13/9
So I just got back from Kigali. Another trip to the big city, this time for health reasons, and to make sure all my banking stuff was sorted out after my ATM issue two weeks ago and my wallet issue last week. I'm back and all is well. I got all my documents and even my little LeSportSac back. I think the army units (that had never been seen around here in recent memory) and the presence of basically every important local figure played into its reappearance. I'm pretty sure that I only got my ATM card back because whoever stole it didn't understand it's worth. The majority of Rwandans are not a part of the banking system. It's makes sense, especially since so few of them have enough money to make it worth the bank's while and the limited access to the bank isn't worth their while. Another incentive that Americans have that Rwandans don't is access to credit. The bank's here because of the relatively few depositors, lack of financial help from the gov't (and a host of other reasons) securing a private loan here for any reason has an interest rate around 18%! This is crazy when you consider that that would be a pretty bad rate for a credit card in the states and is three times the rate on most of our student loans. No wonder they don't get involved. While monetary issues were not my initial intended topic, I think it is an interesting side note.
I was happily struck with many feelings in the past two days that were outside of my illness. I got a perfect example of the Peace Corps equilibrium on my way into Nyagatare on what was my least favorite moto ride. While I normally LOVE them, riding one on bumpy roads with an upset stomach will quell any desire for me to take one. However, on the way, my driver slowed down when we were getting near Nyagatare around the river. I didn't understand why until I looked over and saw a whole troop of baboons hanging out and munching on sugar cane. It may or may not be known that I have been recently been quite put out that I hadn't seen any of the baboons or hippos that are supposed to be around my region...just a lot of birds, cool birds, but birds. SO it was quite wonderful timing! (and just another example of the Peace Corps equilibrium).
Another example was the feeling that I got when I had to leave my site to head into Kigali to make sure that my stomach pain wasn't appendicitis. This was truly the first time that I felt like I was "having" to go into Kigali instead of "getting" to go. This may not sound big, but in making me feel like a functional volunteer, it was huge. Before, I would listen to the volunteers that had been around for a while talking about how they didn't really like Kigali, how they'd rather be back at site. I didn't understand that feeling for the longest time. Maybe it was because during training Kigali was the "forbidden fruit", maybe it was because Kigali has hot showers! Iced coffee! and free WiFi! I would look forward to the time when I saw my site as my home, where the Rwandan things would feel more comfortable than the muzungu things. (Remind me, I have to do a whole 'nother post on how often we use muzungu as a term for classification and the associated connotation). And today, as I was walking to the MTN center for my iced coffee, croissant and free wifi...all I wanted was some icyayi, a chapati and...well i still wanted the free WiFi. But it was a good feeling and I was happy to come back. When I did, I had the best of both worlds, the people I know to say "hi" to and leftover pizza to enjoy.
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