Crimson Tide Comrade

My "partner in crime" Sarah Stern arrived in town to spend her last weekend in Rwanda in Kigali with me. Of course we spent the time doing her favorite things in our favorite places and had a fabulous time in the process. A few interesting things to note during her visit:

- Moto rides from hell - Generally speaking, I have become very comfortable with the motos (motorcycle taxis) and enjoy them frequently as a means of transportation; however, Sarah and I had two particularly negative experiences.

1) I have seen motos zip in and out of traffic, zooming by with little regard to present cars, but I have never personally experienced such a horror...until now. I really thought I was going to die but was unsure of the best way to handle the situation. Tapping or yelling at the driver may distract him and cause him to wreck, so I simply occasionally screamed an expletive that carried no meaning to the driver but brought me some relief until the ride concluded.

2) On the way home from the Neon Lounge - as we call it - at about 11 p.m., it was very chilly and sprinkling. Neither Sarah nor I had jackets. My moto driver did not even provide me a helmet. Therefore, by the time I arrived at the house, my clothes were soaked, I was thoroughly shivering, and I had been "crying" on myself all the way home on account of the cold wind on my face.

- One of Sarah's final responsibilities at Sonrise School was leading a "girls' talk" about relationships with the secondary school girls. She was nervous about doing so, since apparently rumors had been circulating about the school that she was pregnant (her stomach was somewhat distended as a result of an infection or something). But Sarah told me the talk was quite a success, with the girls appreciating any sort of emotional guidance. Many are orphans, and the others rarely see their parents. They asked simple, reasonable questions:

Is kissing a sin? Is my boyfriend cheating on me? How do I know if I am being unreasonably jealous?

It was endearing to hear such sincere, honest questions yet frustrating that they had no model to already have taught them about relationships.

- Here, as in Ghana, begging is frowned upon. Yet, I have encountered it much more frequently here, though perhaps only because of the places and ways that I travel (spending much time downtown and walking frequently). During the day but especially at night, children and the disabled come out and patrol the sidewalk asking people for money. I have become completely callous to this now, ignoring their efforts or firming telling them, "No," without the slightest pause or guilt. No Rwandan seems to take pity on them (President Kagame certainly does not). Instead, they are working in some way to provide for themselves. Why should I feed an insatiable appetite?

- According to Sarah, connection to Bishop John Rucyahana provides a cloack of protection - regardless of the distance of the connection. According to locals, her affiliation with Sonrise prevented anyone from considering robbing the B2R house, cheating her in bargaining, etc. Bishop John is that revered and respected as both a community and national leader. People think it would shame them and their families to wrong Bishop John and those connected to him. It is interesting to note the degree of admiration for this man's work, altering behavior so clearly to reflect such.