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.
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