Rwanda..

It all began on a Thursday evening when 7 volunteers decided to take a 2 A.M. bus from Kampala, Uganda to Kigali, Rwanda. Since all of us are in our early 20's we decided to go out for food, drinking, and dancing before we boarded our bus. Kampala night life is amazing. The best part is they play all American Hip hop and some Uganda Hip Hop which sounds like Reggae. After shaking our booties we started our journey to Rwanda which would take about 10 hours. As we headed out of Kampala the roads were very bumpy which we thought would pass but didn't for the whole time. Long story short it was the most bumpy, cold, unpleasant bus trip I had ever taken. We arrived on the Rwandan boarder around 9 in the morning and passed the boarder with only minor crisis(Americans get in for free, Japanese, Australia, and Irish people don't(1 for America)). Once we got into Kigali we went straight to our hostel that was owned by Ethiopian Rastafarian's. The compound we stayed in has multiple purposes. One Love(the name of the hostel, yes the Bob Marley song) researches and makes prostetic legs. The grounds were very nice and the rooms were very spacious. The money spent for the rooms supports the compound so it was nice to contribute. We all headed into town to exchange money and realized that NO ATM would accept our international credit cards. After an hour or two of acting like chickens with their heads cut off we found a place and exchanged our money from Shillings to Franks. Coming into Rwanda I did not consider the change in language and money. I was thinking to myself oh crap I just learned some Luganda and now I have to learn French!
The city of Kigali is amazing. It is very clean and very modern. It is very different than Kampala because the people are more reserved and very French in a sense. Hellen, another volunteer had missed the bus the night before and was apparently still meeting us in Rwanda. Our cell phones did not work in Rwanda and we were a bit concerned about Hellen's arrival. At about 8:00, well 7:00 Rwandan time, apparently the time change is from Rwanda to Uganda, Hellen came limping in. Hellen had fell in a ditch in Kampala but toughed it out because she was not going to miss Rwanda. Ofcourse the assertive one I am said I would take her to the hospital. As we were about to leave we met the owner and his brother which offered us a ride to the hospital. The hospital in Kigali is very nice and clean. It was very empty which I took as a good thing but looking back now it is because not many Rwandans have insurance. We got x-rays and hung out with some very cute Rwandan doctors. Hellen had not broken anything and was given bright pink pain killers that looked more like candy. The whole hospital trip cost us 15,000 Franks which is about 20 dollars! As we were leaving the hospital we spotted the rasta owners again. They stayed around to make sure we were ok and took us home. They were our heros that night.
The next morning we had planned a trip to see the memorials. We had to wake up at 5 in the morning and drive a long way to go to where they were located. I was not prepared for what I was about to see. We headed to a church where people from the Genocide in 1994 had been murdered. We walked in to see a simple church. As we walked around I could see some stairs leading down under the church. We walked down and saw a display of about 50 skulls and many, many bones. These skulls belonged to the people who died in the church. I was a bit shaken but stayed strong. The two who ran the church were telling us stories of the massacre. I started to walk around the back because there was another memorial. I walked past another set of stairs and saw about 100 more skulls. I could not take seeing all of that. These skulls were skulls of children, some infants. It was so hard to understand how someone could do that to someone else. There was a tin roof above the memorial. There was something hitting the roof that sounded like rain but it was a beautiful clear day out. I think the sound was the tears of the children who passed away, coming from heaven. I was very upset and had to be alone. I started to walk up to where our car was and saw many children. I went to them and tried to speak to them but they did not know english. From being in Uganda and now Rwanda I have learned to talk with my expressions and hands. The children love to touch you and were amazing by my piercings, stretch marks, hair, nails, skin, freckles, big butt, and anything else they wanted to touch. The children are the ones who got me through the first church.
The second church was off in the bush more. The scenery of Rwanda is amazing. There are HUGE hills and it is very green. It was hard to believe that somewhere some beautiful such horrible things could happen. The next church we went to was similar to the first except many more skulls and bones. The church also had the children's clothing hanging all over the walls. It was very difficult to not only see the skulls but to see what the children were wearing at well. The skulls were sometimes shattered and some with large fractures. We pulled ourselves together and headed to the museum. The museum was very informational. It talked about why there was a division between the Hutus and the Tutsis. It also talk about other genocides throughout time and how to prevent future ones. One of the saddest things I saw was a room full of large portraits of children. Under each it told what there favorite song, food, or something of that nature was, how old there were, and how they passed away. Seeing an infants picture, reading there favorite food was banana's, and hearing they died because someone threw them up against the wall was alot to take in. I'm still trying to process all of the things I saw but the hardest part is to walk down the street and know that some of these people are murders. They murdered these people like goats. They say there were bodies everywhere. My teacher told me they threw them in Lake Victoria and many washed up onto Ugandan land. No one ate fish in 1994. Its also hard not to think do the people of Rwanda think that the Genocide was a good thing and in a sense it worked. After the genocide the UN threw money at Rwanda and that is why it is as developed as it is now. This was a very heavy day for all of us.
In the evening we were looking for some much needed R&R. We headed out to dinner and than dancing after. Rwanda night life is amazing. We went to this amazing restaurant where Ewan McGregor was(think Star Wars). We were all a little star struck, especially those who had never seen a celebrity before. We had an awesome amazing time dancing like crazy. I would definitely love to return to Rwanda someday. It was an eerie, exciting, sad, and fun time if that can all exist in one. I was very happy to return back into Uganda. It was not like I felt unsafe in Rwanda but it was nice to come home.

I love Uganda

I love Uganda. It has only been two weeks but feels like a lifetime. The people here are so special, friendly, and ready for change. I have only been here a very short time but I have realized that in order for me to make a difference in Uganda 6 weeks is not nearly enough. Many of the children in my class are looking for someone to love them. I receive "love" Letters everyday from my students. They ask me to be their friend, to never forget them when I leave, and they often tell me their stories and ask for guidance or just someone to talk too. There are so many ideas running through my head to help these children but not nearly enough time to implement them. I am so inspired by the volunteers I have met not only because they are here but their readiness to return. I am excited for the remaining time I have left but saddened by what little influence I will have on these children. I will never forget them and I hope they will never forget me.

I stared death in the FACE!

Last Saturday I saw my life flash before my eyes not once but twice. It all began when an Irish, Californian, New Yorker, Canadian and three bible throwers decided to go rafting down the Nile. We were hooked up with an amazing tour group that gave us three meals and a full day of rafting for only 75 American Dollars. Now when rafting they grade the rapids by numbers, 1-6 with 6 being very dangerous and illegal to go down in America. We started our way down the Nile just minding our own business when we approached a grade 3 rapid. We were told before the trip that if we wanted to tip the raft we could but we had the option. We were 15 mins into our trip when we hit the grade 3 and FLIPPED over! First time I saw my life flash before my eyes. The rapids are much stronger than any ocean I had ever been in and you must kick your way to the surface again. Once I took the first gasp for air I was sucked under again. Again I made it to the top and saw some fellow passengers floating around. I grabbed Leigh to make sure she was ok and next I saw Dean(a very tall Canadian who simply said,"Please Help me I can't swim") I grab dean and we all head back into the raft. Again we paddled and paddled till we go to where we stopped for lunch. We had a nice filling lunch and after Dean decided to go into a different raft(with some Brits) because he thought it would be safer. We continued to paddle and than hit a grade 4 rapid and AGAIN flipped. This time it was much scarier than the first because I ended up under the boat but new that air gets trapped underneath(thank you girlscouts/Dad). Again we were not supposed to flip and were pulled back into the raft to face some more rapids. Once again we paddled and paddled and came to a point where we had to get out onto the shore. When we got to the shore we only saw 1 other boat instead of 2. Where is Deans boat? One of the Brits told us they did not get over in time and went down a grade 6 rapid and they don't know what happened. We ran up the hill to see if we could find Dean. We found Dean on a rock in the middle of the grade 6 rapids stranded! The others in the raft were on other surrounding rocks some a whole mile down. After much loud talking between the guides they decided a rescue mission had to take place. Two guides went down the rapids to grab dean and some of the rest. The rest of the trip was cancelled because many were scratched up a bit and pretty shaken but over all it was an awesome adventurous death defying time!

i smell like salmon, but that's ok

so...
i finally got to go set-netting. (a quickie for the non-fisherpeople out there: you take a giant volleyball type net, stick it out in the mouth of a river, and let the salmon come to you)

Picture this...the sun is slowly sliding down behind the ocean, it sends sharp rays through clouds...three people sit around a fire drinking cuban mojitos.
Is it New Zealand? Mexico? Puerto Rico?

Nope, none of the above. Its Alaska! And how do we know this? As you look closer you can see...the sun isn't really setting, just drifts along the horizon creating a bizarre, ever-twilighty ambiance. The clouds aren't really clouds, but a giant column of grey and black beetle-kill spruce fire smoke reaching out across the sky. And those people, you notice they are sitting awfully close to that fire, and wearing wool hats and gloves, and if you could look really close you might see their long underwear and thermal socks peaking out under their rubber boots.

And if you were there, like really actually there, you would smell them...the unmistakeable odor of salmon. Not just ordinary salmon, mind you, but still warm and slimy - blood and guts in the water being eaten by sea gulls salmon. The smell of your 15 salmon mixed with the smell of the thousands of other salmons being simultaneously butchered by unwashed Alaskans who've been sleeping in the sand, getting their drinking water out of blue plastic, and shitting in a spackel bucket.

And I'm counting down the days until dipnetting starts...

lox, filets, and caviar for all!
amber

Day 2: Uganda

Hello Friends, Family and Foes,
I am currently sitting in an Internet cafe that is right down the road from our guest house. The past 3 days have been a blur. My flight went very well and have come to realize American airlines suck. I flew on KLM from Amsterdam to Uganda and had a very nice flight. Not only do you get a personal T.V. in the head rest infront of you(I got to watch Aladdin and Happy Feet) but they also feed you well and give you hot towelettes... After I arrived in Uganda I stayed at a hotel near by and got to know some cool South African students who had been traveling around Uganda for the past couple of months. We shared "phat beats" with eachother and exchanged e-mails. In the morning Leslie, the Uganda volunteering coordinator, picked me up and took me to my new home. I am living with 6 girls and one boy. Our house is very nice with a balcony onto the main road. I'm really happy I got placed in Mukono District because: a) Many volunteers are left out in the bush(villages) b) All village people(no not the group) come to the guest house to hang out and c) we are located in a town so there are alot of western things around... As for the things I was nervous for and excited for the list has changed a bit... so lets make another one...

Top Africa events I'm excited for:
1/ Rafting down the Nile
2/ Teaching(starting Monday)
3/ Rolex's(Not the watch but some egg wrap I have yet to try)

Top Africa events I'm scared for:
1/ The temp(its actually chilly here.. its about 70 today)
2/ Bugs in my feet(which do exist because I have them.. DON"T BE WORRIES Esther our house mum with be picking them our for me later)
4/ Boda Boda's(motercyle taxis, they come very close to the big taxis when riding on them

Well thats about it for now. A bunch of us are headed to Ginger to run some errands.

Peace and love to all!!

amber's in ak

hello all,

so here i am in the big sunny northern state. and by sunny i mean that in a continuously literal sense. i've been having a blast here, recovering from the 10 day fiesta known as mom and dad's house.
Today I am sitting at the CampFire office, leading New Staff Orientation. It is sunny and 70' and I am sitting inside. My current job is at the Loussac Manor Community Center, at a local housing project. From 12-6 everyday approx 40 kids come to play and eat. It is a fascinating community; native alaskans, africans, hondurans and others, a little ghetto microcosm.

Enough of that, I'm going outside to enjoy my 24 hours of day light. I'm going to plant asparagus, walk through the woods, and drink mai tais. hope you're having fun.

amber

Pre Africa

One week till the big trip and the bags are half packed, the shots have been administered, the nerves are ticking, the excitement is building. I am currently sitting in Jess's HOT HOT Harlem Apt trying to enjoy my last weekend of something familiar. Soo in the spirit of familiarity I'm going to make some lists...

Top Africa events I'm excited for:
1/ Meeting the children in the Orphanage
2/ Getting to use my wind flashlight, neck pillow, and hiking boots
3/ Seeing the land/animals
4/ learning the language

Top Africa events I'm scared for:
1/ The food
2/ The heat
3/ The bugs
4/ The bugs in your feet

Well the last things to do now are to struggle through the last week of work, eat and drink as much as I can, celebrate the big 2-1 and jump on that big plan and scoot over to Uganda. Hope everything goes as simple as that.

Welcome Welcome Welcome

amber: so i just found this button that makes everything you write in Hindi
andrea: well you undid that right?
amber: yeah, I did. so they can read our posts now. except for our Hindi friends...
andrea: do we have any Hindi friends?
amber: ummm...

andrea: ....
amber: so...you have to say something now
andrea: i'm a little camera shy. i did have a Hindi friend once...chirag raval. we called him c.b. cock block
amber: you're so good to your friends.
andrea: he kept going on and on about his caste...
amber: we'll have to save that juicy material for another night

amber: so here we are...drinking margaritas at mom and dad's. surprise surprise
andrea: i had a passion fruit margarita last nite.... dee-lish-us. i love passionfruit. (love the PJ's dad)
dad and andrea: let's make a video with mom's camera