Commemoration and Arusha, Tanzania

It has been hard to write about all of the experiences of the past month. After listening to appeal proceedings and appeals judgments at the ICTR in Arusha, I feel a bit more up to the task of writing what I have been seeing. April is the commemoration period for Rwanda. During the first week of commemoration in particular (7-14 April), there are many ceremonies to commemorate people killed during the genocide. Leading up to that week I went with a family as they recovered bodies from a sorghum field buried there after the genocide. They had been buried there by family but were now to be moved to a memorial where they could have a proper burial. After the genocide the family had only been able to bury their dead wrapped in tarp-like material. Upon recovery of the bodies there were still personal effects intact, such as the father of young man whose wallet was intact with ID card and license inside. Another woman had a rosary buried with her. There were debates also regarding whether to bring just the remains, or the remains and the clothing to the memorial. After recovery, there was a moment when bones were being washed that a young woman was washing the skull of her mother that stuck out in my mind. The bodies were transferred into two coffins and during commemoration week I went with the family to the reburial ceremony. A colleague attending the reburial with me thought that since there were 10 coffins the reburial was for 10 individuals, not realizing until later that the total number of all buried that day was 192 as multiple bodies are placed in individual coffins. Later in the month another friend of mine was excited that the remains of family members had finally been located after a perpetrator finally revealed the location of the mass grave. We were at the same restaurant when some of the family representatives and local officials were meeting to decide details related to burial and commemoration. It was a surprisingly jovial group considering they had been recovering some 53 bodies that day but then again, there seemed to be so much relief at having finally located the remains. During commemoration time there are requests to perpetrators to reveal the locations of bodies and this is a case where family had asked each year for many years. Another survivor I talked with took me to a memorial where she showed me her family that had been found but also told the pain of having to consistently ask about other family members to no avail, but hoping each year that someone would finally tell. 

In addition to reburials that take place during the commemoration time and requests for perpetrators to reveal the locations of remains, there are also mass commemorations. To open the commemoration week, a ceremony is held at the national stadium. The stadium was absolutely full by the time the event got fully underway. There were singers, and survivors giving testimony, and even a speech by the President of Rwanda. It was very moving, and during the ceremony it was clear how deep the pain was for people in the audience. When I first entered the stadium and saw lots of people in fluorescent vests I initially thought they were extra security and thought it might be a bit excessive. I quickly learned after loud screams emanating from different parts of the stadium that they were in fact there to respond to trauma and get the traumatized to counselors waiting outside the stadium near ambulances. This was to become a regular site at commemorations I attended elsewhere. Later that evening there was a walk to remember and a night ceremony at the stadium. This pattern seems more common in commemorations to which I have thus far been. Families, supporters and community members participate in a walk to remember and to fight genocide, and then gather in the evening to remember, lighting a symbolic fire at the beginning of the commemoration. This has explained even more why a friend of mine was asking initially if everything was alright at the Ethiopian restaurant when they had a bonfire during their Friday dinner buffet around which you could drink your coffee. The friend explained then that in Rwandan culture, a bonfire is only made when someone dies. Then people come and at night sit around it to keep warm and remember the lost loved one. At the commemorations this is recreated. The fire is lit, even in national stadium, at the beginning of the ceremony and the story of what happened to particular people or at a particular place is told. The hardest commemoration so far was probably Nyanza as it was a site of massacre so particularly traumatic for survivors of the place. I went with a friend who had lost family and it was very hard. I say this as an outsider without such experiences. That so many people are able to go to these commemorations at all is just amazing as I cannot even imagine how hard they must be to attend. I went with someone who can tell their story without wavering usually, but this night we had to leave early as the person found it too hard, saying that with the other trauma around it was hard to resist the person’s own trauma. 

The experience of going to the Nyanza commemoration greatly impacted my experience of attending the Ntabakuze appeals judgment today at the ICTR in Arusha, Tanzania. I arrived in Arusha on Sunday to attend the appeals judgment readings of Ntabakuze, Hategekimana, and Kanyarukuga today and to attend yesterday’s appeal hearing for Gatete. Ntabakuze in particular had been charged in connection to the massacre on Nyanza hill, as well as other massacres. He had been sentenced to life imprisonment, but one of the errors that the appeals found with the trial chamber was the lack of proof of direct command responsibility for the paramilitary troops at Nyanza as it seemed to the appeals chamber that the battalion was not confirmed to be Ntabakuze’s as opposed to the 2^nd Battalion. With this and some other findings that lessened Ntabakuze’s culpability, the appeals court lessened the sentence to 35 years in prison. The other sentences for Hategekimana and Kanyarukuga were affirmed. It was notable that in the public audience, most if not all the Rwandans present were connected with the accused.

This morning starts my official visit to the ICTR and actual interviews. It has been good to have the time yesterday afternoon and evening to think about the court cases: one reduction of sentence, two confirmations of sentences; how one looks when one is told life imprisonment stands and the last appeal has been finalized; look of Ntabakuze as his lengthy appeal reasoning was read and as reduction from life to 35 years; consideration of the family of accused there; consideration of friends who had lost family; in general just lots to think about.

I have been strengthened to think on such things after the Andy’s visit. He came between the end of the commemoration week and the time that I came to Arusha. It was definitely a helpful time for him to come. Having him close after all the commemorations and burials really helped. I was able to take him to Mutara to meet my Rwandan family there (and so that he could learn the importance of milk as one is offered a huge glass of milk at every house one visits and it is extraordinarily rude to refuse amata meza in Mutara, the place where people still sing to their cows). The singing to the cows comment is something that shows the care and respect for the cow in certain places. It is very traditional to sing to the cow, and now at the king’s palace in Nyanza (the Nyanza in the south, not the Nyanza in Kigali) there is a herd of cows and a gentleman sings to one in front of visitors. In taking Andy to Nyanza, we continued on and saw the National Museum in Butare, but also shared in some commemorating activities with him as we went to the memorial in Murambi. To complete his experiences, he finally had akabenzi (a pork dish) and got to try sorghum beer. In all, he had his own mix of positive experiences during the trips as well as continuing to witness the potential people have for evil. 

Clearly, there has been a lot happening. In the coming week I will continue to explore the ICTR and Arusha. I expect an update on my experiences in Arusha will come in the following week or so. Until then, take care and kwa heri (“goodbye” in Swahili)!

Football/Soccer, Wedding, and Women's Month

Since I last wrote I went to my first live football/soccer game. In fact, I went to the game immediately after I submitted the last post. The game I attended was for the Africa Cup of Nations and was Rwanda against Nigeria. I think the expectation was that Nigeria would dominate, but the game ended in one of the fantastic things about football (I hope you notethe sarcasm here): a 0-0 tie. It seems that the next match is some time off. And there is talk of the next opponent being Malawi, though I have yet to confirm all of this information. It was fun though. I got there closer to starting time and apparently one of the things that starts on time here is football. The seats left were those behind the grandstand seats. Could still see, but behind everyone. Not at all crowded in the area we were sitting as most were squeezed into the other stands. All in all a pretty fun experience. One thing totally missing though was concessions. There was no selling of anything in the stadium: not food, drinks, or souvenirs. Some enterprising souls sold some snacks outside of the stadium, but that doesn't help much in the stadium. Maybe you are supposed to plan and bring snacks with you. Better yet I think you are supposed to wait to eat anything until later since it is quite rude to eat in public. Many options, but very different from sporting events in the U.S.

In other non-research related news, I also attended a friend's wedding. I went to my first Foursquare church for the wedding, and the reception was in a local hotel. There were two weddings at the same time at the church. My friend and his soon to be spouse chose unexpectedly wonderful colors: pink and teal. I wouldn't think of those together, but especially at the reception with the tropical flowers it actually worked quite nicely. I did have to take a picture of the car with the pink and teal ribbons attached (wedding cars have bows and sometimes even arrangements of flowers placed on them). Like the previous wedding, the reception had traditional dancers and sharing of cake and Fanta (all soda is referred to as Fanta here). It came to the time to give presents, and unlike the wedding I attended before, there was no opportunity for those who didn't want to give a speech to simply take presents up. Everyone who gave a present had to give a speech at this reception, so I gave my first public speech in Kinyarwanda. It was not very good, and read from notes sent by another friend, but I made it through. Unlike American weddings which have a table at the back for presents to be dropped off, Rwandan weddings (all two I have experience with) feature speeches by present givers followed by physically handing the presents to the bride or groom, depending on whose behalf you are attending. I told a gentleman sitting next to me some things that are done at American weddings and some that were done at our wedding. He was quite shocked about leaving the gifts without saying a word. He did get some good laughs though (some of disbelief) regarding traditions like the glass-clinging for a kiss, dancing to a DJ at the reception, and the garter belt removal by teeth.

In the research realm, this month is a great month because there are many events related to gender. With International Women's Day on March 8, and the entire month being dedicated to women and girls, the Rwandan government has also created themes to celebrate during each week of women's month. The overall theme throughout the month is "Turusheko Kubaka Ubushobozi bw'umugore n'umukobwa mu Guteza Imbere Umuryango" (Empower Women and Girls to Sustain Families). The first week focused on fighting malutrition ("Imirire myiza, ubuzima bwiza" - "Eat healthy, live healthy"). As Women's Day also fell during this time, the sector where I went for the Women's Day celebration also included a focus on healthy eating. There was of course traditional dancing, singnig, and speeches. In addition there was a sketch presented about domestic violence and the National Women's Council (CNF). There was also a participatory lecture/discussion on healthy eating, particularly for children and mothers. Andy would have been saddened by the discussion as it discouraged the making and eating of chips. The talk about healthy eating was followed by an example of a healthy meal as children and mothers present were given milk, eggs, bananas, passionfruit, tree tomatoes/Japanese prunes, avacado, and a mash of some sort with vegetables and beans. Additionally, poor families in each umudugudu were selected to receive addition healthy foods to take home with them so they could have a healthy meal that night. The rest of us were given corn and Fanta. I did get to have some interesting conversations. One in particular stands out regarding work and women. This was the first year the day was not a holiday in some time. Though the event I attended was at the sector level, there were not as many attendees as there undoubtedly could have been if work had been cancelled. One woman said that many Rwandan women have to work and so cannot come to celebrate a day for them (this was a great conversation for me as we talked for a good 30-45 minutes in only French and Kinyarwanda as she spoke no English). During the celebration a leader explained that the reason that work was not cancelled was because the government felt it was important for people to continue to work in order to develop the country rather than having too many days off. An interesting debate about how women's day should be celebrated.

Upcoming weekly themes for Rwanda Women and Girls Month are as follows (and of course updates on events will follow in later posts): promoting economic empowerment of women ("Kungahara Munyarwandakazi" - "Progress O women of Rwanda"), promoting girls' education ("Jijuka Munyarwandakazi" - "Educate a woman, educate a nation"), and finallly women and good governance ("Imiyoborere myiza, imibereho myiza" - "Good governance leads to good livelihood").

In other research connected news I have continued to have interesting interviews, and of course continue my writing in between getting sinus/ear infection. As you can see, things are continuing to go well here. Stay tuned to future posts to learn about St. Patrick's day celebrations in Kigali (assuming there are some) and events surrounding the other three themes of Rwanda Women and Girls Month.

Until next time, ugenda amahoro (go in peace)!

Iminsi myinshi!

It has again been a long time (iminsi myinshi – literally “many days”) since I have written. Everything is still great here. I love the opportunities this experience is giving me to learn more about Rwanda, and I especially love running around asking people about their views on gender, justice, and recovery. I know recovery is not the best word since one does not really recover from such things, but it is the closest I have found to imply continuing on with life after mass atrocity and suffering.
I think much like teaching took some time to be able to do well (or at least better than at the beginning stages), interviewing must take time to learn to do well. I feel I am finally getting better at interviewing and talking with new people about their ideas and experiences, though I of course still have much to learn. I have also been having some great interview experiences, including an interview in a parked car (though not in a dark alley so not as Dick Tracy as one might think). It is humbling that so many people are willing to offer their time to talk with me. I have had some amazing conversations! For more details see my forthcoming book. Actually, it will obviously be some time before something like that happens. I need to first write a dissertation, find a job, and more long before any book project starts. Just wanted to practice saying “forthcoming book” should I accomplish all the prerequisite tasks.

Despite getting better at interviewing, or perhaps only thinking I am getting better, I have not gotten better at navigating high level bureaucratic offices. These typically involve making the interview request at buildings with high security, needing to submit very specific letters of request (with revisions occasionally requested), and then waiting for responses. It always takes a lot of time, but it is one of the many reasons I am fortunate to have so much time here in the country. The research would be very difficult to do well without such time. Fortunately, in addition to having the benefit of time here, I also have a fantastic research assistant who is helping me schedule interviews in addition to translating and interpreting.

In addition to interviews, several things have kept me from writing more frequently. One of course is simply failing to write. Others though include the visit of my wonderful partner Andy, internet issues, and ongoing computer anti-virus program problems. The anti-virus problem should be fixed this weekend and the MTN network seems to be stabilizing, both for the phone and internet services. Andy’s visit went quite well and he, too, now really enjoys Rwanda. I showed him a bit of everything, and we also went to Gisenyi for my first trip out there. You can see lots of details of his visit at andrewhusk.blogspot.com. For those inspired by his blog to check out Rwanda, I HIGHLY recommend contacting Dr. Chantal Kalisa (mkalisa2@unl.edu) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln regarding the summer study abroad. One does not have to be a current student to go. You can find out more information at http://www.unl.edu/iaffairs/study_flyers/summer/rwanda.shtml (keeping in mind that the most recent information can be attained directly from Dr. Kalisa).

While the research and visits from my beloved have been great, the living situation has also continued to be good. I like getting to meet new people interested in gender from around the world. Since I last wrote, there have been guests from the U.K., U.S.A., Australia, Kenya, and South Africa. Today a returning German guest will arrive. This is a busy house but it is busy in a good way. It has been a bit quite lately as the woman in whose house I stay has started a trip to the UN Commission on the Status of Women and Canada. Also, very sadly, the houseworker decided it was time to focus on her own business after becoming a grandmother. Definitely understandable but she was great to talk to, despite our conversations being a mix of basic French, Kinyarwanda, and charades. The Kinyarwanda in particular is getting better though. Ndagerageza (I am trying).

In other happenings around the city, it seems that the rain is again trying to make sporadic appearances. It particularly does so when I have meetings or places to be. Last Thursday I was caught in an amazing rainstorm that had me completely soaked in a matter of minutes with little warning. It was also raining as I went to the book launch of Justine Mbabazi’s This is Your Time Rwanda (http://www.thisisyourtimerwanda.com/). The trek was most certainly worth it, as there was inanga (a traditional guitar-like instrument that looks like a body board - http://music.africamuseum.be/instruments/english/burundi/inanga.html), traditional dancing (39 dancers in total), and interesting speeches. The inanga was traditionally played only by men but there is now a woman named Sophie plays the instrument. One song she performed talked about the rights of women in Rwanda. She would refer to times when husbands used to be able to beat their wives but said that now if they so much as shake a stick at her the police will be there. At the end of her performance she gave a speech talking about the change that has allowed her as a woman to play this instrument and her rights to participate in politics and elsewhere. After I read the book itself I will write a review of sorts.

As for travels outside the city, I got to take a particularly memorable trip to a village in the northeast called Mutaro. It was a very long ride out there, and I most certainly caused a stir as foreigners don’t often visit there. I visited the aunt of a friend, shared a meal and met the neighbors. I will go back later in March for a wedding. It was a great visit and a beautiful village (in which, as in much of the rest of the country, electricity and street lights were going up despite its seeming remoteness).

News I have heard from back home has been mixed. I sadly missed a milestone birthday for mom, but it sounds like her and my sister had a good time. I also heard from my dad about my aunt in the hospital. My thoughts are with her as she tries to recover. I did want to let everyone back home know I am thinking of you all, even though I have certainly not written enough.

With that brief overview of the last couple months, I will start getting ready to head out. Today is a big day as it is the second round of qualifiers for the World Cup I think. Whatever the specifics are, it is Rwanda playing Nigeria in the regional stadium rather than the national stadium by the house, which is getting renovations. This means I have to make it all the way to Nyamirambo and try to beat the crowds there. I will let you all know how it goes, especially as it will be my first live football/soccer game. I hope they will sell vuvuzelas, but somehow suspect that they will not. Future posts will also feature a lot about the women’s month celebrations here in Rwanda. Each week has a specific theme: malnutrition, women’s health, economic empowerment, and finally women in governance and decision-making. Also for those out there curious about the happenings of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, you can search for UNCSW on Facebook or Twitter, or you can go to http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/56sess.htm. These will have links to speeches, events, etc. As always, stay tuned for future, and hopefully more frequent, updates!

Ni aha ubutaha (till next time – nah-hooboo-tahhah)!

Umwaka mushya muhire!

For those who speak English, happy new year! I spent the holiday at a friend's house away from the craziness of the 7pm-dawn party at the large expo center. It was a nice gathering, complete with my terrible attempts to play rock band.

These past weeks have been very busy for me. I have continued getting great interviews. Also, I have been able to get clearance to attend a gacaca. Gacaca is pronounced gah-cha-cha, and it is a local approach to justice for genocide crimes in which the community gathers together to hear/make accusations, prisoners respond, and decisions regarding punishment are made by community leaders. The gacaca system is supposed to end soon, but there are a couple lingering cases. When I was here in 2009, I also received clearance to attend gacaca but it was delayed and I had to catch my flight out of the country. I had hoped to get a chance to see one before they closed and it seems that I, along with Andy, will get that chance.

The weeks of having the house to myself are over as a new housemate has arrived and the woman from whom I rent has returned as well. It was a really quiet couple of weeks and I am quite exited to have other people around at home again. The new housemate and I tried the cheapest local buffet I've found yet, and it was one of the tastiest! I was very pleased, and in addition to being cheap (1200 RWF = $2.00) it is a block from my house.

This post is a particularly short, but more will follow! I just wanted to quickly update on big happenings of the past weeks and assure everyone that I am safe and sound. It will be even better when Andy arrives tomorrow! I had considered taking him to the Ethiopian restaurant when he arrives since there will be dancing and music for Ethiopian Christmas, but I suspect he will be too tired. To all those celebrating Christmas tomorrow, melkin yelidet beaal! For everyone else, take care and stay tuned for future updates!

Lots of Happenings

It has been almost a month since I last posted. Many apologies! I have been quite busy, and have lots to update on, including many new experiences.

I went to my first Rwandan wedding a couple weeks ago. It was the wedding of a friend's cousin. There is a really complicated way to understand family relationships. To go to the wedding there was a special umuganda so we couldn't leave town until later. It was alright though, and the wedding right before the one we attended was a military wedding for someone that seemed pretty high up, complete with military band and sword arch. The wedding I attended was great! I was worried at first that perhaps the bride and groom were sad to be there, or at least not very happy about it. I was told that being serious requires not smiling. During the wedding ceremony there was really interesting discussions of how to treat each other with respect and how true Christian love would prevent people (husbands and wives and people in general) from treating others badly, with the priest also citing the well known example of Hutus and Tutsis during 1994. The reception was much more relaxed than the ceremony in the church. There were separate seats for the distinguished family members on each side, and many speeches. Particularly interesting was a speech from the bride's father saying that she was muzirankoni - meaning one who cannot be beaten, and stressing that she needed to be treated right and the couple needed to visit both families, his and hers. The father of the groom assured everyone that theirs is a good family that doesn't even like to take beer, they like milk. Also, he said that they have ways of settling conflicts and disputes that do not involve fighting or violence, and emphasized that their family's men always treated women properly. He assured everyone that the bride would be well treated by his son. It was a very interesting conversation: a GBV (gender-based violence) prevention discussion during the reception. Very interesting. After these speeches there was sharing of soda and cake, and gift-giving to the couple. At least two cows and a car was said to be given to the couple, and the bride's university class visited and brought gifts as a group. Rather than just leaving gifts by a table, one is supposed to walk up in front of everyone and give the gift, which meant I too had to walk up with my wedding cart and say congratulations. It was a great time, and allowed me to see the AVEGA (an organization for widows of the genocide - http://www.avega.org.rw/English.html) headquarters in Rwamagana since the reception was held there.

Another thing I have done is learn more of Nyamirambo as I have made a friend that is also without her partner right now. I really enjoy Nyamirambo. I would honestly have to say that if my current living situation weren't so perfect I would go get a place in Nyamirambo. It is a more energetic part of town with lots going on, lots of people, lots of colorful shops, buildings and buses. It's a very fun part of town that I suspect will be Andy's favorite while he is here. Notable places include Green Corner which is famous for fish and inkoko (chicken). And when you get a chicken they give you a chicken. It is quartered but it is all there for you, and very tasty. I was also taken to a juice shop that has a fruit dish from Mombasa, Kenya with pieces of pineapple and citrus fruits all in avocado juice. When it was described to me, despite my love of avocado juice I was quite uncertain about how good it would be. Surprisingly, it was incredibly good!

Other good places I have found to eat include Mr. Chips. Absolutely awesome if one is craving fried chicken! The fried fish and burgers are also supposed to be very good. For a lot of local food though I still enjoy the delicious meals offered in our house and buffets. Another buffet close to the house is quite cheap and includes drink and dessert. So overall I am eating quite well! I have also gone to Come Again and finally tried Akabenzi - a pork dish that I have heard a lot about since the last time I was in Rwanda. It was pretty good. I'm still going to have to say that brochette ihene is still my favorite (goat brochette - kind of like shish kabob without so many vegetables).

I also got a chance to meet Rwandan students that have been granted Fulbright scholarships to study in the United States. That was a really great experience as Rwandan alumni of the program and Americans in the room talked about American culture and things to expect, etc. It was interesting to think about my experiences here in Rwanda and then consider how a Rwandan might experience America once there.

In addition to interviews, meetings, and meals, I have also attended a couple conferences (of which there are many always happening in Kigali). One I attended was the second day of the Kigali International Conference African Security Organs Annual Review Meeting on the Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls. There were representatives from many countries present including Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, as well as Eritrea and South Sudan as observers. There was a lot of representation from RDF (Rwanda Defense Forces) and RNP (Rwanda National Police). They took us all on police vans to visit RDF gender offices that dealt with gender and GBV concerns located at the Ministry of Defense as well as the RNP headquarters GBV office. There are also smaller versions in local police stations, as I have seen in my local police station. At the end of the conference, recommendations were discussed and agreed upon. This involved posting the recommendation Word document on a projector and everybody debating about them. It was really fascinating to see the ways people debated and argued about the recommendations, finally coming to an agreement.

I also to a conference with the invitation of IBUKA (a word meaning remember, this organization is a survivors organization - http://www.ibuka.rw/) on trauma counseling which featured the publication of a report of counseling offered during gacaca (a local form of community justice). This was extremely interesting and allowed me to meet more people involved with gacaca as well as student groups of survivors, and other researchers focused on trauma and gacaca. It also again highlighted the challenges of transitional justice, local justice, care services like trauma counseling, and recovery in general.

As for the holidays, there is no need to worry because there are plenty of people here making sure that I feel at home! There's lots of interesting things going on around Kigali for the holidays. Holiday reggae show, a place for kids to go and do kid stuff, special discount on Ethiopian buffet, some football games, a traditional dance show, and many gatherings. I spent part of Christmas Eve with a friend and we went to one of the nice hotels in Kigali. It had a choir set up by the very elaborate pool and garden area and the entire hotel was decorated beautifully. I will go to a Christmas dinner this afternoon with a few friends.

I do have to say that the reggae wasn’t holiday songs or anything. It just happened during the holidays. I really loved the band – Holy Jah Doves (their songs are available on youtube and samples are at http://www.rafikirecords.com/artists/jah-doves)! It was a shaky start the first song or two, but then once they got going it was really good. They started with some popular Bob Marley songs, but then moved into Kinyarwanda reggae written by the band which was a mix of reggae and traditional Rwandan sounds. Really amazing. And the crowd and bar was great. It is a place that serves pizza, but since we were full from Ethiopian buffet we will try the pizza another time. The Ethiopian buffet was fantastic! In addition to great food (and of course, my favorite: doro wat), the buffet included coffee ceremony and a bonfire in the yard.

I didn’t make it to the football game yesterday, but may go see one on Monday. I was not particularly worried about it since they are friendly practice games rather than games with opposing teams. Instead I went to lunch yesterday and while eating outside on the covered patio, got to see my first hail in Rwanda. It was a crazy little raincloud (there were other places with sun while hail was falling by us. It didn’t last too long but interesting nonetheless.

Other new experiences included planting a bit of eggplant with a really friendly woman I met at the home of an acquaintance, getting to see some new villages, helping judge a youth essay and poster contest hosted by USAID and the American Embassy during the 16 days of activism against GBV (http://www.unwomen.org/infocus/16-days-of-activism-against-gender-violence/), watching a woman’s football game after the 16 days march played between women in government institutions and women in civil society organizations (and during the march, police and military join in with other organizations marching to show their support for the fight against GBV), and being able to introduce myself in Kinyarwanda to a group of rural women just outside Kigali learning to read and write. Kinyarwanda lessons are reaching their end, but I was able to get enough to do introductions, numbers, market bargaining, and the like.  

The house will soon become bustling as more people start arriving. The woman I am living with will have a busy house in January. Should make things even more interesting as Andy is here since he'll get to meet many people and experience the business of a full house in full swing.
I have given up more or less on the early morning swimming. Maybe when it is not so rainy and cold at night it will be alright to get up early and swim. Or I just have to commit. I will still go every once in awhile (as regular as a schedule allows) to swim in the afternoon, and still do sauna time  since that seems to really help a lot. A lot of the exercise now is walking everywhere. Between the healthy food and walking I'm doing quite well. And of course I have been continuing to meet with many great people and trying to make sure that I continue work on all projects while here.

So as you can see, things have been quite busy! In the future, I will be sure to update this blog at least once a week. Until next time, noheri nziza (Merry Christmas), Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanza, and in general happy holidays!

Cloudy Day

As the post title suggests, it has been a cloudy day here in Kigali. The day is still young, but I suspect it will bring rain (imvura) rather than sun. I have a meeting this afternoon and an event to attend this evening so I am taking a bit of time out to post quickly. It is of course Thanksgiving here and back in Lincoln as well. For those curious, there is a restaurant (mostly an expat sort of place) that is serving an expensive Thanksgiving dinner - a mere 14000RFW ($23 for the meal), though another post says 12000 ($20). It will include pumpkin soup, turkey, mashed sweet potatoes, vegetarian stuffing with celery, apples and raisins, carrots, spinach, and choice of things like pumpkin pie or cinnamon raisin bread pudding. I will obviously not be going. Most large tasty meals elsewhere are much cheaper. A friend and I got brochettes, frites, soda and I got a large beer all for around 4700RWF ($7.83) If I need a special meal I will simply go find some more tasty goat somewhere.

With that said, I have been able to do more office visiting and following up and requesting new interviews. Tomorrow starts the beginning of 16 days activism aganist gender violence in Rwanda and throughout the world. There will be a group of supporters walking through town, ending at the stadium for speeches and to watch a women's football game: women in government institutions vs. women from civil society organizations. I probablly will not get to see all of the football game since I have Kinyarwanda class, but it should be a good experience.

I know this is a short update, but I have to make sure I stay on schedule. Take care and mwirirwe (MeeReeGway - goodbye (afternoon); see http://morganinafrica.blogspot.com/2006/02/rwandan-dictionary-kinyarwanda-english.html for more Kinyarwanda words and phrases, spelled phonetically)!

Busy Week

This week I met many people and attended really interesting events. My trekking around the city has paid off both in meetings and in ensuring that I am finally able to find my way around relatively efficiently. One of the more exciting things I got to do was attend a national working group on women's land rights. Very interesting! There was a great mix of individuals there: gender experts, development experts, lawyers, rural leaders, government officials working on gender, abunzi representatives (abunzi is a local dispute resolution committee - for more information see the summary by Séraphine Murerwa, Muriel Veldman and Marco Lankhorst at http://www.rcn-ong.be/An-insight-into-abunzi-justice?lang=fr), UN workers, NGO workers, and more. I was particularly pleased to have the opportunity to attend this event given the emphasis that many women's organizations place on their role in advocating for women's inheritance rights among other laws.

Another event attended was a summary of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW - http://gewrwanda.org/) activities in Rwanda. This is the first year Rwanda has participated in GEW and events ranged from training in entrepreneurship, finding mentors for those interested in entrepreneurship, and connecting entrepreneurs with global networks. The keynote speaker was Eric Kacou, author of the newly released Entrepreneurial Solutions for Prosperity in BOP [Bottom of Pyramid] Markets (https://www.entrepreneurialsolutionsforprosperity.com/). Particularly noteworthy was a short presentation about a local magazine's decision to consistently run a regular story highlighting women entrepreneurs, a student's story about starting a business from 5000 RWF (Rwandan francs - about $8.33) that now has 5 employees, and a student organization's story of creating an entrepreneurship club at school. It was interesting to hear from many of the people who emphasize entrepreneurship as a solution to some of Rwanda's economic problems.

During some personal time, I went to my first trivia night here and the people organizing it are serious about trivia. There were 32 questions, ranging from identifying celebrity parents (of which I knew nothing about), determining the first line of books to identifying things like the president of Uzbekistan (refering of course to Herman Cain's Ubekibekibekistanstan statement - the answer is Islam Karimov by the way). It was fun, despite our unprepared group coming in last place. Perhaps our brains were fried from Kinyarwanda lessons, or perhaps we are just terrible. Maybe we will find out at some future trivia night.

Other than that I have been doing a lot of the same: studying Kinyarwanda and trying to work on my French, such as it is; trekking around seeking out contacts and interviews; enjoying delicious Rwandan food; trying to make sure I set aside dedicated time for writing; trying to get up to swim early (I was quite naughty by skipping a lot this week); and currently enjoying the scent of old cabbage waiting to be eaten by the rabbits wafting into the window as the wind has changed (methinks it's time to close the windows). I also survived my third ever sauna. To state the obvious, those things are ridiculously hot! I might be getting better though. I made it significantly longer than five minutes this time.

Next week there is a lot on the table and so an update should be short in the making. Turongera (see you soon - TooRohnGayRah, see http://morganinafrica.blogspot.com/2006/02/rwandan-dictionary-kinyarwanda-english.html for more Kinyarwanda words and phrases, spelled phonetically)!

Long Overdue Update

Things have been going quite well here in Kigali. It has been awhile since I last updated, and a lot has happened. I have received my research clearance and research visa, allowing me to contact organizations which require such clearance. I have made good connections for an interpreter/research assistant. I attended an art show of Rwandan artistics. I attended the opening of Nyampinga Girl Hub - a group that will publish a magazine and radio station aimed empowering Rwandan girls. I tried both a Chinese restaurant and an Indian restaurant, and found a place near my Kinyarwanda lessons that has good meatballs. I was also able to listen to a couple of really interesteing presentations by Ellen Banda-Aaku (author of Patchwork - www.ellenbandaaaku.com). Most interesting was her presentation to students of the Centre about gender, culture, being a woman writer, and a discussion about what the phrase "African feminist" may mean.

As I have been here longer I have gotten to know more of the Centre's faculty and affiliated researchers. They are a great group! Someone involved usually has some sort of weekend outing or movie, etc. One graduate student researcher is soon returning home and so I went to her going away party where I continued to meet people. Between the Kinyarwanda lessons, meeting people through Centre connections, wandering around searching for NGO offices, and other random meetings along the street, I'm getting to know a good deal of interesting people here. People are very friendly and helpful, and I am getting many chances to practice my Kinyarwanda and my very poor and limited (but growing) French.

I don't have much time to elaborate tonight since I have work to get done and places to go afterwords. The next blog will be very soon so you won't have to wait again. Take care, and umugoroba mwiza (have a nice evening - OoMooGohRohBah MWEEZah; see http://morganinafrica.blogspot.com/2006/02/rwandan-dictionary-kinyarwanda-english.html for more Kinyarwanda words and phrases, spelled phonetically)!

Umuganda

Yesterday was umunsi w'umuganda. This is a day of service during which all who are able between 18 and 65 are supposed to participate in community service from 8-11am on the last Saturday of every month. A chairperson directs the work, and at the end there is a community meeting to discuss problems, concerns, news, etc. One is supposed to bring one's own tool and be directed from there. Our guard gave me a hand tool which has a long metal piece that bends at a 45 degree angle for the last 4-5 inches (http://www.chillingtonhoes.com/images/GrassSlasher1.jpg). It is meant for cutting grass, so I helped cut grass along a small hillside and along the street. Needless to say, I was quite terrible at it. Others were able to hold with one hand and swing. To be somewhat effective I wound up holding it as a cross between a gold club and swinging like low baseball bat. By the end I started getting better, but I will clearly have to practice before the next umuganda day. There were some nice people who helped shuffle me around and one that had gone to university in Kampala who talked with me about umuganda. He was very proud and said that umuganda helps Rwanda be the most beautiful country in all of East Africa. After umuganda, I spent the rest of the day resting, which included accompanying my housemate to a massage and my first ever sauna. I understand it is supposed to hot but it was really hot! I only lasted about five minutes in the sauna.

I woke from my rest this morning to church music and preaching. There is what sounds like a Southern minister at the church next door today. He's speaking English and someone else is translating what he says. On Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays the church is definitely up and running. Last time I was in Rwanda we were right next door to a church as well. There are many here, and I am often asked if I am here working for either an NGO or a church.

In addition to umuganda and sauna, since I last wrote I was able to have another new experience on Friday night: Tanzanian food. For one of the gender researchers leaving the Centre to return to Australia, a group of us went to the Tanzanian restaurant near our house. You order goat in kilos there, and the group of us went through three kilos of goat. From the Tanzanian professer at the Centre, we also learned about the softest part of the goat: the underarm. In addition to the goat, there were DELICIOUS greens, some vegetables in a red saunce, fried potatoes, and a curry-like sauce. It was a very good meal. Tonight I may go to a local restaurant frequented by foreigners as they are having a Halloween gathering complete with Halloween buffet (unsure what that means), treats for kids, costume contest, and a showing of Ghostbusters. I will also find out today if I will be starting Kinyarwanda classes tomorrow.

Until next time, take care and umunsi mwiza (have a good day - OoMoonSee MweeZah, see http://morganinafrica.blogspot.com/2006/02/rwandan-dictionary-kinyarwanda-english.html for more Kinyarwanda words and phrases, spelled phonetically)!

Getting Situated in Kigali

I have now gotten over jet lag, met many people from the Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) Centre for Gender, Culture, and Development (CGCD), met with members of the U.S. Embassy, and have settled into my ensuite. The house at which I'm staying is conveniently located, has meals provided four days a week, and is working out very well. It is especially great that the home owner knows many of the gender scholars and activists here and is introducing me to them all. I plan on being based here for the duration of the trip. I will still travel around the country of course. I also have been working on the final stages of the bureaucratic process through which one gets a visa. By next week I should have a visa in hand. Those coming out to visit me in Kigali should know that Americans don't need a visa if they are coming for 90 days or less. Here let me make a plug for Dr. Chantal Kalisa's summer study abroad in Rwanda to take place in summer 2012. Email Dr. Kalisa for more information (mkalisa2@unl.edu). The previous flyer is available at http://www.unl.edu/iaffairs/study_flyers/summer/rwanda.shtml, but keep in mind updated information should be attained from Dr. Kalisa. Even if you are not in the UNL system, you should still email about attending.

In addition to getting settled in my new home, meeting new people, and working on the visa process, I have been able to explore a bit. Yesterday I was able to meet with the other Fulbright student and a friend of hers. She and I first met at the Fulbright orientation in June and she arrived in Rwanda last month. I was able to finally have my first Primus since being back in Rwanda and some brochette (goat skewer, though other meats are available as well) at a local restaurant near my house. Towards the end of the evening, there was some Glenn Medeiros, Elton John, and Celine Dion videos. Most of the music videos were of Rwandan artists. I should soon know more of them as I listen to more radio. That's one of the really fun things with my new phone: it comes with FM radio. AWESOME! Everything from local stations to BBC Africa. And for those in the know, yes I did bring a phone with me but in my brilliance I left the battery in Lincoln. It has clearly worked out though as that phone did not have FM radio, and having two here means that Andy will get to have a phone when he makes it out.

Those are the main happenings for now. I'm all settled in and off to a good start here in Rwanda. I will post again soon. Until then, take care!

Muraho from Kigali!

Greetings all! I have arrived in Kigali and enjoyed a nice day of rest. I really enjoy the house in which I am staying and it looks like I'll be trying to get myself up early in the mornings to go swimming. I also got a chance to visit the Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) Centre for Gender, Culture and Development (CGCD). In the next couple days I'll be getting the last things in order to get a long-term visa, etc. Stay tuned for updates!