Happy Volunteer Week

Come on get up get happy - it's international volunteer week :op

And in honour, we all got a 'thank you' from VSO:

Dear M,

Thank You

For your contribution to fighting poverty.

To celebrate Volunteers' Week, we wanted to say "Thanks" to each and every volunteer, in recognition of their amazing contributions of time, passion and commitment.

From all at VSO

We were also asked to spread the word as they're desperately seeking primary school teachers:

Happy Volunteers' Week from VSO

Volunteers’ Week (1 – 7 June) recognises the outstanding contributions that are made, each year, by people who volunteer. VSO has achieved positive change in developing countries because of the critical work done by our volunteers. VSO do not send financial aid overseas, rather they send people, to share skills with local communities, helping them to help themselves.

Want to get involved?

To continue this vital work, VSO needs skilled volunteers to work in our overseas placements. Most VSO volunteers say that their time overseas not only changed their life, but has also equipped them with better professional skills for their future career.

Our placements are varied, but right now we specifically need 60 primary school teachers. We normally ask for a relevant qualification and at least 3 years of professional experience. If that’s you and you have a passion to help us fight poverty, please visit our website to apply, or give us a call. We would really like to hear from you.

http://www.vso.org.uk/
Call 02087807500

So that's my bit of PR out the way :)

Had a call from Rose last night. She's back from Uganda and sounded far more cheerful than when she went, so I'm going to meet up for a beer and brochette with her later, if I can get through on MTN Rwanda who are being as absolutely chronically useless as ever. People can't get through, connections keep dropping, crap line, internet too slow to load anything - all the usual quality services you come to expect for your FRW 20,000+ per month.

I'm supposed to be meeting my (let's not say 'boyfriend') later to go see a friend of his who performs kuraguza inzuzi, a form of traditional divination, but I haven't heard from him yet and, to be honest, I'm feeling a bit non-plused about everything this weekend. Recuperating from partying :)

Thursday was a good day. Went for a training course at Green Hills regarding this potential adult language job. Katie, one of the Canadians who helped out with the Single Parents Network ages back, was there too. It was a very relaxed, chilled-out day. Good fun. Got dinner. Then Cathryn and I ended up at Stella, our usual haunt, for 'one drink' and got home around half-eleven absolutely three sheets to the wind. Baudouin turned up at the end and bought us food, then ran us home. He came in for a while (stepping over the guard who has taken to sleeping length-ways across my front door!).

I dunno. I'm in a whole world of dunno. I keep meeting nice guys, but they're just not quite right. It's unbelievably amazing to have a fella with his own car, who can pay for food and drinks... but I just don't think I fancy him enough. Then there's D, who's taken to sending me messages telling me I'm breaking his heart and all this serious stuff that you really don't need.

Honestly, I give up. I like D a lot but I just can't afford the guy. Of the resources I have, Rose is the one who really needs me most. She's also the one who is trying really hard to stay employed and solvent. Men. Are they ever anything but trouble?

So, Friday I was somewhat slightly hungover, which has been my perpetual state for about a month now. Met up with Martine in town for lunch at the Blues Café, an absolutely scorching hot day. Did some bits and pieces and came home to crash.

Blues Café, Kigali

I was all ready to cuddle-up in my bed and go to sleep when Cathryn (well who else would it be? *sigh*) called to say reggae was on at Torero. Then Lies also texted to say Kassim was playing and she wanted to go. So I hauled ass to the shower, got ready, and went.

I'm so glad I did. It was an outstanding night. Kassim, Patrick and all the rasta dudes were playing - it was like Lies' wedding in a smaller space. Giudi & Maxime, Anja & Coco, Cathryn, Lies, Mustang, Steve, Jacob, Troy, Tina, Sarah - who said everyone has left? ;)  It was a great mix and we danced the whole night away. Cathryn, Sarah and I ended up falling out of the bar around 2:30am, extremely wasted, and waddling up the road to Nakumat on a mission to find salt and vinegar crisps.

Nakumat sells itself on being open 24-hours. Before leaving, Brad told us this really funny story that he once ended up there in the early hours. Walking through the food court, he realising it was a night club. He said the whole downstairs of UTC (Union Trade Centre) was like KBC only the lights were up full-bright. He had pictures of him riding the huge fibreglass elephant outside the supermarket.

Elephant Outside Nakumatt Night Club

We didn't exactly believe him until we saw it with our own eyes. Literally, a loud booming sound-system and loads of people drinking and dancing in full-on shopping centre lighting... it was truly surreal.

We went into Nakumatt, grabbed crisps, and headed home. So, Saturday I slept until about mid-day, catching up on a week's worth of late nights and early mornings. I had my first proper night in in a while last night - really needed it. Still trying to write that novel, but finding it hard to get motivated at the moment.

Now I'm easy like Sunday morning, building up to food with Rose, then Monday morning. Got my leavers' forum on Friday, which still seems way too early, but guess time is drawing near.

I've been watching a few films lately, including Mischief Night with the delectable Christopher Simpson (Brick Lane) who - and here's an interesting fact - despite being cast in several Asian roles, is not actually Asian at all. His father's Irish and his mother Greek-Rwandan! Even got involved in Rwanda folk music. Speaking of which, I've just discovered Cécile Kayirebwa whose album Amahoro has a song called Indamukanyo which is truly outstanding.

Anyway. Done something naughty - nicked a pic off Simon's FaceBook site - was too funny not to. It's L-R: Aaron, Brad, Simon and Shakur. Heehee.

 

[NB 2013: Patrick was a funny one. He ended up following a muzungu to Serbia with a newborn daughter, then did a runner at the airport and reportedly turned up in Belgium claiming to be a Burundian refugee! That night Cathryn, Sarah and I left Nakumatt, if I remember correctly, was the first time I'd experienced full-blown racism. Although muzungu gets annoying and people sometimes pass derogatory comments, that night was a bit different. There was a very drunk (much like us) young Rwandan lad getting onto the back of a moto with assistance from his friends. He saw me and started hurling abuse about f'ing white people should  f'off back home. He was just incredibly drunk, and his friends were desperately trying to shut him up and apologising. It was a fascinating reversal of traditional racist stereotypes you get in the UK. I remained perfectly calm and soaked up the experience.]