I really love this little town. I’ve already told you about the warm welcome I received when I arrived on Thursday. But the last few days has be quintessential Kibungo.
Friday I was still recovering but did go into the office to meet with Frodauld to discuss the plan for the next month. The government has decided to extend school holidays for a month and while the kids still have a break, it means the teachers are to spend this time in English class. My job in the next few weeks, therefore will be to travel to schools to inspect and supervise the training process, evaluate the trainers, provide advice and report back. While I was meeting with Frodauld I was reminded again of how lucky I am to work in a district like Ngoma because (from what I’ve heard and how I feel) it’s the district in the country that has it the most “together.” Back to home where I began to feel quiet ill. I monitored my temperature closely (which was rising….) and watched no less than 4 episodes each of Lost and How I Met Your Mother before falling asleep by 9pm.
Saturday my temperature was back to normal and it was a good thing. Christine was coming to town to shop and go to the back so we “did Kibungo.” This included a relatively short wait at the bank (which was out of 5000 franc notes and had to give us our salary in 2000 notes….which made a huge pile). To the market where it was such a pleasure to not have to bargain over prices like in Tanzania and a few shops to buy what we needed. After we dropped off our finds we went to a friend of Christine’s. Chantal is the executive secretary of Nyamugali sector in the south. We had a large lunch with mangos for dessert and were introduced to her husband and children. After Christine hopped on the 5:30 bus (and a guy with a guitar tried to impress us pretending to be Tom Close – Rwanda’s mega recording star) I headed home to call my mom for her birthday. Then waited for Suzanne to meet me here and we walked to Moderne to meet Jason and Elie for beer. I really like Tanzanian beer but the bottles are one size and this is wrong. In Rwanda you can get a petite Primus / Mutzig which is maybe 500 mL or a large with is maybe 900mL. The choice is great! Plus Moderne officially has the best goat brochettes and potatoes. With a little pili pili oil to cause your mouth to catch fire….they are the tastiest around!
Today is Sunday and I woke to the sound of the neighbourhood children making noise….made some coffee and read my book for a few hours. I’m reading “Icy Sparks” by Gwyn Hyman Rubio (yes, that’s her real name). The book is great! (Although I said that about Mirian Keyes latest bomb before I finished it too). After lunch I tried to get onto the internet at the district but could not find a network. So I wandered to get air time and ran into Eric from Stella who is becoming increasingly cheeky (he asked me for money the other day!), I ran into Suzanne, and I ran into Patrick who was driving his wife and baby home from church on his moto. I was home not ten minutes when there was a banging at my gate. Usually I ignore it – worried it might be cheeky Eric. But it was Julie! She was coming to get her key so she could start working again tomorrow.
I have forgotten how exhausting it can be just to leave your house. You must greet everyone with handshakes, hugs, kisses or whatever. The children follow you and the adults stare at you. I was home no more than 24 hours and I’d been “muzungued” four or five times. But, that’s like in Kibungo and I really like it!
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