It seems as though Rwanda gets ready for Christmas sooner than the states! (Though I am sure the Christmal Carol radio channel has been going strong since October.) I went to Nakumatt yesterday (the "Wal-mart" of Kigali) and there were trees (fake) everywhere, in addition to a large mechanical Santa Claus at the door. I assume since they don't have Thanksgiving to look forward to, it's full steam ahead to Christmas. I've never had a fake tree in my life and I am not about to start.

The past two weeks have been completely different than the first month here. I've been actually working, and teaching! The studio got set up beautifully (I can say that now in retrospect, during the process it was a horrendous headache) with the walls and floors freshly painted, the barre installed, and the curtains hung (after trying a million different ways to McGyver some curtain rods, one idea worked - too long to explain). I made it through explaining a ballet barre, getting the metal brackets designed and made, choosing a nice beige in a world of beige for curtain fabric, having my carpenter profess is undying love for me and graciously turning him down after he brought me lunch two days in a row, a curtain being stolen, a barre bracket falling out of the wall, and everyone who passes by the studio walking in and offering me their services.

We started classes on Monday, the 9th, and I've taught 15 classes since then. I already have 36 students, most of whom are Rwandan (about 22). My body is completely beat after Mondays, when I have four classes, and I am not just standing there and directing, but pretty much dancing with the girls the entire time cause they (generally) have no idea what they are doing.


I was joking with Jen and Dano the other day about how "I work in physical fitness." We had a good laugh. Anyway, there are four more weeks before the winter break, and it's been a good "soft opening" before the full spring term (January-June). I haven't really done any advertising yet, so I hope to get 80 students if I really put some work into it. Here is my Wednesday class of 5 to 7 year olds looking pretty cute. This photo did not come easily!