Week 2 Highlights: If I were to grade my trip so far, I would give it an A+.
If I were to grade my trip so far, I would give it an A+. I truly have savored every second of my time here in Rwanda, and I will be sad to leave this place behind. I have fallen in love with the culture, the people and the beauty of the land. It has been a difficult task for me to come up with the highlight of this week as every moment and opportunity has been a highlight.
One of the moments that most sticks out to me from this week is the time I went out with a couple of my other peers to capture footage for my story. We woke up at 5 a.m. to get out there in time for the morning rush hour. We stood there for a couple of hours, watching people walk, ride and drive by. It was an odd feeling, standing still by the side of a road while everyone else was carrying out their daily routine. Mothers, fathers, children beginning their day.
After a bit of time, I warmed up to the situation and began smiling and waving “Muraho!” to those who noticed me standing there. The response was welcoming, genuine and warm, each and every time. Some even tested my Kinyarwanda and asked me follow-up questions. They were incredibly impressed when I was not only able to communicate but was able to respond with “Umwaka mushya muhire,” which means “Happy New Year.”
After some more time, my batteries ran out, and we sat down and rested while we waited for our car in front of a chicken feed shop. In that time, we were able to start other conversations with people nearby. We began learning more about them and sitting with them as they practiced their English and we practiced our Kinyarwanda. At the end, when our car arrived, we were sad to leave, and our newfound friends begged for us to stay. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that we had made friends and spent those moments together, but knowing that once we leave, we did not know if we would see each other again.
