Becuase of the Holoday Monday, we got the afternoon off and finally took the bus into the City Center to explore it ourselves. We have been there a couple times, but it was always dark and in a car with someone else driving. Being in a place and not understanding the layout makes me feel uncomfortable, so after 4 or 5 hours of buses and walking and bartering with a vendor for a pair of jeans for work, I think I finally feel comfortable in that small part of Kigali.
The big news on the farm this week was the cow that jumped into the canal/creek. The canal has pretty steep sides and it took us over an hour of coaxing, proding and yelling to move the cow to a place where it could manage to get back to the herd for grazing. The whole time all I could think about was how much people, ways of life and even farming are similar, on the other side of the world.
And finally, I started a French class this week. On the site there are a group of pre-noviates (those in the preliminary stages of studying for the priesthood). Half of them are from Uganda and speak English, while the other half are from Rwanda and Brundi and speak French. So the Ugandans are learning French and I was invited to join their class. Unfortunately, they have been studying for six months and are way ahead of me, so I was really excited about taking the class, but now feel overwhelmed. I'm still trying to study on my own, but its coming slowly and I'm a bit lazy.
On that note, I'm going to go try some French!
Thanks for the updates. Your life is certainly not dull! Makes life more interesting here especially on a rainy day,
ReplyDeleteMan, what an eventful couple of weeks so far! You have the rainy season, we officially started windy, rainy Fall. We were just watching "the Amazing Race" and they had to boat through Vietnam and then herd ducks...and we were thinking about how many great experiences you have had in the past couple of months and how this will really change your life! Good thing you have hidden talents like your b-ball skills or your willingness to learn french! Good luck and don't forget to let us know an address we can send stuff too!
ReplyDeleteYou can take the boy out of Iowa, but you can't take the Iowa out of the boy. Seroiusly though, I love that you've got a skill set that's useful in Rwanda!
ReplyDeleteHows the food? Anything exciting like plantains? mmm... do you eat the food you grow on your land or is it more for the livestock?
Miss you lots and think of you often. Any chance you'd be able to share pictures? Or would that be too painfully slow with your internet connection?