This is what Rwandans will forever refer to me as. It's a Swahili word for 'white person' or 'person with money'.. it isn't anything derogatory and is actually extremely precious when the person saying it is a 3' tall child with huge, stunning brown eyes.
Speaking of stunning, that is how I would describe this place. Not only the people but also the surroundings. Kigali is a spread out city that is extremely hilly with crazy traffic patterns and absolutely no logical grid system. The people are so friendly, every time we meet someone they say "First time in Rwanda? You are most welcome here". Seriously. Every single person. They also like to laugh at you when you try to speak their native language, Kinyarwanda. Good thing my friends/family trained me to be good at getting laughed at over the years.. And I don't care how many people in life have told me they never see me without a smile on my face, these people are literally ALWAYS smiling. Contrary to popular (North American) belief, I feel more safe here than I do walking around Nelson at night, and this is a city of 2 million people!! Feel better now Mom?
Caroline, my roommate and fellow St FX graduate, and I just got our luggage back today (Thank God). As fun as it was not having any contact solution or extra clothing, it was definitely time for a personal hygiene update.
Upon our arrival we were met by Anthony, another X grad hailing from Tsawwassen BC, who is just finishing up his internship at KHI in the Biomedical Lab Sciences (BLS) Department. Ravi is the other Coady associate in the Nursing Department that Caroline will be 'replacing'. I have a lot to live up to as A just finished teaching an intense Applied Immunology & Microbiology course (what do those words even mean!?) to third year BLS students, and was just successful in receiving funding for a rural outreach program that I am now expected to implement (gulp). I am SO excited about this as I did not expect to be directly working with HIV/AIDS in Rwanda, a subject I definitely have a passion for. This program will have me working with the third year BLS students at rural Rwandan secondary schools, educating the students about HIV/AIDS/ safe sex practices and offering rapid HIV testing and counseling on site. This is a HUGE deal because even though 95% of these schools have student anti-AIDS clubs, they don't have the means for accessible HIV testing. Much more to follow on this topic...
Other highlights of being in Rwanda include:
-the buffet lunch at KHI. It's referred to as the volcano, I've never seen people pile so much food on one plate
-moto (sketchy dirt bike) rides. Really fun and the most efficient means of travel in Kigali. It isn't out of the ordinary to drive on the wrong side of the road on these babies
-avocados. Everywhere and so delicious
-je dois parler en francais encore. C'est different que l'ecole parceque maintenant je VEUX parler en francais
-the music at a sit-down bar we went to last night called Car Wash. It featured top 90's/00's artists such as Shania Twain, LL Cool J ft Jennifer Lopez (pre-JLo days), Nelly, Tupac and many, many more.
I'll soon post some pictures of all that is Rwanda for those of you who are visual learners...
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