Last week, Kerry and I went to dinner with her long-time and my new friend, Louise. Louise is a year older than us, and since she has been working for the Rwandan Government for 3 years, generally considered a "wealth of information."
So we took advantage of the opportunity. What restaurants are worth going to? Kerry had only been to a few as she lived in Nyamata last year, and I had only been to a few, because well, I am still new. So after the rundown, Louise mentioned something else. The movie theater, CineStar. As most of you know, I am a huge movie fan. So finding out there was a real theater? Well, I had to check it out.
Originally we were going to go with Louise and numerous other friends and change the movie that was being shown with one of my DVDs (I brought all my movie DVDs (left the tv shows) in my carryon). But as Louise had conflicting plans Kerry and I and 2 other friends decided to brave the scheduled movie. It was terrible.
Breaking Point, starring Busta Rhymes. I remember him as the older brother in Finding Forrester. So I thought it was worth a shot. Well about 4 minutes into the move a woman gets her throat slit while her baby is thrown out a window by BR. None of the characters evoked any sympathy. None could deliver their terrible written lines to salvage the terrible plot. In fact, I am fairly confident that the cast took voice lessons from William Shatner.
The bright side? A real movie theater. With popcorn. And the movie took place in NYC so I had a lot of shots of Harlem and Times Square to make me miss my last 'home'.
Interestingly enough, our Rwandan friend (We were 3 Americans and 1 Rwandan) thought it was a great movie and really enjoyed all the action. So at least it wasn't a total bust, and under $3 for a Friday Night movie? I'll go again.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Scrub a dub dub
Well following tonights after dinner conversation, I decided this was an important issue to discuss- showering.
In Rwanda it is uncommon to have a shower with a curtain let alone a tub. What you have is a shower, another faucet around 4' up and this is just on the wall of the bathroom. There is also a drain and a bit of a linoleum area to stand that theoretically stops the water from getting everywhere- and like so many theories just fails.
Our compound has limited hot water. 3 rooms are hooked up, sometimes. (1 of those actually only has a tub.)And the other 4 are not. We are incredibly lucky and have hot water in the kitchen.
My room is not one with hot water. So at first I walked up to the spare room and used that shower. But then the preassure became nonexistent. I still used the faucet up there because my cold water preassure is also pretty poor. Then the hot water disappeared in everywhere but the kitchen.
So I started taking bucket baths. It felt like camping. I would boil water, fill up my bucket half way, carry it back and then add my faucet water to make it a good temperature and a good amount of water.
Kerry was doind the same thing for a while and then one night she realized the boiling step was unnecessary- there's hot water in the sink. So that became the preferred method of filling our buckets.
Well at dinner Jess announced her hot water had come back and with great preassure. So we discussed our preffered methods. I like the bucket- it's hot and I can get clean & warm. Kerry has good cold water preassure so she prefers to be clean and doesn't mind the cold. Jess has the hot shower.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
In Rwanda it is uncommon to have a shower with a curtain let alone a tub. What you have is a shower, another faucet around 4' up and this is just on the wall of the bathroom. There is also a drain and a bit of a linoleum area to stand that theoretically stops the water from getting everywhere- and like so many theories just fails.
Our compound has limited hot water. 3 rooms are hooked up, sometimes. (1 of those actually only has a tub.)And the other 4 are not. We are incredibly lucky and have hot water in the kitchen.
My room is not one with hot water. So at first I walked up to the spare room and used that shower. But then the preassure became nonexistent. I still used the faucet up there because my cold water preassure is also pretty poor. Then the hot water disappeared in everywhere but the kitchen.
So I started taking bucket baths. It felt like camping. I would boil water, fill up my bucket half way, carry it back and then add my faucet water to make it a good temperature and a good amount of water.
Kerry was doind the same thing for a while and then one night she realized the boiling step was unnecessary- there's hot water in the sink. So that became the preferred method of filling our buckets.
Well at dinner Jess announced her hot water had come back and with great preassure. So we discussed our preffered methods. I like the bucket- it's hot and I can get clean & warm. Kerry has good cold water preassure so she prefers to be clean and doesn't mind the cold. Jess has the hot shower.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Small Victories
As I have mentioned, I am co-teaching General Paper. And for the past 2 weeks, inspired by International Women's Day, we have been discussing gender equality.
Let me just say, it gives me a much larger appreciation for the women's movement in the US. In fact after our first day of discussions I turned to Kerry and said "I'm a feminist. Who knew?"
The reason is becuase many of these senior boys think girls are naturally inferior to boys. That they are weaker mentally and physically. That they are not as capable. That pregnency is equivalent to a sickness. And that men are and should be the head of household.
Well... How does one approach this? Especially when a lot of the aggression comes from the new policy that girls are eligible for a national scholarship with lower test scores than boys.
So I think I did a good job talking about affirmative action. And why it happens. Includig drawing a diagram of a slanted soccer feild and demonstrating 'leveling the playing field.' I think it was the best way to demonstrate how giving the girls help isn't saying the boys should digress. I think it helped.
I also got really good in talking about 'natural apptitude' and how girls are not given less than boys. People are less smart than other people and gender is irrelevant in determining intelligence.
So I am embracing my feminist roots and learning what it's like to advocate for my own minority group.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Let me just say, it gives me a much larger appreciation for the women's movement in the US. In fact after our first day of discussions I turned to Kerry and said "I'm a feminist. Who knew?"
The reason is becuase many of these senior boys think girls are naturally inferior to boys. That they are weaker mentally and physically. That they are not as capable. That pregnency is equivalent to a sickness. And that men are and should be the head of household.
Well... How does one approach this? Especially when a lot of the aggression comes from the new policy that girls are eligible for a national scholarship with lower test scores than boys.
So I think I did a good job talking about affirmative action. And why it happens. Includig drawing a diagram of a slanted soccer feild and demonstrating 'leveling the playing field.' I think it was the best way to demonstrate how giving the girls help isn't saying the boys should digress. I think it helped.
I also got really good in talking about 'natural apptitude' and how girls are not given less than boys. People are less smart than other people and gender is irrelevant in determining intelligence.
So I am embracing my feminist roots and learning what it's like to advocate for my own minority group.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Sunny Days...
Sweeping the clouds away, on my way to where the air is sweet, can you tell me how to get, how to get to sesame street? It's magic carpet ride, every door will open wide to happy people like (what beatiful) happy people like you ; what a beautiful Sunny Days...
Sitting at Heaven which is an American run restaurant. Waiting for the rest of our party, and refusing to be frustrated. But it is a gorgeous day. And after weeks of rainy days the past few warm and sunny days have been a welcome relief.
I got a terrible sunburn on Tuesday. Which blistered yesterday. And then the blisters started itching today. It's gross and I have been wearing my REI sunblock shirts to protect my back.
I apologise for the mundane, not really saying anything, blog entry. But that's all the news from Lake Wobegon.
Sitting at Heaven which is an American run restaurant. Waiting for the rest of our party, and refusing to be frustrated. But it is a gorgeous day. And after weeks of rainy days the past few warm and sunny days have been a welcome relief.
I got a terrible sunburn on Tuesday. Which blistered yesterday. And then the blisters started itching today. It's gross and I have been wearing my REI sunblock shirts to protect my back.
I apologise for the mundane, not really saying anything, blog entry. But that's all the news from Lake Wobegon.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Bolsheviks were good for something
March 8th is International Women's Day. And, as it is a national holiday in Rwanda, like many parts of the world, Kerry and I decided to teach our lesson this week about gender roles and gender equality.
And being the History major who likes too many details that I am, I did some background reading about the say, only to find out- it's a socialist holiday! woot!
The idea for a "Women's Day" was first publicly suggested in 1909 by the Socialist Party of America. In 1910, at the first International Women's Conference in Copenhagen, it was made an internationally recognized day, with no set date. It was to promote a better social standing for women, better working conditions, and recognize accomplishments.
In 1911 over 1 million people recognized the day on 19 March. On 25 March, that same year was the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire that killed 140 workers, all women. So International Women's Day was also used to remember these women.
In 1913 the day changed to 8 March when many women in Europe and North America used the day to protest for peace, against WWI. It stayed popular through the 1920s and then dwindled...
And then! in 1965 the Soviet Union made it an official state holiday, to be recognized like all others (ie no work) in recognition of the contributions of women to the Bolshevik Revolution.
It wasn't until 1975 that the UN recognized the day, when they designated that year as "International Women's Year." Now the day is used to recognize the contributions of women, promote women's issues: this year the red cross brought attention to the additional dangers and difficulties faced by women who are displaced by war and violence, especially those living in refugee camps.
And it is recognized as a national holiday in over 65 countries.
And being the History major who likes too many details that I am, I did some background reading about the say, only to find out- it's a socialist holiday! woot!
The idea for a "Women's Day" was first publicly suggested in 1909 by the Socialist Party of America. In 1910, at the first International Women's Conference in Copenhagen, it was made an internationally recognized day, with no set date. It was to promote a better social standing for women, better working conditions, and recognize accomplishments.
In 1911 over 1 million people recognized the day on 19 March. On 25 March, that same year was the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire that killed 140 workers, all women. So International Women's Day was also used to remember these women.
In 1913 the day changed to 8 March when many women in Europe and North America used the day to protest for peace, against WWI. It stayed popular through the 1920s and then dwindled...
And then! in 1965 the Soviet Union made it an official state holiday, to be recognized like all others (ie no work) in recognition of the contributions of women to the Bolshevik Revolution.
It wasn't until 1975 that the UN recognized the day, when they designated that year as "International Women's Year." Now the day is used to recognize the contributions of women, promote women's issues: this year the red cross brought attention to the additional dangers and difficulties faced by women who are displaced by war and violence, especially those living in refugee camps.
And it is recognized as a national holiday in over 65 countries.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Cooking Continues...
Tonight Jess and I decided we wanted pasta. We also were both mutually sick of tomatoes, since they are a staple ingredient in most meals. So I got creative upon seeing an egg in the fridge - Carbonara! And as I looked around, I had all the ingredients...
Recipe - Rwanda Version
Pasta - Pasta
Butter - Butter (barn flavor)
Cream - Milk (boxed, barn flavor)
Bacon - Onions
1 Egg + extra egg yoke - 1 egg
Grated Parmesan Cheese - Grated Rwanda Cheese (something between gouda and cheddar)
Paprika - Seasoning Salt that contains paprika
It was delicious and tasted (almost) American. =)
Recipe - Rwanda Version
Pasta - Pasta
Butter - Butter (barn flavor)
Cream - Milk (boxed, barn flavor)
Bacon - Onions
1 Egg + extra egg yoke - 1 egg
Grated Parmesan Cheese - Grated Rwanda Cheese (something between gouda and cheddar)
Paprika - Seasoning Salt that contains paprika
It was delicious and tasted (almost) American. =)
1 Month Later...
Can you believe I have been in Rwanda for a month? It seems like I just got here and I have been here forever, so i guess that would be about a month.
Homesickness usually sets in about this time, I've heard. It feels like so long that you've been here, the vacation feeling has worn off, and you are still here for another 9 months. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change what I'm doing but the novelty has worn off.
This week made it especially hard to be so far away. And while I don't need to go into that here, let's just say it's a challenge 'being there' for friends when you are 9,010 miles away. So that has lead me to create the list of:
THINGS I AM MOST HAPPY I PACKED:
1. Teddy. Teddy is and was called 'my little brown teddy bear' until I was 14, when he was given a real name of Teddy. He was given to me for my Christmas- 'a little teddy bear, for a little Rachel'. And has traveled with me on most adventures. Always in carry on lugage, so if something were to happen, he would be safe with me.
2. Lamby. Lamby is my stuffed lamb, about the same size as Teddy. Lamby came from Williamsburg and was given to me by my mother about 4 years ago because my name means 'little lamb'. Lamby has the same travel requirements as Teddy, and has already been to Europe.
3. My Linus Blanket. This December, when Mum unpacked the 'Charlie Brown Christmas Tree' that she got last year, complete with a single red ball ornament, I once again lamented not getting the Linus blanket when I saw it. It was so soft, and as a JV I just looked for an excuse to get it, but not knowing about the CBCT I didn't have it. 2 days before I left for Boston for my interview with Maranyundo, Dad gave me a Linus Blanket. It's so soft, and compact. And it is perfect when I am a little blue.
4. Chocolate. Philip introduced me to Sharffen Berger chocolate this winter, and wow. So I brought 6 bars with me. Have already eaten 3. But it is a much needed comfort food when candy bars are rather on the spendy side.
5. 50 pictures. I printed out about 50 pictures at walmart the day before I left, and within the first 48 hours they were put up. Friends, Family, My car, My cat, and the Sunset from Vonnie and Bob's... all familiar sites, and smiling faces so I can remember just how lucky I am to have such supportive people in my life.
Homesickness usually sets in about this time, I've heard. It feels like so long that you've been here, the vacation feeling has worn off, and you are still here for another 9 months. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change what I'm doing but the novelty has worn off.
This week made it especially hard to be so far away. And while I don't need to go into that here, let's just say it's a challenge 'being there' for friends when you are 9,010 miles away. So that has lead me to create the list of:
THINGS I AM MOST HAPPY I PACKED:
1. Teddy. Teddy is and was called 'my little brown teddy bear' until I was 14, when he was given a real name of Teddy. He was given to me for my Christmas- 'a little teddy bear, for a little Rachel'. And has traveled with me on most adventures. Always in carry on lugage, so if something were to happen, he would be safe with me.
2. Lamby. Lamby is my stuffed lamb, about the same size as Teddy. Lamby came from Williamsburg and was given to me by my mother about 4 years ago because my name means 'little lamb'. Lamby has the same travel requirements as Teddy, and has already been to Europe.
3. My Linus Blanket. This December, when Mum unpacked the 'Charlie Brown Christmas Tree' that she got last year, complete with a single red ball ornament, I once again lamented not getting the Linus blanket when I saw it. It was so soft, and as a JV I just looked for an excuse to get it, but not knowing about the CBCT I didn't have it. 2 days before I left for Boston for my interview with Maranyundo, Dad gave me a Linus Blanket. It's so soft, and compact. And it is perfect when I am a little blue.
4. Chocolate. Philip introduced me to Sharffen Berger chocolate this winter, and wow. So I brought 6 bars with me. Have already eaten 3. But it is a much needed comfort food when candy bars are rather on the spendy side.
5. 50 pictures. I printed out about 50 pictures at walmart the day before I left, and within the first 48 hours they were put up. Friends, Family, My car, My cat, and the Sunset from Vonnie and Bob's... all familiar sites, and smiling faces so I can remember just how lucky I am to have such supportive people in my life.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Baking Cakes in Kigali- There's an app for that
On Saturday we had our first house party. About 20 people were invited and 12 showed up, so it was a good mix. We had 2 cases of beer, a 5 liter box of wine, juice for those who don't drink, and food.
We wanted to make American foods for our guests. So I said I would bake cupcakes. It seemed like a basic and easy thing to offer. But, as Kerry said later, "Why is everything harder in Africa? You put in 3 times the effort and only get half the result!" At that point, I whole heartedly agreed.
Let's first acknowledge the two things I did right. The first was that over a month ago I downloaded an app for my ipod that converts basically anything to anything. And the second, was I left the butter out over night so it was at room temperature.
So Saturday afternoon came, and I started. We did not have vanilla, and since both the milk and the butter have what can only be described as "an animal" flavor, I used almond extract to mask it. The sugar was only sugar in the raw, and I had icing sugar for my icing. The flour was opened, and discovered to be yellow. I think it's corn based, but it's my only option so I continue.
I now realize that I need to measure out my ingredients... and that we have no measuring cups. So as I'm guessing "Is this mug a cup or 3/4 cups?" I remember that we do have a teaspoon measurer in our sugar bowl! So I get my ipod and convert- 1 and half cups of flour = 72 tsps. I also was fortunate to have the weight of the butter, 125grams needed, I have a block of 500 grams, so 1/4 of the block.
My next obstacle was that we don't have a mixer. We have a hand blender, which I gallantly tried, but after 5 seconds it started smoking so I gave up. And used a whisk.
Well my corn-muffin like cupcakes turned out alright. And my green icing was delicious. So all in all, a success. But not one of my more delicious cakes. I look forward to investigating further flour options this week...
We wanted to make American foods for our guests. So I said I would bake cupcakes. It seemed like a basic and easy thing to offer. But, as Kerry said later, "Why is everything harder in Africa? You put in 3 times the effort and only get half the result!" At that point, I whole heartedly agreed.
Let's first acknowledge the two things I did right. The first was that over a month ago I downloaded an app for my ipod that converts basically anything to anything. And the second, was I left the butter out over night so it was at room temperature.
So Saturday afternoon came, and I started. We did not have vanilla, and since both the milk and the butter have what can only be described as "an animal" flavor, I used almond extract to mask it. The sugar was only sugar in the raw, and I had icing sugar for my icing. The flour was opened, and discovered to be yellow. I think it's corn based, but it's my only option so I continue.
I now realize that I need to measure out my ingredients... and that we have no measuring cups. So as I'm guessing "Is this mug a cup or 3/4 cups?" I remember that we do have a teaspoon measurer in our sugar bowl! So I get my ipod and convert- 1 and half cups of flour = 72 tsps. I also was fortunate to have the weight of the butter, 125grams needed, I have a block of 500 grams, so 1/4 of the block.
My next obstacle was that we don't have a mixer. We have a hand blender, which I gallantly tried, but after 5 seconds it started smoking so I gave up. And used a whisk.
Well my corn-muffin like cupcakes turned out alright. And my green icing was delicious. So all in all, a success. But not one of my more delicious cakes. I look forward to investigating further flour options this week...
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