Day Fifteen

The gig is up. I tried to hide the fact that I have a computer, and a nice one at that. I’ve lied to several coworkers while concurrently using it in the guesthouse with other coworkers commenting on it. I just couldn’t help myself. Shot myself in the foot for sure.

I had agreed to help Jeanne type up her dissertation (1st draft). The ability to type is something of an anomaly here. There just isn’t a lot of access to computers. I remember first really learning to type because I was using AOL’s instant messenger in junior high. Obviously these kids aren’t getting home from school and logging in to chat with their friends online. In fact most workplaces don’t have computers either. I’d say a quarter of the offices at the hospital are blessed with a computer. Getting back to the point, typing is a big deal and they are mesmerized when you don’t even have to look down at the keys! I was sitting back and allowing Jeanne to call numerous people to try and get access to a computer at the hospital over the weekend because I had already lied and told her I didn’t have one. Through all the hunting we came across one of the regulars at the guesthouse. A conversation ensued in Kinyarwandan. I was praying that it wouldn’t come up that I indeed had a computer and had been using it just that day in the guesthouse and in fact it had it in my backpack at that very moment. Well it did. And then I felt like a total schmuck because Jeanne had bent over backwards helping me with the whole lock/door situation. She had let me sleep at her place, fed me multiple times, calmed me down, made all the phone calls to get people to fix the doors, acted as my translator…and then I had lied to her, blatantly. I’m hoping our friendship can still be intact. My penance is typing her dissertation and praying that Rwandan forgiveness comes easily.