Is this Sweet?

I feel like we have been in Africa for weeks.

Every time I blink there is something new to see, to hear, to smell. There are always more people smiling, saying hello, more thumbs up, and more waving. We are constantly meeting new people, and eating new foods. As a group, we are continuously growing closer. To pack so many experiences/emotions/sights etc into one day is extremely tiring, and sometimes hard (not to mention like six flags, inside jokes already...), but I cannot imagine having it go any other way.

Its after 1 am already, so I feel as if I am all over the place. Tired. Unable to type/spell well. And wondering how on Earth my mind and my heart are going to find more room for Rwanda. It has been 2 days here, and already I cannot imagine my life without this experience.

Today we meet our driver/guide Aloys. Although, it must be noted he is also our translator, our friend, our door opener, our window opener, our teacher, our question taker, our lunch/dinner mate, our business man, and most importantly he is the man who saves us from the most dangerous threat in Rwanda... traffic.

Aloys took us on a tour of the city and showed us both the affluent and poor communities, he somehow got us into the soccer stadium, and showed us important hospitals, schools, and government buildings.

I had seen a sign for a Women's Organization and made a comment about wanting to work there. Before I knew it there were not only jokes of me picking up an application, but a big Land Rover being turned around and driven down what was called a road in Rwanda, a washed out hiking path in the states. With a little broken French and the amazing Aloys we were granted permission to have a tour of the Rwandan Women's Network. It was AMAZING. It is a program designed to help women who lost their husbands to the genocide (to prison or death), have HIV AIDS, or cannot afford fees for school. I could talk about their program for pages, but I won't. They were beautiful. The program amazed me, and I am completely in awe over the measures Rwanda is taking to empower its women.

Another wonderful man we have been so lucky to meet is John Musemakweri, an ISU alum and Rwandan native. He currently works for the UN as the head of sustainable livelihoods. He has been a great help to us, and a wonderful dinner/lunch mate. He has one of the most amazing smiles you will ever see, and a great sense of humor. Today after our lunch together (which was at Bourbon Coffee- ran by a random American we meet in the airport) John took us to the UN where were able to meet some of his cowokers and talk to the head of UNV (UN Volunteers). He also took us to a local resturant that he enjoys where we gorged on goat, chicken, chips (french fries), and fried bananas. We drank a plethora of coke and Primus: a Rwandan beer *Parents: I swear, they told us it was illegal to only drink coke at the resturant. It was a dinner with plently of food, conversation, and laughter.

One of the most moving parts of today was when we went to the Genocide Museum. Home of 15 mass graves holding about 258,000 bodies, only 200,000 have been identified. (Note that each body has its own casket) the museum also has artifacts, stories, pictures, videos, and imformation galore. I only wish that I could write in words the emotions I felt. It is truely impossible to relay back to you the things I felt, and my reactions to the words, the pictures, the remains, the gardens, ... It was a great learning experience. I am amazed at the growth of Rwanda in the last 14 years. The strength the country's people have.

It was a quite drive home. But alas, we were able to see true beauty afterwards. When we meet Dominick (for the second time) and went with him to the Gisimba Orphanage where we will be doing our work. We were able to meet some of the children, their "mother", and the patron. They were amazing children, and so excited to see us. I cannot wait to go back tomorrow. Dominick too, is an amazing person who we have been working with since the start of our trip. He is a student, preparing to go to University, to study Computer Engineering. Although, he already has a job with one of the greatest IT companies in Rwanda. He has been great at answering all of our questions, and very fun to be around.

I only wish that I could send everyone my memories.
My words and my pictures do not even begin to describe this experience. Already I feel like I am traveling with a group of my greatest friends, and meeting Rwandans I would to stay in contact with forever. I am overwhelmed with the kindness that I constantly surrounded by.

All the Love,

Jeanna