Sula Says...

Sula

Me-ouch

Wharra night. It’s 9:45pm and I've just finished sorting out tomorrow. Sent an e-mail about two weeks ago regarding a Deaf Sports Day for kids down in Gitarama. Karen organises it with JAM (Joint Aid Management) once a term, and she's really keen that we go.

There's been lots of interest in the office. Parfait, Francois and Augustin are all eager that we should go.

So, in true Rwandese organisational style, I get a text at half-eight tonight from my boss saying ‘meet office 10am to discuss going.’

Err... the event starts at 9am, it finishes at 11am, and it takes an hour to get to Gitarama – we’d miss it.

It takes over an hour to get this ironed out and ends up with me offering to pay the bus fare for volunteers myself, then claim it back. I’d told Karen we’d be there. She said she’d wait for us, to show us the way. There was no way I was giving up on the idea.

It took about 15 texts between Augustin, Parfait and Karen, but we’re finally there. It's now just me and Parfait going, but that's way better than nothing. Meeting at Atraco at 7:30 tomorrow morning. If I can pull this off, it will be one of the major achievements of my time here so far. It’s on a par with landing £700 for IT training.

Phhhhwwww. I’m going to bed now.

I had a good day at RUB (Rwandan Union of the Blind) seeing what Martine does and meeting her colleagues. I really like her boss, she’s one strong lady. Also saw how a Perkins Braille machine works, and got my name written in Grade One and Two Braille (long and contracted versions). Very cool. Stuck it on my wall. Helped her to teach English for the afternoon.

The weather is cold and miserable at the moment. It was scorching in the morning, and I got a ton of washing done, but, as always happens here, the gods of clean clothing decided to p!ss on it.

It's been a hectic day but nobody died and, if anyone makes it to Atraco tomorrow, I will have achieved great things lol

Bring on the weekend. I'm going to an awesome party in Gahini at Jambo Beach to celebrate St. Paddy’s day.