Hey mates,
I still feel uncomfortable using the word “mate” to refer to practically anyone, but I guess that’s just one of the “hardships” I’m going to have to endure in this rough Australian winter.
Let me tell you how harsh this winter is for me… It’s about 70ish degrees every day. Most days I can lie on the beach in shorts and a t-shirt. Every few days, I’m running around in my bathing suit that my mom nick-named “Euro-trash” and jumping in the ocean. There is a little fish and chips café right on the water; we get breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner there. It’s the same place I pick up my “skim flat white coffee for take away” which basically means the closest thing to a grande regular Starbucks with Skim milk that I can find. All the locals go there, and I just love it. They think I’m crazy in my bright running shorts and sports bra because everyone here is freezing in this oh so terrible 70 degree weather.
When we first arrived in Australia, we found the University of New South Whales rep named Marley who must have been about 22. Along with a handful of other UNSW exchange kids, Marley drove me and Rebecca to our new apartment. Let’s just say this was no 3rd floor triple I am accustomed to at Duke (not that I’m not grateful of that Dad ☺). It’s a two bedroom, two bathroom, and full kitchen apartment. It’s practically brand-new. We have hardwood floors and a balcony! I really lucked out. Rebecca and I share a huge room with plenty of closet space. Our roommates are nothing short of delightful. Their names are Alli and Monica and are best friends from the University of Pennsylvania. It’s so nice when we are all making dinner together and watching our favorite, “Friday Night Lights” on dvd.
We live in Coogee, New South Whales about a block from the beach. I go to The University of New South Whales and take 4 classes pass/fail which is something I am not used to, but don’t worry, I am adapting quite fast. I usually walk to school, takes about 30 minutes. We are a 20 minute bus ride to Sydney. We probably go into the city about 2 or 3 times a week to go out.
One day Rebecca and I decided we needed to go tour the city and see it in day-light. Unfortunately, we were both ridiculous and wore our Jack-Rogers. In case your unfamiliar with these preppy sandals that have taken over Southern college campuses. Well, they were definitely not made to be walked in for more than a mile. Rebecca and I misread the map. We were a little wrong about mileage from the Oprah house to the restaurant recommended in my Fodor’s. We accumulated a sick amount of blisters. We saw almost the entire city by getting lost, and I don’t regret it. The restaurant ended up being an authentic Italian place that was most certainly for romantic couples that have exquisite taste in wine… Whatever, we ordered lasagna, the only thing we could understand from the menu the waiter verbally communicated to us.
One of the coolest parts of being in Australia at UNSW is meeting a diverse group of students and locals. There are tons of students from UPenn, Duke, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, and Syracuse. It’s refreshing to have so many people here that are in the same boat as us. With that said, it’s arguably more fun to meet people with completely different backgrounds. One of our best nights was with a group of fellow study-abroaders from Copenhagen Business School that also go to UNSW. We went to a Sydney favorite club called The Ivy. You have to dress up to get in; therefore, all the men wore suits and we dressed up in dresses we wore to formals last year! We got to sip on fancy cocktails and listen to a ridiculous amount of American music that they play everywhere. We are trying to figure out what Australians listen to, but it seems like it’s the same.
For whatever reason, I have to confess our greatest disappointment in Australia thus far. It was not too tragic, but definitely worth documenting. Was not the first time a boy broke my heart, and definitely not the last. Haha. So Rebecca and I decided we did not feel like going to bed on a Sunday night a few weeks ago. We put on our jeans and tank tops and skipped down to The Coogee Bay Hotel where everyone in this little town has drinks. We ordered our favorite, vodka and tonic (Nana’s influence on me) and did some people watching. Well a few cute Australian guys came over to sit with us. They were incredibly hard to understand at first, but we finally started understanding and used some higher levels of communication other than head nods and “yes,” “yea,” and “uh huh.” Well one of the guys said his sister was about our size and we could borrow her wet-suits, and they would love to teach us how to surf. They bought us some new drinks, and we all decided to play tennis in mixed doubles on the upcoming Wednesday… I’ll just cut to it… They never called. We were slightly disappointed.
Understatement.. We were crushed. We thought we were going to get to wear our cute, newly ironed white tennis skirts and fall in love with 26 year old Australian surfers. I bet Donna and Charlotte (our moms) called them up and told them who was boss. As Australians say “no worries” and “no dramas.”
Our minor setback was nothing a gelato on the beach could not cure ☺
There are fifty students from Duke here. After learning about this, I was a bit apprehensive. I did not really want to hang out with students from Duke, and I was worried that I would just create my own little Duke bubble.
I could not have been any more wrong. I truly only knew about 8 of the Duke students that came. I am so lucky to have met so many great people from my school that I otherwise would have never known. One day Rebecca and I went jet boating around the Sydney Harbor (they did it on the Today show so I’m sure some of you know what I’m talking about). We went with a Chris, a student from Duke, and Sam, a lacrosse player from Middlebury. It was a great day with people I probably otherwise would have never really known.
We also went on a day trip to The Blue Mountains. We kindof signed up our-selves and pressured another 8 people to go as well (I hear we do that a lot, but oh well). I wore my Survivor buff and Safari hat from Africa. We took a bus to see kangaroos in the wild, saw the “three sisters” (over-rated rock formation), and took a ride up the steepest cable-car up the mountain. We hiked almost the entire day-it started pouring, but some how it was still fun. The day ended when our bus dropped us off in Sydney (still pouring). We looked pretty hot in soaked leggings, sneakers, t-shirts, and North Face backpacks. Strolling downtown, we decided on a great bar, got some fish and chips and pitchers. It was perfect. I didn’t even have to take a shower or dry my hair to go out and drink in the city.
I went on a wine tasting to Hunter Valley with a family friend, Margaret. She is such a sweet person, and I was excited to see a familiar face. It was about a 2 hour ride to the vineyards. I bought one bottle of my favorite. It’s Tamburlaine, Chambourcin. Apparently Shiraz is what is most popular from Hunter Valley, but this was my favorite, and I went for it! It was $300, but I definitely think it was worth it.
Of course I was kidding. It was $28, and I am still storing it for a special occasion. Everything is laid back here, so that special occasion will probably consist of me and Rebecca sitting on the beach eating fish and chips.. hah. Most of the wine we drink is $5 or under a bottle… We refuse to resort to boxed wine called Goon, but I know we are going to break down sometime soon.
We decided to go to New Zealand for Spring Break. We bought our tickets, booked our arrangements and everything! We are going zorbing, sky-diving, white water rafting, jet boating (our favorite), and bungy jumping. At the end of August we are going to the Great Barrier Reef and Camp Tribulation. Rebecca’s cousin is coming next week for 10 days and her brother is coming in a month or so! My parents are coming at the end of November! We are planning some other trips, but have not bought tickets yet.
My favorite part of Coogee is the running trail. The trail goes from Coogee to Bondi beach. It passes through several other beaches. It’s all along cliffs and beaches on the coast. You are right next to the water the entire time. I go almost every night right before sunset. I end my run by walking down Coogee Beach watching the sun take it’s last dip under the water. Although I love it here, when I’m running I think about all the people I miss and how I wish they could be here to see it. Unfortunately the trail is either concrete or hard rock so my knees and shins are a bit tight, but oh well-it’s all very worth it. I hope to do the Sydney Marathon September 20th. I’m signed up, but who knows. I’m pretty worried not having my dad beside me to hold Gatorade or give me Advil, but hopefully I’ll figure it out on my own. I had a great friend at Duke, Ian, who used to help me on my longs runs, and my ipod is no substitution for his help.
Basically life here rules. Children are not on leashes and neither are dogs! People are laid back. We go to our pass/fail classes, drink coffee at outside cafes, and lie on the beach all day (it’s still Winter…).
Miss everyone.
Love,
Jess
Monday, August 10, 2009
Saturday, July 26, 2008
I Think All Kids Should Wear Diapers :)
Sunday afternoon we went shopping in Kigali for a bit. Bought some cute stuff-Jenna I’m worried about yours, I think you may be too classy for what I got you, oh well. We also polished off the snacks Barbie sent us, thank you!!! I was very proud of us. We managed to get a taxi to take us to the Volcano transportation all by ourselves. We bought our $3 tickets to Butare (I think that’s very cheap for a 3ish hour ride). I got stuck in the pull down seat in the middle… typical. I put on my ipod and went into my theoretical thinking mode.
My thoughts today include… The best feelings- Walking into a crowded room with lots of beautiful people and someone from across the room looks at you like no one else is in the room and gives you a smile, the kind you can’t give to more than one person. Coming home after a terrible day and finding a chocolate fudge brownie pint in the back of the freezer. I fantasize about hot, steamy showers in Rwanda probably every day. I can’t describe the exact feeling when these kids get excited and wave during our rides, but those are the moments that I could compare it to. Priceless times that you would do anything to bottle up and save for a “down day.” These little ones wandering the dirt roads are just ecstatic to see a Mazungu drive through their town. I feel like a movie star.
We got back to our lovely hotel, Le Petit Prince, at night. This is actually where Jenna Bush stayed when she came to Rwanda! We only brought one bag each to Kigali and locked the rest under the front-desk. Surprisingly, they were all there when we returned! Only bummer is we had to bring everything upstairs again, including Cameron and Luca’s heavy and awkward presents. Again, these presents are definitely worth it.
We woke up early Monday to start our interviews that were about an hour and a half away. The roads we travel on are made of dirt. There are more holes than flat areas. If you are not holding onto whatever is on your lap it jumps, sometimes hitting the ceiling of the car. I’m pretty sure the driver uses 4-wheel drive the entire time. When we are speeding down these little roads that seem to be 1.5 lanes. When you pass another car you feel like you are either going plunging off the cliff, hitting the other car, or if you are on the other side- you are going to go head first into the jagged rock mountain. Somehow we survive EVERY time! thus far
Well a mind-splitting ride later, we arrived in Kibeho. A few interesting points about our destination... Here people claim the Virgin Mary appeared to them. In November 1981, apparitions began in Kibeho, Rwanda, Africa, to seven visionaries: Alphonsine, Emmanuel, Anathalie, Marie-Claire, Stephanie, Agnes, and Vestine. Three of them were boarders in a college administered by nuns in a poor area, and three others live in the bush. The Catholic Church only recognized three of the alleged visionaries. There are a few statues and a huge church at the site. This place reminded me of Medjugorje, where a group of children first saw Mary in a light-gray robe standing on a cloud in 1981, and have been seeing and speaking with her daily ever since. The small Croatian-speaking village (now in Bosnia-Herzegovinia) still attracts millions of pilgrims from all over the world every year. My family and I visited this place a few years ago. It's remarkable that you can be in two different places on the globe where people speak completely different languages and wear different clothes, but the feeling you get when you hear the history is identical.
Also, the Kibeho area witnessed some of the worst atrocities of the 1994 genocide. Over 25,000 people were killed in and around the parish church. Their bodies were dumped in mass graves. A decade before the violence in Rwanda erupted; the Blessed Mother had shown visions of the genocide to Alphonsine, Nathalie and Marie Claire. In an interview with Nathalie, she described the visions:
“In July, 1982, and the following months, August 15, 1982, the Assumption, and again on September 4th and in January 1983, Our Lady showed us a lot about the war. Often she talked in general that the world is bad, that people do not have love, contrary to what God shed his blood for; Our Lady insists as well on love. Our Lady talked about and showed us some visions of reality where people killed each other, blood running, fire burning on the hill, mass graves, skulls, beheaded bodies, skulls put apart.”
I’m not going to judge whether or not these people actually saw Mary; I don’t believe it’s my place. But, sitting under a big avocado tree (avocados were actually raining down during the interviews) and sitting with a full view of the church where hundreds and possibly thousands were murdered is quite eerie and un-settling. Many people still live in Kibeho and pass by this church every-day. A church where their relatives, friends, and neighbors were murdered, the victims’ only crime, the identifiable tribe they were born into.
Okay so now that you know the history (and me, I just googled most of it ☺) you can understand how the place itself started to stress me out. As we pulled up, I tried to focus and clear my head so I could concentrate on the interviews and children’s stories. Feeling a bit down, carsick, and as usual, hungry, I jumped out of the car. Well standing there, was an adorable 3 year old. I went to pick her up, but before I could reach her I heard a small fountain. The sweet child was peeing right in front of me. If I was a second faster, it would have been all over me and my REI brake-away pants (I have them in two colors, pretty cool I know). So no one, including her mom, around us cared. I guess they don’t wear diapers (cloth or plastic). Good to know. I reached for my hand sanitizer as I thought about how many little children (definitely not wearing diapers) I picked up in the past 4 weeks… Oh well. God made dirt and dirt don’t hurt… I hope that applies to liquids.
Interviews were interesting and full of heart-breaking and inspiring stories. Olivier and I have a little too much fun while interviewing. Some of the problems we come across are as follows:
*Interviewing a pregnant person who claims her family practices abstinence
*Keeping a straight face when we ask how that is possible
*Answering questions of the orphans such as “are you married?,” “will you take me to America with you?,” and “what is your email address.?”
It’s sweet that they want to contact us, but unfortunately it would not be wise to give them our addresses.
Maddie and I “steal” bread from breakfast at Le Petit Prince and make nutella and peanut butter sandwiches. We eat them on the way home from the interviews. I can’t remember but I’m guessing we walked a mile and a half to the Internet café after work. We probably then went to Ibis for dinner and had Avocados and Rice.
Song on: "Viva La Vida" Coldplay (I would highly suggest you buy the new cd)
Love,
Jessica
By the way, I did go to 6th grade English class-I did learn to write in paragraphs. Unfortunately, when I copy and paste it ruins the indention ☺
My thoughts today include… The best feelings- Walking into a crowded room with lots of beautiful people and someone from across the room looks at you like no one else is in the room and gives you a smile, the kind you can’t give to more than one person. Coming home after a terrible day and finding a chocolate fudge brownie pint in the back of the freezer. I fantasize about hot, steamy showers in Rwanda probably every day. I can’t describe the exact feeling when these kids get excited and wave during our rides, but those are the moments that I could compare it to. Priceless times that you would do anything to bottle up and save for a “down day.” These little ones wandering the dirt roads are just ecstatic to see a Mazungu drive through their town. I feel like a movie star.
We got back to our lovely hotel, Le Petit Prince, at night. This is actually where Jenna Bush stayed when she came to Rwanda! We only brought one bag each to Kigali and locked the rest under the front-desk. Surprisingly, they were all there when we returned! Only bummer is we had to bring everything upstairs again, including Cameron and Luca’s heavy and awkward presents. Again, these presents are definitely worth it.
We woke up early Monday to start our interviews that were about an hour and a half away. The roads we travel on are made of dirt. There are more holes than flat areas. If you are not holding onto whatever is on your lap it jumps, sometimes hitting the ceiling of the car. I’m pretty sure the driver uses 4-wheel drive the entire time. When we are speeding down these little roads that seem to be 1.5 lanes. When you pass another car you feel like you are either going plunging off the cliff, hitting the other car, or if you are on the other side- you are going to go head first into the jagged rock mountain. Somehow we survive EVERY time! thus far
Well a mind-splitting ride later, we arrived in Kibeho. A few interesting points about our destination... Here people claim the Virgin Mary appeared to them. In November 1981, apparitions began in Kibeho, Rwanda, Africa, to seven visionaries: Alphonsine, Emmanuel, Anathalie, Marie-Claire, Stephanie, Agnes, and Vestine. Three of them were boarders in a college administered by nuns in a poor area, and three others live in the bush. The Catholic Church only recognized three of the alleged visionaries. There are a few statues and a huge church at the site. This place reminded me of Medjugorje, where a group of children first saw Mary in a light-gray robe standing on a cloud in 1981, and have been seeing and speaking with her daily ever since. The small Croatian-speaking village (now in Bosnia-Herzegovinia) still attracts millions of pilgrims from all over the world every year. My family and I visited this place a few years ago. It's remarkable that you can be in two different places on the globe where people speak completely different languages and wear different clothes, but the feeling you get when you hear the history is identical.
Also, the Kibeho area witnessed some of the worst atrocities of the 1994 genocide. Over 25,000 people were killed in and around the parish church. Their bodies were dumped in mass graves. A decade before the violence in Rwanda erupted; the Blessed Mother had shown visions of the genocide to Alphonsine, Nathalie and Marie Claire. In an interview with Nathalie, she described the visions:
“In July, 1982, and the following months, August 15, 1982, the Assumption, and again on September 4th and in January 1983, Our Lady showed us a lot about the war. Often she talked in general that the world is bad, that people do not have love, contrary to what God shed his blood for; Our Lady insists as well on love. Our Lady talked about and showed us some visions of reality where people killed each other, blood running, fire burning on the hill, mass graves, skulls, beheaded bodies, skulls put apart.”
I’m not going to judge whether or not these people actually saw Mary; I don’t believe it’s my place. But, sitting under a big avocado tree (avocados were actually raining down during the interviews) and sitting with a full view of the church where hundreds and possibly thousands were murdered is quite eerie and un-settling. Many people still live in Kibeho and pass by this church every-day. A church where their relatives, friends, and neighbors were murdered, the victims’ only crime, the identifiable tribe they were born into.
Okay so now that you know the history (and me, I just googled most of it ☺) you can understand how the place itself started to stress me out. As we pulled up, I tried to focus and clear my head so I could concentrate on the interviews and children’s stories. Feeling a bit down, carsick, and as usual, hungry, I jumped out of the car. Well standing there, was an adorable 3 year old. I went to pick her up, but before I could reach her I heard a small fountain. The sweet child was peeing right in front of me. If I was a second faster, it would have been all over me and my REI brake-away pants (I have them in two colors, pretty cool I know). So no one, including her mom, around us cared. I guess they don’t wear diapers (cloth or plastic). Good to know. I reached for my hand sanitizer as I thought about how many little children (definitely not wearing diapers) I picked up in the past 4 weeks… Oh well. God made dirt and dirt don’t hurt… I hope that applies to liquids.
Interviews were interesting and full of heart-breaking and inspiring stories. Olivier and I have a little too much fun while interviewing. Some of the problems we come across are as follows:
*Interviewing a pregnant person who claims her family practices abstinence
*Keeping a straight face when we ask how that is possible
*Answering questions of the orphans such as “are you married?,” “will you take me to America with you?,” and “what is your email address.?”
It’s sweet that they want to contact us, but unfortunately it would not be wise to give them our addresses.
Maddie and I “steal” bread from breakfast at Le Petit Prince and make nutella and peanut butter sandwiches. We eat them on the way home from the interviews. I can’t remember but I’m guessing we walked a mile and a half to the Internet café after work. We probably then went to Ibis for dinner and had Avocados and Rice.
Song on: "Viva La Vida" Coldplay (I would highly suggest you buy the new cd)
Love,
Jessica
By the way, I did go to 6th grade English class-I did learn to write in paragraphs. Unfortunately, when I copy and paste it ruins the indention ☺
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Weekend in Kigali
Song on right now: Blinded, Third-Eye-Blind
Missing: Road-trips to Formals, SB, Catholic-State Playoffs, Camping
Loving: my JIP peanut butter (typical)
Maddie and I had a great time in Kigali… Actually we are still here; but so far it’s been very pleasant. Friday we took the taxi from Butare. Olivier comes to Kigali to take English classes (this kid is brilliant)… could you imagine driving 2 hours to Duke from Charlotte several times a week just to learn some English… I think I would be illiterate… Anyways he rode with us on the taxi. We go to our hotel, the Iris. Which is great! Our room is right next to the reception room so we feel very safe. And if you call the hotel we can hear the ring! And if you keep calling again and again and again in the middle of the night… WE WILL HEAR ALL OF THEM. But really, this hotel is nice. There is this great porch that is high up and connected to the hotel restaurant. It has Wi-fi so we are just set. Friday night we went to our favorite, Bourbon Coffee, which is basically a Starbucks/Panera with wi-fi. We sat there and uploaded lots of photos to facebook… If you have facebook they should be up-if you don’t but one of your kids does… bribe them –all the AFRICA pictures of mine are G rated…totally fine for all viewers
We got back to our hotel late. We read and went to sleep. We were quite tired. We decided to turn the ringer off on the phone and therefore I woke up the next morning TO NO ALARM… I think that is the first time in probably 2 months… Maddie and I were laughing, talking about how we can’t wait to get back to Duke to sleep in… shouldn’t it be the opposite in summer? I really don’t envy my dad. I think I’ll be a freelance writer or a piano teacher or something that does not require a concrete schedule… I’m only 19 and I already am sick of waking up at 6am, showering, putting in a 9 hour day… (piano might not work because I don’t remember how to play). Bartenders work at night… that’s a possibility
So we woke up around 10:20. 10 minutes before breakfast closed. It felt great. We got on our computers and had coffee at the restaurant. Lots of Mazungus here so we can walk around in shorts and t-shirts… My legs have not seen sun in a while. I love thinking about how when we were planning this trip, Maddie and I thought it was 100ish degrees here and we would come back with great tans. NEGATIVE. We decided to go to an Indian Restaurant that we have been to once before, Indian Kasana (definitely spelled that wrong). It was just as good as the first time. Maddie (sort of-vegetarian) now tries all the meat I get… I am very proud of that girl. After lunch we took a walk around the city. Unfortunately Kigali is all hills. We stopped in little shops and bought earrings (yes Carly and Loie you got some too). We got sodas and just strolled. It was nice having no plans, meetings, work, or anything. A culture shock here is that all the soda bottles are glass and recycled. When you get a fanta or something from a stand, you have to drink it there and then leave the bottle. Once we tried to leave with our bottles and everyone in a 50-yard circle around us starting laughing and pointing… great way to draw attention…
We came back to the hotel around 5, before dark. We just hung around and then took a taxi to our other favorite Kigali restaurant, O Sole Luna (something like that)… It’s basically a pizza place for annoying Mazungu tourists… Whatever, we love it. We had such a fun time chatting and eating pizza. We skipped bananas for the first time in a while… The restaurant sits on a hill (doesn’t everything here?) and over-looks all of Kigali. Kigali at night is beautiful, and it was a really enjoyable evening. We came back to the hotel. I usually read and go to bed around 12ish. Maddie stays up later.
So Maddie was Skyping on the porch, and i'm not sure what time it was, but I guess I fell into a deep sleep. Usually I am a very light sleeper. I curl up on the edge of the bed and I rarely move. I usually wake up in the same position. Well I can't remember my dream last night (odd, usually I can), but it must have been intense. Whenever Maddie walked back into the room I sat straight up and screamed "NOOO." When beggers come up to us, I usually say "no" in a stern voice. Well this was similar... I thought Maddie was some sort of villain coming to get me. I probably scared her yelling more than she scared me. A second later I realized it was her, laughed, and fell asleep again right away. Amusing evening.
So this morning my body clock failed me, and I woke up at 7:30. Total bummer that I’m so used to getting up early this summer. When I want/can sleep in… I CAN'T! But I am really happy I woke up because I am in my element right now. This hotel is full of tourists so it’s totally fine to wear my favorite Abercrombie boxers, Dads old Duke swimming shirt, and my camo Duke hat to breakfast. I am listening to Coldplay, Third Eye Blind, John Mayor, and Taylor Swift. I have my laptop on the table (bright red cover of course is on). I got several cups of coffee. I brought my jar of JIF peanut butter and put it on the bananas they serve at breakfast (no meal in Rwanda is without a banana). I also grabbed one of my pop-tarts (I brought a box to Rwanda for special occasions, hah). Anyways, I’m sitting outside and its just nice. I’ve realized I really enjoy taking my time and hanging out alone during breakfast. I miss my Duke breakfast routine… Yogurt, granola, berries, and coffee in my bed with my laptop and the Chronicle-Duke paper (one of my great friends, Chelsea Allison is the editor and I love her and therefore now read it religiously). I just don’t understand how some people don’t eat breakfast. That’s the great part about being in Rwanda with Maddie… we have the same philosophies on food… 3 meals a day are a priority. When we have not eaten in a while, we both get cranky.
It’s good that we can’t go out in Rwanda. When I get to Charlotte and Duke, its’ going to make going out with my friends all that more exciting.
I lent Maddie my “Last Lecture” book. My mom got it for me, and in case you have not read it-GO BUY IT… We both just love it…
I will be in the USA in less than a week! The first thing I plan to do is get Starbucks…
Love,
Jessica
Craving of the morning: Peanut Butter Captain Crunch and Grapefruit juice (obviously not in the same bowl though…)
Missing: Road-trips to Formals, SB, Catholic-State Playoffs, Camping
Loving: my JIP peanut butter (typical)
Maddie and I had a great time in Kigali… Actually we are still here; but so far it’s been very pleasant. Friday we took the taxi from Butare. Olivier comes to Kigali to take English classes (this kid is brilliant)… could you imagine driving 2 hours to Duke from Charlotte several times a week just to learn some English… I think I would be illiterate… Anyways he rode with us on the taxi. We go to our hotel, the Iris. Which is great! Our room is right next to the reception room so we feel very safe. And if you call the hotel we can hear the ring! And if you keep calling again and again and again in the middle of the night… WE WILL HEAR ALL OF THEM. But really, this hotel is nice. There is this great porch that is high up and connected to the hotel restaurant. It has Wi-fi so we are just set. Friday night we went to our favorite, Bourbon Coffee, which is basically a Starbucks/Panera with wi-fi. We sat there and uploaded lots of photos to facebook… If you have facebook they should be up-if you don’t but one of your kids does… bribe them –all the AFRICA pictures of mine are G rated…totally fine for all viewers
We got back to our hotel late. We read and went to sleep. We were quite tired. We decided to turn the ringer off on the phone and therefore I woke up the next morning TO NO ALARM… I think that is the first time in probably 2 months… Maddie and I were laughing, talking about how we can’t wait to get back to Duke to sleep in… shouldn’t it be the opposite in summer? I really don’t envy my dad. I think I’ll be a freelance writer or a piano teacher or something that does not require a concrete schedule… I’m only 19 and I already am sick of waking up at 6am, showering, putting in a 9 hour day… (piano might not work because I don’t remember how to play). Bartenders work at night… that’s a possibility
So we woke up around 10:20. 10 minutes before breakfast closed. It felt great. We got on our computers and had coffee at the restaurant. Lots of Mazungus here so we can walk around in shorts and t-shirts… My legs have not seen sun in a while. I love thinking about how when we were planning this trip, Maddie and I thought it was 100ish degrees here and we would come back with great tans. NEGATIVE. We decided to go to an Indian Restaurant that we have been to once before, Indian Kasana (definitely spelled that wrong). It was just as good as the first time. Maddie (sort of-vegetarian) now tries all the meat I get… I am very proud of that girl. After lunch we took a walk around the city. Unfortunately Kigali is all hills. We stopped in little shops and bought earrings (yes Carly and Loie you got some too). We got sodas and just strolled. It was nice having no plans, meetings, work, or anything. A culture shock here is that all the soda bottles are glass and recycled. When you get a fanta or something from a stand, you have to drink it there and then leave the bottle. Once we tried to leave with our bottles and everyone in a 50-yard circle around us starting laughing and pointing… great way to draw attention…
We came back to the hotel around 5, before dark. We just hung around and then took a taxi to our other favorite Kigali restaurant, O Sole Luna (something like that)… It’s basically a pizza place for annoying Mazungu tourists… Whatever, we love it. We had such a fun time chatting and eating pizza. We skipped bananas for the first time in a while… The restaurant sits on a hill (doesn’t everything here?) and over-looks all of Kigali. Kigali at night is beautiful, and it was a really enjoyable evening. We came back to the hotel. I usually read and go to bed around 12ish. Maddie stays up later.
So Maddie was Skyping on the porch, and i'm not sure what time it was, but I guess I fell into a deep sleep. Usually I am a very light sleeper. I curl up on the edge of the bed and I rarely move. I usually wake up in the same position. Well I can't remember my dream last night (odd, usually I can), but it must have been intense. Whenever Maddie walked back into the room I sat straight up and screamed "NOOO." When beggers come up to us, I usually say "no" in a stern voice. Well this was similar... I thought Maddie was some sort of villain coming to get me. I probably scared her yelling more than she scared me. A second later I realized it was her, laughed, and fell asleep again right away. Amusing evening.
So this morning my body clock failed me, and I woke up at 7:30. Total bummer that I’m so used to getting up early this summer. When I want/can sleep in… I CAN'T! But I am really happy I woke up because I am in my element right now. This hotel is full of tourists so it’s totally fine to wear my favorite Abercrombie boxers, Dads old Duke swimming shirt, and my camo Duke hat to breakfast. I am listening to Coldplay, Third Eye Blind, John Mayor, and Taylor Swift. I have my laptop on the table (bright red cover of course is on). I got several cups of coffee. I brought my jar of JIF peanut butter and put it on the bananas they serve at breakfast (no meal in Rwanda is without a banana). I also grabbed one of my pop-tarts (I brought a box to Rwanda for special occasions, hah). Anyways, I’m sitting outside and its just nice. I’ve realized I really enjoy taking my time and hanging out alone during breakfast. I miss my Duke breakfast routine… Yogurt, granola, berries, and coffee in my bed with my laptop and the Chronicle-Duke paper (one of my great friends, Chelsea Allison is the editor and I love her and therefore now read it religiously). I just don’t understand how some people don’t eat breakfast. That’s the great part about being in Rwanda with Maddie… we have the same philosophies on food… 3 meals a day are a priority. When we have not eaten in a while, we both get cranky.
It’s good that we can’t go out in Rwanda. When I get to Charlotte and Duke, its’ going to make going out with my friends all that more exciting.
I lent Maddie my “Last Lecture” book. My mom got it for me, and in case you have not read it-GO BUY IT… We both just love it…
I will be in the USA in less than a week! The first thing I plan to do is get Starbucks…
Love,
Jessica
Craving of the morning: Peanut Butter Captain Crunch and Grapefruit juice (obviously not in the same bowl though…)
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Anyone?
Some of the US group got sick here, and I could not help but remember being in the charter bus with 55 people (all but about 10 throwing up). Europe trip=amazing...I never was more proud of myself for not sharing drinks and using an insane amount of hand sanitizer (yeah Abby!)... Anyways I remember sitting next to Chris Keith on this bus, and he was violently sick, and I felt so bad...
Anyone else remember that great bus ride to Greece... EPIC
Anyone else remember that great bus ride to Greece... EPIC
Taxi Thoughts
Miss most: driving
Missed food: chicken Caesar salad (can’t eat lettuce here)
Missed drink: skim milk (lacking dairy)
Missed Leisure: running, running, running
Miss going: Borders to look through magazines and drink Starbucks coffee
Love most: Sunsets (at home I love the sunrise, but here we wake up to lots of sunlight-very few drapes-and roosters—I HATE roosters)
Food: avocados filled with vinaigrette (mmm)
Drink: Passion fruit juice (good find Maddie)
Leisure: Long walks and talks home from the Internet café with best friend Maddie
Love going: Hotel Ibis (we eat ALL our lunches and dinners there)
Yesterday morning we packed up our bags at our hotel, Le Petit Prince, and got ready to spend the weekend in Kigali! We went to work and completed the 6 interviews for the day, had a lovely/predictable lunch at the Ibis, and got on our taxi to Kigali (about a 2 hour trip). In case you need a Wikipedia description of the taxi we rode…
Transportation:
“minivans are jammed full of up to 18 people at any time and generally do not leave until completely full. They are cheap but inherently unsafe because of the overcrowding, bald tires, poor maintenance, and seeming lack of any sort of training by the drivers.”
Well the Taxi we rode (although stuffed with lots and lots of people) was clean, well driven, and felt safe! No worries. If we hit a car we would win because our vehicle was bigger! I did have the tire seat and lots of bags so I was a bit cramped, but I blame no one but my stubborn self. Maybe one day I will learn how to pack reasonably without Mary Kathryn’s help.
Olivier and Martha, our awesome translators and new best friends, told us if you drink and drive and hit a person… you go to prison for a month… 1 MONTH-I’m hoping they are wrong. I plan to hold hands with Maddie the rest of the trip when we are walking along roads ☺ Its entertaining driving on the roads because they are made of dirt and have lots of fun potholes. Maddie and I are still young enough to enjoy a bumpy ride! I do not think my Nana would be so excited though… Its fun looking at all the trucks. They are filled with stuff because I do not think there are strict laws about how much you can stuff into your vehicle. They remind me when the Grinch Stole Christmas and brought all the gifts/food/decorations back… Dumb as it sounds, I promise you, it looks exactly the same.
I was thinking about my interviews on the ride… We interview a lot of 19, 20, and 21 year olds. That’s about my age. I started thinking, “well if I really needed to I think I could take care of my siblings.” Then I realized… Many of these young adults have been caring for their brothers and sisters since the genocide in 1994. They were the heads of households at age 7ish! I don’t think I brushed my teeth without help at that age… We interview so many kids, and I wonder if I am starting to become insensitive towards their experiences. When a person tells me they are in school and eat at least 2s a day, I smile thinking this person is good. Is that really good? Does eating enough to survive and being able to get the most basic of educations define success? I can’t imagine not having my mom to call when I need a good cry. Or going to Qdoba when I’m having a bad day with my dad.
Maddie is probably getting so sick of me talking about my family. Things are a lot slower in Africa, and I find myself thinking about how much I value my friends and family so much more. I think its because I am proud of everyone. Randomly I will just throw someone’s name out and start talking about their accomplishments or something very arbitrary or fun. I tell people about my cousin Ellen who is in China-I told the US visitors about my cousin Timmy who visited me in college (I really really want you to come to Duke!) and who goes on great mission trips. I talk about his mom all the time, Alli who went to India and worked with children. When we were on our Safari I could not help remembering the time we visited Greg at Sea World and got to go behind the scenes which I still think was cool. I was trying to explain thrift shops to Olivier and I could not help but smile thinking of going to almost every single dance with Mary Kathryn. I thought about our vintage shopping and her amazing prom dress. Getting ready for Catholic dances was fun. Ann always let me borrow anything and always took such interest in who I was going with and who my group was. Somehow the American Girl doll store came up in conversation and I talked about how the new doll “Kit” reminds me of my cousin Madeline (no idea why-but I have always thought that). Every time someone asks about my 24-hour visit to London, I try not to wet my pants thinking about the time I lost my passport in Croatia the day I was supposed to leave with Barbie… Probably one of the funniest moments in my entire life; unfortunately, not the last time I received a mug shot. Thanks to everyone (mostly Maddie) who listen to my random family comments…
And when something really gets to me or I start missing home a little too much… I put on “Ready, Set, Don’t go” by our family favorite Miley Cyrus and I picture Mariel and my dad singing on stage in front of hundreds pretending they are just in our living room blaring Disney. (plug-I wish I had had a car and could have surprised them and gone!!)
Hands down, I talk about my uncle, Navy Seal Commander Collin Green, the most. I am really just so proud of him….
Sorry for my family rant, but I miss everyone. I miss family vacations to see Nana and Opa, dinner and a movie at Stonecrest, giant family gatherings in Corolla, nights at Shooters, and runs through the Duke Gardens. I hope I remember how thankful I am for all these trips and people when I get home. And if I forget which I often do, I just wanted to say thank you.
Love,
Jessica
Missed food: chicken Caesar salad (can’t eat lettuce here)
Missed drink: skim milk (lacking dairy)
Missed Leisure: running, running, running
Miss going: Borders to look through magazines and drink Starbucks coffee
Love most: Sunsets (at home I love the sunrise, but here we wake up to lots of sunlight-very few drapes-and roosters—I HATE roosters)
Food: avocados filled with vinaigrette (mmm)
Drink: Passion fruit juice (good find Maddie)
Leisure: Long walks and talks home from the Internet café with best friend Maddie
Love going: Hotel Ibis (we eat ALL our lunches and dinners there)
Yesterday morning we packed up our bags at our hotel, Le Petit Prince, and got ready to spend the weekend in Kigali! We went to work and completed the 6 interviews for the day, had a lovely/predictable lunch at the Ibis, and got on our taxi to Kigali (about a 2 hour trip). In case you need a Wikipedia description of the taxi we rode…
Transportation:
“minivans are jammed full of up to 18 people at any time and generally do not leave until completely full. They are cheap but inherently unsafe because of the overcrowding, bald tires, poor maintenance, and seeming lack of any sort of training by the drivers.”
Well the Taxi we rode (although stuffed with lots and lots of people) was clean, well driven, and felt safe! No worries. If we hit a car we would win because our vehicle was bigger! I did have the tire seat and lots of bags so I was a bit cramped, but I blame no one but my stubborn self. Maybe one day I will learn how to pack reasonably without Mary Kathryn’s help.
Olivier and Martha, our awesome translators and new best friends, told us if you drink and drive and hit a person… you go to prison for a month… 1 MONTH-I’m hoping they are wrong. I plan to hold hands with Maddie the rest of the trip when we are walking along roads ☺ Its entertaining driving on the roads because they are made of dirt and have lots of fun potholes. Maddie and I are still young enough to enjoy a bumpy ride! I do not think my Nana would be so excited though… Its fun looking at all the trucks. They are filled with stuff because I do not think there are strict laws about how much you can stuff into your vehicle. They remind me when the Grinch Stole Christmas and brought all the gifts/food/decorations back… Dumb as it sounds, I promise you, it looks exactly the same.
I was thinking about my interviews on the ride… We interview a lot of 19, 20, and 21 year olds. That’s about my age. I started thinking, “well if I really needed to I think I could take care of my siblings.” Then I realized… Many of these young adults have been caring for their brothers and sisters since the genocide in 1994. They were the heads of households at age 7ish! I don’t think I brushed my teeth without help at that age… We interview so many kids, and I wonder if I am starting to become insensitive towards their experiences. When a person tells me they are in school and eat at least 2s a day, I smile thinking this person is good. Is that really good? Does eating enough to survive and being able to get the most basic of educations define success? I can’t imagine not having my mom to call when I need a good cry. Or going to Qdoba when I’m having a bad day with my dad.
Maddie is probably getting so sick of me talking about my family. Things are a lot slower in Africa, and I find myself thinking about how much I value my friends and family so much more. I think its because I am proud of everyone. Randomly I will just throw someone’s name out and start talking about their accomplishments or something very arbitrary or fun. I tell people about my cousin Ellen who is in China-I told the US visitors about my cousin Timmy who visited me in college (I really really want you to come to Duke!) and who goes on great mission trips. I talk about his mom all the time, Alli who went to India and worked with children. When we were on our Safari I could not help remembering the time we visited Greg at Sea World and got to go behind the scenes which I still think was cool. I was trying to explain thrift shops to Olivier and I could not help but smile thinking of going to almost every single dance with Mary Kathryn. I thought about our vintage shopping and her amazing prom dress. Getting ready for Catholic dances was fun. Ann always let me borrow anything and always took such interest in who I was going with and who my group was. Somehow the American Girl doll store came up in conversation and I talked about how the new doll “Kit” reminds me of my cousin Madeline (no idea why-but I have always thought that). Every time someone asks about my 24-hour visit to London, I try not to wet my pants thinking about the time I lost my passport in Croatia the day I was supposed to leave with Barbie… Probably one of the funniest moments in my entire life; unfortunately, not the last time I received a mug shot. Thanks to everyone (mostly Maddie) who listen to my random family comments…
And when something really gets to me or I start missing home a little too much… I put on “Ready, Set, Don’t go” by our family favorite Miley Cyrus and I picture Mariel and my dad singing on stage in front of hundreds pretending they are just in our living room blaring Disney. (plug-I wish I had had a car and could have surprised them and gone!!)
Hands down, I talk about my uncle, Navy Seal Commander Collin Green, the most. I am really just so proud of him….
Sorry for my family rant, but I miss everyone. I miss family vacations to see Nana and Opa, dinner and a movie at Stonecrest, giant family gatherings in Corolla, nights at Shooters, and runs through the Duke Gardens. I hope I remember how thankful I am for all these trips and people when I get home. And if I forget which I often do, I just wanted to say thank you.
Love,
Jessica
Friday, July 18, 2008
"As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself and one for helping others." -Audrey Hepburn
My mammy (grandmother) once sent me a lovely email comprising of a poem written by Audrey Hepburn. This post reminded me of this excerpt.
"As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself and one for helping others."
I wrote this a few days ago, but I was unsure whether to put it up… Have you ever been in a moment that is difficult to put into words? It reminds me of explaining a hard goodbye, a great date, or the feeling when your favorite song comes on the radio. This was one of those moments…
I do not believe I have ever been this tired. Tonight as I lay in my sleeping bag and think about my day, I want to curl up and remember every detail but at the same time, obliterate every single thing. I thought I knew what it felt like to have my heart broken. I’ve seen poverty 20 minutes from my home and in far countries. I’ve seen people hurt each other for no apparent reason. I’ve been mean to my friends, and unfair to boyfriends and parents. I have wasted food, and been incredibly selfish. And I have had all those things done to me as well… But this kind-of hurting is foreign.
Nothing I have ever done or seen has compared to my day today. I have never felt this small. I’m not sure if I am disgusted with myself or others, but I feel dirty, and taking a shower will not shake the feeling.
Today the group visited two houses that were built by Giving Hope for two needy families. After we visited the families (made up of all children) the Giving Hope group served us a meal and took turns talking about their life experiences. As we sat there many people gathered around to watch and stare at all the mazungus (white people). I noticed a little girl crawling through the crowd; she blended in with the dusty ground. I would like to say she was beautiful, but in all honesty she was not. Some kids were ridiculing her, but she never looked at them. I found this scene very surprising because some of the mean kids were Giving Hope children. I thought those children would understand what it means to be ostracized and isolated. After we received our meal, I took mine to the little girl and tried to communicate with her. I noticed half of her body was paralyzed or did not function… She could not walk. She was incredibly dirty. There were black bugs and puss in her ears. Her scalp was dry; she probably had a skin disease. Her nose was all dried up. Her clothes were covered in dry mud; I have no idea what color they should have been. She reaked, and at first I thought she was a boy.
A few older boys started to talk to me. One of them spilled beer on my back-pack which understandably annoyed me because I was trying to concentrate on this little girl. I gave her my plate of food and the rest of my Coca Cola. As she was eating she never looked up. A boy came between us and started to express his love to me and told me we needed to get married (this kid was dead serious). I asked him to ask the girl’s name he said “Doma.” I used him as my translator as I tried to talk with the girl. I rubbed her back and gave her more food. During our conversation she asked if when I left, if I could bring her with me (she said this without looking up from the ground). I told her “I wish I could.” As I sat with her, more boys proposed, and over 15 kids just sat around us watching and staring as I put my arms around this girl (she was probably 14). The boy told me the girl did have parents but they were not loving and did not feed her every-day. After an hour or so, the group started yelling at me to join them at the van. I could not bear leaving the girl. As I motioned to leave, for the first time during that hour, Doma looked up and told me, through my future husband translator man, “you are my mom.” Tears welled up in my eyes as I told the children to take care of this girl for me; when they saw me start to cry they nodded. At least for a second they made me think they would look after her.
I gritted my teeth, and I tried to hold myself together as I walked to the van. I broke down once I got inside. A few of the US visitors we were with that week tried to comfort me. I was really surprised the situation got to me.
Before coming to Rwanda, I worked with non-profits in Charlotte and Durham. I spent my summers working in camps with at-risk children from government housing. Because of the Humanitarian Challenges FOCUS I’ve read about poverty, disasters, and corruption all over the world. Although all of these studies were interesting and opened my eyes to really horrific occurrences, nothing compares to the poverty I saw this past week in Rwanda.
I still ask myself how I managed to climb into the van. How do you turn your back on a crippled little girl who does not eat everyday. A girl who is made fun of and has never seen kindness or love. Unfortunately there are many children here and all over the world with similar stories.
Again I asked God “how can you let these people live in this poverty?”
God replied “how can you?”
"As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself and one for helping others."
I wrote this a few days ago, but I was unsure whether to put it up… Have you ever been in a moment that is difficult to put into words? It reminds me of explaining a hard goodbye, a great date, or the feeling when your favorite song comes on the radio. This was one of those moments…
I do not believe I have ever been this tired. Tonight as I lay in my sleeping bag and think about my day, I want to curl up and remember every detail but at the same time, obliterate every single thing. I thought I knew what it felt like to have my heart broken. I’ve seen poverty 20 minutes from my home and in far countries. I’ve seen people hurt each other for no apparent reason. I’ve been mean to my friends, and unfair to boyfriends and parents. I have wasted food, and been incredibly selfish. And I have had all those things done to me as well… But this kind-of hurting is foreign.
Nothing I have ever done or seen has compared to my day today. I have never felt this small. I’m not sure if I am disgusted with myself or others, but I feel dirty, and taking a shower will not shake the feeling.
Today the group visited two houses that were built by Giving Hope for two needy families. After we visited the families (made up of all children) the Giving Hope group served us a meal and took turns talking about their life experiences. As we sat there many people gathered around to watch and stare at all the mazungus (white people). I noticed a little girl crawling through the crowd; she blended in with the dusty ground. I would like to say she was beautiful, but in all honesty she was not. Some kids were ridiculing her, but she never looked at them. I found this scene very surprising because some of the mean kids were Giving Hope children. I thought those children would understand what it means to be ostracized and isolated. After we received our meal, I took mine to the little girl and tried to communicate with her. I noticed half of her body was paralyzed or did not function… She could not walk. She was incredibly dirty. There were black bugs and puss in her ears. Her scalp was dry; she probably had a skin disease. Her nose was all dried up. Her clothes were covered in dry mud; I have no idea what color they should have been. She reaked, and at first I thought she was a boy.
A few older boys started to talk to me. One of them spilled beer on my back-pack which understandably annoyed me because I was trying to concentrate on this little girl. I gave her my plate of food and the rest of my Coca Cola. As she was eating she never looked up. A boy came between us and started to express his love to me and told me we needed to get married (this kid was dead serious). I asked him to ask the girl’s name he said “Doma.” I used him as my translator as I tried to talk with the girl. I rubbed her back and gave her more food. During our conversation she asked if when I left, if I could bring her with me (she said this without looking up from the ground). I told her “I wish I could.” As I sat with her, more boys proposed, and over 15 kids just sat around us watching and staring as I put my arms around this girl (she was probably 14). The boy told me the girl did have parents but they were not loving and did not feed her every-day. After an hour or so, the group started yelling at me to join them at the van. I could not bear leaving the girl. As I motioned to leave, for the first time during that hour, Doma looked up and told me, through my future husband translator man, “you are my mom.” Tears welled up in my eyes as I told the children to take care of this girl for me; when they saw me start to cry they nodded. At least for a second they made me think they would look after her.
I gritted my teeth, and I tried to hold myself together as I walked to the van. I broke down once I got inside. A few of the US visitors we were with that week tried to comfort me. I was really surprised the situation got to me.
Before coming to Rwanda, I worked with non-profits in Charlotte and Durham. I spent my summers working in camps with at-risk children from government housing. Because of the Humanitarian Challenges FOCUS I’ve read about poverty, disasters, and corruption all over the world. Although all of these studies were interesting and opened my eyes to really horrific occurrences, nothing compares to the poverty I saw this past week in Rwanda.
I still ask myself how I managed to climb into the van. How do you turn your back on a crippled little girl who does not eat everyday. A girl who is made fun of and has never seen kindness or love. Unfortunately there are many children here and all over the world with similar stories.
Again I asked God “how can you let these people live in this poverty?”
God replied “how can you?”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
