Please note that VSO is in no way connected with or responsible for the content, comments and observations in this blog: these are solely my own in a personal capacity.
Well, Day One Hundred was a pretty good microcosm of what Rwanda has been like up to now. Got up late, eventually dragged myself out of the Motel Ineza, queued in the bank for over an hour (my fault for going in on a Monday) and then had some lunch in Matar (also bought bread, washing powder, pegs, shoe polish and brushes) before ringing my moto driver Deo to bring me out to Gisagara. I just went to the house (it was 1330) because I just didn't see the point of going to an office which was probably locked, had no power and contained nothing I could usefully do. I had texted both the chargé and director earlier but needless to say had got no answer.
Anyway, I was at home about half an hour when Jean-Claude from VSO rang and said he was in the District Office and needed me to sign my contract! He came over with a small entourage (the chargé Alexis, the VSO driver Enias and my friend Enoch who came to show them the way. This is the first time I had actually met Jean Claude who started recently with VSO as Lydia's replacement. He seemed prety sharp, asked me some good questions about the placement, the district office and my director. I outlined the various problems I had been having and how slowly things had been going and put forward various ideas for dealing with it. I will see him again on Thursday when I call up to Kigali. Anyway, this seemed to get me a bit motivated so I am all ready tomorrow to finalise an inspection rota for late January/February and will somehow track doen Alexis and hammer out what exactly the story is regarding the statistics.
For supper I decided to open one of the two packs of cheese my darling nieces had sent me from Germany. It was VERY well wrapped (well done girls or Dana or Brian or the rabbit or whoever) but the quality of the wrapping had somewhat disguised the extent to which the cheese had been maturing en route! It tasted really good but I think I had better finish it tomorrow!(Alfred: sorted out the mosquito problem, didn't it!) . Also had some of the rum, raisin and nut chocolate - you cannot imagine how good it tasted.
Other than that, a fairly normal day. Washed a few shirts but used too much Omo and they are still a bit soapy out on the line (can't use too much water) but there is a thunderstorm coming so that should sort it out. Early to bed I think and up early!!
Interesting development on the New Year's Eve party for Pregnant Rape Victims of the Genocide. Eli and Pascal asked me to translate the invitation/notice into English (which was a hell of a job as the French is so flowery I wasn't sure how to translate it) but there is no mention whatsoever of the ... main theme, I suppose you would call it. Then Pascal dropped hints that he was collecting 'contributions' towards the costs of the evening (which seems basically to just be a party for St Sylvester - as they term New Year's Eve here). Ah well - calls to mind an email I got from Neil McBurney in Vancouver today to add to my last post:
You know you are in Rwanda where every casual conversation ends with a request for money.
Alfred: for the Francophones/curious among you, here is the actual text Ruairí was trying to translate - try your hand!
Honnorable, Monsieur, Madame, famille.........................................................................
Dans le cadre de bien finir l’année 2008 et le début de l’année 2009 en beauté, le Motel Ineza a l’honneur d’inviter ses illustres partenaires en réveillon de St Sylvestre (31/12/2008)
Pour ce faire cher partenaire, vous êtes convies a une soirée dansante de lumière et de fraternité pour partager un verre et un repas de fin d’année
Les meilleures conditions de participation vous sont offertes comme suit :
*Famille, couple, single : tous pour la consommation
Votre participation tant moral que matériel est vivement souhaitée pour la réussite de cette événement.
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