Day One (awake)

Mwiriwe, (Good afternoon)

My first full day awake (minus an hour nap) has been ok...not terrible, not great and I don't want to say bad so I am saying ok. I know it is always very difficult in the beginning so I can't say I expected this experience to be any different...plus I only have about 78 days left anyway (yes, I've already counted) so it will fly by.

To state the obvious, Africa is hot - not scorching hot (yet) since Rwanda is in the middle of rain season but hot nonetheless. It is surprisingly green here due to the immense amounts of nightly rain we receive (on our metal roof) and it is very hilly, hence it's nickname "Land of a Thousand Hills" which makes a casual walk somewhat of a workout (which I obviously love). When the sun is out in full blast around noon, just walking around makes you perspire (as Nana said, "Ladies don't sweat, they perspire."). Around 4 o'clock it starts to cool down to a comfortable temperature and then it is pitch black by 6:15 (I am and will be indoors by then, which is depressing because I love walking around at night but my whole "hoodie on and attempt walk like a dude thing" that I did in Europe isn't worth trying here).

The disparity between the rich and the poor is shocking. There are big houses here, even by US standards, and then there are shacks four lots away. To think the average person lives on $1.25 USD a day makes you wonder what the "poor" people are actually living on.

The biggest and most difficult adjustment for me will be that I am whiter than white. EVERYONE here stares you down and then calls you "Umuzungu" which is white person in Kinyarwanda. Being the obvious minority for the first time in my life* is kind of uncomfortable to be honest. As one of the two white people at the market today, I had a sense of fear that I have never experienced, both of myself and of my surroundings. I was fearful because I could not recognize if I was afraid because I was alone in Africa or afraid because I was alone with all black people. Due to my experience as a member of the "playa suite" and my relationships I have with some of my closest friends, I would like to believe it was the latter, but the thought was still very present in my mind.

Well, I probably wrote too much but it's a blog so you don't have to read it all! I miss you all and feel your prayers. They are greatly appreciated...keep em' coming!

O, forgot to say, roomies are nice (5 total, 3 from NYC, one that went to my church! small world) and I have two new potential friends that I met today when I was walking around. We are going to play bball and practice English / Kinyarwanda. Yes, Mom, they are Pygmies.

Ijoro rwiza, nda gukunda (Have a good night, I love you)

Kate


*Redheads are the number one minority in the world :)