A couple of observations:
No one eats on the street here, or while they are walking. I am constantly eating while doing both.
Coca-cola is god. It's cheaper than water, and served and expected everywhere. I don't drink soda at all. The man who built my studio furniture bought me one and sat with me until I finished it. It was hard.
If someone says they'll call you in thirty minutes, most likely they will call you tomorrow afternoon.
The electricity has been off for three days - Dano has called the company every three hours, and every time he calls "the man is on his way now!"
Moto driver dudes will sometimes stop to run their errands or say hi to a friend on the way to your destination.
The rain rules this country. I can't go anywhere right now (mostly cause I don't have a car) but because the dirt streets are now rivers of mud, the motos stop running, and I don't have rubber boots or an umbrella. This holds true for 90% of the population.
There is one (1) kind of cheese. You're screwed if you don't like it. Not only do I love cheese, but I do not like el queso de Rwanda.
It cost me $40 to get the studio painted, including supplies, but it costs me $14 for a pound of chicken, and $25 for a liter of ice cream (which I didn't buy). Cigarettes are 78 cents a pack.
The cheapest car I've seen is for $6,000. It is 1993 Toyota Carina (African Corolla).
Rwandese love talking about how beautiful their country is, and how boring it is.
Anyone under 20 loves Ne-Yo. Early Britney Spears is quite popular on the radios. Also, Maywood - a ridiculous Dutch band from the 70s and 80s I had to google. (Whenever I google here, it brings me to www.google.rw - cool.)
I sent postcards to some friends 4 weeks ago - still haven't arrived.
My mom sent me a package 4 weeks ago - still hasn't arrived.
My feet are permanently dirty here. Even though I wear shoes everywhere except the house, the dust and dirt permeates everything and has forever attached itself to the soles of my feet.
If I don't sleep with my mosquito net, I'll have at least three bites in the morning - cool to know it works.
It costs $94 to Fedex a letter to America. Not sure why I know this.
The Penguin Classics can be found at Nakumatt, the African Walmart.
We carved pumpkins today.
Rwandese laugh if you tell them you're trying to learn Kinyarwanda.
Samosas are the local snack - they can be bought anywhere for about 20 cents each. Savior, though greasy.
Rwanda and Uganda fight over where the source of the Nile actually is - Rwanda took a big step and the biggest bottled water company in the country is called 'Sourc du Nil.' I'm pretty sure it's in Uganda.
I haven't seen a single tattoo. Or nose ring. Everyone thinks I am Indian because of my dark hair and nose ring.
Once, I was standing around with my carpenter man in the furniture co-op, and there was a woman nearby eating lunch. He said to me "She says you are very beautiful. She wants to know if you are my girlfriend." The woman had never once opened her mouth.
I found this calendar in an office - please note, Obama's wife Mitchelle and their daughters Maria and Tasha.
Plastic bags are illegal in Rwanda - haven't seen one since I left America. Great idea for a clean environment, but it kills me to see all the paper bags - more than you could ever imagine. I guess I was always on the side of the trees.
Also haven't seen a television since I left.
GO YANKEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It takes me 4.5 hours to download an episode of Grey's Anatomy, which I do weekly.
Ya'll changed your clocks this morning, but Rwanda skips out on that little gem of life.
The rain stopped, so I am done here. Now to find some electricity and a signal to get online.
No one eats on the street here, or while they are walking. I am constantly eating while doing both.
Coca-cola is god. It's cheaper than water, and served and expected everywhere. I don't drink soda at all. The man who built my studio furniture bought me one and sat with me until I finished it. It was hard.
If someone says they'll call you in thirty minutes, most likely they will call you tomorrow afternoon.
The electricity has been off for three days - Dano has called the company every three hours, and every time he calls "the man is on his way now!"
Moto driver dudes will sometimes stop to run their errands or say hi to a friend on the way to your destination.
The rain rules this country. I can't go anywhere right now (mostly cause I don't have a car) but because the dirt streets are now rivers of mud, the motos stop running, and I don't have rubber boots or an umbrella. This holds true for 90% of the population.
There is one (1) kind of cheese. You're screwed if you don't like it. Not only do I love cheese, but I do not like el queso de Rwanda.
It cost me $40 to get the studio painted, including supplies, but it costs me $14 for a pound of chicken, and $25 for a liter of ice cream (which I didn't buy). Cigarettes are 78 cents a pack.
The cheapest car I've seen is for $6,000. It is 1993 Toyota Carina (African Corolla).
Rwandese love talking about how beautiful their country is, and how boring it is.
Anyone under 20 loves Ne-Yo. Early Britney Spears is quite popular on the radios. Also, Maywood - a ridiculous Dutch band from the 70s and 80s I had to google. (Whenever I google here, it brings me to www.google.rw - cool.)
I sent postcards to some friends 4 weeks ago - still haven't arrived.
My mom sent me a package 4 weeks ago - still hasn't arrived.
My feet are permanently dirty here. Even though I wear shoes everywhere except the house, the dust and dirt permeates everything and has forever attached itself to the soles of my feet.
If I don't sleep with my mosquito net, I'll have at least three bites in the morning - cool to know it works.
It costs $94 to Fedex a letter to America. Not sure why I know this.
The Penguin Classics can be found at Nakumatt, the African Walmart.
We carved pumpkins today.
Rwandese laugh if you tell them you're trying to learn Kinyarwanda.
Samosas are the local snack - they can be bought anywhere for about 20 cents each. Savior, though greasy.
Rwanda and Uganda fight over where the source of the Nile actually is - Rwanda took a big step and the biggest bottled water company in the country is called 'Sourc du Nil.' I'm pretty sure it's in Uganda.
I haven't seen a single tattoo. Or nose ring. Everyone thinks I am Indian because of my dark hair and nose ring.
Once, I was standing around with my carpenter man in the furniture co-op, and there was a woman nearby eating lunch. He said to me "She says you are very beautiful. She wants to know if you are my girlfriend." The woman had never once opened her mouth.
I found this calendar in an office - please note, Obama's wife Mitchelle and their daughters Maria and Tasha.
Plastic bags are illegal in Rwanda - haven't seen one since I left America. Great idea for a clean environment, but it kills me to see all the paper bags - more than you could ever imagine. I guess I was always on the side of the trees.
Also haven't seen a television since I left.
GO YANKEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It takes me 4.5 hours to download an episode of Grey's Anatomy, which I do weekly.
Ya'll changed your clocks this morning, but Rwanda skips out on that little gem of life.
The rain stopped, so I am done here. Now to find some electricity and a signal to get online.
2 comments:
great! thanks for the smiles you brought to my face, and the outright laughs too. i'm sharing it!! xo mom
1. Coke may become your god too, it's tricky that way
2. I can't believe you are watching Grey's Anatomy in Rwanda! Sweet. I couldn't in Turkey, and I watched the last episode on line after I read your blog.
3. I'm glad Rwanda doesn't use plastic bags.
4. The Yanks won again tonight - I have to admidt, I did some cheering for the twins, but when our team was on again, doing what they do . .. how can one resist?
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