Time in Rwanda
is winding down, and there are still so many things to share! So, the next few posts are going to be
a mixture of different ideas and thoughts. I wanted to share some random thoughts about life in Rwanda,
and, due to many questions I’ve received concerning what my dissertation is actually
about, I wanted to share a bit about that too (in the next post). So, here are some random things I have
learned about life in Rwanda from my perspective.
Security: Security is considered a very important
aspect of society. I could
literally walk almost anywhere in the city at any time and feel safe. Why? Because there are police people stationed everywhere all of
the time. Granted most of them
carry very large guns, but overall you still feel quite safe.
Fanta: I had no idea that Fanta was so
popular. If you go to a wedding,
you are always offered a bottle of Fanta. There are several flavors, such as orange, fiesta (purple),
and coca cola. I can’t even count
the number of times I’ve been given a straw and a bottle of Fanta.
Dessert: Here, dessert=bananas. As someone with a sweet tooth, this is
a little depressing. But, I try to
remind myself it’s much healthier than my usual choice of doughnuts.
Hired
help: Many, many people hire maids
or cooks. I have many thoughts about this, but I’ll leave it at that.
Dowries: Dowries are paid before weddings. Then, there is an introduction ceremony
where the bride’s family officially accepts the dowry.
Moto Taxis: The easiest way to get around is by
moto taxi. They zip in and out of
traffic pretty quickly, so it takes a little while to get used to. I actually burned my leg on one last
week, but otherwise riding them has been fairly easy.
Umuganda: The last Saturday of the month, all
Rwandans must participate in mandatory community service in the morning. They spend time cleaning the streets
and making Rwanda beautiful.
Muzungo: As I
shared in an earlier post, foreigners are called muzungos here. It’s quite common for people,
especially children, to point at me and yell “muzungo!” Especially when I travel outside of the
city, I soon find myself surrounded my crowds of children who want to touch me,
pet my hair, or see my eyes.
Ethnicity:
Surprising in light of the acceptance of blatantly pointing out muzungos,
ethnicity is taboo in Rwanda. Due
to the genocide, people are not allowed to differentiate by ethnicity. Instead, everyone is considered
Rwandan.
Food: Bananas,
beans, and rice are core staples in almost every meal. Rwandans don’t eat much meat, which is
useful for a vegetarian!
Obama: Many,
many people have asked me if I think Obama will win the upcoming election. From what I can tell from my
conversations, he’s quite popular here.
And, I’m continually amazed by how much people know about U.S.
politics. This weekend, I was
talking with an 8-year-old. When I
told him I was from the U.S., he said, ”Ah, so your President is Obama.” Wow.
School
fees: Education here is not free
(though as a universal human right, it should be!). Instead, students pay fees for uniforms and other services.
Sibling
support: After 1994, many young people were left without a parent/parents. In part due to that, the oldest sibling
in each family bears much responsibility.
Most of the people my age I have met work so they can pay for their
siblings’ school fees. For
example, the girls who clean and cook at my guesthouse work so their younger
siblings can attend school (even though they do not attend school
themselves).
Nice blog post Hollie thanks for sharing your experience to us.
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