I've been pleasantly surprised at the end of this all...amused by the nostalgia & fondness for everything here that's setting in. I've only got about 53.4 hours left in the country (not that i'm counting) and while I'm ready to get back to Dublin and haven't had a life-changing experience or anything, I'm glad I got to come back. I'm glad I got to have a bit of a different experience here. When prompted the other day to rate the experience on a scale of 1 to 10, I gave it a 6...not because it'd been anything particularly bad, but nothing spectacular. And compared to some times in the previous year, of trips to Portugal, Spain, France & even running around Dublin with some of my US friends, it just wasn't as great...(yeah, admittedly, i really like life right now, it's not so rough) I don't think there's anything wrong with looking critically at what I've gotten out of this, maybe even negatively as long as I appreciate the good parts, and those were here too!
There were definitely some sunsets under the avocado tree that made me glad I came and made me realize how much I appreciate the change of scenery and some elements of the life here.
My placement wasn't the internship I hoped for, but I feel good about the work I did and what I had to do to get it done. I didn't get to see anywhere I hadn't before, no safaris, gorillas or rainforests, but I'm pretty confident that I'm gonna be back in Rwanda sometime, and further, with more money to really enjoy those things and do them the posh, muzungu way, while still retaining some of the Peace Corps perspective that I'm unlikely ever to completely lose. And I'm glad of that cause I do think it's unique. The other weekend at a barge party on Lake Kivu (the first of its kind) I met up with some fellow RPCVs from Burkina Faso and the list of experiences and expectations was so similar you'd think we'd all been in the same places doing the same things.
As I look for internships for this upcoming year in Dublin I'm having to encapsulate my experience into a CV-enhancing, super-active, professional, awesome thing. In doing so and in creating my presentation of my "research findings," I am able to appreciate what I've gotten out of all this, but I've also come to remind myself of what else (and how much else) there's still for me to do in my life quest! Bring it on....Round 2? 3? i might've lost count...i'm okay with that.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Rachel rates
It's no great secret that I am a big fan of bargaining anywhere I can. On occasion, I just want to see a price, accept the price, and pay said price. However, most of the time, I derive significantly more satisfaction from haggling over what often amounts to 10 to 50 cents. It may not seem like much and it may even seem petty to some, but I have several reasons for fighting for those 18 cents.
- It's all part of the culture...in some places, they even get offended if you don't join in on the fun. I always call to mind an awesome interaction with an old Chinese woman over 1 kuai (1/7 of a dollar) for a fake Coach wallet. By the end, we were both cracking up and hugging after the exchange, appreciating each other's false resolve.
- While price discrimination may seem like a dirty word, it makes sense economically, if you're willing to spend the time and energy to fight for the price you think you should be paying, you should pay it, it's just another type of opportunity cost. (For those not into Econ- blah blah, paying, blah blah, rachel's a cheapskate justifying herself, blah.)
- I'm doing it for the benefit of all muzungus. (She says to herself magnanimously) Many in Rwanda (and elsewhere) assume all Americans just have money to burn. While I recognize that even the poor in America are on average better off than the poor elsewhere, it doesn't diminish their difficulties. I make it a point to explain that not everyone in America is rich AND that life is in general, much more expensive there. So while I can't explain purchasing power parities, I can give them the price of a pair of shoes (or a college education) and absolutely blow their minds! The most difficult part of them assuming we're all rich is that they feel they then have the right to constantly ask for things (money, pens, bananas, and once, chocolate...uh buh?!) Now most of the people who are asking don't even need these things, they're just sooo used to foreigners coming in and giving things that they figure, "eh, can't hurt to ask" and this is equally true in price negotiations. Moto rides are a perfect example... now, we've recently noticed that sometimes Rwandans don't even negotiate a price before the ride, they simply state the destination, make sure the driver's not drunk, grab a helmet and hop on. I was taught however, to always predetermine price beforehand. Moto drivers in Kigali have chosen the arbitrary price of 1000 francs as the initial offer for anywhere in Kigali. The final price (and price one should pay) could be anywhere from 300-800 francs but because they see my skin (or general, non-Rwandanness) they just start at 1000 to see if they can get the silly foreigner to pay that much. I often have to laugh in their face or walk away OR even pit them against each other to get them down to a reasonable price or one I'm willing to pay. I figure if I make them realize that not all muzungus will just pay whatever, maybe they won't try to rip us off as often... and yes, I also realize this may be a futile effort.
- Finally, while I may annoy many of my fellow travelers, I really do enjoy the process. I feel like both of us are benefiting from the exchange and we've gotten a nice little dose of human interaction for the day.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Best & Worst
It's funny how widely your interactions with people can vary in a week...
I've only got 11 more days here in Rwanda (this time around, cause clearly i cannot get away from this place for long) and I've finally harassed people enough to talk to me, bringing my interview count up to 9, which really doesn't sound like enough considering all the time I've put into the process! How many calls & emails constitute stalking??
Some of the interviews have been really great. This morning, while I did have to get up far too early for the 7am interview, it was worthwhile. I spoke with a high-up in one of the Gender ministries here. The guy I interviewed had one of the best concepts of the socialization foundations for gender that I've yet encountered, which is funny because 7 of the other interviewees have been women. In my research I've been trying to assess the relative vulnerability of female-headed households (FHH cause that's all i have the patience to write). In a developing context a FHH, is usually one in which a woman has been widowed, is a single mother, or has had to separate from the father for some reason. While this is a relatively common occurrence in many places, it can have much more drastic effects for women in developing countries where their relative position in society is already disadvantaged. But when I ask about whether or not FHH should be considered a vulnerable population and why, I get some interesting answers...
One women the other day said, "well, it is clear...the women are not prepared for the responsibilities of being the breadwinner"
Maybe it's just me, while I understand that line of logic, it still speaks to some sort of incapacity of the woman (regardless of the reason)
This morning's interviewee gave me a great analogy about a man's brain/ideas being like a moto and woman's being like a bus...one may be faster, but it carries less with it, it has less capacity. Once the bus is able to go on it's own, it can be just as fast but carrying more with it. To use an oft-cited development cliche he gave me an illustration of "resilience" as opposed to "vulnerability" He also spoke of how socialization has constrained women to limit their own capacity. Which seems obvious to fans of gender talk...but is great coming from a man in a position of power and in Rwanda...
Now this being in stark contrast to my interactions at the market on Saturday where one of my favorite veg sellers (a man) disappointingly became a little too attached to the idea of me being his inshyuti or friend (which can be meant in both the platonic and non-platonic way). Just the fact that he thought he could kiss me in a crowded public market w/ no encouragement on my part speaks to the general regard for women, "you are what I want you to be, when I want you to be it..."
I'll save the, it's hard to make friends in rwanda talk for another post (which I may have already done), but needless to say, most of my time has been spent w/ fellow expats who understand a bit more about me, my thoughts, feelings, and my deep love for wine and foods other than rice, beans & potatoes (NUTTY, i know!)
I've only got 11 more days here in Rwanda (this time around, cause clearly i cannot get away from this place for long) and I've finally harassed people enough to talk to me, bringing my interview count up to 9, which really doesn't sound like enough considering all the time I've put into the process! How many calls & emails constitute stalking??
Some of the interviews have been really great. This morning, while I did have to get up far too early for the 7am interview, it was worthwhile. I spoke with a high-up in one of the Gender ministries here. The guy I interviewed had one of the best concepts of the socialization foundations for gender that I've yet encountered, which is funny because 7 of the other interviewees have been women. In my research I've been trying to assess the relative vulnerability of female-headed households (FHH cause that's all i have the patience to write). In a developing context a FHH, is usually one in which a woman has been widowed, is a single mother, or has had to separate from the father for some reason. While this is a relatively common occurrence in many places, it can have much more drastic effects for women in developing countries where their relative position in society is already disadvantaged. But when I ask about whether or not FHH should be considered a vulnerable population and why, I get some interesting answers...
One women the other day said, "well, it is clear...the women are not prepared for the responsibilities of being the breadwinner"
Maybe it's just me, while I understand that line of logic, it still speaks to some sort of incapacity of the woman (regardless of the reason)
This morning's interviewee gave me a great analogy about a man's brain/ideas being like a moto and woman's being like a bus...one may be faster, but it carries less with it, it has less capacity. Once the bus is able to go on it's own, it can be just as fast but carrying more with it. To use an oft-cited development cliche he gave me an illustration of "resilience" as opposed to "vulnerability" He also spoke of how socialization has constrained women to limit their own capacity. Which seems obvious to fans of gender talk...but is great coming from a man in a position of power and in Rwanda...
Now this being in stark contrast to my interactions at the market on Saturday where one of my favorite veg sellers (a man) disappointingly became a little too attached to the idea of me being his inshyuti or friend (which can be meant in both the platonic and non-platonic way). Just the fact that he thought he could kiss me in a crowded public market w/ no encouragement on my part speaks to the general regard for women, "you are what I want you to be, when I want you to be it..."
I'll save the, it's hard to make friends in rwanda talk for another post (which I may have already done), but needless to say, most of my time has been spent w/ fellow expats who understand a bit more about me, my thoughts, feelings, and my deep love for wine and foods other than rice, beans & potatoes (NUTTY, i know!)
Monday, August 12, 2013
On the up and up!
Headed into the final stretch here...I dunno if 20 days seems like the final stretch to anyone else, but it certainly does to me! I guess I only respond to pressure, because I've been more active today than in the last two weeks combined. A healthy dose of fear, I suppose!
I've scheduled more interviews, am trying to find as many organizations as possible to speak with, AND am trying to sort out an internship for the upcoming year (cause a thesis, full course load and weekend job clearly aren't enough!) Regrettably, I keep seeming to miss internship application deadlines by just a few days! It's a curse, but i am bent & determined, and will thus, persevere!! If I have to just start emailing people saying, "Hey I know you didn't ask for it...but I'll work for you for freeee!" I will.
I've also been grappling with the issue of next summer...where to go, what to do.... Maybe it's just me, but I find it so difficult to make choices when my options are pretty much-anything.......anywhere. Maybe I just really like ellipses...
I've got another year of coursework in old Dublin, then the world is my oyster, or job offer. I was talking to my sister recently and was thinking about how nice it would be to be a little closer to home, working in the states or even Europe. The option to see the fam more than once a year would be fantastic, but I'm sure it's possible just yet.
I'll be looking mostly in India & SE Asia I think, since that seems to be my biggest gap in world experience so far. If so, lucky you, a whole new place that I can over-simplify, misinterpret and in general, give you an extremely biased account of! I'm looking forward to the next internship because it will be more so on my own terms, I can find an awesome women-empowering, human rights-focused, or human-trafficking concern organization and get some valuable experience, without the stinky burden of research and my thesis looming overhead.
I'm also excited and ready for it because I'm feeling more and more that this is the path I wanna be on. I've found in the last 2 months how little I'm bothered by the stuff that used to drive me crazy last time. Maybe it's because I constantly expect it, or I've already gone through the painful adjustment phase of expat life and into the bitter acceptance phase. 9 times out of 10 (the one time being when i'm really tired or hungover) I don't mind the long waits, or mess of the market, or the crowd for the bus, or the stares, even the echoes of "muzungu" in my ear just wash over me. It all glides past in a wave of "this is life as we know it" and doesn't bring me down or affect my days the way it used to. It's not been an easy path and I had a pretty painful year of adjustment, but I'm very pleased with this result.
In an odd way, I feel like that, coupled with my love of flying and airports and jumping into awkward situations when i'm only kind of understood, and my affection for noises & gestures over words makes me feel oddly suited for this career path...I guess we'll see in the time to come, but bring on the next adventure!
I've scheduled more interviews, am trying to find as many organizations as possible to speak with, AND am trying to sort out an internship for the upcoming year (cause a thesis, full course load and weekend job clearly aren't enough!) Regrettably, I keep seeming to miss internship application deadlines by just a few days! It's a curse, but i am bent & determined, and will thus, persevere!! If I have to just start emailing people saying, "Hey I know you didn't ask for it...but I'll work for you for freeee!" I will.
I've also been grappling with the issue of next summer...where to go, what to do.... Maybe it's just me, but I find it so difficult to make choices when my options are pretty much-anything.......anywhere. Maybe I just really like ellipses...
I've got another year of coursework in old Dublin, then the world is my oyster, or job offer. I was talking to my sister recently and was thinking about how nice it would be to be a little closer to home, working in the states or even Europe. The option to see the fam more than once a year would be fantastic, but I'm sure it's possible just yet.
I'll be looking mostly in India & SE Asia I think, since that seems to be my biggest gap in world experience so far. If so, lucky you, a whole new place that I can over-simplify, misinterpret and in general, give you an extremely biased account of! I'm looking forward to the next internship because it will be more so on my own terms, I can find an awesome women-empowering, human rights-focused, or human-trafficking concern organization and get some valuable experience, without the stinky burden of research and my thesis looming overhead.
I'm also excited and ready for it because I'm feeling more and more that this is the path I wanna be on. I've found in the last 2 months how little I'm bothered by the stuff that used to drive me crazy last time. Maybe it's because I constantly expect it, or I've already gone through the painful adjustment phase of expat life and into the bitter acceptance phase. 9 times out of 10 (the one time being when i'm really tired or hungover) I don't mind the long waits, or mess of the market, or the crowd for the bus, or the stares, even the echoes of "muzungu" in my ear just wash over me. It all glides past in a wave of "this is life as we know it" and doesn't bring me down or affect my days the way it used to. It's not been an easy path and I had a pretty painful year of adjustment, but I'm very pleased with this result.
In an odd way, I feel like that, coupled with my love of flying and airports and jumping into awkward situations when i'm only kind of understood, and my affection for noises & gestures over words makes me feel oddly suited for this career path...I guess we'll see in the time to come, but bring on the next adventure!
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