Rwanda, and the Journey Before

Hello from Rwanda!

It's been a while since I wrote anything on here... what is it, eight days I believe? And that's far too long. However, mind you, there is good reason why I haven't been able to put anything up here. Very good reason. Maybe it's because on our trip to Uganda, though it was about a week long stay, there was nowhere to get an internet connection. Now I realize that doesn't sound very exciting, but let me tell you...

You see, prior to our arrival to Kenya, Jo had done a lap of the entire trip on her own; making sure we had places to sleep, things to do etc. etc. While touring through Uganda she met up with another someone in another group working on development efforts in rural areas within the country. After some conversing, this someone (named Dennis) from a group (named SLINT Uganda) decided to invite the OG team up to a place called Butikula, which is about an hour and a half from Kiboga. As it turns out, Dennis had a place up there large enough for the entire team to stay for the duration of our volunteering. So, Jo kindly accepted the offer, thus allowing us a week of volunteering in a foreign country. Just what many in the group were hoping for.

However, the downside to this is that Jo was unable to visit Butikula and the house before the team did. So nobody in the group had any idea what to expect. And trust me, while we were driving there, alot of possibilities were running through everyones minds'. See, we had stayed in some pretty different places and we had seen many different lifestyles, so a mud thatched hut wasn't out of the question. But what lay at the end of the road could never be as intense as the journey there.

We had arrived in Uganda two days earlier at a tourist destination in Jinja, known as adrift. Here the group had the option of white water rafting down the Nile, or bungee jumping from a 44meter platform above the famous river, or both. It was another beautiful place to follow the beauty of the Kakamega Rainforest. We were pampered with showers, pizza, clean water, and a quiet area away from the bustle the city. It was a beautlifully relaxing time, and following the end of our stay there, we had had about a week of escape from the intesity of the many days before. So, leaving Jinja, we were feeling alright. We went our way to Kampala, had a bit of trouble with the traffic officers (Uganda is apparently much more strict on the number of passengers aloud in a 14 seater matatu) but eventually made it to our destination. However, we were a couple hours late. And we didn't leave for about another 4 hours.

So, it is just before 9 and we depart yet again to our next destination: Butikula. This is supposed to be about a 3 hour drive from Kampala. No. Definitely not. Try just uner 7 hours. Likely because Uganda loves to use speed bumps. On highways. This is because they have some of the highest rates of vehicle caused deaths in all of Africa. Throw in a couple stops along the way, pee breaks and a need to reassemble the distribution of our luggage on top of the matatu because the roof had nearly collapsed, the hours add up. We also had about 19 people in the 14 seater vehicle, so comfort was not available either. This was making many people stressed. But what really freaked us out was when about 4 hours into the drive, we turn off onto a dirt road. But not a typical dirt road. No, a dirt road that consists of large rocks, potholes, washed out crevasses, and general high amounts of uncomfortablilty. It was not the most fun we had in a matatu.

We drove for what seemed like far too long. Hopes for a nice place to stay quickly died away as typical mud houses became more prominent. As we went further than the power lines travelled. As we went further into the bush. As Dennis claimed, now we were really going to see Africa. As we kept driving. For far too long. Then, when nearly all hope was gone we turn into a driveway.... a driveway. In the bush. A lttle ways down there is a small, well manicured lawn with grass... grass. In the middle of a forrest. And at the end of this driveway is a small rectangular house... a house. It looked incredibly western. It had solar electricity. A large reserve for rainwater collection. It was beautiful. We were all nearly about to cry with joy, when we are told this is not where we will be staying. Where we are staying is next door. Don't worry, as it turns out next door was nearly identical to this beautiful place. And that is where we stayed. In the middle, of the middle of the bush.

So that is why I couldn't post anything until today.

Today, I am in Kigali, Rwanda. This is the most westernized city in Africa. I realize, I may have thrown that title on Nairobi, but I was sorley mistaken. This place is incredible. It is clean, and organized. There is a large police presents. The roads are flat and smooth. There is a heavy European influence. Wonderful food, wonderful people, wonderful climate. It is quite a change, once again, from where we came from (as seems to be the pattern of this trip). And as most of you know, it was here in Rwanda that the genocide took place. So, with that said, I am to visit the memorial today. And trust me, with the vast availability of internet here, I will likely be posting a few more times before we head toMwanza, Tanzania.

But for now, I must be on my way.
Miss you terribly
much love, peace.
Ryan.