Rwanda 15th Genocide Commemoration

This was forwarded to me yesterday, might be of interest to some, please feel free to spread the word:

From: Steve Robinson, AEGIS Trust
Sent: 25 February 2009
FW: Rwanda 15th Commemoration

Part of Rwanda's national commemoration for the 15th Commemoration of the genocide will be lighting candles at the main stadium. In order to raise funds for the vulnerable via a website, we are hoping to use this event to attract donations from people all over the world, whilst at the same time providing a measure of information about the genocide.

We will also be asking celebrities to send a video of themselves lighting a candle, to join in the commemoration, which will be displayed on the main screen during the national ceremony. The website will be used to attract donations and will be linked to the websites of celebrities. Our website is: http://www.candlesforrwanda.org/

We are inviting people everywhere to donate a few pounds or dollars to each light a candle as part of the main ceremony which will be held in April for those who lost their lives in the genocide. The greater the number of people donating, the more candles we'll have - and we would like to see thousands lit at the stadium as a gesture of remembrance by people in the UK and around the world, to tell the survivors that they are not forgotten. A few pence from each donation will pay for the candle; more importantly, the rest will go to into a fund supporting widows and orphans whose families were murdered, thousands of whom, as you know - even 15 years on - remain destitute as a result of the genocide.

Francine, our young co-ordinator, looks after the Rwandan orphans and widows in our programme, and those who come to the Centre for support. She is an orphan herself who came through our programme – she now works full time with us and is trying to raise as much money with this programme as she can to ensure the vulnerable ones get the support they need.

Please visit http://www.candlesforrwanda.org/ for more information about the project, where you'll also find a short film featuring some of the survivors that it's designed to help, including Francine.

Please don’t hesitate to get back to me if you have any questions. If you could pass this on to as many people as possible, we would be so grateful, and I know Francine (and Theodore, the head of Ibuka – the umbrella organization for survivors) would appreciate it.

Would you be able to distribute this email as widely as possible so that many can access the website and raise awareness ?

With warmest regards

Steve

Steve Robinson
Rwanda Development Officer
Aegis Trust

[NB 2013: I don't think that link still works, but the video above is taken from Candles for Rwanda.]

Staying Put

The Central Post Office was apparently demolished.
Picture: KigaliWire

This week is pootling by quite quickly.

Tuesday evening was a bit of a shock to the system. My sore throat just turned into a mild head-cold. I was just about recovered when Brad, Cathryn's colleague (slightly mental NYC bar tender) ended up back at ours teaching us how to make interesting improvisations with a coke can. Shan't expand upon that. Anyway, my almost cured mild head-cold is now a budding chest infection, and I've no one to blame but myself. Glob of florescent green phlegm anyone?

In addition, the blister accidentally burst on my moto burn and my leg was a weeping mass of singed flesh and brown gunk for a couple of days. Have fended off gangrene and think I'll just earn myself an impressive scar. It's actually healing very well.

Been in the wars a little of late, but mostly self-induced.

Had a meeting on Wednesday to discuss my placement with my Programme Manager, plus the housing situation. Turns out they aren't going to move another VSO into the house as it's more expensive than they realised. They thought they were paying FRW 170,000 per month but, apparently, when I first moved in it went up to 200,000. I'd offer to cover the difference but, as the woman was swapping tenants as a slight against me, she can have all the fun she likes looking for someone else to pay that amount of money for a 1-bedroom, cold water only, teeny cottage with the roof falling off. Housing here's in hot demand, but many a Rwandan would laugh at the price. It's a very nice house, but not practical by local standards, and not big enough by ex-pat standards.

Aaanyway, looks like I'll likely be moving to Gikondo, over near Passadena. There's a new volunteer there that they originally wanted me to share with, but Amanda was really good about not pushing that. Apparently, all new vols since January have to share, but because I came in before that it doesn't apply. Having been here for such a while now, I really don't think it'd work terribly well moving in with someone. I like everyone loads, but it's just one of those things - I'm a bit set in my ways now.

This other volunteer apparently wants to move in with another couple of vols anyway, and isn't too thrilled about the house (lot of mosquitoes apparently). So it looks like I may get it to myself. It's over near Jo's old place, so the other side of town. I worry a bit that people won't visit me as often as it'll be a bit out of the way, but I'm not unhappy about the moving concept now. I'll miss Kisimenti, I've grown to know and love it, but these things happen. Onto the next adventure, and it's only another six months or so before my service is over.

The placement is extremely slow at the moment. We talked about that a lot. Few more ideas to try and push now.

I wasn't looking forward to the meeting after the stress before Christmas and was worried it might have seen me cut my service short. Actually, it went really very well. I'm still very happy to be here. Seems I'll be finishing out my contract, and I can turn any four walls into a home pretty quick.

Cathryn's moving to Giudi's for a while this weekend. I'm going to miss her, it's been a lot of fun, although I'm certain my liver could do with the respite. She's talking of going home next month for good, think she's run her course in Rwanda and work hasn't been forthcoming for her.

I was supposed to be heading to Gisenyi this weekend with Martine, but she's now got to work the weekend and I've got this stinking cough, so I'm going to tuck myself up in bed and we'll go another time.

Watched a couple of movies: This is England and In Her Shoes. First one was very good, second one average.

Not masses to report, really. Watching Cathryn applying for jobs gave me itchy feet. I was sure I wanted to go to Mongolia on a short-term contract after this, but the desire to get a proper job is also very tempting. Won't be long until I can start having these conversations with the Programme Office. Think I'll start all that in June. Will be nice to finish out my time here as it'll get me my end of service grant to buy me a couple of months relaxation in the UK, catching up with everyone before I either do a second VSO stint or start a job elsewhere. So many possibilities :)

Went to the Post Office today to pick up a parcel Karen’s sister sent her. Karen’s now back in the UK, but I get on well with the guys in the Post Office so they helped me out. The parcel is big, it cost £54 to send and was posted, get this, on 24th January 2007!!! Took over two years to get here!

Fascinating :)

Birthday Treats

Lalibela Special

 

Hello bloggies,

Well, was a fairly quiet week all being told. Tuesday, Cathryn and I sat up on the porch drinking Black Bush until some silly hour and blathering away. Discovered a luxurious position on the porch, with a fluffy pillow beneath our heads, lying back with our feet up against the polls, trying to convince the ants to form a miraculous moving carpet to take us to Stella.

On Thursday, it was Emmanuelle’s birthday (Rose's daughter). She turned four and I went over after work with chocolate, balloons and presents. Was lovely. Unfortunately, en route I had a wee accident. I was wearing a slightly restrictive skirt and the back of the moto was rather high. I didn't hitch the skirt up far enough before trying to swing my leg over, and accidentally brushed the inside of my leg against the moto exhaust, resulting in the strong smell of burned flesh and the loss of several layers of skin.

Was doing fine until this morning, when I caught the blister on my towel after showering. It hadn't hurt at all after the first day but now it's stinging like a b**** ;o/

Wrapped it up in Savlon and wound dressing, so sure it'll be fine.

Friday was also my 28th birthday. However, technically, I was born at 11pm GMT, and 11pm GMT is 1am here - so I guess I was born on the 21st this year. Two birthdays, like the Queen ;)

Woke in the morning to Cathryn making me toast in the frying pan. She bought me a lovely little necklace and a bottle of very nice wine.

Went to a Disability meeting at VSO, which was supposed to last two hours but over-ran by an hour. We now have 11 Disability volunteers, there were about five when I arrived. Lot of people.

I had a very proud moment where I displayed the first draft copy of the AKR dictionary. Huge applause and happiness, however Safari did not make all the corrections I gave him. It's still listed as a 'Flying Pan' ;o/  So, for the third time, I will make the exact same changes yet again and submit them before the final print run. Beyond that, it is out of my hands. It does look dead impressive though, and I shared around a tube of Minstrels in celebration :)

I left on time as Jeff from Kibungo was in town and I had to go find him. Once the meeting finished, Antonia and Martine joined Jeff, myself, and Cathryn at the house to drink the wine and chat before we headed over to Stella. Martine bought me a pen and mascara, which was really kind, and Jeff & Addison (who wasn't there) bought me a big bottle of Indian whisky! Felt very spoiled.

At Stella, we had a round of drinks and Rose and her friend Patience joined us, then we mozied on over to Lalibela Ethiopian restaurant near Amahoro Stadium for food, where Steve, Nidhi, Hirut, Giudi, Maxime, Anja and Jeff's friend Christina joined us. The food was extremely yummy: mélange of Ethiopian dishes on injera bread, which you eat with your hands. Met the owner too, who is a really lovely guy and gave us a complimentary coffee at the end, done in the traditional way where they waft the roasting beans across the table like incense.

From there, we moved the gathering back down the road to High Noon. It was a lovely atmosphere and we all sat talking until about midnight, when people headed home and Cathryn, Hirut, Jeff, Rose, Patience and myself adjourned back to the house for whisky.

It was an absolutely lovely birthday. Last year was excellent too, went to SoleLuna for it, but most of the people from then: Sue & Eric, Jo & Pierre, have all gone, so this year I just wanted to invite a select group of close friends - keep it relaxed.

Jeff stayed the night and Cathryn and I bunked in together again. I headed to bed about half-one, shattered, and Cathryn and Jeff stayed up chatting 'til three. The next night was a role reversal and Cathryn, Jeff and I went to SoleLuna for pizza, then to a brand new bar that's opened just over the road. It's a nice relaxed place, small but intimate. We stayed drinking and chatting for ages, then came back for more drinks and music. Cathryn headed to bed and Jeff and I were up until 4:45 chatting!

Collapsed into bed. He headed off this morning, but it was a really chilled-out weekend. I was supposed to go to Gikongoro for a friend's housewarming on Saturday but just didn't make it that far. Was going to travel down with Tiga, but she dropped off the planet lol Glad I stayed though, I was soooo tired and it was such a nice weekend.

Currently sitting waiting for the landlady to come. Apparently she's bringing two men to look at what needs repairing in the house for the new tenant. Slightly annoying as that's why I'm moving out a week before the end of next month - so she can do all this. But I said 'no problem'. Only, she said she'd be here at 2pm and it's now ten-past. Cathryn and I are hungry and want to go get food ;o/

We'll stay until patience wears thin and the hunger gets too much.

Also, got a bit of a sore throat from overdoing it I think. Worried it may be tonsillitis beginning. Nooooo! Not after last time. Hoping it's just a temporary glitch and not the start of anything worse.

Twenty-past now, still no landlady. Bloomin' typical, but what can you do eh?

Food hoy!

(She arrived two minutes later with another woman, walked to the back of the garden and left again...? Ahwell, beyond caring.)

Weird

Now isn't THIS a little bit weird?

Rwanda genocide court stunned by air crash death of investigator

ARUSHA (AFP) — The court trying alleged perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide was stunned Saturday at the death in an air crash of the top expert on the 1994 massacres, Alison Des Forges.

Des Forges, 66, an expert advisor to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and human rights groups, was among the 50 victims of Thursday's plane crash near Buffalo, New York.

An expert on the plane crash that started the genocide, dying in a plane crash whilst the first plane crash is under investigation re: France/Rose Kibuye.

:o/

Ghosties

Rwanda's Shadow

After pancakes yesterday, I headed home for a nap. In the evening we met Giudi at Stella for food and drinks, then headed to Torero for a live reggae night. I was so tired I should probably have just stayed home, but was persuaded. Torero is a really nice place but the price of drinks is ridiculous, so we snuck in a wee drop of Gordons and bought tonic at the bar. We may have consumed rather a lot, but the music was good and Lies and Isadora were there. I left pretty early and was in bed by about 12:30.

Yesterday, Cathryn and I went for lunch at La Planet, then she headed to an Irish Committee meeting (in charge of organising Paddy's Day) and I went to Giudi's housewarming in Kicyro. It's an absolutely spectacular house by the side of a lake. All a bit high-brow, waffling on about development work, but some really nice people there and the food (mango curry) was out of this world. Got to drink wine like a grown-up, too ;)

Was a lovely night. Chatted to Dad when I got home for an hour or so. Said I was 'off to bed' but instead got a text from Cathryn who was at Stella, so popped over for a last drink with her, Paula and Sonya.

Then it all went a bit downhill. Whilst I was on the phone to Dad I'd started getting this uneasy feeling in the house. I went to the loo just before he called, and felt a bit freaked out by the doors at the end of my corridor. I'd gone outside to take the call on the porch and ended up feeling so uncomfortable I had to close the porch door because it felt like someone was standing behind me in the living room. Part-way through the call there was a momentary power-cut, which added to my unease. I still felt so unsettled after the call that, despite being knackered, I went to Stella.

As Cathryn and I were leaving the bar, I told her that I'd been feeling a bit uneasy about the house. She's one of the few people I can have these kind of conversations with (Graeme, my dear, you're the other). As we were about to cross the road, we just stood and stared at the house. This horrible cold feeling came over both of us.

We went into the garden, all the time this sense of unease growing. It was awful. All I could say is 'I'm so sorry, I've never had a feeling like this here before' - which is true. Despite the headless woman, and a little discomfort when I first moved in, the house is mine. I feel extremely comfortable there.

We opened the front door and I flicked the light on, but we stayed standing on the porch.

"It's a man." I said.

"A tall one." She was 'seeing' the same thing I was. "He shouldn't be here."

We both just stood there for a while. Then we went inside. The moment we went into the hall, where he was 'pacing', we both went extremely cold and had goosebumps and pins and needles up our legs and across our backs. It was a horrible feeling. We tried clapping and shouting to get it to go away, but it wouldn't. Really intense physical discomfort.

We ended up back outside, sitting on the porch with the door closed behind us and 'it' in the house. It was really quite horrible. Cathryn and I both suffer prolific dreams and occasional visions. That house is renowned for visitations. Cathryn even had one at the end of her bed, like the three I've had. It's never usually an unpleasant place, but sometimes it's too intense when all you want is a decent night's sleep. So, last night we both ended up sleeping in my bed in case anything went bump in the night. Nothing did. We both slept pretty well. The house is completely back to normal again today, its friendly, chirpy self, and the cats are acting normally again. They had been sitting as still as sentries outside the door when I got home from the housewarming. They didn't move, didn't greet me - like statues.

Not sure what that was all about. Just a random malevolent beastie roaming the hallway. Hopefully he'll not be back.

We're not mental, we're just a little bit wyrd ;)

Sod Valentine's Day

BCR Bank near my house, second floor

It's fun having a Cathryn in the house :)

Thursday, I spent the entire day, about seven-hours solid, going goggle-eyed at the screen, entering the English corrections. The wave of relief when I finally finished was tsunamic. Now it's just up to Safari to enter the changes into the book correctly. He seems like a competent enough kinda chap, so fingers crossed. Apparently it will only take five days from completion to publication so, potentially, I could be holding the first edition of the first ever AKR Sign Language Dictionary for Rwanda in my hands this time next week!

I'm listed in the credits as 'Managing Advisor' lol Quite like the sound of that, could be good on the CV. Not entirely sure what I managed to advise on but, what the hay :op

After that, I was supposed to be going to see Rose, but I was sooo tired I went home and asked if she could come to me. Cathryn and I took her for food at Stella and had a good chat. Sent her home with some food for the kids and some cash. She really is in a very tough situation. It's Emanuella's birthday on Thursday, the day before mine, so Cathryn and I will take some presents over and a cake :)

Friday was Friday 13th. Should probably just have stayed in bed.

Relieved of my translation duties and completely out of cash, I went to BCR bank to withdraw some of my wages. I took a ticket and sat on a corner of the floor where I could lean against the wall and sleep. Two hours later, I was still there. In over half-an-hour they had managed to serve a grand total of four customers! Still on 1041, my ticket at 1065, I walked up the road and found an 'international' ATM machine, which naturally wasn't international at all. About as international as Gisenyi to Cyangugu, actually ;o/

Wandered back and nothing was moving. Asked the Bank Manager what was going on, appealing to him: "But you are my bank, you have my money. I have no money. Help me." Apparently it was 'network problems'. I suggested perhaps a sign might help? If, as a customer, I knew that my bank was not working then, instead of sitting there for two hours, I might just have gone and done something else with those hours of my life I shall never get back. Not much, mind. What with having no money. But I'm sure I'd have thought of something *pout*

I joined Cathryn, Tinks, Giudi and Els for lunch at La Planet. Cathryn shouted me melange, Epiphanie also dropped by. Then Cathryn headed to see her boss, to explain the disappearing act (and return a shoe we'd accidentally hijacked), and I headed to town.

Started with the Post Office, but it was closed by the time I got there. Tried contacting Ali about the laptop. He never got back to me. Went to Bancor and made a Visa withdrawal which almost broke my heart. The exchange rate sucks at the moment. £100 comes to around FRW 79,000 when it was once 100,000 :o(

But, anyway, met up with Martine outside UTC and bought ice-cream that tasted of absolutely nothing. Ghislain was there too, a previous VSO volunteer who used to live in Gahini with Paula but is now back to work in Gisenyi for three months, though not with VSO. He seems much happier.

We headed to Torero for beers and Cathryn joined us there. As did JM. I hadn't contacted him since our fiery salsa evening. Suddenly, I had a desire to see him, and he dropped everything and came out.

I felt horribly more attracted to him than ever before and he said he was sorry he was working Valentine's day but could we postpone it until next weekend and have a day together, just us? I melted.

But then we got talking and things just turned a little bit 'wrong' :o/

Okay, it's true we hadn't been together in ages, but Rwandan men do that: don't contact someone for weeks, then expect to pick up where you left off. Why shouldn't I be able to do the same? I thought that was how the game was played? Or maybe I played it too well? I guess months are a little different to weeks, I was just working on African time.

Only, in the time I'd been away over Christmas he hadn't been sure if I was coming back or if I was even interested. Okay, so fair, he had slightly slipped my mind. In that time he'd met someone else.

He gave me the option. Did I still want to be with him?

Now that's the $100 (or FRW 85,000) question.

At that moment in time - YES!

But I knew I'd pretty much called him up to take my mind off other things. A distraction. So, I guess you get what you give. I told him to stick with her. If he's met another girl he likes and there's potential there, better than hanging around with me killing time. I went out for a chat with Cathryn after that. He came racing out of the bar looking for me. It was kind of sweet, really. I know he was giving me the choice but, honestly, those are situations you leave behind in your teens.

I think the gods want me to be single at the moment. Still, getting dumped the day before Valentine's. Sod that.

This morning Cathryn and I walked down from my house to another ex-VSO's house: Kirsti, who was hosting an ex-VSO called Vicki, who I'd known via e-mail whilst doing the Capacity Building workshops. She'd been VSO in Rwanda for two years, then did a six-month stint in Mongolia. It was excellent to talk to her. Really nice girl. I had been thinking the same thing: finish Rwanda, couple of months R&R back in the UK, then a short-term placement in Mongolia. Just because I miss horses and standing stones, both of which they have in abundance.

We arrived around 10am and launched into a pancake-making frenzy. I made the first batch of batter - amazed I could remember how - and we filled a huge jar with mix. There was golden syrup, maple syrup, marmite, fruit, jam, honey, real butter; all sorts of toppings. We ate, and drank tea, until we were fit to burst. It was a glorious way to spend a morning. The sugary syrup satisfied my sweet tooth better than any blokey.

Housemate

Long ago memories of Mao on the magic porch.

Weird week.

Work has bored the socks off me. I've actually had plenty to do, which makes a change, but it's mostly re-doing work I've already done. Completed the English translation a while back and it's all been copy/pasted in the wrong order and parts rewritten in something distinctly not resembling English - so I've just been going through it all over again.

On Monday, I got called into the office to begin this process, only to find all the information scattered in about three different documents. They needed putting together so that I could proofread it. This was a long process and, after sitting in the office for almost four hours with absolutely nothing to do whilst waiting for this to be completed, then suffering a power cut because nobody had paid the electricity, I went home for something to eat.

At around 3pm the job was done and a full, printed draft was available for me to go through with my satisfying red marker. I went to pick it up and learned of a Dutch visitor coming in a few hours. Augustin had requested our presence, so I stayed and waited. We had electricity again about half-an-hour before he arrived. Really nice people. One is a Deaf Dutch guy who is touring many countries to see what can be done to help Deaf people, the other was a hearing lady who had worked with the Deaf for a long time in Kenya. She was South African originally, I think. I'd met the guy, John, before - he visited our old office about a year ago.

I finally arrived home around 6pm, got a lift back with them, and started on the proofreading until about 9pm, before my eyes fell out of my head.

Tuesday, I spent the entire day going through the corrections. There were many. What was more disturbing is that things that were right in the soft copy were wrong on the draft print, and vice-versa. How do you manage that!? If I make corrections, will there be things that were right before that are now wrong, that I won't see because they're not on the draft? It's complicated, but you can only do what you can do.

Once I'd done what I could do, I was in serious need of a beer, and headed down to Nyarutarama to see Cathryn at the tennis club. J (her partner) arrived a few hours later and we had a good chin-wag and laugh. She was feeling much more positive about her job, and life in general.

Today, I took the corrections in but it turned out I needed another document compiling before I could do that. I waited three hours, and another power-cut, before deciding to go into town instead. Safari (the publisher) said he'd have the document ready tomorrow, so there was no point hanging around.

I had just got to town, and was going in search of Ali at USA Computers to ask about my laptop (turned out he wasn't there), when my phone rings and it's Cathryn in a terrible state. I can hardly understand what she's saying, so I tell her to get to my house, let herself into the garden, and sit on the porch (our special waragi porch). I hooked a moto and headed straight home.

Poor lass, she'd had a real change of heart about her job and had decided she didn't want to do it any more. She looked exactly like me after I left my last job in the UK. We hailed a cab, went to the place she shares with her boss in Nyarutarama, and gathered up her stuff. Living and working in the same place had just worn her down, so I offered her my spare room to give her some time to get her head together.

It was a bit Thelma & Louise, really: dashing across town in a taxi, bundling everything into the car. Her boss was away in Hong Kong at her friend's wedding but due back that day. Cathryn wanted to move out before she got back, to give herself time to prepare how she'd handle it and what she wanted to say. Got back to mine, had a lovely taxi driver who was really sweet and didn't raise the price despite waiting around and helping us unpack.

We sat on the porch the rest of the afternoon. The transformation was phenomenal, from real misery to relaxed high. We've all been there. Just wasn't the right job for her, but she gave it a fair shot for six months.

So, now I have a housemate :)

Butare, Kibungo & Kabarondo

Sorry, I've been out of action for a while - had a slight incident involving a cat (Sula), a cup of water, and my laptop ;o/ Thankfully the guy fixing it (Ali at USA Computers) salvaged the hard drive without incident but, as for the rest, he said 'I'll call you at 2pm tomorrow' - that was over a week ago. I tried to call him and he said 'I'll be in the office in half an hour and will call you back' - nadda. Such is trying to achieve any such thing in Kigali *sigh* Bahoro ba-extremely-feckin'-horo.

So, I'm without computer or internet until I know whether he can salvage the last one, or whether I need to get another.

Going to try and catch up in stages on my hectic social life.

Last weekend (31st January) I headed to Butare in the South with Cathryn, for Tiga's birthday. Loads of us went, including many of the new volunteers and loads of the old: Chris, Eric, Bruce, Ruairí, Nidhi, Steve etc. We all convened in the big supermarket-cum-café in town for food and then an amazingly decadent cake the size of a small house, coated in chocolate, pineapple and fireworks. Was most yummy.

I've had cake!

 

Got talking to an amazing guy who is a building contractor from South Africa, originally British. He runs his own company, but lost his hands in an accident when he tried to help some kids get a kite off what he thought was a telephone line. It was interesting listening to him talk about how his personality changed afterwards - for the better - and the things he's done in his life. He brought some Pyrite (Fool's Gold) from the mines they have for Tiga.

Sadly, Cathryn and I were lagging severely after food. Some went on to another bar and then a club, but we were just knackered so we went back to the guesthouse - Inayza - which is really lovely, and chilled out with a beer. We actually sat up talking for hours in the end, and got bitten to pieces by a swarm of mosquitoes. I was slightly worried I'd get malaria but, thankfully, nothing seems to have materialised.

The next day, we breakfasted with everyone then meandered to the buses, which were delayed by about an hour as it was Heroes’ Day (a national holiday). Got back, still pretty tired, and went our separate ways. I got home and collapsed in a heap, snoring my head off for a few hours.

It was a good weekend and I was glad to get out of Kigali. I've vowed to do it more often this year, as a form of relaxation, rather than holing myself up in the house when things are pants. I'm feeling extremely sociable since Christmas.

Last weekend was extremely good fun. My two American friends, Jeff and Addison, live in a big house in Kibungo, out East. I'd never been before. They had spare beds, so I decided to exchange them friends for food. I invited Martine, Cathryn, Ruairí and Eric along to say 'hi', also rounded up a couple of other volunteers: Tom, Tinks and Epiphanie, who live out that way, and some of Jeff and Addison's friends also came. It was an excellent night. Cathryn, Martine, Ruairí and I got the bus together and arrived in Kibungo around five. We dropped our stuff off at the house, then went up the road by moto to a lovely bar where Eric, Tom, Tinks and some other people joined us. Addison was still working, but we passed him on the way to the pub, he was skipping with a group of school kids down the high street ;)

Had a couple of drinks until it got dark, then headed back to the house, which has an amazing sort of igloo-shaped oven in the garden. Plenty of booze was consumed, including some very bizarre Mango Gin courtesy of Ruairí! Jeff and Addison had prepared the most outstanding pizza in the world ever. There was tons of it, followed by custard/biscuit desert. I was in some kind of heaven. It was made all the better by a pilates ball! Where did that come from? lol Bouncy-bouncy-bouncy...

Errr, anyway. We had bunk beds, but Addison, being a chronic insomniac, very kindly donated his huge bed to me, so I slept like a princess.

The next morning those of us who had stayed over: myself, Ruairí, Cathryn and Eric, were treated to a wonderful breakfast of omelet specialle, baked beans, apple juice and very good coffee.

After, I took a wander down the road with Eric. He lives the next town (village?) up and has a PO box in Kibungo, so we walked down to the Post Office, then carried on past and down the hill just chatting. It was really nice, and Kibungo has such a friendly atmosphere. Lots of smiles and waves but no 'Mzungu give me money!' Very relaxing, and soooo green, with big rolling valleys and lots of pretty birds and flowers.

We packed up shortly after breakfast and got on the bus back to Kigali. Myself and Cathryn opted to stop off in Kabarondo, where Eric lives, for a Fanta, and to nose around his pad as neither of us had been before. The offer of a bed for the night was still there. Between relaxing on the grass in the country and back to gloomy ol' Kigali, I accepted.

We went for a lovely walk, then had some food at a local bar. Cathryn headed off and Eric and I chilled out on the lawn, him playing the guitar and me picking flowers from the hedgerow - coulda started an ashram or summat.

We went for another drink at a different bar before walking back up the hill to his house, which is very nice but very bare in comparison to mine. I think volunteers in Kigali naturally collect more junk because it's easier to palm it off onto friends once you're done, and there are more purchasing opportunities I suppose. And I guess women are more messy than men generally - what with men being the hunters and women being the gatherers ;) We tend to line our nests with all sorts of useless junk: clothes on the floor, makeup across the bathroom, this, that, and the other. Men are also messy often, but with less stuff to be messy with...?

Random ramble.

Anyway, just behind the house is the most amazing football pitch I've ever seen. Well, not so much the pitch as the view! It's stunning. Moody grey clouds shot through with deep rose sunset and veiled mist between rolling black hills. It was breathtaking. You could see rain falling miles away.

Eric, on the other hand, was far more concerned with the football but that's boys for you, eh? ;)

Kabarondo

The kids hanging around the pitch were really sweet. I'm not usually much of a kid person, but they were extremely endearing and friendly.

After the match, we headed back to the house to try and muster our own version of Ready, Steady Cook with three potatoes, a slightly blackened carrot, half an onion, and a heap of spices I'd collected from the box of stuff li'le Amanda was giving away in the Programme Office.

We ended up with some sort of extremely spicy gloop - but it smelled good :o/

Then we walked down the hill - me blissfully happy in the concept of heading back to the pub. Only, it wasn't the pub. It was a room full of 40 young boys! Eeep! Children, run away!

We made a pit-stop at Sacca, a home for street kids, where Eric sometimes helps out. Initially feeling extremely uncomfortable at the rigid stand-up, 'My name is...' 40-times-over introductions, it soon deteriorated into a frenzy of finger games: can you make your index finger and little finger touch over your two middle fingers? Then arm wrestling! Absolutely wonderful kids. I really enjoyed myself, although I still find it extremely hard to answer questions like: "Do you have parents?" from children. It made me laugh at one point. I said I was an only child and they were all extremely sorry for me. The concept of being a 'spoiled' only child hasn't caught on here.

I also taught them a little bit of sign language, which they loved, and I'm now in negotiations with Eric's friend Eric (errr, Eric 2 to avoid confusion), who works at Sacca, to go back with some of my colleagues from the Deaf Association and do a full day with them.

So, Myself, Eric, Eric 2, and Vietol headed to the pub after. I was a tad wary as Eric suggested Vietol and I would make a good pair ;o/ Cheers, like I need dating advice mister!

It was a good night. Eric 2 and Vietol (a name I can never spell!) are lovely guys and easy to hang out with.

Didn't crash too late, and refused to take Eric's offer of giving up his bed having already deprived Addison of his the night before. Doesn't do a girl good to accept too many gentlemanly acts - softens heart and hyde. Slept well, except for a mournful dog howling at the moon around 4am, and a few freaky night visions. Haven't had that for a while, but they were quite pleasant.

In the morning, Eric boiled me a bucket of hot water to wash in - total luxury! Breakfasted on bananas and coffee, then caught the bus back to Kigali around 10am.

Got back to Kigali with a glowing suntan from the Tanzanian-ish weather in the East, only to find it grey, cold, and P'ing it down, as it has been for the past couple of weeks non-stop :( Met up with Martine in the Blues Café for a wee bite to eat and a natter, but I was extremely tired and annoyed by the weather so headed home early, just as Paula and Sonya were arriving.

Ended up in Stella with Cathryn in the evening for a little sup and a natter. Things still not going great work-wise for her, but alcohol is always good medicine.