Part 1 of 3: What I Won't Miss About Rwanda
being called muzungu
shops opening and closing at random times, seemingly based on whim
an entire nation of close talkers
umuganda
often having nothing to eat but fried bread
food shame
students asking for forgiveness
being heckled by toddlers and mine workers
drunk barflies pestering me about how good God is
3:30am telephone calls from someone I gave my number to under duress seven months ago
being told good morning as dusk gives way to night
Nyabugogo
blaring half/half music/radio static coming from shitty handheld radios while I'm on a beautiful mountain walk
kinyarwanda radio programs consisting of manic laughter followed by 1,000 dropped calls being pumped into my ear at full volume while I'm on the bus
tree tomatoes
rocks in my rice
living with the matrons
mayonnaise
asking a question in class to get students thinking, and receiving a rote memorized answer from a similar topic they've already discussed in General Paper
Senior 4
lack of clear information about anything
endless, endless, endless speeches at any event
Kigali boredom
muzungu prices
the man in charge of parcels at the Kacyiru post office
falling down while running on crazy dirt trails
hand-washing, especially jeans
lack of ice
mosquito nets with holes in them
"it is not possible."
having a western toilet without western running water
the insane leery claustrophobia of markets
and, one more time for emphasis:
MUZUNGU.
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