Best Friends

Best friends

As we have continued to teach throughout this week, there have been many experiences that I have really committed to memory. I have had some firsts, but I have also had some repeated experiences, that I will always treasure, and will enjoy as they continue. 

Some Firsts:

• I saw the first gecko in my room on Tuesday night. The gecko was about 8 centimeters long, and was hanging out right above my sink. As soon as I saw it, I was taken aback for a bit, and the gecko must have also been; he scampered away quickly, as if it were a flash of lightning. 
• I taught my first computer class. While we work at the primary school, we teach one computer class each day. The primary school is part of a program called One Laptop Per Child. The school has been given lap tops for the children to use, which will hopefully increase their computer skills as they grown and learn. This program, which sounds like such an amazing thing, also brought some very interesting challenges. The first was that not all the computers turn on. Second problem? Out of the computers that were on, many of them would die quickly, and not all of them had the same program. 

  

  These are the computers that we are using.

   It made teaching difficult, and it was hard to see 4 or 5 children all huddled around 1 computer. This really made me think back to how privileged we are in the American classroom. Most classes here have 30+ students, even in first grade. This is anywhere from 5-10 children more than the average American elementary classroom. Along with the large amount of students, there is also a small amount of supplies to use. With these two things in mind, one would think that students may not love going to school, but this is really not the case. Every student has such a passion for school, and takes it so seriously. When you ask them what they did in school, they will answer with as much detail as they can give you in English, and their faces glow with excitement when they tell you about expanding their knowledge. It makes me think a lot about the values that we have in life, and where we place education on our list of priorities. For me, as an education major, education is obviously high on my list, but I would be curious to ask other students, at any grade level, where they place going to school on their list of favorite things. 

Continuing experiences:

• Every day while we walk back from the primary school, students swarm around us. They are all so eager to hold our hands, give us hugs, ask us questions, tell us stories, and on occasion, touch our arm hair (It is apparently super foreign to them). One of my favorite things about this walk so far has been the new little best friend that I have made. She seeks me out every day before it is time to leave, places her hand in mine, and tells me about her school day. When it is time for our paths to split, she gives me a colossal hug goodbye, and tells me that she can't wait to see me the next day. 

  

  We have also had the opportunity to continue working at the tech school. I have still spent time with Nancy, the first girl I met at the tech school who has translated a few of the genocide remembrance programs, but my friend circle has also been expanding. I have became very close with a girl named Bella, she is such a riot of a good time, and have made connections with many of the students at the school. They are so eager and curious to ask us questions about our life in America, what school is like, what we do with friends, etc., but to also ask us about or opinions that we have about global issues. As we work on debating with them, and other various things, we have had the opportunity to expand our relationships, but to really get to know each other on more personal issues, especially political ones. It has been such a blessing to spend 3 hours with them every day, and I have really enjoyed getting to know students who are closer to my age, and to compare and contrast different aspects of my own life. 

As this journey continues, I am so curious to see how I keep growing. I can already tell theta when I come back, I will probably see things in a different light. Being able to make all of these personal connections has really aided my personal opinions and growth, and as we start to go on weekend trips, I am sure that I will grow more. 

This weekend we will be traveling to Butare, which is south of Kigali. Butare is known for a few things, including being the place where the first secondary school was established in 1928. It is also home to the national university, and is the third largest town in Rwanda. While there, we will being doing a few things. We get to stop and have ice cream! I cannot even begin to express how great this will be. The sweets that we have had while in Rwanda have just been fruit, so being able to have a sweet treat that we have at home is very exciting for us!

 We will also be stoping at the National Museum. The National Museum is a great place to go to learn about  Rwandan history and culture. I am excited for the museum because it gives good insight into many aspects of life in Rwanda, including Rwand'as geological and geographical background, inhabitants, handicrafts, styles and methods of architecture, games and sports, traditional customs and beliefs, and so much more! I am quite the museum nerd, so I am very excited for this experience!

During the weekend, we will also visit the Murambi genocide memorial.  The genocide memorial is known to be one of the starkest memorials in Rwanda. As we have been in Rwanda, it has been hard to imagine that something so tragic could happen in such a majestically beautiful land where every one you meet smiles and wants to know how you are. It has been difficult to come to terms that these travesties happened in the past, but it has also been encouraging to hear about and learn how this country has developed into the amazing place it is today. Words can not even start to express how grateful I am for those who have explained their history, and told their own stories, in order for me to start to understand what happened here. I am so blessed to have had every interaction, and I am happy to know that I will have more time to grow close to the people here. 

I can't believe that I only have 26 days left here. This place has started to become a second home, and I know that in my future, I will want to come back! I look forward to sharing more of my experiences soon! I will hopefully have an update for you on Sunday night when we return from Butare.

With love,

Leah