Today Anne Giulia Melissa Sophie & myself (Elise) got on a bus with the brick making group at 8 am. The bus ride was about 20 minutes to drop off the brick making group and about another 20 to get to the spot where we were going to continue creating a house for one of the elderly women living in the village. The way we started was everyone got in a line and we passed bricks down the line to place them where the real workers wanted them. After about a half hour of that we walked down to an underground spring with a bunch of buckets that we later filled. The walk was beautiful. After returning with the full buckets we continued passing bricks for another 45 minutes. The experience was great.
-Elise Overman, group 1
Our group, which consisted of Cat, Izaak, Mikayla, and I woke up and boarded a bus at 8 am, and drove for 20 minutes to the brick making site. As soon as we arrived, we were kindly greeted by a large group of adorable little children who followed us into the brick making area. Right away we got to work, carrying clumps of clay from a huge mound, and creating little piles next to the work stations. The children were very helpful in teaching us how to make a brick properly. We first started out by taking the wood mold and soaking it in water for a couple seconds. The brick making process is then continued by packing the mold with clay, coating it with layer of water, and finally carrying it to the ground, where each brick is carefully pushed out of the mold. As one can assume, this process is repeated various times,our group creating just around 200 bricks. Despite the mess, and looking like you just got a very poorly done spray tan on your arms and legs, this activity was by far my favorite.
-Eleanor Raether: group 5
Today Mr. Kuntz's group (Sam, Isaac, Sarah, Taylor, and Jimmy) went to make baskets and mats. To get there, we took about an hour walk, which was absolutely beautiful. We really got to see what Rwanda really looks like on the walk, that it truly is the "Land of 1000 Hills." When we got there, each one of us was taught by a different woman about how to weave the baskets. After watching them for a few minutes, we got to do it ourselves. A little while later the chief even came and sat down to watch us, and was rather impressed with our work. After about an hour of basket weaving, our fingers cramping from the handiwork, we stopped so we could buy our own baskets. I (Jimmy) ended up buying 6 or 7 baskets, as did everyone else in my group. The woman even let us keep the ones we had worked on, free of charge. We got in the car that picked us up to bring us home, all comparing baskets and talking about whose own was the best. Despite the finger cramps and needle-breaks, this was definitely one of my favorite experiences in Ruhengeri.
-Jimmy Borin, Group 3
Today in Twick's group (Hartwick, Gabby, Mitch, Chloe, Krista, Jake, and Sam from Mr. Kuntz group came with us) we went on a trek to go see some mountain gorillas. First of all, it started with a steep hike up a side of a hill that lasted about an hour and a half. This was a hard hike because the elevation made you really tired and out of breath. Then we reached the "wall" which was the edge of the forest where the national park began. We went through some dense forests and we had no clue where we were going. Then, I (Jake) went through some trees and I looked to me left and literally there was a gorilla sitting a foot away from me. Then our guide, Patience, brought us to a clearing where the gorilla family was sitting. We just watched a family of gorillas from about 6 feet away for about an hour. The family consisted of a silverback, which was the father, a couple of older women gorillas, about four smaller male gorillas and one baby gorilla. It was so awesome to be sitting so close to these gorillas and just watching them wresting and eat. When we left, we had to walk really close to them and they all just glared at us. That was kind of scary. Once we got out of the forest, we were literally in a cloud and you couldn't see anything that was in front of you. It was probably the coolest experience I've had in Rwanda. I will never forget the day I spent with the mountain gorillas of Rwanda.
-Jake Sherman, group 2
Today we ran out of breakfast food. So at sunrise, Mrs. Hinnendael and I ran out to the store to get some bread. After enjoying a breakfast of peanut butter, bread, and bananas, Kathy Kuntz, Jordan Dritz, Zach Cave, Rachel Frenz, and I were off to Imbabazi Orphanage. The car ride was long and bumpy, but with Alex as our guide, we got the inside scoop to everything that we passed. When the white gates squeaked open, we were met by Jeff Ramsey, the head of Imbabazi. He offered to give us a tour through Rosamond Carr's gardens. And let me tell you, the pictures that I took cannot show the immense beauty of these flowers, which they don't water because of the lack of water (what??!!). I have this picture of me holding a hydrangea, which is three or four times the size of my hand. After wandering through the dancing garden, we returned to the main part of the orphanage to start our task of the day--painting. Because it was Sunday, some of the kids were home from school and helped us paint. We got two bedrooms rooms painted, with the help of twentyish kids. After we were done and waiting for lunch, a few boys asked us to play a pick up game of soccer. That was when I met Samuel, a bashful boy of about 13 or 14 dressed in a blue sweater and blue rubber flip flops. He would quietly snicker at my "awesome soccer moves." When lunch was ready, everyone went into the room that other groups had painted during the week. I pulled Samuel next to me and challenged Samuel to a rice/bean eating contest (not a good idea). These were actually the best rice and bean combination I had eaten this entire trip but the serving could legitimately feed my entire family. I still can't figure out how such a small boy could eat that much food, but he smirked as he pushed his empty bowl towards me. We headed home so we wouldn't be late for the Twa Village.
We unloaded our bus to the pounding of a drum, the shuffling of feet, and voices sounding from within a small hut. As we piled all 30 of us into this small hut, the dance began. The intense stomping of their jingling feet caused dust to rise from the floor creating a hazy fog. After about two songs, the dancers invited Isaac Melin, Taylor Kenyon, and me to share a dance with them. Wow, do they make it look easier than it is! I get lost in all of my feet and forget which one is pounding where so it ends up being an awkward foxtrotish stomp. But anyways after the welcoming celebration came to a close, we were welcome to explore the village. A woman invited me into her pitch black house to take a look around. Instead of lighting a match or something, this old village woman took out her cellphone and used it as a flashlight to show me around. Soon enough it was time to leave. I was saying goodbye to everyone and a younger man stopped me asking if 1) I was a girl? and 2) if I had a telephone number? I think I'm flattered that he asked my gender. But all in all, visiting the Twa Village was a great way to wrap up our trip to Ruhengeri. Hope all is going well in Minnesooooota. I'll see you all soon.
-Anna Landis, Group 4
1 comment:
Truly the best rice and bean aggregation I had devoured this every part of visit but the performing could legitimately feed my every part of family. I still can't diagram out how such a tiny male offspring could devour that much sustenance, but he smirked as he dropped his empty mixing bowl to me. We overseen household so we wouldn't be late for the Twa Village. Texas Hill Country Land For Sale You can build here a village.
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