Buri Munsi Umunsi Wose

Currently, I am writing you from the living room of Father Stephano, Father Leopold, and Father Gabriel. They are my spiritual advisers, landlords, and best friends since moving to my permanent site. I cannot lie: when I heard I would be living next to a Catholic Church and the priests, I was not excited. I thought the area was going to be overtly religious and boring... quite the opposite in fact. Masoro sector, within Rullindo District, is a beautiful marriage between a village and a city. Less than an hour Northwest from Kigali, Masoro has been influenced by the urban area, but also maintains its village-ness. Though it has only been a week since I arrived from Pre-Service Training (PST), I can already feel that I will love this place. With the help of my Headmistress (Principal of G.S. Masoro) and the Fathers, I have been meeting great people and discovering phenomenal places to shop, eat, and hang out. 

My absolute favorite place so far is Heavenly Palace, about a 15 minute moto ride and 10 minute twege ride from my village. A twege is a popular slang term used by PCVs for a small bus that people SQUEEZE into; it makes for an uncomfortable ride. Nonetheless, it gets you from point A to point B for the low low, so who am I to complain... back to Heavenly Palace. This outdoor restaurant/bar/nightclub-on-the-weekends earns its name. It has 3 staggered levels with a showcase of cool lights and tiny cove-like booths on the main floor and a space for dancing on the bottom floor during weekends. Father Leopold surprised me with this detour on our return from a productive trip to Kigali so that I could buy a water basin; water isn't always consistent in my area, so it is necessary to have a place to store water. Interesting fact in Rwanda: when a Rwandan invites you out, it means that they are paying for everything ~hits the nae nae~ This was a cultural difference stressed during our PST: “Remember, if you invite someone to accompany you to a bar or restaurant, make sure you are ready to pay for their meal/drinks or be sure to specify whether your invitation is American or Rwandan.”

When I sat down, Father Leopold asked me what I wanted to drink. I said, “I'll just get a Fanta.” Father Leopold quickly responded with a shocked look, “Nooo, no, I want to buy you a beer.” The Fathers and I go through this weekly; they appreciate a stiff drink. I remember last Sunday, I asked Father Stephano if I could get him some water (“Urashaka amazi?”). Father Stephano answered, “Ahh no, we don't drink water on Sundays.” Me: “What do we drink?” Father Stephano: “For example, beer, wine, liquor...”  I believe you get a good picture of my new besties; they enjoy the turn up. I answered Leopold's request to buy me some type of liquor by saying, “Hmmm do you think they have wine?” Father Leopold stuck his finger in the air and said, “Very good! Waiter bring us inzoga (beer) and divayi (wine)! For the next hour and a half, Father Leopold and I gazed at the beautiful scenery of Kigali lights and the rolling hills of Rwanda and enjoyed our new found friendship, me drinking a dry red wine of some sort and him enjoying his beer of choice, Mutzig. He also ordered us a plate of grilled plantain and stewed beef. As I ate, drank, and enjoyed the company of Father Leopold, I kept thinking they named this fine establishment well.

Today, I will be walking around my village meeting the members of my new community: introducing myself, describing what Peace Corps is, and explaining what I will be doing here and for how long, all in Kinyarwanda! Well, mostly. I could not be more grateful for the heavy emphasis on language classes during PST. Language is truly the best integration tool, that and a good attitude, of course. This will, loosely, be my “all day, everyday” (Buri Munsi Umunsi Wose) schedule until February when school begins. I am excited to begin this journey with an amazing community, a determined Headmistress, and the coolest priests I have ever known. Three months are officially down (Happy 3 month Anniversary to all my fellow PCVs!), twenty four months to go.

XO Dedekated In Rwanda