In Review

So, it has been a while since we posted to our group page. I would encourage everyone to check out the individual pages as there are some really interesting posts up! Beginning last Thursday, the students began an exam period that will last until the 23rd, when the students go on holiday. Consequently, the rest of our time at CDV will be spent working in the garden(s) and with the teachers in the afternoon. Our teacher classes are divided up into three levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) and most of the class is spent reviewing grammar, building vocabulary, and practicing conversation. We have done exercises that are very drill-based, we have also done more abstract, conversation-based exercises (ex: an exercise where we compared ourselves to the profile of our astrological sign). Over the past weeks, we have also taught English in student classes during the day. We have conducted lessons on adverbs, prepositions, and ‘at the hospital’ vocabulary. We have also had classes where we do nothing but field questions, everything from politics and war to whether there could be dinosaurs in the Amazon rainforest.

The garden has been an experiment in patience and flexibility, but we finally broke ground within feet of the space where we had originally planned to plant. Thus far, we have laid a brick pathway, bought lots of garden supplies (including five blue jump-suits for Matthew, myself, Peter, Samson, and Gaspard – keep an eye out for pictures of these when we are able to upload our pictures), helped with two circular gardens, planted grass, and prepared a triangular-shaped garden for legumes. We will plant the seeds today, and then work on clearing the area where the fruit and memory trees will be planted (the actual planting won’t happen until October). Whenever we go to work in the garden/on something garden related, it is amazing to watch the students/faculty completely take charge. When we laid bricks, the students divided, with a group of 5 male students hastily running wheelbarrows of bricks between the brick pile and the pathway, and a larger group of mostly female students laying the bricks, piecing them together quickly and carefully. In the garden, everyone who is there will pick up a shovel or hoe and begin working, usually laughing at our relative incompetence in wielding agricultural tools.

In the time that is not spent at CDV we have been able to explore the city and Eastern part of the country. People in the group have hiked Mt. Kigali, visited nearby markets (and generally done a lot of shopping), gone to Mass, spent time browsing at Ivuka Arts, spent afternoons reading at the Milles Colline and Bourbon Coffee. As a group, we spent a day at Akagera National Park along the border with Tanzania where we saw giraffes, zebras, hippos, monkeys and tons of birds. We have also visited the Kigali Memorial Center and the memorial in Nyamata. Last Saturday (July 3rd), we attended a 4th of July celebration at the American embassy (complete with coleslaw, hot dogs, potato salad, and pie – my favorite was the buttermilk apple pie!). We have also been following the World Cup, shedding tears over Ghana’s loss and fanning the flames of (loving) animosity between those rooting for The Netherlands and those pulling for Spain.

Over the next couple weeks, we are planning a trip to Gisenyi (on Lake Kivu) and a neighborhood day (where we split up and explore new neighborhoods within the city). We will continue working in the garden and working with the teachers in the afternoon, all to a soundtrack of Kingston (as in Sean). Although it can be difficult to find time to blog, because our mornings are now free, we will (cross fingers) be posting more frequently to the group and individual pages. Murakoze (thanks) to everyone who is following the project!