as efficient as the U.S. Postal Service.  Thus, it is important to be patient.  It can take three to four weeks for mail coming from Rwanda to arrive in the States via the Rwanda postal system.  From a Volunteer’s post, mail might take 1-2 months to reach the States.  Sometimes mail is hand carried to the States by a traveler and then mailed through the US postal system.  This leg of the trip can take another several weeks, as it is also dependent on the frequency of travelers to the U.S.

We suggest that in your first letters, you ask your Volunteer family member to give an estimate of how long it takes for him/her to receive your letters and then try to establish a predictable pattern of how often you will write to each other.  Volunteers have had good success in receiving their mail in this form.  Also, try numbering your letters so that the Volunteer knows if they has missed one.  Postcards should be sent in envelopes--otherwise they may be found on the wall of the local post office!

Volunteers often enjoy telling their “war” stories when they write home.  Letters might describe recent illnesses, lack of good food, isolation, etc.  While the subject matter is good reading material, it is often misinterpreted on the home front.  Please do not assume that if your family member has been ill that he or she has been unattended.  Peace Corps has two medical officers on staff in Kigali.  Through regular contact, the medical office monitors the health of the Volunteers.  In the event of a serious illness, the Volunteer comes to Kigali and is cared for by our medical staff.  If the Volunteer requires medical care that is not available in Rwanda, they will be medically evacuated to South Africa or the United States, depending on the medical care required.  Fortunately, these are rare circumstances.  

If, for some reason, your communication pattern is broken and you do not hear from your family member for three months, you should contact the Office of Special Services (OSS) at Peace Corps Washington at 1-800-424-8580, extension 1470.  OSS will then contact the Peace Corps Director and ask her/him to check up on the Volunteer.  Also, in the case of an emergency at home (death in the family, sudden illness, etc.), please do not hesitate to call OSS immediately so that the Volunteer will be informed as soon as possible.

Telephone Calls
The telephone system in Rwanda is relatively good.  Service to the United States is somewhat reliable, phones exist in most larger towns and Volunteers can often plan to be at a phone on a certain date to receive calls from home.  This usually works, but there are also innumerable factors that can make the best-laid plans fall apart. Phone service can be expensive.

The Rwanda Desk communicates with the Peace Corps office in Kigali daily.  However, these calls are reserved for business only and we cannot relay personal messages over the phone.  All communication between family members and the Volunteer must be done via international mail.  

Sending mail during Pre Service Training (PST)

Your name, Peace Corps Trainee

P.O. Box 5657

Kigali, Rwanda

Sending packages
Both parents and Volunteers like to send and receive care packages through the mail.  Unfortunately, sending packages can be a frustrating experience for all involved due to the possible theft and heavy customs taxes.  You may want to try to send inexpensive items through the mail, but there is no guarantee that these items will arrive.  We do not recommend, however, that costly items be sent through the mail.  Even though Volunteers choose to get local post office boxes, you may use the following address to send letters to your family member at any time during his or her service:

John Doe, PCV

U.S. Peace Corps

P.O. Box 5657

Kigali, Rwanda

We recommend that packages be sent in padded envelopes if possible, as boxes tend to be taxed more frequently.  Custom fees can be quite expensive.  For lightweight but important items (e.g. airline tickets), several services, such as DHL, FedEx, TNT, and UPS operate in Rwanda.  These services however, are very expensive, and can cost as much as $70 for a letter.  If you choose to send items through these, you must address the package to the Country Director, c/o Peace Corps, Kigali, Rwanda.  However if you send the item to the Country Director, no liability can be assumed.   

Sending airplane tickets and/or cash is not recommended.  Certain airlines will allow you to buy a pre-paid ticket in the States; they will telex their Kigali office to have the ticket ready.  There is more availability of on-line tickets in and out of Kigali and that is currently the preferred method of sending tickets to Volunteers. Several carriers fly to Rwanda.  Please call the airline or use their web site for more information.  You could also send tickets via mail services as mentioned previously.  However, Peace Corps will assume no liability in the event of a lost/stolen airline ticket.

Trying to send cash or checks is very risky and is discouraged.  If your Volunteer family member requests money from you, it is his/her responsibility to arrange for its receipt.  There is Western Union service available in Kigali, although there are many charges involved in the sending and exchange of money.  Bear in mind that Volunteers will be aware of people visiting the States and can request that they call the Volunteers’ families when they arrive in the States should airline tickets or cash need to be sent back to Rwanda.  

We hope this information is helpful to you during the time your family member is serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Rwanda.  We understand how frustrating communication difficulties can be when your family member is overseas and we appreciate your using this information as a guide.  Please feel free to contact us at the Rwanda Desk in Washington, D.C. if you have any further questions.  Our phone number is 1-800-424-8580, ext. 2323 or locally, 202-692-2323.  

Sincerely,

Patrick Koster
Rwanda Country Desk

A Post....finally!

My life has been crazy lately to say the least!  Everyday this week I didn't already have plans made I decided I was going to pack and get things done but then suddenly my day was filled and I got nothing done that I had planned.  So needless to say I'm not packed and I have tons of paperwork to do.  I have, however, seen nearly all my friends, spent time time at Lake Calhoun and the arboretum enjoying the  perfect fall weather, ate some fabulous food and had multiple sleepovers with the coolest first graders and 3 year old I know!  All far more important (and fun) than packing and paperwork!  It will all get done with a couple late nights, but I need to get used to the time change anyway, right?  I have about a million thoughts, ideas, feelings and emotions floating around in my head at all times.  I'm not terribly nervous though, hopefully that's not a bad thing.  I've had such a long time to prepare for this and think about what it may be like and now that it's actually happening I just feel ready.  I moved out of my apartment yesterday and I was definitely sad sitting in my empty place thinking about all that has happened in the past 2 1/2 years I lived there and as much as I loved it, it wasn't that big of a deal.  I think it's all easier because I feel so good about my decision.  I feel like I have been preparing for this not just for the past year but for the past 5 years.  I've talked about moving or doing something big for years but it never happened and now it feels so good that something is finally happening.  I don't think I've ever felt as confident in any decision as I do about this one.  I have to do my best to remember that though (thanks Laura) because there will be days that I will think I made the worst decision of my life, hopefully they won't last long though and I'll make it through.

As excited as I am, the reality that I'm leaving and may not see many of the most important people in my life for over 2 years is hitting hard.  I am surrounded by the most amazing people.  I am completely overwhelmed by all the support I have received from everyone.  It means so much and I honestly couldn’t do this without it.  I'm lucky to have this opportunity that I can't imagine not taking advantage of it.  I just feel so lucky!

  

So here are some of the more exciting details; I found out there are 71 of us going which is a lot of people to be spread throughout such small country meaning that when I'm at post I likely won't be more than an hour away from the nearest volunteer and will probably be much closer than that.  Also, we won't stay with a family during our 10 week training as most Peace Corps volunteers do.  They said because of the country's history the people are generally more guarded and not as trusting of foreigners.  Instead we will live in groups with other volunteers (back to college life!).  There will be advantages and disadvantages to this but ultimately I'm disappointed, I was looking forward to the experience and having a connection in Rwanda handed to me but obviously I trust the Peace Corps' judgment. 

Well hopefully I will be able to update frequently, no guarantees but I'll do my best and likely the next time you hear from me I'll be in Rwanda then I will have much more exciting things to post!

Annie