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…)