End of Week 1

I have been here for a little over a week, but it feels like longer. Not because of anything bad, but only because I have learned so much in so little time. I finally figured out what “Mzungu” means. It means white man, but everyone one is saying to me all the time, so I thought it meant “hello”. That is first week stuff. Now I am a Rwanda veteran going on my eighth day here….ok so I really still know very little about Rwanda, but it does feel like a home away from home!

Yesterday a boy, that was no older than 4 years old, saw Bart, Katherine, and myself walking down the street. He then took off on a dead sprint running from his mother straight towards us. He did not slow down but collided with arms spread open to give the biggest hug I have ever seen to Bart’s leg. He then gave Katherine followed by myself a huge hug. He was smiling and giggling the entire time.
We had never seen this child in our entire lives, but he hugged us like he had known us forever. His mother embarrassingly pulled him away, but we didn’t mind. It was the highlight of my trip here so far!

On a sadder note, I finally did see extreme poverty. It is not seen here in the city of Butare as much as in the rural areas. I went out to a health center out in the Rwandan mountains and saw what poverty can do to people. It is one thing to see some healthy children playing in the street, but quite another to see a five year old in extreme pain and misery. Most of this sickness is probably caused by common colds, flu, stomach virus, or sometimes malaria; there are no cures for these back home, but there are medicines that help the pain. These medicines do not exist in Rural Rwanda.
I saw a mother with three girls (ages were probably 5, 2, and 6 months.) The 5 year old was carrying the 6 month old, and the mother was carrying the 2 year old. They all looked very ill. I also saw a young boy (probably 6) laying face down on the ground waiting for a doctor to see him. He did not have the energy to stand.
Some of the mothers (who looked malnourished) were holding small children (also malnourished) and they asked me for money. I realized that they don’t need money, they need an answer…and I don’t have it.

I have heard Americans say, “They bring it upon themselves. You can’t help the Africans.” I can confidently say that they do not bring it upon themselves. They are very hard working, kind, and moral people here in Rwanda. They are plagued with diseases that run ramped here due to the climate and nature of the disease. America would look much the same if we had similar rainforests, insects, and poor soils that cause poor production that cause poor nutrition. A lack of nutrition really makes the body more vulnerable to these diseases.

Don’t get the impression that they are doomed population. No matter the misery, I do not see faces of sadness, sickness, or depression; I only see faces filled with hope. The hope that tomorrow will be better. They have seen progress. The coffee production increase and price increase that Texas A&M has helped the coffee farmers with has already shown them that a decent quality of life is possible.

I am proud to do what I can to help those in need.

Pictures

To view my pictures online, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/blazecurrie

The internet is working

The Internet has been down for a few days, but it is back up now. I am having a blast in Rwanda. We have the best cook in the world. She is awesome.



Things are looking up. I have been interacting with some school children and different people in Rwanda. The people here are all so nice. They do stare at us a lot, and I don't mean that they look at us as we pass by; I mean that they stare you right in the eyes. It is part of their culture. It is somewhat strange, but I just stare right back at them.



Most of them try to talk to us in their best English. I have been asked if I know the Hip Hop star 50 cent many times. Apparenlty he has quite a following here in Rwanda.



This next week is suppose to be very busy with many coffee buyers coming into town. I have settled down, and now I'm ready to work.



Our house is a perfect place. There are three bedrooms (one for each student), a living room, dining room/ kitchen, and two bathrooms. It is a nicer place than my first dorm and apartment in college station by leaps and bounds. (We should have hot water by Tuesday). Not to mention that we have a woman who cooks three meals a day for us and cleans (washes and irons clothes too). We also have a night gard that watches our house.



It is amazing. I am becoming very spoiled with all the special attention, but it helps the local economy. Whatever I can do to help!

First Day

We (myself, Bart, & Katherine) all arrived in Rwanda yesterday. After traveling over 40 hours to get here, we were in heavy anticipation of arrival.

I can tell you that we look like complete ducks out of water; however, the Rwandan people are among the nicest that I have ever met. From the moment that we arrived, children would come running to us so that they could touch us. Katherine held here hand out of the car window, and the all came to her to touch her hand. They all seemed so happy.

We are staying in a nice hotel for now. We will move into a house in a few days. We start work tomorrow. They are giving us a day to adjust. It works out perfect because they are having a village court today, so nobody is working.

Our fist two meals here have been great. In two very nice and large meals at a local restaurant, I have spent about $7.00. We will hire a cook in a few days. He or She will prepare us three meals a day.

I am very excited about this stay here in Rwanda. A few of the locals speak English, so we have had some interesting conversations. They are growing corn and sorghum like back home. They even have Careless Weeds like back in West Texas. The only difference is the weather.
We will have a high of about 80 and a low of about 60 the entire time we are here, day and night. I could not ask for a more peace and beautiful place to spend a summer!