On June 15th we drove 2 hours to Butare where we stopped and ate lunch at a buffet. Then we drove another hour to Murambi. Murambi was a technical school that was under construction during the genocide. Today at the site, bodies are preserved in Lye and laid out on tables in the school's classrooms. It was an experience that will be hard to forget. We also walked around the back and we saw where the mass graves were, where people were buried alive. Our tour guide, Emannual, survived the Murambi massacre and told his story after we walked around the site. We spent about two hours there and then rode back to Kigali. On the way home our driver drove really fast and we got pulled over, but because it was a bus full of muzungus, the cop let us off with a warning. When we arrived back at the Iris Guesthouse we walked next door and ate at Shang Hi, a Chinese restaurant.
The next two days we spent walking around Kigali, shopping at Caplaki and swimming at the Stipp. The Stipp did not have rooms for us because of the East African Military Games are being held in Rwanda. We were instead relocated to the Stippestate, a gated community with brand new villas that have never been lived in. We seperated into four of the nicest villas many of us have ever stayed in (it didn't feel like we were staying in Rwanda). The second day at the Stipp was spent walking around looking at the city. On our walk, we stopped at the Belgian Troop Memorial, where ten Belgian soldiers were tortured and killed before the genocide. We ate at Sole Luna for dinner, the delicious Italian restaurant.
Now, we have all packed up and said our goodbyes and are preparing for our long flights home. We got on the bus at 12 and went to lunch at the Hotel Des Milles Collines.
We all enjoyed our trip and most people are not ready to leave.
-alex, kelsey, mary, emma
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Kigali Genocide Memorial and Nyamata Church
I was not expecting what was to come today. I woke up (early bird) and within a few hours, everyone was in the car. Took twenty minutes to get to the first destination we were heading to, Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre.
We went through the garden and talked about the bodies that were stacked upon each other within the tombs underground and the man that was our guide for the beginning told us that they found more bodies from the genocide in Kigali resulting to buying another part of the land. There was still one empty hole where bodies were still being found to fill in and a half full hole of other victims. Our guide took us to the actual garden and he told us that there were three gardens, all representing three different groups, but all in harmony and connected it to when the genocide startedm groups were torn apart.
We went inside and I took my time, wanting to absorb as much information as I could so I can take back as much knowledge as I know now, back home to my home. Throughout this whole trip, I have been waiting for the Genocide part and learning more. Well, I finally got it today. The problem was that I did not know what it would carry with as I learned more. I was overwhelmed with how the Genocide started before the groups were made, before massacres began in 1994, before bloodshed was spilled on this beautiful land. Reading about how people suffered whether they were collaborators, victims, or survivors was overwhelming. Seeing the videos of small clips of what had happen during the genocide hit hard for me. I remember vividly of a little boy being treated of a machete that was clubbed in his skull that made a large scare and showing the inside of his head. His tears...God, I cannot get them out of my head, and I think that it will stay with me forever.
I continued going through the memorial, taking my time, reading everything that I could get a hold of. Victims were tortured, raped, humiliated, and so much more during the genocide. There was a clip of three Genocide Survivors being interviewed telling on how they survived the genocide, what they remember from one of their great friends or family members who were killed. It was heartbreaking for me to listen to it and I thought it was too much, but this is a one in a lifetime for me to experience that I did not care if I was crying at the end. I wanted to knowm qnd finding out what happened here where people speak so quietly of the genocide that took place in my time is hard, yet easy. Hard that I cannot go up and ask some person about the genocide because I do not want them to be forced to speak of something they themselves have a hard time remembering.
As I walked through the "after" part of the memorial of the genocide, I kept on remembering the pictures I saw before then of dead bodies lying in the church, the field, their own home. It's very upsetting to read some of the news articles that were the the New York Times way back then and nobody taking action. It's disturbs me that no one did anything to stop it before it was too late and more than 1,000,000 people had died. I went into the Children's museum and it was heartbreaking. There were pictures of some of the victims of how they died, what there favorite drink was, who was their best friend (one of them said their dad), how old they were, their names, and their cause of death. I remember two victims (one of them I can't remember their names) and she died of a grenade thrown in the shower...she was no older than a seven year old. And another one...named Thierry Ishimue who was just nine months and his cause of death was in his mother's arms. Tears streamed down my face and I could picture it so well of how he died. Being vulnerable and not being able to support yourself and then getting killed so inhuman is...it's powerful. You had to have been there. I walked out, after going through another room that talked about other genocides around the world, and the sounds...it was silent...only my train of thoughts of reflecting was the only thing I heard. I tried to hide my tears, but I didn't want to, I needed to cry instead of holding it in and letting it get the better of me before it becomes too much later on in this trip.
We had lunch, and it was good ol' happy food. Cheered me up! And then we headed towards the Nyamata Genocide Memorial Site...I have written a lot, and I'm going to let my other friend, Natalie take it from here.
So, TTFN! (Glynnis)
Today was the day of this trip I have been waiting for since I signed up to go to Rwanda. This sounds morbid, but I have a real, genuine interest in the stages, victims, and genocidaires of the Rwandan Genocide. This experience really connected all that I have learned in class to what actually happened.
After the 3 hours we spent in the museum we got lunch where
Abby, Emma and I were super lucky to be sitting at the same table with a man from Belgium who worked for the International Red Cross. He had just moved from
Darfur and is here to make sure that all prisoners here keep their civil rights.
Then we headed off to Nyamata. This was not like the museum at all, but it was intense. Our tour guide was one of the only 7 survivors out of the about 10,000 people staying at this church. Charles was very soft spoken and we could all tell he had been through a lot considering the other 10 members of his family had been murdered right next to him. He survived as a 9 year-old boy covering himself in his brothers blood and pretending he was already dead. He then stayed like this for 9 days before going out for water and other people took him under their wing and they stayed in a marsh for three weeks before the RPF found them and saved them. àCharles told us that when the Interhamwe first came in they lined up six people and mocked them before killing them. Telling them that if they were such intellectuals they should be able to figure their way out of the situation. Then they cut off their arms then their heads and threw them to the thousands of people and told them to play soccer with them. then the massacre began.
In this church they kept all the clothes of the people murdered. The church is FILLED with clothes. Then Charles took us outside where there were more mass graves there and took us underground where there were also rows upon rows of hundreds of femur bones and shelves of about 144 skulls on each shelf. we saw many machete wounds in the skulls. It"s difficult to grasp that these were not just our science class skulls, each skull was a person, a soul and a family member.
This clearly wiped us out emotionally, so most of us just went back to the iris and fell asleep. I know I did. then we met up after dinner and talked a lot about what we had seen and felt during the day and about possiblilities the 2011 trip. I have learned more today and on this trip than a semester at school. Parents, your money is being extremely well spent and thank you so so much for this extraordinary experience.
-natalie
We went through the garden and talked about the bodies that were stacked upon each other within the tombs underground and the man that was our guide for the beginning told us that they found more bodies from the genocide in Kigali resulting to buying another part of the land. There was still one empty hole where bodies were still being found to fill in and a half full hole of other victims. Our guide took us to the actual garden and he told us that there were three gardens, all representing three different groups, but all in harmony and connected it to when the genocide startedm groups were torn apart.
We went inside and I took my time, wanting to absorb as much information as I could so I can take back as much knowledge as I know now, back home to my home. Throughout this whole trip, I have been waiting for the Genocide part and learning more. Well, I finally got it today. The problem was that I did not know what it would carry with as I learned more. I was overwhelmed with how the Genocide started before the groups were made, before massacres began in 1994, before bloodshed was spilled on this beautiful land. Reading about how people suffered whether they were collaborators, victims, or survivors was overwhelming. Seeing the videos of small clips of what had happen during the genocide hit hard for me. I remember vividly of a little boy being treated of a machete that was clubbed in his skull that made a large scare and showing the inside of his head. His tears...God, I cannot get them out of my head, and I think that it will stay with me forever.
I continued going through the memorial, taking my time, reading everything that I could get a hold of. Victims were tortured, raped, humiliated, and so much more during the genocide. There was a clip of three Genocide Survivors being interviewed telling on how they survived the genocide, what they remember from one of their great friends or family members who were killed. It was heartbreaking for me to listen to it and I thought it was too much, but this is a one in a lifetime for me to experience that I did not care if I was crying at the end. I wanted to knowm qnd finding out what happened here where people speak so quietly of the genocide that took place in my time is hard, yet easy. Hard that I cannot go up and ask some person about the genocide because I do not want them to be forced to speak of something they themselves have a hard time remembering.
As I walked through the "after" part of the memorial of the genocide, I kept on remembering the pictures I saw before then of dead bodies lying in the church, the field, their own home. It's very upsetting to read some of the news articles that were the the New York Times way back then and nobody taking action. It's disturbs me that no one did anything to stop it before it was too late and more than 1,000,000 people had died. I went into the Children's museum and it was heartbreaking. There were pictures of some of the victims of how they died, what there favorite drink was, who was their best friend (one of them said their dad), how old they were, their names, and their cause of death. I remember two victims (one of them I can't remember their names) and she died of a grenade thrown in the shower...she was no older than a seven year old. And another one...named Thierry Ishimue who was just nine months and his cause of death was in his mother's arms. Tears streamed down my face and I could picture it so well of how he died. Being vulnerable and not being able to support yourself and then getting killed so inhuman is...it's powerful. You had to have been there. I walked out, after going through another room that talked about other genocides around the world, and the sounds...it was silent...only my train of thoughts of reflecting was the only thing I heard. I tried to hide my tears, but I didn't want to, I needed to cry instead of holding it in and letting it get the better of me before it becomes too much later on in this trip.
We had lunch, and it was good ol' happy food. Cheered me up! And then we headed towards the Nyamata Genocide Memorial Site...I have written a lot, and I'm going to let my other friend, Natalie take it from here.
So, TTFN! (Glynnis)
Today was the day of this trip I have been waiting for since I signed up to go to Rwanda. This sounds morbid, but I have a real, genuine interest in the stages, victims, and genocidaires of the Rwandan Genocide. This experience really connected all that I have learned in class to what actually happened.
After the 3 hours we spent in the museum we got lunch where
Abby, Emma and I were super lucky to be sitting at the same table with a man from Belgium who worked for the International Red Cross. He had just moved from
Darfur and is here to make sure that all prisoners here keep their civil rights.
Then we headed off to Nyamata. This was not like the museum at all, but it was intense. Our tour guide was one of the only 7 survivors out of the about 10,000 people staying at this church. Charles was very soft spoken and we could all tell he had been through a lot considering the other 10 members of his family had been murdered right next to him. He survived as a 9 year-old boy covering himself in his brothers blood and pretending he was already dead. He then stayed like this for 9 days before going out for water and other people took him under their wing and they stayed in a marsh for three weeks before the RPF found them and saved them. àCharles told us that when the Interhamwe first came in they lined up six people and mocked them before killing them. Telling them that if they were such intellectuals they should be able to figure their way out of the situation. Then they cut off their arms then their heads and threw them to the thousands of people and told them to play soccer with them. then the massacre began.
In this church they kept all the clothes of the people murdered. The church is FILLED with clothes. Then Charles took us outside where there were more mass graves there and took us underground where there were also rows upon rows of hundreds of femur bones and shelves of about 144 skulls on each shelf. we saw many machete wounds in the skulls. It"s difficult to grasp that these were not just our science class skulls, each skull was a person, a soul and a family member.
This clearly wiped us out emotionally, so most of us just went back to the iris and fell asleep. I know I did. then we met up after dinner and talked a lot about what we had seen and felt during the day and about possiblilities the 2011 trip. I have learned more today and on this trip than a semester at school. Parents, your money is being extremely well spent and thank you so so much for this extraordinary experience.
-natalie
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Goodbye to Ruhengeri
Today, we woke up and cleaned the BG Guesthouse. Then we got in a bus and drove to a tribe of the Ba Twa, the pygmies. Although they weren't very short, they performed a nice dance for us. They set out benches for us to sit on, but if you sat down before they put a blanket on they kicked you out. It was similar to the Intore, but a lot shorter and the Twa sang a lot better. We met the chief and she showed us one of their huts. It was super small (the size of a normal bathroom) but held 6 people. Then we drove to the school of AIDP which Greg works for. They place 5 orphans with 1 widow of the genocide and build houses and educate them. All of the kids were very cute, and were very happy when we delivered them our duffel bag full of children's books. They all were very polite and immediately asked us our names in the best English that they had. Some of them even drew pictures for us and said "I love you" Then we had lunch, a nice last Rwandan buffet at the Silverback, and said our goodbyes to Bosco and Ruhengeri.
The beautiful trip back to Kigali took about two hours, and basically everyone slept during it. We got back to the Iris and got our rooms situated. Then we headed to SoleLuna to get some AMAZING pizza. It was a lot like Punch, which made Emma very excited. We experienced a power outage throughout half of Kigali, but it only lasted a short time. They are now rushing us out of the internet cafe, so goodbye!
The beautiful trip back to Kigali took about two hours, and basically everyone slept during it. We got back to the Iris and got our rooms situated. Then we headed to SoleLuna to get some AMAZING pizza. It was a lot like Punch, which made Emma very excited. We experienced a power outage throughout half of Kigali, but it only lasted a short time. They are now rushing us out of the internet cafe, so goodbye!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Olebeho, Ruhengeri
It's our last night in Ruhengeri so we thought we'd take some time to reflect on our week here.
First of all, the kids have been outstanding. They have been open and willing to trying new foods, participating in all of the activities, and have been wonderful to the Amahoro staff and the people of this lovely town. We would like to think that it's all good planning on our part but we have to give credit where credit is due, and the students deserve a lot.
We woke up this morning and the kids particpated in the last day of the cultural activities. The experiences of the day were very similar to those of the previous three days. We ended the day today by taking the students and the Amahoro staff to a brand new hotel in town for dinner.
James and Dave are used to travelling in Rwanda alone and trying to immerse themselves as much as they can into Rwandan culture. We have had two interesting experiences since our arrival. Last week in Kigali, we pulled up in a bus at the "western" shopping mall downtown. All 23 of us piled out and invaded the supermarket and internet cafe. It was funny to see the expressions on the faces of Kigali residents who were probably surprised to see so many muzungus in one place. Tonight, we walked from the guesthouse to the restaurant. Ruhengeri is a small town. We have been told by several people that we are the largest group of white people they have ever seen here. The walk to the hotel was about 3km and the muzungu parade captured the attention of probably half of the town who were walking home during rush hour. Funny.
In their down time, students have been visiting the market to buy fabric and have skirts made, exploring the town, and practicing their Kinyarwanda. Many are getting very good and are experiencing the wonderful responses from Rwandans who hear muzungus trying to pronounce words and phrases in their language.
We need to thank Greg and the Amahoro staff for organizing a seamless weak. Almost everything we wanted the students to experience they did and when we had a request for a change it was met with an immediate, "yes." We have been told by several peop
First of all, the kids have been outstanding. They have been open and willing to trying new foods, participating in all of the activities, and have been wonderful to the Amahoro staff and the people of this lovely town. We would like to think that it's all good planning on our part but we have to give credit where credit is due, and the students deserve a lot.
We woke up this morning and the kids particpated in the last day of the cultural activities. The experiences of the day were very similar to those of the previous three days. We ended the day today by taking the students and the Amahoro staff to a brand new hotel in town for dinner.
James and Dave are used to travelling in Rwanda alone and trying to immerse themselves as much as they can into Rwandan culture. We have had two interesting experiences since our arrival. Last week in Kigali, we pulled up in a bus at the "western" shopping mall downtown. All 23 of us piled out and invaded the supermarket and internet cafe. It was funny to see the expressions on the faces of Kigali residents who were probably surprised to see so many muzungus in one place. Tonight, we walked from the guesthouse to the restaurant. Ruhengeri is a small town. We have been told by several people that we are the largest group of white people they have ever seen here. The walk to the hotel was about 3km and the muzungu parade captured the attention of probably half of the town who were walking home during rush hour. Funny.
In their down time, students have been visiting the market to buy fabric and have skirts made, exploring the town, and practicing their Kinyarwanda. Many are getting very good and are experiencing the wonderful responses from Rwandans who hear muzungus trying to pronounce words and phrases in their language.
We need to thank Greg and the Amahoro staff for organizing a seamless weak. Almost everything we wanted the students to experience they did and when we had a request for a change it was met with an immediate, "yes." We have been told by several peop
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Day 7: Whoa we're halfway there!
Group number one went to the Imbambazi Orphanage today. It was really interesting to see where Rosamond Carr lived and spent a lot of her time. When we first arrived K-Ellen (the girl who took over for Rosamond Carr) greeted us, and invited us in. We gave her the bags of donations for the orphanage and she was very pleased. After that she told us to go out and view the garden and just look around. The garden was so big and so beautiful! She gave us a tour of her place after that. Then we got to eat lunch outside at a big white table in the middle of the garden. We got PB&j sandwiches, koolaid, strawberries and cake, which were all very good. After lunch we walked to a secondary school where we gave them three soccer balls, pens for all of them and K-Ellen and we taught them a song! It was very interesting to see how they could all pick up and learn a song within minutes. We all had a great day, it was very fun!
-alex
Group number two made bricks today. We went on a short hike to get to the brickmaking place and it was really pretty. All the people walking along the road and in the fields were really nice and friendly and loved it when we attempted to talk to them in Kinyarwandan. When we got to the brickmaking place all the workers stopped to watch us work and laugh at how slow and weak the Mizungus (white people) were. We carried water up from the river, mixed clay, and put the clay into molds to make the bricks. Then we put the bricks out in the sun to dry. After they had dried for about a week, they would be stacked and a fire would be lit underneath them to harden them and make them strong. Because we were so slow, we probably made less than 100 bricks in a half hour and then the professional brickmakers showed us how it was done - one of the best brickmakers could make 800 bricks in a day! The workers seemed eager to get us out of there so they could get some real work done. So we hiked back to the house, took a quick shower, and headed off to the popular market where we shopped for fabrics so we could have skirts made out of them. It was really cool - the women just took the fabric we chose, took our measurements, and made whatever we wanted within a couple hours. It was a really fun day seeing a lot of the normal, everyday things Rwandans do for a living.
-julie
Group four was out at the basket-making activity today. It was a little over and hour and a half walk down to the "association". We walked out down some mountainside into a massive valley which was filled with beanstalks and potatoes. We walked on raised dirt paths between the rows of beanstalks, which were about 8 feet tall.
Once we arrived at the association we were introduced to the women. After that the guys helped make banana beer and the girls/women helped make baskets. After the long process of making the banana beer was complete, we too helped make baskets, but only for a short while (thankfully). After we returned, we went down the the market and purchased all the supplies for tonight's dinner. Then we tried to find some awesome shoes but failed. Dinner was pretty good, brochettes for all. Then I skipped out of KP duty to write this. Suckers. GORILLAS TOMORROW!
-Drew
Group 3 was gorilla trekking today. We walked for about an hour to find the gorillas, which was group 13 the black backs. The exsperience was absolutley amazing. We saw many gorillas, including a silver back, the leader. For the hour we watched them the gorillas slept, ate leaves from the trees, climbed the trees, and watched the babies play with each other. The view was spectacular because of the vast green hills and the intense rainforest. After returning we took a power nap than went off to find a restaurant. Later on we all went to the market and bought vibrant colored fabrics for clothing. Today was great! Brick making tomorrow
-grace
-alex
Group number two made bricks today. We went on a short hike to get to the brickmaking place and it was really pretty. All the people walking along the road and in the fields were really nice and friendly and loved it when we attempted to talk to them in Kinyarwandan. When we got to the brickmaking place all the workers stopped to watch us work and laugh at how slow and weak the Mizungus (white people) were. We carried water up from the river, mixed clay, and put the clay into molds to make the bricks. Then we put the bricks out in the sun to dry. After they had dried for about a week, they would be stacked and a fire would be lit underneath them to harden them and make them strong. Because we were so slow, we probably made less than 100 bricks in a half hour and then the professional brickmakers showed us how it was done - one of the best brickmakers could make 800 bricks in a day! The workers seemed eager to get us out of there so they could get some real work done. So we hiked back to the house, took a quick shower, and headed off to the popular market where we shopped for fabrics so we could have skirts made out of them. It was really cool - the women just took the fabric we chose, took our measurements, and made whatever we wanted within a couple hours. It was a really fun day seeing a lot of the normal, everyday things Rwandans do for a living.
-julie
Group four was out at the basket-making activity today. It was a little over and hour and a half walk down to the "association". We walked out down some mountainside into a massive valley which was filled with beanstalks and potatoes. We walked on raised dirt paths between the rows of beanstalks, which were about 8 feet tall.
Once we arrived at the association we were introduced to the women. After that the guys helped make banana beer and the girls/women helped make baskets. After the long process of making the banana beer was complete, we too helped make baskets, but only for a short while (thankfully). After we returned, we went down the the market and purchased all the supplies for tonight's dinner. Then we tried to find some awesome shoes but failed. Dinner was pretty good, brochettes for all. Then I skipped out of KP duty to write this. Suckers. GORILLAS TOMORROW!
-Drew
Group 3 was gorilla trekking today. We walked for about an hour to find the gorillas, which was group 13 the black backs. The exsperience was absolutley amazing. We saw many gorillas, including a silver back, the leader. For the hour we watched them the gorillas slept, ate leaves from the trees, climbed the trees, and watched the babies play with each other. The view was spectacular because of the vast green hills and the intense rainforest. After returning we took a power nap than went off to find a restaurant. Later on we all went to the market and bought vibrant colored fabrics for clothing. Today was great! Brick making tomorrow
-grace
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Day Six
Group Four:
Today, our group went to Imbabazi Orphanage. The hour long car ride there was beautiful. When we got there we walked around the gardens and ate lunch in the garden with K-Ellen. We had sandwiches, kool aid, strawberries, and cheese which was a nice change to what we have been eating. After lunch we went to the school and taught the kids a song in english. They were very enthusiastic and motivated to learn. Then, a group of kids led us up a large hill to see a volcano crater. When we got to the top the view was incredible and then we walked down into the crater and we were tired. We walked back to the orphanage and drank some more kool aid with K-Ellen. When we left the orphanage and driving back we could see Lake Kivu. It was a fun day and nice to interact with the kids at the orphange and be able to teach them.
~kelsey
Group 2
a lot in the car, but it was fun. The leaders of the gorilla track were Vincent and Eugene. The walk was long and hard and the never-ending land that was ahead of us was endless. The ground was uneven, mud everywhere, bamboo to your right and to your left. Personally I (Glynnis) thought we'd drive until we met the edge of the mountain beginning, but we didn't. Though, the journey of it all was unforgettable seeing as the reward was the gorillas and the baby ones. We got caught in plants that are sting/shockers if they touch you (whether wearing long pants or it's bare skin.) We had three other people with us and they turned out to be Canadian reviewers for the 88.3 Kigali City Radio. They interviewed us all (Molly, Cameron, Julie, Sian, and Glynnis). Excited for to hear our voiced on this Saturday night, but also scared since we didn’t get a chance to hear our voices. Anyways, back to the gorilla track…our pants got dirty as well as shoes and some of our hair got more tangled then when we left the house we’re staying at. When we got back we were somewhat tired. Majority of the group went out to eat and had the usual afternoon after lunch. TTFN!
Glynnis (Reporting here in Rwanda
GROUP THREE BABY! the best group... : ) (katie grace emma abby and kuntz)
we wove baskets today it was pretty bomb! even the walk was incredible with the view and villages and people to talk to especially the little kids who are sooo friendly and fun. MUZUNGU MUZUNGU is what we hear 24/7. so back to baskets they were so beautiful i couldnt refrain from buying 4 (and they gave me one for free) so 5! : ) after that we ate goat brochette yum! aits pretty sweet we got two goat brochettes chipos and two pops each for like 3 dollars each! then we went to the market and we made dinner and i must say it was delicious! and we also had a dance party in the common room cave and kuntz's dancing was hilarious! i have to get a good nights sleep tonight to prepare for gorillas, i cant wait!!
-katie **shout out to the famsky
Group #1 (wayy better than cash's group 3)
today my group got to wake up much later than yesterday's gorilla trek at nine today to make brick. it was so amazingly fun. i love it. we walked thru the villages a lot so many many MUZUNGOO's, which is starting to get a bit awkward, for example the lady sitting next to me is staring at me...still. but the bricks were so great! some people in my group hacked at the dirty and carrier huge water buckets up a big hill, but personally, i scooped up the mud and carried it down to where i also got to mold them into the bricks. although everyone was filled with mud and dirt, it was so much fun. i was actually a little apprehensive about it but i really enjoyed it. the walk there and back was super pretty and little kids followed us for a while as they usually do. i made friends with a karate kicking one. he was pretty cool. We were the first group back and had lunch. then when mr kuntz, mr cave, and molly were going to go at to meet their friend bosco and bring things for him and his family i jumped at the chance. so molly, mr.cave, mr kuntz, dan, drew, mickey, jane, sian and i got to go in the car made for six. it was so great! the neighborhood was staring in through their window. it was so cute. everything is amazing.
~natalie
im copying katie- shout out to fam!
Today, our group went to Imbabazi Orphanage. The hour long car ride there was beautiful. When we got there we walked around the gardens and ate lunch in the garden with K-Ellen. We had sandwiches, kool aid, strawberries, and cheese which was a nice change to what we have been eating. After lunch we went to the school and taught the kids a song in english. They were very enthusiastic and motivated to learn. Then, a group of kids led us up a large hill to see a volcano crater. When we got to the top the view was incredible and then we walked down into the crater and we were tired. We walked back to the orphanage and drank some more kool aid with K-Ellen. When we left the orphanage and driving back we could see Lake Kivu. It was a fun day and nice to interact with the kids at the orphange and be able to teach them.
~kelsey
Group 2
a lot in the car, but it was fun. The leaders of the gorilla track were Vincent and Eugene. The walk was long and hard and the never-ending land that was ahead of us was endless. The ground was uneven, mud everywhere, bamboo to your right and to your left. Personally I (Glynnis) thought we'd drive until we met the edge of the mountain beginning, but we didn't. Though, the journey of it all was unforgettable seeing as the reward was the gorillas and the baby ones. We got caught in plants that are sting/shockers if they touch you (whether wearing long pants or it's bare skin.) We had three other people with us and they turned out to be Canadian reviewers for the 88.3 Kigali City Radio. They interviewed us all (Molly, Cameron, Julie, Sian, and Glynnis). Excited for to hear our voiced on this Saturday night, but also scared since we didn’t get a chance to hear our voices. Anyways, back to the gorilla track…our pants got dirty as well as shoes and some of our hair got more tangled then when we left the house we’re staying at. When we got back we were somewhat tired. Majority of the group went out to eat and had the usual afternoon after lunch. TTFN!
Glynnis (Reporting here in Rwanda
GROUP THREE BABY! the best group... : ) (katie grace emma abby and kuntz)
we wove baskets today it was pretty bomb! even the walk was incredible with the view and villages and people to talk to especially the little kids who are sooo friendly and fun. MUZUNGU MUZUNGU is what we hear 24/7. so back to baskets they were so beautiful i couldnt refrain from buying 4 (and they gave me one for free) so 5! : ) after that we ate goat brochette yum! aits pretty sweet we got two goat brochettes chipos and two pops each for like 3 dollars each! then we went to the market and we made dinner and i must say it was delicious! and we also had a dance party in the common room cave and kuntz's dancing was hilarious! i have to get a good nights sleep tonight to prepare for gorillas, i cant wait!!
-katie **shout out to the famsky
Group #1 (wayy better than cash's group 3)
today my group got to wake up much later than yesterday's gorilla trek at nine today to make brick. it was so amazingly fun. i love it. we walked thru the villages a lot so many many MUZUNGOO's, which is starting to get a bit awkward, for example the lady sitting next to me is staring at me...still. but the bricks were so great! some people in my group hacked at the dirty and carrier huge water buckets up a big hill, but personally, i scooped up the mud and carried it down to where i also got to mold them into the bricks. although everyone was filled with mud and dirt, it was so much fun. i was actually a little apprehensive about it but i really enjoyed it. the walk there and back was super pretty and little kids followed us for a while as they usually do. i made friends with a karate kicking one. he was pretty cool. We were the first group back and had lunch. then when mr kuntz, mr cave, and molly were going to go at to meet their friend bosco and bring things for him and his family i jumped at the chance. so molly, mr.cave, mr kuntz, dan, drew, mickey, jane, sian and i got to go in the car made for six. it was so great! the neighborhood was staring in through their window. it was so cute. everything is amazing.
~natalie
im copying katie- shout out to fam!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Day 5 = AMAZING!
(Jane Huber-group 1)
Just got back from the gorilla trek...OH MY GOD!!!!!
I'll start from the beginning of our experience. The Muslim call to prayer woke us up at 4:45 in the morning... but that was good because my group had to wake up at that time anyway so we could get to the base of the volcano in time. We rode in a car for around 20 minutes when we arrived at "base camp." We were initially set to see the "Sussa" gorillas (Diane Fossey's gorillas) but guess what? Dominic Maghahan (actor from Lost and Mary in LOTR) was there and had priority. We stared for around 5 minutes before I had the courage to go talk to him. I shook his hand, said hello, and he denied his identity...but it was painfully obvious, he just didn't want to get too much attention. Then we drove to an outskirt city by the volcano to see the "Amohoro" gorillas. Then we began the ascent. Easily the most physically exhausting exercise I have ever had, we had to climb an entire volcano side...took around 2 hours... We constantly fell down and slipped and were stabbed with thorns and nettles... sometimes the hill was around a 70-80 degree slope, and we were completely exhausted. Then we saw the gorillas. We were told that one must maintain a distance of 21 feet for the safety of both gorillas and us... But that didn't happen. Immediately, as we were in the slope of the crater of the volcano, surrounded by the gorillas eating vegetation, single-file, a baby gorilla walked right between alex rothstein and i, knocking our legs really hard (we were told to remain still and not upset his parents). Then they moved on and we had to track them, our guide chopping a path for us with his machete. We had another series of close encounters (though not as dramatic) in which anna viers and rachel bilski were pinned against the treeline, and there was a 3-month old baby constantly latched to his mother's back. Then, we thought we had lost the family and were searching when suddenly we spotted the mother and child in a tree, 15 feet away. Then I was hit on the top of the head really hard and knocked to the ground, Natalie Thomas smacked in the back. It turns out that a playful "blackback" gorilla threw a log at us. I was fine, and so was Nat, but it was a very dramatic moment...fear and adrenaline combined to make us hyper-aware of the movements of all the gorillas around us (i got a picture of the one that hit me). Then the blackback got down from the tree and cornered us all, but the guides intimidated it by making noises like the gorillas (low, husky huffing noises). Then we followed them to a nesting area where the lead male got into a fight with a younger male. It was a very short fight, and it seemed to just end... no clear winner. We then followed them to watch them eat, and were ready to leave. The descent down was very easy and quick...The guide teaching us Kinyarwandan...especially phrases for stopping and resting. Easily one of the greatest experiences of my life and I think that everyone in the group felt the same way. The gorillas are incredible animals and the fact that we were able to see them so close makes it even more amazing.
(Mary-Group 4)
Our adventure started with pushing Greg's car out of the driveway and down the road to get it to started and ended with a 3 mile walk (uphill) back to our guest house. We arrived at the brick making area after a short, yet very scenic, ride. Immediatly, production ceased and we were encouraged to try the many tasks that brick making involves. Drew and Dan were recruited to fill up the five liter buckets with water from the muddy watering hole at the bottom of the hill. The rest of us tryed our hand at hoeing the mud to make the mush for the bricks. We put the mud into the brick molds and made numerous bricks, all while being laughed at (clearly we were the entertainment for the day). Drew was called the best hoer and Dan was the strongest, and as translated by Greg, Dan could "kick us all". The work was truly difficult and we all got a feel for how much work it takes to make money in Rwanda. The supervisor told us that the best brick maker would make the equivalent of $7 a day if he worked from 5 in the morning until 6 at night. It was a fun experience, in a different sense of the word, but we all enjoyed the experience. We finished the afternoon off with a walk back to the guest house for a much needed shower. Ms. Overbo gets the award for being the dirtiest and I think that the brick makers enjoyed her the most, even though they said that the "muzungu woman not very good."
Carmen(group2),
Today we weaved baskets and mats. In the morning we woke up at 7:20 and headed out for the mats. We had to walk 7kilometers through the small villages of Rwandan people. As we walked through, young kids would come running out of their houses to greet us. We also walked down many mountains of beautiful countryside. The views were unbelievably amazing. Misted fog covered the banana fields and houses of the locals. Once we got there, we were greeted by five women who brought us to their homes and pulled out mats for us to sit on. Once we sat down, they handed us a partially woven basket which we were to finish. It was a really fun experience to weave the baskets, because it familiarized us with the culture of local women in Rwanda. After we finished we bought our baskets back from the women and they sent us on our way.
(Emma-Group 3)
Today Grace, Abby, Katie and I went to Imbabazi orphanage. It was amazingly beautiful there! Rosamond Carr, who used to run the orphanage, made the most beautiful gardens and they are still kept up really well. On the way there we made friends with our driver, Jared. He taught us a Rwandan song and everything! Once we got there, we met K-Ellen, the woman who takes care of the orphange now. She told us all about the kids, their daily life, school, and their stories. The kids there are very fortunate. They actaully better off at the orphanage than in a normal family. We got to sit in the back of a 6th grade class while they were learning math. It was interesting to see how different the teaching style is. Then some of the orphans who were our age took us to the top of a tall hill where we had an amazing view of Rwanda and a few volcanoes. Then we ate lunch with K-Ellen. She made us cheese sandwiches and Kool-Aid! Then we got to go into a 3rd grade and 1st grade classroom and teach them English songs and they taught us songs in Kinyarwandan. They just laughed at us when we tried to pronounce all the words! Then we drove home and we got to meet the guy that Rosamond Carr talks about in her book when she is teaching him to drive a car. We ran into him totally by chance but he was really interesting to talk to. Overall it was an amazing experience and I wish I could go back!
Just got back from the gorilla trek...OH MY GOD!!!!!
I'll start from the beginning of our experience. The Muslim call to prayer woke us up at 4:45 in the morning... but that was good because my group had to wake up at that time anyway so we could get to the base of the volcano in time. We rode in a car for around 20 minutes when we arrived at "base camp." We were initially set to see the "Sussa" gorillas (Diane Fossey's gorillas) but guess what? Dominic Maghahan (actor from Lost and Mary in LOTR) was there and had priority. We stared for around 5 minutes before I had the courage to go talk to him. I shook his hand, said hello, and he denied his identity...but it was painfully obvious, he just didn't want to get too much attention. Then we drove to an outskirt city by the volcano to see the "Amohoro" gorillas. Then we began the ascent. Easily the most physically exhausting exercise I have ever had, we had to climb an entire volcano side...took around 2 hours... We constantly fell down and slipped and were stabbed with thorns and nettles... sometimes the hill was around a 70-80 degree slope, and we were completely exhausted. Then we saw the gorillas. We were told that one must maintain a distance of 21 feet for the safety of both gorillas and us... But that didn't happen. Immediately, as we were in the slope of the crater of the volcano, surrounded by the gorillas eating vegetation, single-file, a baby gorilla walked right between alex rothstein and i, knocking our legs really hard (we were told to remain still and not upset his parents). Then they moved on and we had to track them, our guide chopping a path for us with his machete. We had another series of close encounters (though not as dramatic) in which anna viers and rachel bilski were pinned against the treeline, and there was a 3-month old baby constantly latched to his mother's back. Then, we thought we had lost the family and were searching when suddenly we spotted the mother and child in a tree, 15 feet away. Then I was hit on the top of the head really hard and knocked to the ground, Natalie Thomas smacked in the back. It turns out that a playful "blackback" gorilla threw a log at us. I was fine, and so was Nat, but it was a very dramatic moment...fear and adrenaline combined to make us hyper-aware of the movements of all the gorillas around us (i got a picture of the one that hit me). Then the blackback got down from the tree and cornered us all, but the guides intimidated it by making noises like the gorillas (low, husky huffing noises). Then we followed them to a nesting area where the lead male got into a fight with a younger male. It was a very short fight, and it seemed to just end... no clear winner. We then followed them to watch them eat, and were ready to leave. The descent down was very easy and quick...The guide teaching us Kinyarwandan...especially phrases for stopping and resting. Easily one of the greatest experiences of my life and I think that everyone in the group felt the same way. The gorillas are incredible animals and the fact that we were able to see them so close makes it even more amazing.
(Mary-Group 4)
Our adventure started with pushing Greg's car out of the driveway and down the road to get it to started and ended with a 3 mile walk (uphill) back to our guest house. We arrived at the brick making area after a short, yet very scenic, ride. Immediatly, production ceased and we were encouraged to try the many tasks that brick making involves. Drew and Dan were recruited to fill up the five liter buckets with water from the muddy watering hole at the bottom of the hill. The rest of us tryed our hand at hoeing the mud to make the mush for the bricks. We put the mud into the brick molds and made numerous bricks, all while being laughed at (clearly we were the entertainment for the day). Drew was called the best hoer and Dan was the strongest, and as translated by Greg, Dan could "kick us all". The work was truly difficult and we all got a feel for how much work it takes to make money in Rwanda. The supervisor told us that the best brick maker would make the equivalent of $7 a day if he worked from 5 in the morning until 6 at night. It was a fun experience, in a different sense of the word, but we all enjoyed the experience. We finished the afternoon off with a walk back to the guest house for a much needed shower. Ms. Overbo gets the award for being the dirtiest and I think that the brick makers enjoyed her the most, even though they said that the "muzungu woman not very good."
Carmen(group2),
Today we weaved baskets and mats. In the morning we woke up at 7:20 and headed out for the mats. We had to walk 7kilometers through the small villages of Rwandan people. As we walked through, young kids would come running out of their houses to greet us. We also walked down many mountains of beautiful countryside. The views were unbelievably amazing. Misted fog covered the banana fields and houses of the locals. Once we got there, we were greeted by five women who brought us to their homes and pulled out mats for us to sit on. Once we sat down, they handed us a partially woven basket which we were to finish. It was a really fun experience to weave the baskets, because it familiarized us with the culture of local women in Rwanda. After we finished we bought our baskets back from the women and they sent us on our way.
(Emma-Group 3)
Today Grace, Abby, Katie and I went to Imbabazi orphanage. It was amazingly beautiful there! Rosamond Carr, who used to run the orphanage, made the most beautiful gardens and they are still kept up really well. On the way there we made friends with our driver, Jared. He taught us a Rwandan song and everything! Once we got there, we met K-Ellen, the woman who takes care of the orphange now. She told us all about the kids, their daily life, school, and their stories. The kids there are very fortunate. They actaully better off at the orphanage than in a normal family. We got to sit in the back of a 6th grade class while they were learning math. It was interesting to see how different the teaching style is. Then some of the orphans who were our age took us to the top of a tall hill where we had an amazing view of Rwanda and a few volcanoes. Then we ate lunch with K-Ellen. She made us cheese sandwiches and Kool-Aid! Then we got to go into a 3rd grade and 1st grade classroom and teach them English songs and they taught us songs in Kinyarwandan. They just laughed at us when we tried to pronounce all the words! Then we drove home and we got to meet the guy that Rosamond Carr talks about in her book when she is teaching him to drive a car. We ran into him totally by chance but he was really interesting to talk to. Overall it was an amazing experience and I wish I could go back!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Ruhengeri
(Dann, Mickey, and Drew)
We arrived in Ruhengeri today. Jetlagged, none of us boys slept the first night, so we slept like logs last night. It's hard to stay asleep after the sun comes up and the cars start though. We left on a photogenic bus ride through the Rwandan countryside at 10:00 and arrived in Ruhengeri in time for lunch. We stopped at a petrol truck depot to take pictures of the beautiful vista and were greeted by excited eight-year-olds with sickles taking the arrival of 20-some muzungus to stop gathering food for the goats.
In Ruhengeri, we unpacked into two guest houses. The girls are all crowded into one owned by Greg and Amahoro Tours, and the boys are in one down the street owned by a friend (it's nicer). We ate lunch at a buffet-style restaurant where I (Mickey) was told that, "if [I] was interesting, there was a dance tonight." We also met Mr. Cave and Mr. Kuntz's friend Bosco. Later, we went to see the Intori dancers in some basketball court. While we watched the dancers, a crowd of Rwandans gathered to watch us. Apparently, Rwandans don't clap after every song, and laughed when we cheered. Near the end they invited some of us to dance with them. Bosco later explained to me that they were singing about how unfortunate it was that we didn't understand Kinyarwandan and we couldn't understand what they were saying.
Later, we had time to explore. We (the boys) met a Japanese volunteer worker and a German English teacher. He mixed up his V's and his W's -- I wonder if his Rwandan students have adopted that. We found a bicycle repair "shop" (gathering) on a dirt road next to a patch of potatoes or something. We met up with the girls later and walked half a mile so Katie could buy a banana awkwardly. More people in Ruhengeri speak French rather than English, according to Bosco. Communication is harder than it was in Kigali, but a few pleasantries in Kinyarwanda go a long way. Cave's group went to the market and bought dinner and tomorrow's breakfast, which they are preparing now. It gets dark really early because Rwanda is on the same time zone as Belgium, which they are not geographically lined up with (and the sun comes up correspondingly early).
Maramuche (good night).
If you would like just one guy's opinion about this voyage, visit Drew's travelblog at http://intransitmpls.blogspot.com.
All of the kids are healthy, safe and doing very well in Rwanda. All smiles after the Intore Dancers.
We arrived in Ruhengeri today. Jetlagged, none of us boys slept the first night, so we slept like logs last night. It's hard to stay asleep after the sun comes up and the cars start though. We left on a photogenic bus ride through the Rwandan countryside at 10:00 and arrived in Ruhengeri in time for lunch. We stopped at a petrol truck depot to take pictures of the beautiful vista and were greeted by excited eight-year-olds with sickles taking the arrival of 20-some muzungus to stop gathering food for the goats.
In Ruhengeri, we unpacked into two guest houses. The girls are all crowded into one owned by Greg and Amahoro Tours, and the boys are in one down the street owned by a friend (it's nicer). We ate lunch at a buffet-style restaurant where I (Mickey) was told that, "if [I] was interesting, there was a dance tonight." We also met Mr. Cave and Mr. Kuntz's friend Bosco. Later, we went to see the Intori dancers in some basketball court. While we watched the dancers, a crowd of Rwandans gathered to watch us. Apparently, Rwandans don't clap after every song, and laughed when we cheered. Near the end they invited some of us to dance with them. Bosco later explained to me that they were singing about how unfortunate it was that we didn't understand Kinyarwandan and we couldn't understand what they were saying.
Later, we had time to explore. We (the boys) met a Japanese volunteer worker and a German English teacher. He mixed up his V's and his W's -- I wonder if his Rwandan students have adopted that. We found a bicycle repair "shop" (gathering) on a dirt road next to a patch of potatoes or something. We met up with the girls later and walked half a mile so Katie could buy a banana awkwardly. More people in Ruhengeri speak French rather than English, according to Bosco. Communication is harder than it was in Kigali, but a few pleasantries in Kinyarwanda go a long way. Cave's group went to the market and bought dinner and tomorrow's breakfast, which they are preparing now. It gets dark really early because Rwanda is on the same time zone as Belgium, which they are not geographically lined up with (and the sun comes up correspondingly early).
Maramuche (good night).
If you would like just one guy's opinion about this voyage, visit Drew's travelblog at http://intransitmpls.blogspot.com.
All of the kids are healthy, safe and doing very well in Rwanda. All smiles after the Intore Dancers.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Planes and Buses.
We made it here a-ok. The American Airlines connection to Brussels Airlines in Belgium rocks. Most of the kids got some, we mean some, sleep on the plane. Some didn't get any. The third flight got to be a little long, but it was still better than making a stop in Nairobi! The kids were awesome at traveling. No complaints (they must be saving those for home) and all smiles. Just not much rest.
We landed in Kigali around 7:00pm and it was already dark. Greg picked us up with a large bus. The "Muzungu Express" left the airport with our 20 large duffels and the rest of our bags en route to the Iris Guesthouse in the diplomat section of Kigali.
Because it was dark, the kids really couldn't appreciate the beauty of the capital city.
We checked into the Iris Guesthouse. The kids think the Iris is perfect and very comfortable. Most kids slept last night. Some didn't. We're all still getting used to the time change. Katie thinks "Kate" from the tv show "Lost" is staying at the Iris.
We'll check that out later.
After we freshened up we walked up the hill to have dinner at Chez Robert. They serve a buffet with traditional Rwandan food-fried plantains, roasted pork and beef, rice, beans, passion fruit, several kinds of potatoes. And of course Fanta, Coca, and amazi aconje.
After a good meal and nice conversation we headed back to the Iris (so remember when grampa would tell us that he would walk to school 3 miles, up hill, both ways? Well in Rwanda that is true)
We met in the common area of one of our rooms, gave announcements and shoed the kids to their rooms for bed. Those that chose to sleep last night got to sleep in until 8:30pm.
We had Rwandan breakfast: Bread with Nutella, fruit, and juice. Yum. We were told that Mass started at 10am at St. Famille so we wandered up the hill to the church at about 9:40.
Mass started at 11pm. The hour or so that we were waiting was spent hanging out with the younger parisioners outside the church (We drew quite a crowd!).
Lots of pictures, smiles, and our students practicing their Kinyarwanda. They're doing a great job by the way.
After mass we waled about 30 minutes to a restaurant called Chez John. The students got to see the hills and the beauty that is Kigali.
The kids had lots of questions for our friends Greg and Ben.
We enjoyed another traditional Rwandan meal. Two and half hours of whole fish, different kinds of chicken, cassava, plantains etc. The kids are trying lots of new foods. Some they enjoy some they don't, but they're all trying which is great.
Once back to the Iris we went to Kigali's version of a SuperTarget and bought water and snacks, then it was back to the Iris for some card games, early bedtime and/or chit chat.
Tiomorrow we will be on our way to Ruhengeri to start our official Rwandan activities (Kigali is nice but Ruhengeri will feel like the real Rwanda).
We'll hopefully ALL get a good sleep tonight and get on the bus tomorrow.
All is well in Rwanda.
Amahoro,
Kuntz and Cave
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