Going Dutch:
Greetings again. It has been about a week now and much has changed. I moved out of my residence and into an apartment with Laura and Anke, two Dutch interns. I made the move to save money and to also have a little more space and freedom. The apartment isn’t too far from where I used to live, only closer to some shops and what not. I even have running hot water! And a stove and fridge! These are such luxuries and it is such a pleasure to take a shower everyday (no more bathing from a bucket for the time being). And in living with two young women from Holland I have learned what going Dutch really means – as in we share everything and divide everything evenly.

Last weekend Laura, Anke, and I journeyed to Gisenyi in the northwest region of the country. Like Kibuye, it sits on Lake Kivu only the beaches in Gisenyi were much nicer and more conducive to soaking up the sun (although in my case I suppose I don’t exactly soak up the sun). We spent two days just enjoying the gorgeous weather and eating some stomach-upsetting food. You are supposed to be able to see the big volcano there but it was enshrouded in clouds.

On Sunday we tried repeatedly to get across the border into Democratic Republic of Congo to visit Goma, where the volcano erupted a few years ago and completely annihilated the city. Goma is also the entry point where millions of Rwandans fled during and after the genocide (many of whom were perpetrators of the genocide, who were fed and housed care of the West). To get into Congo is quite complicated and the rules seem to vary daily and depend upon who is manning the gate. We were told the best method was to hire a taxi driver to scope out the situation, costs, and then have him come back to get us and escort us across. On our first attempt we were told that we would have to pay $60 to get across and then $120 to return to Rwanda. Mind you this is for a little day trip to a town less than a few kilometers away. So we turn that down and we call this interesting British guy we had met the night before who sent his “people” to assist us. This time we went with the cab driver to the border. Many people were crossing the border in both directions without stopping or a care in the world. It is yet another arbitrary African border that divides families into different countries. In fact one could barely even tell there was a border as there was just a small gate on the road (no fence on the side of the road). We three Umuzungo girls sat in the back seat of this cab as two gentlemen were negotiating the terms. To our dismay there was a woman in charge who wouldn’t let us pass without a hefty sum. We asked to just get a picture but we were sternly turned down. It just wasn’t to be. We just had the wrong color of skin I suppose, but it was frustrating to be so close and yet not make it!

In Rwanda it appears that everything expensive including the nicest clubs, gyms, etc. are owned by umuzungos. In Gisenyi it seemed as though the whole town came out to watch for hours as a few westerners attempted to water ski and wakeboard on the lake. There was an older couple and a young boy, and we were even offered an outing. But we just couldn’t or didn’t want to do it because it is so frustrating to see that Rwandans are never offered the opportunity. I know that if they had offered one of the Rwandan children a ride on the boat it would have made their month or their life, as they would probably never again have an opportunity. It is evident to me that there is still this divide between the expats doing development work and the people they are attempting to assist. It is a divide that I often contemplate and wonder if it can really be overcome. The average Rwandan has never visited any of the national parks in their own country.

Research:
Research here can be a bit of a challenge at times. So many westerners have trail blazed through Rwanda to get their research but many leave nothing behind. Yesterday I had a meeting with a women’s organization and the man that I met with was pretty standoffish towards me and my work. He commented on how a number of people have come through his office seeking information and then he never hears from them again or sees how the information is used. I assured him that he would hear from me again and that I would be more than happy to pass along my research once I was completed. I also assured him that the information would be put to use beyond my graduation requirements. I can certainly understand this man’s concerns as I myself have seen how people can come to Rwanda, interview people or take what they need, but then Rwandans never benefit from the work or information. Hopefully I can avoid this path.

Next:
On Friday we will journey to Ruhengeri to stay for two nights. On Saturday we will hike a volcano and then on Sunday we will trek the famous mountain gorillas (think Gorillas in the Mist). I already paid my hefty $250 permit fee, so we hope to make the very most of it. And then a week from Friday Anke and I will journey to Uganda!