This weekend I have been struck by how quickly my time here
has passed, and having only 3 months left of my placement has completely
brought to the front of my mind how much I adore my village. Life here has
captured my heart. Imagining moving on has only reinforced how strong the ‘tug’
is to remain here.
A late afternoon moto ride back up the hill, through winding,
bumpy, dusty roads, hazy golden sunshine and long shadows, past tiny village
markets, smiling children running alongside the moto, waving as they try to
catch up with me, felt like the best journey back home in the whole world. I
arrived into my village to friends who were thrilled that I was back for the
weekend and neighbours who always welcome me back like family.
Football shorts hanging out to dry made my heart race as I hoped
my little neighbour must be back from school for the weekend. But finding him
back with Malaria made me feel as worried as if he was my own little brother
and desperate to know if there was anything at all I could do to help. Of course
there wasn’t, but despite being so sick, he still wanted to hang out and catch
up, as we used to every day before he left for boarding school. I miss him
these days.
Seeing him so weak was really tough, yet he was determined
to get better really quickly so he could return to school, afraid that if he
missed out he’d fall behind with his academic work. I felt so proud of his
commitment and determination to keep on top of his studies, even though I
thought he should take enough time off to get well again properly. Our
conversation left him exhausted and he went back to sleep at home, as I headed
out to the market.
I love the ladies at the market! I love how they lie,
reclining on their stalls, or under tables to find shade from the sunshine.
They wear the brightest dresses and the biggest warmest smiles, with tiny
babies bundled up in fabric on their backs. They all call to greet me, know my
name and tell me how much I have been missed. The juiciest, ripest tomatoes,
mangoes, avocadoes, pineapples and onions are piled into my bag, and then
extras are thrown in for good measure and good spirit and they are as generous
with their friendship as they are with their fruit and vegetables! They laugh
loudly and kindly as they retell stories to each other about my negotiation
skills when somebody once tried to overcharge me and I am led by their tiny
children, who hold my hand and totter along next to me, from one stall to the
next.
We wish each other a wonderful weekend and talk about when I’ll
be back in the week, and as I go they are all waving and smiling… and their
children walk with me until I leave the market and head up towards college. The
children I pass all run across the road and from gardens and along paths to
greet me… ‘Good morning Hazel, how are you?’ and although it means my journey
takes twice as long, I love to walk with them and chat and hear how they are what
they have been doing. Since I arrived, their confidence to use English has
increased and they are no longer surprised to see me in their village, or
nervous to approach me. Hanging out with them is one of my favourite things
here.
This afternoon is absolutely baking and everything is dry
and dusty. As I get closer to the college, I notice some fantastic ‘street art’
– pictures of doves have been engraved across the dirt road symbolising peace
and hope and I wish I had my camera with me. They are beautiful and drawn so carefully.
It’s good to see my students in the TTC and we catch up,
chatting about their weekend as they wash their shoes and dry them in the
sunshine. The college is strewn with buckets and bowls in every colour: blue,
turquoise, green, red, and washing, stretched over bushes and on the grass, a
patchwork of brightly coloured fabric and patterns.
They invite me to watch the football match at the stadium
and we spend several hours lazily enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. The
college students love football and their friends are there to support them and
just hang out and relax. On the other side of the field, children from the
village kick a football around, while others play volleyball or just practice
handstands! I am thrilled that my S6 students are back from their internships
and this is the first time I have seen some of them for about 2 months. We talk
about their work experience and they have so many stories to share and questions
to ask. They are bursting with energy and enthusiasm and they truly inspire me
to give this term a final push to see what we can really achieve. They always
make me laugh by using English sayings that I have taught them, but I learn as much
from them as well and try to surprise them by using their phrases too.
After the match we wander slowly back up to college and one
student insists on carrying my bag, which is full of fruit and veg from my
earlier trip to the market. I share some tree tomatoes with them and remember
the newspapers in the bottom of my bag that I have brought from Kigali for
them. Again I wish I had my camera to capture the moment: my students walking
through the village reading the weekend’s papers, completely absorbed in the
news!
Arriving home, my young neighbour has woken up from his
sleep and seems to be feeling better. I am very relieved to find him with more
energy. He’ll be fine I think. My neighbours have cooked for me again - it is ‘Isombe’
which is a delicacy here and really delicious! I know how much time has been
spent pounding the leaves in a giant mortar and pestle and I am always touched
by their generosity. Their friendship is a gift and I truly feel welcomed as part
of their family.
Sunday is spent sleeping and hand-washing. The sun again is
hot and high, and the day feels lazy. My neighbour welcomes me to her house to meet
her guests and we spend the afternoon chatting and drinking ikivuguto, which is
my favourite! It is a curd drink made from whole milk, and is thick rich and
very cooling.
Later I see that another neighbour has come round, my
tiniest friend with the biggest smile! I adore her and we sit together playing
with bubbles, perhaps the first time she has seen them. At first she is
apprehensive, but it doesn’t take long before she is trying to blow them
herself, tasting the bubble mixture and imitating my ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaaahs’ and ‘wows’!!
My washing dries quickly in the afternoon sunshine and I bring it indoors as fires are lit for cooking evening meals and wood smoke curls through the air.
