Getting around Kigali is both easy and difficult. It's a small, fairly well laid out city. Each neighborhood has a main roundabout, and those are well kept gardens and in some cases (like ours in Kimihurura) a substantial park that you can exercise in, run around, lay in - whatever. Most weddings take place in the roundabouts as well. If it's a Saturday or Sunday the one in Kacyiru is packed with people - wedding parties, and everyone the bride and groom know. Weddings are a big deal here, and quote elaborate.

There are several neighborhoods - Kimihurura - nicer, residential area (where we live), Kacyiru - kind of sprawls, eats all the other neighborhoods - not in one concentrated spot; if you don't know where you are I'd go with Kacyiru, Kiyovu - 'town,' and where the president lives (and where my studio is!), Nyarutarama - upper class, Remera - soccer stadium, busy, Kimironko - also very busy, with the big market (or maybe that's just the name of the market and not actually a neighborhood?), and Nyabugogo - bus stations, craziness.

There is always traffic because there are a lot of cars and not enough roads. This is another benefit of taking motos everywhere - they zip in, out, and around everything. I hardly ever sit in traffic. I can get nearly anywhere for 75 cents, only maybe if I am going from town to the market this would cost me more like $1.20. The upper class Rwandans mostly have big cars (Mercedes, BMWs, Lexi, Jeeps or Range Rovers), the middle class have older cars - usually RAV4s, Toyotas, Golfs - and those who cannot afford a car take motos everywhere. Then there is the rest of the population that walks. This is most of the population. I either walk or take motos - of it's raining, I am stuck waiting until it stops.

There are very few street names for the roads here, and even fewer street signs. Even if you do know the street name, people will probably not know where it is. (For instance, the main, MAIN drag that my studio is on is the Boulevard de l'UA (had to ask around quite a bit to find out) but whenever I say it no one has any idea where I am talking about.)

Once you get off the main roads, everything is dirt and in poor condition. The rain constantly eroding the dirt roads probably has something to do with it. For umuganda last week (the last Saturday of every month everyone is expected to devote the morning hours to cleaning the city) Dano and Carter tried to fill some of the potholes in our street. It was great ... for about an afternoon.

I am really going off topic quite a bit. Here is a street sign in Kimihurura. Please note the street name - Rue 1. Umudugudu means street and Amajyambere is the name of the village in Kimihurura.

I've seen about 4 of these since I have been here. It's very hard to get or give directions unless it's to a main, known location, or someplace with a business/landmark nearby, because most people know those. If you live at our house, which is next to nothing, it can be difficult.