Still in Rwanda...

So I dropped the ball on updating my blog. It's been over 9 months since my last entry and now I only have 5/6 months left in Rwanda as a PCV. Feels like a lot and nothing has happened in those nine months. I'll break it down for you below...

- Moved into my own house that is surrounded by other neighbors and plantation fields. After this, I really became happier at site and, honestly, it's pretty silly to think how much of a positive difference my living situation made my experience become.

- Applied for a World Connect Grant (http://www.worldconnect-us.org/). Presented this opportunity to the Cooperative (which I was initially sent there to help out with, but found it difficult to work with due to the language barrier and just not sure what I can do to help) and the Committee Members discussed it with the other members. They came up with the idea to produce Igitenge/Batik and soap as other activities for generating income. I helped write the report and if approved, it would provide me with the ability to do some Monitoring and Evaluation. Plus, I would have done something for them!

- A third group of about 30-ish Volunteers (Health PCVs) swore-in in early May and Kimberly became my sitemate. She is from Michigan and super easy to get along with. She had the site all to herself the first month she moved in because I went to America/Ecuador for vacation and my brother's wedding.

- Traveled home to NYC for a week and then Ecuador for 2 weeks before coming back to Rwanda. Didn't feel overwhelmed much when I got to either place and indulged BIG time in food in NYC (Sushi/Thai/Crumbs Cupcakes) and Ecuador (Hornado!). On my first day in NYC, found out my World Connect Grant got approved! Success!

- Not going to lie, but it did feel like I was out of the loop in many things with regards to friends and family. At one point, I felt like I was about to explode in Ecuador when my brothers were being brothers and I didn't feel like a part of their little group. Bastards! Still love them and they support me tremendously while I am here. Couldn't have lasted this long without them and my parents.

- Came back from my trip during our Mid-Service Conference. It was all a blur since I got disgustingly sick due to Giardia (Damn Ecudorian water!).

- During the first school term this year, worked a lot with GS Remera-Rukoma and the English and Anti-SIDA Club. However, during the 2nd term, I was gone for a whole month and they just floundered for a bit unfortunately. This 3rd term (which is just finishing up with exams) was also a lost cause for most of it because of weekly trainings, helping out with BFA a whole week in Kigali and working with the Cooperative (Trainings scheduled on Thursdays and Saturdays). Next school year, I will be primarily working with the school since I hope the Cooperative Trainings will be finished by then.

- Books and Computers from Books for Africa FINALLY arrived in early September. My school recently built a brand spanking new library. It is not 5 times the size of the original library. The school received approx. 1800 books and 4 computers. The 4 computers will be used in the library (3 as a resource learning center and 1 for the librarian). In addition, the District Hospital I work at also received some medical/health books and 2 computers (1 for the Cooperative and 1 for the Mental Health Dept). There are some problems with the computers, but hopefully they will be resolved soon! Everyone has been excited to read all these new books and look forward to using the computers. Also, organizing the books into categories has proven to be a big challenge because of lack of time.

- Studying for GREs...

- New PC Senior Staff here (Country Director, AO, APCD who is 2nd in command).

- Planning on traveling a bit after my COS date. Make my way to Zanzibar (seems like everyone and their mother in my group has already gone for vacation) and then head south to South Africa with mi amigita Sonia! If we still got money, then on to West Africa! Not planning on going back to NYC till June/July 2011 the latest if everything works out.

- Parents flying into Kigali tonight! We'll be together at my site for the first week, then we are planning on going to Uganda the following week. Then, they will head back home. I am incredibly excited and I have pretty much announced to everyone at my site that my folks are coming. I will take them around Kigali, a wedding ceremony or two and church services...so they can experience the life that I live as a PCV here.

- Almost forgot, the Presidential Elections were held in the beginning of August (no problems for me) and President Paul Kagame was re-elected. Also, a week before elections, my site finally got electricity! Still not connected to my house, but my landlady said it will come before my parents come...um, I hope she knows she has a few hours to get that going.

Enjoy the pics below of random times here and there...

Edison