"Let nothing perturb you. Nothing frighten you. All things pass. God doesn't change. Patience achieves everything." -Mother Teresa

Things I will no longer take for granted:

• education and access to it. Most children here don't make it past primary school because they can't afford school supplies. If they make it past primary, most don't go on to secondary school because they have to pay school fees which equals about 50,000Rwf in the more expensive boarding schools (less than $100USD). If they get through secondary and dont score at least a 4 on the national exam, then they can't get a government funded scholarship to study at university.
• education options. First of all, students here start to pick "majors/specializations" in secondary school. The school I work at focuses on math and science. By the time these girls get into their 4th/5th year of secondary school, they are already doing college level math, chemistry, physics,etc. NO JOKE! Next, if they do well on the aforementioned national exam they can then apply to a school of their choice, if they don't get in there, then the government places them somewhere else with an opening. Universities here are not like the states. Every university, with the exception of a couple, has a particular focus. For example, there's a school of finance and business, agriculture and forestry, education, health, etc. Needless to say, if you wanted to go to school to become a physical therapist, but didn't get into the health university, you may get placed at the school for agriculture and forestry. Interesting huh?


• fridge and food options...no way to preserve food surely diminishes my creativity in the kitchen. I don't cook any meat, I think you have an understanding of why from my last post. I eat alot of peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese, and pasta. It's easy, you don't have to worry about preservation (with the pasta I make a cup or less, so I can eat that in one meal), and its satisfying.
• Washing machine and a dryer. The other day it literally took me half the day to soak, rinse, and scrub some laundry. That's not even including putting the clothes on the line to dry. On top of that...it rained all that night, and most of my clothes got blown off the line by the wind into a whole bunch of mud. So...cycle repeated.
• Access to water...HOT water! Some days we have water to take showers and some days we don't. If we do have water its freezing cold, but those days im just appreciative to take a shower that I don't care.


• transportation that doesn't squeeze as many people as possible into a small space. Mutatus (small bus/van) will put as many people on as possible, and will not leave until it is filled to capacity. The literal translation in Kinyarwanda is tightly packed...haha!! But, its saving grace is that its extremely cheap. I can get from one side of town to the next for about 75 cents.


• the freedom to wear my hair anyway I want to. The girls in secondary school here must cut their hair into a small, manageable 'fro. Personally, I like to have options.


• spending time with my friends and family.


• an unlimited phone plan where I can just pick up the phone and call or text whenever I want to vs. having to purchase minutes in order to communicate with anyone.


• sleeping without a mosquito net


• not having to take malaria meds once a week (and sometimes i forget and have to play catch up...this is our little secret).


• drinking water from the tap if I so choose without having to worry about what unsightly disease I may get as a result.


• A good book...that's affordable!! Books here cost about 25,000Rwf (that's over $20USD).
• Being able to speak English as rapidly as I want to, without feeling guilty, or hoping that the person I'm speaking to will understand.
• People not being astonished and literally tripping over themselves when they hear me speak English. I have met several Americans who are totally bewildered, and say "WOW your English is amazing!! Who taught you?!" UMMMM...actually I'm also American, English is my native tounge.
• People getting my jokes and my sarcasm...unfortunately these things don't translate in Kinyarwanda. When I try to make jokes in Kinyarwanda most people don't get it...LOL!
• Just being seen as a person. Not having people trying to guess who I am and where I come from. Here, I'm mostly thought to be Kenyan. So walking down the street people will talk to me in Swahili, when I don't respond, they try speaking Kinyarwanda, when I don't respond to that they speak French. After all of that I hear..."Sister, please what language should I speak to you?" Ummm...let's try english?!


• Patience


• The opportunity to give whole-heartedly and without restraint. If I haven't told you yet, my students are amazing!! A lot of the girls at the school are orphans, victims of the genocide, and some are even living with HIV/Aids. Besides their circumstance, these students are anxious and excited about helping, giving, and assisting those less fortunate than they are. Since I have been working on establishing a volunteer program, on a weekly basis the girls come and ask how they can be involved. Yes, I know part of the excitement is that they get to leave the school grounds (its a boarding school, the girls typically don't leave unless they are sick or going home on holiday), but its more than that for them. The looks on their faces when they are able to give the clothes and school supplies they have collected to a group of young girls at another school who can't afford them on their own. Or when we go to a women's village that supports genocide and rape survivors, just to help them clean up the premises...the happiness on the girls faces just to help truly touches me. These are girls who give their last so that someone else may have. How can you not love them?!

Things I've learned:

• The thirst for knowlege amongst my students is insatiable and amazing!! I have never met a group of young girls who wanted to know so much about the world and their academics. These girls wake up at 5 am, and don't go to bed until after 9pm. Yes, they get a couple of breaks throughout the day, but a majority of their time is spent studying. Access to books is not available or just not affordable. They seek me out for whatever novels I brought here. I can give it to them on Monday, check back on Wednesday to see if they are enjoying the book, and they tell me they have already completed it. Where do they find the time to do leisure reading on top of the time spent studying? Do you know what they ask me next...Teacher, do you have any other books? Yes, I do and I will bring it to you. Teacher, but when will you bring it to me...it amazes me.


• Nothing, and I mean nothing will get done here if it is raining (which happens pretty often, we only have short periods for dry season). Teachers will not teach, and students will not put energy into learning. My first time going to class in the rain, almost all of my class had their heads down. Me: this isn't nap time, did you have a busy night last night? Students: Teacher! It's raining! Me: So, just because its raining doesnt mean our brains cant absorb information. Students: But Teacher!! We don't study when its raining...you see there are no other teachers in their classes. They were right, mostly all the teachers were in the staff room. When I asked why...oh we're just waiting out the rain.
• I love African tea...what we call a chai tea latte. Didn't really like it back home, but its actually pretty good here. What could also be pushing this new love for tea, is tea time!! We get a 30-45 min break (this is on top of the 2 hr lunch break) everyday at school just to enjoy a good cup of tea...gotta love Africa!!


• I'm alot stronger than I thought I was...both phsyically and emotionally.
• Seize each and every opportunity. Network and get to know as many people as possible. Not only because you never know how they may be able to assist you in the future, but most importantly because people in the international development sector are great people, with extraordinary stories.


• God is amazing and He continues to blow my mind!!


• I have a bond with 30 other people that I will never have with anyone else.


• Rwanda is a special place, with special people, a unique history, and an ambitious government.


• I'm more patient than I thought I was.


• DREAM BIG!! Your dreams/ideas might sound crazy, but people who really care about you, will support it and may be more gungho than you are...lol (thanks Rachael!!)