Day Two

It’s 9 am and I’m exhausted. The days here are tiring and I haven’t been sleeping well for the last 2 weeks. If only stress had different effects! I met the staff and attended a morning meeting at my hospital. They discussed the conditions of the patients in French, since many of the doctors are Congolese, the common language. Saw the Director again. I always feel like he is mocking me or talking down to me. He speaks French. Met Felix again this morning: accountant for the hospital, 30 years old, unmarried. Rwandan small talk gets right down to it. Claudia showed me pictures of where she was born, the border of Tanzania and Rwandan and her trip there with her niece. I will have to show her my family pictures to bond. Charging my phone at the hospital – as do most other community members. I must have woken up multiple times last night but still slept well – I wasn’t afraid…too much. It was extremely quiet and dark. The stars here are amazing, but I have a new dirt road to get used to in the dark (being escorted, of courses). LL Bean wind up flashlight is a godsend.

Still working on the new lock situation. Claudia is asking around. A guy stopped by this morning to give me all my keys – although I’m there there’s more in this town to my house. I now own about 20 keys – I’m not exaggerating. I look like a janitor. If I don’t lock myself out of everything soon I will be so proud of myself. I had assumed I could use the guesthouse at my leisure but it turns out Felix took over Edison’s old room – the one I had stayed in during my site visit, and they like to know who is coming to eat there. Claudia said I need to pay, but later. I have a feeling that bill is going to disappear. I’d also like to use the electricity there to charge my laptop in private. I secured meals for a week but I’ll need a new strategy once that time is up. I’m still attempting to milk it for all it’s worth. At this point my focus is basic survival. Am I eating well? Drinking enough water? Is there a bathroom accessible? Am I safe in my house?

The invention of cell phones revolutionizes the emotional support of the Peace Corps. Within my first 24 hours at site, I got 4 happy texts and a lovely phone call from fellow volunteers. My support network is so huge and loving. I hope it doesn’t stop. The other nice perk of Rwanda is the proximity to each other. A day visit is completely feasible and I’m guessing as stress levels increase, completely necessary. Building relationships, American and Rwandan, is what this experience is all about.

A body on a stretcher just arrived. Everyone’s gawking, including me. There is a mix of very traditional things, like a stretcher made of reeds, but then very modern wheelchairs and walkers. Then a coffin passes by. Gupfa: to die.

I’m attempting to chronicle my first 30 days at site. This will round out the amount of time I am alone before Edison comes back from visiting family. It should be quite the adventure. I don’t think I’ll ever get a rush like this for quite some time. Unfortunately this means a lot of stream of consciousness writing.

On that note, I will segway to secondhand clothing. Almost everything people wear here is familiar clothing, similar to what Americans wear if not exactly what we wear. Most market clothing is like shopping at Salvation Army. You find Target shoes, an H&M top, random college T-shirts, etc.

Everything is a luxury here. Drinking water or having anything to drink for that matter. Clean drinking water would be a huge leap forward. Of course electricity will make it easier to boil and safer to consume, so that’s a step in the right direction. I’m trying not to dream of electricity. This is Africa, of course, and time and deadlines are a league of their own here.

Where do they throw their garbage? These are the basic questions that make me an imbecile here.

I’ve been having most zoning out moments of my life here. If no one is speaking to me, my mind wanders, so far away. When I snap back I have to remember where I am and how I’m supposed to be acting. I can’t figure out if they are wonderful mental vacations that are helping my sanity or a deterioration of my ability to be present in the moment and attentive.

My neighbors just like to bullshit all day, probably because most of them are unemployed. I met more of them and visited after work. One almost gave me a heartache by joking that a thief had come to my house. Very funny! He also offered to clean my jerry cans and put water in them. Hopefully I get them back. He is the neighborhood brewer of banana beer. Lovely. Day two and they already asked for English lessons.

Bathed (1/2) inside for the 1st time. Success.

Claudia is a rockstar. She helped me install my new locks. Goal one is done. If only they would function properly. At least they are staying locked instead of unlocked.

Can’t find my sunscreen.

My neighbor told me not to go to the market alone. Need to find a babysitter because Claudia is leaving town.