What I’ve Learned: “Sometimes another even better story will fall right into your lap.”

Written by Kylie Graham — Dec. 31, 2019

Before coming to Rwanda, I had never left the United States. I knew that this trip would allow me to grow in both photography and life skills. After spending a week in Kigali, I have learned a couple of things that I believe will be important for the rest of my life.

The first thing Rwanda has taught me is that making a small effort goes a long way. When we arrived in Kigali on Monday, Dec. 23, I only knew one Kinyarwandan word. That word was “muzungu” which means a white person. On our first full day in Rwanda, we had the opportunity to learn a few Kinyarwandan words. I can now say “Hello,” “Good morning,” “How are you?” “I’m fine,” and “Thank you.” In Kigali, it is uncommon to see Americans, thus many Rwandans are unsure of our intentions here. A simple “Muraho” or “Hello” in Kinyarwandan goes a long way in showing that we care about the culture here. However, poorly I pronounce it. It is always returned with a smile and a warm greeting.

Another thing I’ve learned in Rwanda is that plans change fast and the only way to succeed is to adapt quickly and positively. Coming in to this trip I had two stories I wanted to pursue. However, time has changed that for me. Now I won’t reveal my stories yet, but it is important to recognize that circumstances and time restraints have affected my story decisions. When you are focused on one story, sometimes another even better story will fall right into your lap. Sometimes the story you were most excited about turns out not to be the best story. It is important to accept this and move on. We have such a short amount of time here, and I don’t want to waste any of it being upset.