OK….through week two and what a difference a week makes….it’s amazing how, in just one week, things start to seem so “normal”….it’s all relative, I suppose!
I started going in to my office at the hotel this week, so I’m a working woman now…still not sure EXACTLY what I will be doing, but was able to just observe and try to get to know everyone, and TRY and learn a little Kinyarwanda…my goal…a new word every day…I imagine, I’m about at my limit….just kidding…I really am giving it a shot at learning the language as best I can….the precious staff at Ishema are very patient with me!
We did have one HUGE success last week…we were able to take our first credit card at the hotel…VERY rare here in Rwanda in general, credit cards are, since Rwanda is traditionally a cash based society, so to be able to take ALL the major credit cards, American Express, included, is a major coup…it opens up a whole new world for Ishema! We were able to do this based on some things we put into place before every leaving the US in hopes that it would give Ishema an advantage…we’ll see!
Russell has hit the ground running as well….but let me say this…setting up a house in Musanze ain’t exactly the easiest thing in the world…there’s been a lot of waiting around for....well…waiting around!! Frustrating for the cutest boy in the world…he’s a get’r done kinda guy, and not gettin‘r done…well…you can imagine!! Just getting internet set up at the house has been a week long project, which is still not complete….oh, please, oh please, on Monday!!
On the “life in Africa” front…..I’ve made some progress this week…and NOT….I am definitely feeling more comfortable being out and about…not overwhelmed at all really, and in fact, finally made it back to the market yesterday and while we were still surrounded by people curious about the “Muzungu” …we just went on about the job at hand, which was getting all our fresh fruits and veggies…my deal is…I like my space…and Rwandans, in general, have NO SENSE of personal space. Now…I’m in their country and that is their culture, but at times, I just want to say…”back off, people, back off”….problem is…most of those "people” are 5 years old…not that I’ve done this, but I’ve come close…I’ll be curious to see if I change with respect to this situation…or don’t, and they then think I’m just that crazy Muzungu lady who yells at little children….
And as I mentioned before, we share our back fence with the National Police Academy….make me feel safe?…you betcha…like the fact that at FIVE AM every single morning they start with the calisthenics…and the hooping and the hollering…think Marine boot camp sounds… not so much!! THEN…this week, at FIVE AM…the marching band starts their DAILY practice for the Academy graduation, which they tell us, is a few weeks away….they play the very SAME SONG over and over…I will say they are getting better…I will also say...I feel like I’m livin in Razorback Stadium, DURING a game…anyone who knows me knows I AM NOT a morning person….Oh, Lord….please give me the strength not to be that crazy Muzungu lady who yells at little children, policemen, AND the marching band….
Tonight found me in the kitchen for the first time…cooking!! Novel idea…I haven’t cooked in a good, long time….and while I do love to cook….I will say, my first night in the new kitchen was a bit interesting….picture Pee Wee’s Playhouse….ya know... with the miniature frig, and the mini stove/oven....it’s all European size…or as those of us in the US call it…The Little Tikes Play Kitchen…I kept it simple…pasta with olive oil, garlic, onion…and some Parmesan cheese we brought from Europe (a commodity like GOLD here – the cheese, that is), but cooking on the Little Tikes stove made it quite the challenge….either, we’re going to have to, already, trade up to a larger stove, or get smaller cookware…I’ll leave it to you to guess what the choice it will be!! I then got to wash all the dishes in the Little Tikes sink, complete with real running water! Suffice it to say, I’m still adjusting!
All kidding aside though, we are, truly, settling in…knowing this is where we should be, and praying every day that God shows us which direction we should go THIS day, and for that I am “most grateful”.
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