What I’ve been doing with my time…well, I’ve been taking a daily swim of 30 mins plus mini sunbathe. I’ve located a yoga and a pilates class both of which I can (and have) attend twice a week.
Monday – Wednesday – Friday the cleaner comes – she is one of the two staff we will have to choose from that we are trialling for 6 weeks each. As we haven’t found somewhere yet to get another key for the apartment cut, I have to be there to let her in at 2.30 ish and hang round for 2 hours (or pop next door to Novotel to swim).
Along with this there are activities that the dutch partner group organise/host. Friday mornings is handicrafts, except for the last Friday of the month which is English language bookclub, and there are regular coffee mornings. Its actually quite good fun, though sounds terribly wifey, I’ve enjoyed talking to people from a variety of cultures/countries/backgrounds in a non- threatening environment, and I’ve quite enjoyed drawing too.
Obviously for me this isn’t going to be enough in the longer term, so I’ve been looking at other opportunities here in Kigali.
On Monday I went to look at the Marembo centre to see if I would be interested in giving English classes there on a voluntary basis. They give classes Monday – Wednesday – Friday
8-10 Starters
10-12 Intermediate
12-2 Advanced
I sat in (and helped teach) the Intermediate class – there were about 20 people ranging from 15 – 22 70% boys. Some were happy to talk (a lot) and others needed coaxing. The schoolroom is a corrugated iron shelter with 3 benches and a blackboard.
As there is no permanent English teacher they rely on volunteers, and they come when they can – some are in the country for 2 weeks, or two months but rarely longer term, so there is no continuity.
I think that I may end up volunteering here on and off, but not making a big commitment
http://www.ryico.org/marembo.html
Today I went to visit www.orphansofrwanda.org where I do imagine committing to. Their goals and ways of achieving them appeal to me, and it’s a small and dedicated team and they are keen to have me on board, and I have a draft scope of work already, including tutoring and mentoring with a view to formalising and expanding the mentoring programme.
I’ve also been looking at some distance learning courses, and will probably start a TEFL course soon (Teaching English as a Foreign Language).
2 comments:
Hoi, hoi,
Wij kijken niet dagelijks, maar blijven wel op de hoogte.
Het huis lijkt me net groot genoeg voor 2 personen...
Is er wel plek voor een hangmat? En waar gebruik je de panic cage voor? De ananas in de keuken spreekt ons ook erg aan. Dus als wij dropjes e.d. mee brengen kunnen we terug ook wel wat lekkers meenemen.
Hoe was Burundi? Niet veel anders dan Rwanda neem ik aan? Heb je alleen kantoorruimte gezien en mensen ontmoet, of ook nog wat projecten bezocht?
Haze, het lijkt me lastig kiezen, er is zoveel te doen, maar kies iets wat je leuk lijkt en niet te snel frustreert. Het is natuurlijk wel de bedoeling dat je het naar je zin hebt.
Hier is de herfst lekker bezig. Vandaag kleddernat geregend op de fiets toen de kinderen uit school kwamen. Allemaal verzopen katjes. Maar wel een lekker harinkje op brood, daarna.
Wouter heeft een paar dagen vrij nu, maandag begint hij bij VIRO in Hengelooooooh. Morgen gaan we met z'n tweetjes op pad. Winkelen en de stad in, terwijl de kinderen op school zijn. Ze blijven over, dus hebben we van 8.30 tot 15.15 VRIJ.
Groeten en tot mails.
Have you consider, with so much time, writing a book? I always thought it would be something that would 'suit you'! Or are you waiting some 30 odd years and then write your memoirs! ( ; >
Just a thought.
Miranda
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