Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Keepin' Busy- arts n crafts
Since leaving FAWE and only working a few hours a day I have tried to stay busy. Although there are some nice places to go to in Kigali, most of these places require spending money, not to mention it gets old going there all the time, so I try to find things to do at home.
So far I have hand-sewn a quilt and pillow cases. Crocheted a throw-blanket, ponchos for my nieces and now I’m working on making a dress for my niece and a sweater-vest for myself.
I got the fabric from the market. ‘African’ fabric is great and I have had some things made from tailors here, but that doesn’t solve my problem of boredom. So I went to some tailors in the market and asked for the scraps, from these I pieced together a quilt. In hind sight I think I should have tried to make some pattern with the squares instead of keeping it random, but live and learn, right?
Now ponchos are ‘in’ here at the moment and I see women wearing them so I figured I would make them since they seemed easy. They were pretty easy but after I learned from my mom there was an easier way. Live and learn.(also note that once my sister-in-laws saw them they said they wanted them, and I’m sure if they could have fit in the ones I made they would have taken them from the girls..haha)
The throw blanket was just for fun and I really love it, can’t wait to have it back at home during winter. I can curl up on the couch and watch TV with it..
As I finish my other projects I will add more pictures to show what I’ve been up to.
Is she pregnant yet??
Recently my father-in-law was speaking to my husband. Every so often he calls to say they need more sugar, which after enough calls results in him sending money to buy sugar or getting someone else to do it.
Well this past call was just too good not to share.
His father had called to say they still needed sugar. After discussing that for a bit the father than asked if she(as in me) was a little bit pregnant yet*. Of course Maxon said no. The father then asked if there was any problem, which Maxon responded with, “no, there is no problem.”(the dad referring to one of us not ‘working’)
Then Maxon said actually there is a problem, if I don’t have money for sugar how can I have money for a baby.
Now this next part is good-the father then said oh well if that’s it, then we don’t need the sugar, don’t worry about the sugar.
HAHAHAHAHA
This is the conversation that Maxon told me about when he woke up from a nap.
For some people who don’t understand a culture where producing children is what matters, and yes that’s how they see it as, producing. Here many people, certainly the older generations believe that the reason for marriage is to have children. Only. It’s just that one is doing a community service by having children. Children bring you status, not to mention little servants and/or workers. Many people only become married when one is already on the way. So you can imagine how strange they think it is to get married and not get pregnant right away.
This isn’t the first time we’ve been asked, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. See this is how conversations go here. Nice to meet you. How are you? Are you married? Do you have children? Why not? (is there something wrong with one of you? Is what they are really thinking, and some even say it)
*I don’t know how one can be a little bit pregnant. Either you are or you aren’t, right?
also note this is just one conversation I am sharing, there have been too many to count regarding this subject...
Well this past call was just too good not to share.
His father had called to say they still needed sugar. After discussing that for a bit the father than asked if she(as in me) was a little bit pregnant yet*. Of course Maxon said no. The father then asked if there was any problem, which Maxon responded with, “no, there is no problem.”(the dad referring to one of us not ‘working’)
Then Maxon said actually there is a problem, if I don’t have money for sugar how can I have money for a baby.
Now this next part is good-the father then said oh well if that’s it, then we don’t need the sugar, don’t worry about the sugar.
HAHAHAHAHA
This is the conversation that Maxon told me about when he woke up from a nap.
For some people who don’t understand a culture where producing children is what matters, and yes that’s how they see it as, producing. Here many people, certainly the older generations believe that the reason for marriage is to have children. Only. It’s just that one is doing a community service by having children. Children bring you status, not to mention little servants and/or workers. Many people only become married when one is already on the way. So you can imagine how strange they think it is to get married and not get pregnant right away.
This isn’t the first time we’ve been asked, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. See this is how conversations go here. Nice to meet you. How are you? Are you married? Do you have children? Why not? (is there something wrong with one of you? Is what they are really thinking, and some even say it)
*I don’t know how one can be a little bit pregnant. Either you are or you aren’t, right?
also note this is just one conversation I am sharing, there have been too many to count regarding this subject...
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Grasshopper/locusts, who knows what
There is a time of year here when these green things go crazy. I remember one night as my colleague and I were leaving the parliament there were SWARMS of these insects flying all over the place. The next morning when I returned to work the ground/walls/everywhere was covered. You couldn’t help but step on them. They even managed to get into the elevators.
Now what you might enjoy, like I did, was seeing all the workers catching them and putting them into used plastic bottles and just any old bag around. Even little children were climbing around the outside of the walls of the parliament to pick-them. (note I’m not sure why the parliament is the go-to spot for them, but I think it’s because of whatever bulbs they use in the lamp posts around the grounds)
After they are collected they sell them. If you go to the market you find huge sacks of them available, and they are quite expensive.
Well one day in class some of my lady students made a comment that as a good wife I need to bring some home and prepare them for my husband. I smiled of course and said ok yah. Well the next day these ladies were serious. At the end of class I had 3 members of parliament running around the room and catching them for me to put into 2 plastic water bottles. When the bottles were filled I thanked them and went on my way. Since I knew that I would never prepare them myself I decided to take them to my 4 nieces and nephews who had recently moved from Uganda to Kigali.
When I brought those water bottles out in front of the kids I have never seen such excitement. I said I didn’t know how to do it, but the 12 year old quickly said don’t worry he knew. I then watched these 4 little kids de-wing, de-leg them. We were left with maybe a half an inch to inch long body. Then they cut up some onions for extra flavor. They then told me you put them in the fry pan, but no oil is necessary because the bodies give off good oil. Then we cooked the little suckers up.
I didn’t give in and eat one, but I did love watching the kids eat some. We had used one water bottle and I wanted to make sure they left some for their mom, but they couldn’t contain themselves. In the end they ate them all. When their mom finally did come home she saw what they had and even she got super excited, so the kids prepared some more for her.
For sure this is something I won’t forget.
Oh and I should mention that the next day in class my students asked me about how it went and I told them and they were so excited.
This was just the beginning of the amazing relationship that I have been enjoying with my nieces and nephews.. more adventures with them to come, not to mention pictures.
Now what you might enjoy, like I did, was seeing all the workers catching them and putting them into used plastic bottles and just any old bag around. Even little children were climbing around the outside of the walls of the parliament to pick-them. (note I’m not sure why the parliament is the go-to spot for them, but I think it’s because of whatever bulbs they use in the lamp posts around the grounds)
After they are collected they sell them. If you go to the market you find huge sacks of them available, and they are quite expensive.
Well one day in class some of my lady students made a comment that as a good wife I need to bring some home and prepare them for my husband. I smiled of course and said ok yah. Well the next day these ladies were serious. At the end of class I had 3 members of parliament running around the room and catching them for me to put into 2 plastic water bottles. When the bottles were filled I thanked them and went on my way. Since I knew that I would never prepare them myself I decided to take them to my 4 nieces and nephews who had recently moved from Uganda to Kigali.
When I brought those water bottles out in front of the kids I have never seen such excitement. I said I didn’t know how to do it, but the 12 year old quickly said don’t worry he knew. I then watched these 4 little kids de-wing, de-leg them. We were left with maybe a half an inch to inch long body. Then they cut up some onions for extra flavor. They then told me you put them in the fry pan, but no oil is necessary because the bodies give off good oil. Then we cooked the little suckers up.
I didn’t give in and eat one, but I did love watching the kids eat some. We had used one water bottle and I wanted to make sure they left some for their mom, but they couldn’t contain themselves. In the end they ate them all. When their mom finally did come home she saw what they had and even she got super excited, so the kids prepared some more for her.
For sure this is something I won’t forget.
Oh and I should mention that the next day in class my students asked me about how it went and I told them and they were so excited.
This was just the beginning of the amazing relationship that I have been enjoying with my nieces and nephews.. more adventures with them to come, not to mention pictures.
Teaching English to Adults
My first year and a half I was teaching chemistry to 14-20-something year olds. Most of these students knew very little English, though I do have to admit that many of my students were much better than most other students in the country. With that said I battled teaching a subject to them in a language that they didn’t fully know. Not to mention dealing with normal teenage issues.
Teaching adults has been like a breath of fresh air. For one the class size is smaller, normally smaller than 20, average around 12-15 students. Although attendance tends to be an issue, I find teaching them much better than teaching the teenagers. Most of the adults actually want to be in the class and want to learn and understand why they need to learn. The only major problem is that outside of class most students don’t practice or have any chance to use the English that they are learning. Clearly that then creates a challenge for them to really get a handle on English, but I know they try their best and so do I.
I’ve taught a few classes and even been lucky enough to teach members of parliament including the speaker of parliament. What I liked most was how intelligent many of the adults are and once some level of English was grasped the discussions could really get good. It has also given me a chance to learn a lot more about Rwanda since I try to get the students to talk about what they know.
I did greatly enjoy my time teaching in secondary school, but for the time being I’m happy doing this adult education. The only thing I wish was different was the hours. For some time it was 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours at night, but now only at night, so during the day I’m free while at night I work. Not the most ideal situation, but its paying the bills and more, so I’ll continue for now.
Oh another great perk is that my first classes were students of Bank of Kigali, where I have my bank account, so whenever I go withdraw money I get great treatment..hehe:)
Teaching adults has been like a breath of fresh air. For one the class size is smaller, normally smaller than 20, average around 12-15 students. Although attendance tends to be an issue, I find teaching them much better than teaching the teenagers. Most of the adults actually want to be in the class and want to learn and understand why they need to learn. The only major problem is that outside of class most students don’t practice or have any chance to use the English that they are learning. Clearly that then creates a challenge for them to really get a handle on English, but I know they try their best and so do I.
I’ve taught a few classes and even been lucky enough to teach members of parliament including the speaker of parliament. What I liked most was how intelligent many of the adults are and once some level of English was grasped the discussions could really get good. It has also given me a chance to learn a lot more about Rwanda since I try to get the students to talk about what they know.
I did greatly enjoy my time teaching in secondary school, but for the time being I’m happy doing this adult education. The only thing I wish was different was the hours. For some time it was 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours at night, but now only at night, so during the day I’m free while at night I work. Not the most ideal situation, but its paying the bills and more, so I’ll continue for now.
Oh another great perk is that my first classes were students of Bank of Kigali, where I have my bank account, so whenever I go withdraw money I get great treatment..hehe:)
Getting Married in Kampala
In case you ever thought that getting married in a foreign country is difficult, well let me tell you, it is.
Well this is not entirely true. Although the process is laid out in front of you it is surprising how many things can come up along the way.
For us the biggest obstacle was obtaining a document that stated I have never been married and/or not currently married at this time, which many of you may or may not know, but this document doesn’t really exist in the United States. So like any good foreigner living abroad I went to my US embassy to find out what to do. They had this pre-fab document that I filled out and signed and the consular notarized it. This document is saying that I am swearing that I am not married (the US government cannot guarantee that this is true).
Along with all the other requested documents, we sent it on up to Kampala. A few days or weeks later when we had thought things were going well we found out from their state’s attorney that this document from the US embassy will not be accepted. They do not accept from any foreign US embassy, only from the United States. Now I tried to explain that since I had been residing in Rwanda, I can’t really get this document from the US, let alone that this doesn’t exist.
Well, where this is a will, there is a way.
With my mom’s help(BIG help) and frequent calls and trips to the local county registrar’s office we were able to get some letter saying that I have not been married in Bucks County. Now the hardest part was that earlier I had been mugged and lost my State ID, so proving that I was ‘from’ PA was not so easy. But somehow we found a photocopy of my ID that they were willing to accept. It should be noted that I even called from Rwanda to stress how I’m not in the country, hence my mom doing it for me. After the county issued this letter, my mom then drove to Harrisburg to get a certificate of something from the state’s attorney saying the county is allowed to issue the document, essentially it was a letter with a really nice stamp and seal, and we all know in Africa they love their stamps and seals.
In the end these letters were DHLed to me and then forwarded on to Kampala. After our photos had been posted and therefore formally announcing our intentions to get married(yes they do a downgraded form of reading the bans to see if anyone objects) we were allowed to get married.
Since both of us work we had to do it on a weekend, but wait they don’t work on weekends, so a Friday it was. We decided to go for October 1st. I kindof like it 10.1.10 pretty cool date if I might say so myself. We took a bus up to Kampala on Thursday. Friday mid-morning we went and waited and found out we were the only ones getting married at that time (sometimes they do multiple weddings at once). The lady who officiated even was like I’m sorry I forgot I have another meeting so we have to make this quick. Literally under 5 minutes. HA. gotta love it. Maxon’s best friend and one of his sisters were our witnesses.
On Saturday we went out to his village to see his parents and other sisters and nieces and nephews who were around to celebrate with them.
Then we rushed back on Saturday night on Kampala Coach to return to Rwanda.
Well Kampala Coach-great buses. Real good for sleeping, unless there is a preacher man who wants to stand in the isle and preach starting at like 11 pm(we boarded at 10pm). After much arguments, and I mean arguments that both of us were personally involved in, the man FINALLY ceased and sleep could happen.
Overall a quick little trip up to Uganda, but an important one.
My New World
I started this blog to follow my year volunteering for WorldTeach Rwanda in 2009. As many of you know after my first year I renewed my contract for a second year at the same secondary school.
What some of you might not know is how that second year went. Due to a series of events I had to resign because I could no longer work properly with the administration. So instead of working for a second year I only did 5 months. Now what stopped me from immediately returning to America was the fact that on my holiday in April when I went to Zanzibar my boyfriend proposed to me, to which I said yes. Luckily my school did not have anyone who would be moving into the house I where I was staying so they let me continue on until I found a new place and a new job.
Many people might think it’s easy to find a Rwanda and/or Africa being a white person, but this is not true. It is true that there are some big time jobs that make bank, but most of those jobs need specifically qualified people and normally recruit from abroad. Fortunately for me before I had come to Rwanda the first year I did a teaching English as a foreign language course, so I was able to get a job teaching English to adults. So far I have taught bank employees, members of parliament, lawyers, and many more.
In the meantime my fiancé and I had planned to get married. Something that we had hoped would not take long to organize stretched into many months. After a lot of paperwork and shuffling we were able to get married in Kampala on October 1, 2010.
Unlike 2 years ago when I went home for Christmas, this past Christmas and New Years we went to Uganda. We spent 11 days on a great vacation that really rested us up for the new school year that was about to start.
As of now I’m living in my husband’s school who provides their teachers rooms. Although this might not be ideal, it is free, and let me tell you free goes a LONG way. I normally work 4 days a week for 2 hours year day and this goes on 6 week cycles(if there is need for me, that is).
AND--2 weeks ago we submitted the VISA paperwork to the US embassy here in Kigali for him to come to America.
I have decided to start up this blog again to chronicle not only what we’re doing now, but also highlight some of the big events that happened in the recent past that I never wrote about.
Stay tuned for our adventures of getting married, moving-in together, and of course the trials and tribulations of doing paperwork for the US government..haha:)
What some of you might not know is how that second year went. Due to a series of events I had to resign because I could no longer work properly with the administration. So instead of working for a second year I only did 5 months. Now what stopped me from immediately returning to America was the fact that on my holiday in April when I went to Zanzibar my boyfriend proposed to me, to which I said yes. Luckily my school did not have anyone who would be moving into the house I where I was staying so they let me continue on until I found a new place and a new job.
Many people might think it’s easy to find a Rwanda and/or Africa being a white person, but this is not true. It is true that there are some big time jobs that make bank, but most of those jobs need specifically qualified people and normally recruit from abroad. Fortunately for me before I had come to Rwanda the first year I did a teaching English as a foreign language course, so I was able to get a job teaching English to adults. So far I have taught bank employees, members of parliament, lawyers, and many more.
In the meantime my fiancé and I had planned to get married. Something that we had hoped would not take long to organize stretched into many months. After a lot of paperwork and shuffling we were able to get married in Kampala on October 1, 2010.
Unlike 2 years ago when I went home for Christmas, this past Christmas and New Years we went to Uganda. We spent 11 days on a great vacation that really rested us up for the new school year that was about to start.
As of now I’m living in my husband’s school who provides their teachers rooms. Although this might not be ideal, it is free, and let me tell you free goes a LONG way. I normally work 4 days a week for 2 hours year day and this goes on 6 week cycles(if there is need for me, that is).
AND--2 weeks ago we submitted the VISA paperwork to the US embassy here in Kigali for him to come to America.
I have decided to start up this blog again to chronicle not only what we’re doing now, but also highlight some of the big events that happened in the recent past that I never wrote about.
Stay tuned for our adventures of getting married, moving-in together, and of course the trials and tribulations of doing paperwork for the US government..haha:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)