Photo shoot!

So we are in the process of creating a website for the basket weaving cooperative. As a part of this project a friend of mine has donated his time to take some photos of the women and their products. We had about a 2 hour long session yesterday. After the session we sat around and looked at the photos from earlier in the week on my computer. We had a great time and the women made fantastic models! Photos are of me and the ladies going through the photos and some of my favorite shots.

Voila voiture!

Its fixed! One of the project drivers has taken it as his responsibility to ensure that we are safe on the road. Thank goodness for him! He came over this weekend with a mechanic. They played around with the clutch, then took a part out. The part seemed to be for hydrolic fluid or something. Apparently it was broken, so they took it out, went to the parts shop to buy a new one and came back and replaced it. The truck now shifts gears with ease. I swear her rumbling voice actually sounded happier too! Now just a few more things to fix... radiator/overheating problem and the fact that she leans to the right... we should count our blessings though as at least she is drive-able! Baby steps...

Wish List

My Mom recently told me to send her a wish list. I think she felt guilty when I mentioned that I was baking brownies which arrived in the mail for my housemate. Believe me, I don't really mind. People are starving in Rwanda, but its certainly not me. For entertainment, I stay pretty content with yoga downloads, books, and whatever DVDs are getting passed around. Of all of the things I listed there is actually only one really important one - Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap in Peppermint. This stuff is amazing!! Its the best all natural mosquito repellant I have found. I shower with it every night and never get a mossie bite. If, however, I use the Khiel's Eucalyptus Shower Gel, they buzz around like crazy. Its awesome. You can buy it at Health Food stores like Whole Foods. I got mine at some sports shop in San Fran. Apparently you can buy the soap in bar form, though I use the liquid form. That might be difficult to ship over though. Oh yes, and Mom, as always I need my Shaklee. I'm almost out! So although I added the Wishlist on the side, no pressure. I am getting along just fine! (though packages and letters do make my day... thank you Anna for all of the postcards!)

First Flat

On my trip to Uganda last month, I got my first flat. It was a slow leak so it didn't happen when we were driving, but by the time we got back to the car a day later, the tire was flat as can be. I decided not to write about it at the time because I wanted to include evidence that I changed it! We were offered help, but I said no. 1) I wanted to change it myself and 2) I wasn't sure if it was punctured by some guy thinking 5 muzungu women couldn't change a tire. It took a while because we had a hard time getting the jack to work. But in the end all changed and off we went back to Kigali!

Dancing with Friends

I'm beginning to make some good friends in the community. One in particular is an old lady in our basket weaving cooperative. The ladies call her Mademoiselle for her charisma and spunk. She's not necessarily a great weaver... she's too old. But she does seem to be a great friend and member of the community. Our latest "thing" together is dancing. A few weekends ago we were at visit from the head of UNDP in New York. There were some kids dancing and I must have been stopping and swaying a long with them without realizing it. Afterwards while hanging out in a classroom with about 60 of our weavers, Mademoiselle comes up to me grabs my hands and starts dancing in traditional Rwandese style, encouraging me to join. So, I join her, laughing along. Before I knew it the group of 60 women began clapping and singing in a circle around us, filling the room with music and energy. We danced away for about 10 minutes and it was one of those experiences which makes my life here so unique. I'm barely able to converse with these women, but we can share plenty of meaning in a circle of singing and dancing. Now, whenever I see Mademoiselle around Mayange or Nyamata, she grabs me and we dance for a few minutes. We laugh and she tells anyone around her how I know how to do traditional Rwandese dancing.

Partners in Pomegranates!

This week's big news is that the Turwanyubukene Farmers Cooperative (TFC) signed their investment documents with USADF. It was a momentous occasion. Almost all of the beneficiaries of the grant came to the farm on Thursday to meet with the country representative and MVP to go through the documents and sign the agreement. The group took the process very seriously asking many questions and promising their commitment to the farm and their responsibilities of implementation. Once it was signed, the group threw their arms up in the air and yelled out in joy! Just as we finished with this group photo, the skies opened up and it started raining. Apparently in Rwanda its a good sign when it rains on a big occassion. I think we all felt that this farm and group of 32 farmers are going to be blessed with a lot of good fortune in the coming years.

And no clutch...

So on my way home from our new weekly yoga routine, I got stuck in the middle of the road with no clutch, or at least what I thought having no clutch would be like. Basically the truck would not get into gear. It took me 5 minutes and a conversation with a police man to get the car into first. Moving along up the hill, I thought I'd try second, but bad idea. Got stuck again and had to pull over to the side of the road. Finally got it into first and decided to drive home without shifting. The car has been sitting in the driveway for a week now. Today a mechanic is supposed to come by. Fingers crossed its fixable without forking over too many $$$!