First Week in Rwanda

Muraho from Rwanda!

So sorry Rob and I haven't had much time to blog. Between the internet cutting in and out and spending most of our time outside, blogging has proven rather difficult. we are loving rwanda though! i have never met people that are so nice in my whole life! my accommodations are way better than i had expected minus the huge ass cockroach who likes to hang out in my bathroom.. the other volunteers are amazing.. there is 8 of us living in the house right now and we all are from different places with completely different backgrounds.. rob's accommodations are great too! we are about a 30 minute moto (motorcycle that zips through all the traffic) ride from eachother.. yes, caren i am a huge hypocrite.. i just finished up my first day at the orphanage i am working at.. in the morning i teach the kiddies and after lunch i hang out with the older guys and a little girl that i am already in love with, Maria.. she had one of the boys translate i love you ashley to me haha so adorable! my heart just filled up with love when all the kids sang a welcome song and said welcome ashley for the first time.. i also visited the other volnteer spots.. when i get out of the car i get swarmed by children hugging and jumping all over me.. it's kinda funny cause i just laugh my ass off everytime it happens because i am so overwhelmed with the love that these children have for a complete stranger.. i think that makes them hug me tighter when i laugh haha.. rob started his first day at the hospital today, hopefully he will be able to update everyone tonight.. i was a little initimidated by the older boys at the orphanage at first, possibly because of the language barrier and the little fight that already broke out between a few of them.. i sat down after though and spoke with a couple of the boys who are finished school but are still living at the orphanage since their entire families were killed in the genocide and they cannot afford university.. so even though some of them are 20ish, they have no place to go.. i am going to be helping them put together resumes/CVs so they are able to perhaps find work and maybe start researching colleges for them.. i am also helping the accountant with their software and to generate reports through different programs.. the director is awesome and he was actually put through school through in organization in canada so he is a big fan of anyone from there which makes me feel even more welcomed.. rob and i already have our local watering hole picked out, with beer only being $1.20 and the heat outside we have been spending a lot of time there it seems! we also went to lake kivu this past weekend with one of my friends from the volunteer house, christina.. one thing i am already use to is having MAZUNGA! yelled at us constantly! it means "white person" or "passerby" and the kids especially love to yell this at us.. but it's always followed by a hug so i'm sure it's not a bad thing.. older people don't always say it directly to us but we hear them talking to their friends, rob suggested we learn how to say "we understand what you are saying" in the local language to see what they say haha.. it's so strange being stared at wherever you go but the people are so loving and sweet, they honestly just want to help us and make us feel at home which is exactly what i feel here.. if i ask someone where something is, they will walk with me sometimes up to 10 minutes to help me along my way.. the language barrier has been a tad tricky.. rob's been great at picking up french, i'm a little weaker but i'm thinking i can make a deal with one of the boys at the orphanage, if i help them with their math they can help me with my french.. i also went to the genocide memorial here in kigali on my orientation day with Claire who runs FVA.. i got emotional when we arrived at the room with all of the bones and skulls of the victims as the genociders not only killed but completely mutilated its victims before killing them which the skulls showed.. Claire just put her arm around me and led me through.. really though everything i have experienced here has been so positive and as soon as we left the geneocide memorial i felt an overwhelming happiness again about being here.. i've already made some great friends and i'm getting to spend lots of time with rob, life is good.. anyway, probably none of this makes sense and there's probably tons of spelling errors as i am rushing to go try and book the gorilla trek.. we are safe and happy though and miss everyone very much! we will update you all as much as possible.

lots of love from rwanda
ash x