IST....

24/10
A Blast from the Past
So I'm in Kibuye, on lovely Lake Kivu and it's sooo nice to have a change of scenery. It's also wonderful to meet back up with my fellow PCVs from Health 3. They are so lovely and we have such a nice, small group that I'm very happy to get a chance to catch up with them. Today, we talked about an overview of our experiences over the last three months. Now I've been in touch at least a few times with most of the people from my group so I had a basic idea of how things were going, BUT I still got so much from this time. I don't know if it was hearing all of them at once or what but I just got so much love perspective. It's easy to think you're all alone when you're out at site. It's nice to come in and hear you're not crazy and that the problems you're dealing with are problems other people are dealing with.
HOWEVER, I've also felt some alienation because only 3 other people are not working in health centers and the other people not in health centers are with organizations. So...my situation is somewhat unique. So, on the bright side, I have time to update my blog! AND even though I'm not working within the Rwandan health care system, I'm learning a LOT about it! So knowledge never hurts! And this conf is a great opportunity to make our plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas! I don't know what I'm doing yet, but it's gonna spring up on me I know because I have so much going on between now and then.
I've also had the opportunity to speak with our program managers about defining my role in the community a little more clearly. I'm hoping to really bring my ideas and new things to my supervisor to try and start some things in the community. BUT really, truly, Camp GLOW is my greatest hope for meaningful work (or what i perceive as a significant contribution). I can't wait because once my girls go to the camp and come back, I can help start GLOW clubs to work on life skills and all the wonderful girl empowerment ideas that will be planted with the camp. I'm just so excited to have an opportunity to tell these girls that they can have a purpose besides having a bunch of children. Here, a woman is not called a "woman" umugore until she is married. Before that time, she is always called a "girl" umukobwa. If you are not married and try and say you are a "woman" there are negative implications and you can be considered a prostitute. Obviously, this is terribly irritating as a 24 yr. old woman with a college education and a fair bit of world experience. I miss a culture that defines a woman (at least, in part) by what she has accomplished. I guess here it's the same but the accomplishments all revolve around being a wife or mother. I personally call "gender normative"! I know it's my culture and personal experiences and Western perspective that call that, but I can't escape that and I still feel like I'd rather be going in that direction.