No Children

It's taken me a whole year, but I finally figured out the secret to lovely, stress- and heckle-free running in Shyorongi:

If you can't beat them, get up so early that they can't be bothered.

The constant swarming, screaming, and heckling I was getting from hoards of school children every time I would hit the trails for a run or a walk had basically driven me to the point of staying inside by the end of last term. I hated letting their stupid choices affect my own, but honestly, as much as I loved to be outside, it just wasn't enjoyable anymore. I go hiking for peace and a slice of nature; instead, all I was getting was full-volume screeching and a desire to dismantle my fellow human beings.

And then this term, a flash of brilliance: School kids love to sleep! They do it in my class all the time! They complain constantly about waking up early! Ipso facto, very few oiks would likely be roaming the hills of Shyo before they absolutely had to be. I tested out my theory this last Monday by getting up for a run at 5am. It was dark, but not pitch black, and by the time I got to the downhill stretch (where I need to be able to see where my feet are going so I don't further muck up my ankle) it was full-on dawn. The surroundings were more beautiful than ever, everything was fresh and crisp thanks to Rwanda's night rains, and, best, best, best of all,

no children.

I only saw six (adult) people on the entire run! And not one of them called me muzungu; they all just addressed me with a nice "good morning", almost as though we were both just regular people, instead of one regular person and one blanched freak. The run felt great, and I was back before 6am. I went three more times this week, and I've pretty much figured out that getting up at 5:20am so I can be out the door by 5:25 gives me the perfect blend of light and solitude. Term Three will be full of these runs! Watch out, Bay 2 Breakers 2011.

Note: If you haven't heard the song No Children by The Mountain Goats, hear it now. Learn the lyrics, and sing them at the top of your lungs with your family.