some thoughts from a basic white girl on her first trip to Africa
Rwanda holds a special place in my heart and i jotted down some thoughts throughout my visit.
biggest surprise:how safe it is here. like, Vancouver safe. you can walk around as a solo girl at night, and the only reason locals may try and approach you will be to practice their english: “hi how are you i’m fine”you can leave your helmets on your scooter and go into the bar, and just when you think you’ve pushed your luck because you come outside and they’re gone, some friendly security guys run up and give you the helmets they’ve been keeping for you.one time someone chased Christine down to give her the Coach purse and Tory Burch wallet that fell off her scooter.if you go to Rwanda talk to someone like Christine who can help ease the culture shock and make you feel safe - I had SO many questions and she was amazing at helping me understand the complicated, yet simple, place that Rwanda is.
biggest culture shock:Rwandans EVERYWHERE. sitting on the street. many dont have jobs or anything to do. in the countryside, kids just sit and chill on the side of the road watching the cars go by. i don’t know why but i was so taken aback to see a couple locals (who i know now were Claude and JP) just lounging in the hammock at Tommy’s front door when i first arrived.i am aware the response here is “ya Kellie it’s Africa.” but let’s be real, in vancouver we are lucky if we see one black person. for me, it was a total culture shock to be a minority to the point that people do a double take when they see you, some kids have NEVER seen someone with the same skin tone or hair colour as you, people turn around and stare for an abnormally long time as you walk away.craziest experience:being treated like celebs at a soccer game in Byumba. i will never forget the excited looks on those kids faces when they saw us, waving with excitement as we drove by with the windows down. it was so so strange.
perma mind-boggler:the genocide was 23 years ago. that’s not a different generation, that’s the SAME PEOPLE i am passing on the street. they killed up to 1 million people in 100 days. neighbours were killing neighbours, even husbands were killing wives. every river or ditch i saw, i saw it running red. bodies were PILED everywhere. i saw many people hobbling without legs or arms because they were chopped off with machetes. but yet the safety and generosity of people i encountered in that country were off the charts. i could never get that shift in behaviour from 23 years ago to now off my mind while i was there. like it really is a MIRACLE how they have recovered and rebuilt. i have some thoughts, but i never could figure it out.something i didn’t expect:seeing kids and families with with next to nothing and NOT feeling like bursting into tears. yes i feel sorry that their kids are playing in the dirt and they don’t have proper shoes and they don’t have the same access to food and water like every human deserves. of COURSE i feel sorry. i expected to come to Africa and see that level of poverty and just have my heart break.and don’t get me wrong, there is plenty that us more privileged folk can do. but handing out $5 here or $10 there, even though it could buy dinner for their whole family, is a band aid solution. the real help will come from providing the tools and skills to help them learn and succeed. Christine’s friend Jen bought a Rwandan flag pin off a kid on the street. she said she won’t give out money, but she will almost always buy something they’re selling because it teaches them they need to provide a good or service that is of value to make money, not just beg for it. i loved that. i also love Jen in general <3even coming to Rwanda and spreading the word about how beautiful, safe and clean it is will help Rwandans - we are bringing in tourism dollars, helping the locals stay employed through moto rides, hospitality, buying bananas and chapatis off the street.
a few other observations that stood out to me as a first timer to Rwanda/Africa:- moto bikes. everywhere. the first thing i noticed coming out of the airport. in Uganda they ride 4 peeps to a moto with 0 helmets
- staring for an abormally long time. then they look back after you’ve passed. then they look back again.- - the roadside people watching is insane. ladies in bright patterned Kitenge material with baskets of intricately stacked fruit on their heads. like i have never seen 50 cucumbers arranged so meticulously. 5 year old kids carrying huge bundles of bamboo or grass on their heads. ladies with their babies snuggled up on their backs like a little kangaroo pouch. in Uganda, herds of cows or goats on the road. guys on bikes hitching a ride up the hill by holding onto the back of a semi truck. there is always something to see. road trip naps are not a thing.
- getting caught in the rain - rainy season in Rwanda is no joke. Christine and i got caught in a downpour with a double rainbow riding home on her scooter, and it was a magical moment i won’t forget.
- fell in love with most of our servers there. they are so sweet, saying “yes please” when you order. this is Isaac from Java House.
- i will miss singing and dancing to Waka Waka (time for Africa) by Sharika: Amu-ralah by Roberto, What if i go? by Mura Masa. Africans are so proud to be African and oh my god do they know how to dance!!anywho. my peace leg is over and i am full throttle into play. not to get mushy but to me, peace was about experiencing things (gorillas, road trip with friends, double rainbow in Kigali, shark diving, Lion’s Head sunrise) that made me feel absolutely 100% happy and content and in the moment. at peace, i guess. inspired to live an epic life each and every chance i get. this leg was more than i could have dreamed of and my heart is full <3
