It's time...

Thank you to Elwood Bryant and Chris Miller for their donations.

The time has finally come...I leave tomorrow!

I have 2 HUGE suitcases full of donations. I am really hoping they don't weigh over the limit. I have a carry on full of heather items, and a big "purse" of cameras, reading materials and snacks. Oh and of course my long flight socks to pull on when the plane overnight lights turn off.

Today went really fast. Now that I have crawled into bed and thought about it - the day is sort of a blur.

I am feeling calm and prepared. I can't think of anything I may have forgotten. I don't have any last minute cravings for food I won't be able to eat while I am gone. No nerves. I haven't felt any nervousness regarding this trip. It feels so right to me I can't think of anything to be nervous about. I am looking forward to learning, to the entire experience, and all of the unknown to see and touch and smell...well maybe not the smells. But really, nothing can smell as bad as Ano Nuevo Island - dead fish, seals, birds and the live gassy seals all of it basking in the sea salt humid air...

I usually don't start to feel the butterfly giddy excitement until I am at the airport or just before take off. I have no doubt tomorrow I will not be this calm and relaxed.

I am feeling a bit guilty for leaving the dogs for such a long time, so I am easing that by letting them both sleep on the bed tonight. Hobee is already running in his REM sleep. Oh and Hobee loved Stephanie, so I am feeling a lot better about the dog sitting situation. They will both be just fine :)



Quite a few of you have asked me Why Rwanda...I still haven't been able to organize my reasons enough to be able to blog about them. I have sat down quite a few times to try to express my feelings but I am not sure if I have writers block or if I just am not ready to put it all out there. This trip is so emotionally and spiritually important to me that maybe it is still too personal for me to share that part of it... I am looking forward to that point in the trip or maybe after the trip when I am able to grasp it and express myself.

What I can say is this is my biggest dream come true. I am feeling blessed and lucky to be able to be going to Rwanda at this stage of my life instead of having to wait until I retire. Everything in my life has led up to this...I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. And one thing that resonates in my mind so often is something my friend, Mike Jennings, once said to me...We were having a conversation about why I didn't have a child or children of my own. He explained to me that my need to volunteer and help and learn about kids in less fortunate situations has enabled me to have so many children in my life...true they aren't "my own" but had I had my own I may not have been able to have the time to be a Big Sister with BBBS or to volunteer with Read To Me or to go on this trip and take what I have learned and hopefully help kids in a truly deserving country. Instead because of what I have been unable to do has enabled me to have more children in my life than I could have ever dreamed of.

I can only hope and pray and dream that I make a difference in their lives as they have in mine.

The kids aren't the only reason for this journey...but they are all an important part of what has led me to today.

Mike and I had this conversation the day I told him about my decision to go to Rwanda. And his response was so meaningful to me that I think about it a lot and it makes it all the more real that I have made the right decisions and have no regrets.

I will only be gone a few short weeks but I have no doubt these short few weeks will change my life, my way of thinking, so many different things about life. I realize not everyone gets why I want and need to do this. I know not everyone agrees with my decision to go or for a lot of my life decisions for that matter...but for me nothing could be so right. I wish I was going longer, but I also know and seem to believe I will go back. This is sort of just a test trip for me :)

I hope each of you get something out of this blog. I hope each of you keep in touch.

In no time at all

Thank You to Angela Daniels for her donation!

It is down to less than 2 weeks. I am still in the same mind frame - calm. I don't think it will change for another week or so. Which at that time it will change to pure excitement and chaos. I feel prepared now, but I also haven't really committed my organization to thought yet.
My malaria meds were changed to the doxycycline. I start taking them on the 28th and will continue to take them through end of September or maybe beginning of October, I forget. Because they are an antibiotic the nurse sent me to pick up acidopholis and monistat treatments to bring with - the joys of being female. I, of course, would rather be safe than sorry when traveling so I have no complaints.
Karen Overstake has so graciously offered to loan me her mosquito net - thank you, Karen!
Other than that, I continue to make my lists of what to pick up, what to pack, etc... My challenge in the last few days has been trying to find a particular book, Escaping North Korea by Mike Kim, I can't seem to find it anywhere around me. Should this surprise me? Probably not.
I went through my current unread library and found about 5 books to bring with me. Of course, this may change between now and the time I leave.

Fundraising and stuff

My fundraising attempts are coming to a close. I raised $1,258.00 thus far. There are 3 or 4 people that are sending donations which should bring the total to around $1400.00. Considering the economy and the ups and downs of my fundraising learning process I am happy with result. I have no doubt that once I am back I will need to continue to find ways to collect donations for the kids and the schools.

As of today, I leave in 3 weeks. It is down to 3 weeks. I have started my get done before I leave to do list. I have started my need to get before I leave list and my packing list. The 2 major items I have yet to pick up are my mosquito net and my malaria pills. Found out my insurance will not cover the malaria pills because they are a preventative "option" instead of a treatment. Very logical from the insurance perspective. I think my definition of logical is different from the industries definition. But hey that happens, right?
So if I get malaria and am back in the US I am covered for treatment, but not any time before that. I had a prescription for Malarone but it will be over $1200 for those pills. Tomorrow I will get a new prescription for the "generic" malaria meds which will cost around $100. I think I will need to take them longer and the meds cause more side effects which should be a good time. I will keep you updated on that saga once I get the details.

The dogsitters are in order - thank you Lindsey, Chris and Betty. Really the dogsitting situation is my biggest worry. I am hoping the kids don't act up and cause issues for anyone. Diogie pretty much just sleeps all the time now. Now with Hobee I am wondering about all the different scenarios...

I am getting my summer allergy/cold/illness over with now. It's a relief because I really don't care for being congested while flying.

My Assignment

Kicukiro is a district (akarere) in Kigali Province, Rwanda. Its headquarters is the Kigali suburb of Kicukiro.

Kicukiro district is divided into 10 sectors (imirenge): Gahanga, Gatenga, Gikondo, Kagarama, Kanombe, Kicukiro, Kigarama, Masaka, Niboye and Nyarugunga.

Literacy Program Assignment

About: Teaching and literacy program involves working with schools at the ongoing school curriculum to improve the standards and performance of pupils. It is also in line with the current transition in the country of switching from Franco system to Anglo system hence therefore as a volunteer you will be required to teach English in line with other subjects of your choice.

Location: Gahanga 1&2 primary school located at Kicukiro.

Number of children. Each school comprises of around 1000 pupils with each class divided into streams of around 40-50 pupils per stream.

Volunteer work hours: a minimum of 4 hours per day, 5 days per week during the hours of 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Expectations of the project: your project will have its own expectations in regards to your volunteer responsibilities and duties, but you are also are expected to bring your own knowledge and skills with you and possess a positive outlook and a proactive style towards your work in order for your volunteer time to be successful.

Your first work task: in your first few days at your project organize to have a meeting with your project supervisor and the school head to elaborate on the program as well as familiarize yourself with the school environment.

Type of work available: assistant teaching as well as life skills vocational trainings depending on your abilities as a volunteer. Teaching will be in line with the existing school curriculum.

Project ideas: You are encouraged to practice a few French words as this will help you in the first days of your program. However, this is not compulsory.

Fundraising needs: Basic essentials: Books to set up a school library especially English, demonstration charts and sitting desks for pupils Please note, all donations must be given to FVA who will channel them appropriately

Other notes: The classes have many pupils (40-50) at any given session.

Shoes Shoes Shoes

I forgot to mention yesterday....drumroll please...da da da daaaaaaaa

144 pairs of shoes ....yes, that is correct 144 pairs of shoes will be flying with me to Rwanda.
I am really really really excited about handing out the shoes. Once I get there I will speak with Justus to find out which area of children need the shoes the most. 144 pairs of shoes are a lot of shoes but when you compare it to the 700 kids just at one of the schools, and the ton of kids that aren't able to attend school - it isn't that many. So I want to make sure the shoes go to kids that need them the most.

Wow! I really am excited about the shoes. Thank You Thank You Thank You to all of you who donated to the shoe fund!!!!

Lots to update

I have a huge thanks to shout out to my parents for their donation. MURAKOZE mama and dahta.

And another murakoze to my little sister, Jennifer, and her friends. Two weeks ago she arranged for a couple of her friends to meet up and make friendship bracelets and write letters to the kids in Rwanda. We had a great time and thank you to Margaret, her mom, for her endless supply of treats and drinks!

Last weekend I had 8 girls attend the Big Brother Big Sister letter exchange event. I was hoping for a lot more kids, so I was a wee bit disappointed with the number. BUT we made the best of it, and it was really fun. The girls ranged in age from 7-14. I brought a map and taped it to the wall, so all could see where Rwanda is located. The girls made friendship bracelets and wrote their letters on decorative cards I picked up at Joann Fabrics. I made a brief presentation explaining why I am going and explained why they were writing the letters and making the bracelets. Jennifer, my little, was a great help. She showed the bigs and littles how to make different bracelets. I was so proud of her! All the girls seemed really excited to find out who their new friend will be. I hope it all works out and the letter program is a hit.
Murakoze to BBBS organization and to the Bigs and Littles for participating.

I got my 2nd hep shot. It was a breeze. No soreness this time.

And I finally booked my flight. 26 hours total and $2500. I am a little mad at myself for waiting so long because I would have saved $500 if I had booked a week earlier instead of waiting. My flights are with KLM but I think the airlines ended up to be Northwest and Ethiopina (maybe). I fly Phoenix-Detroit-Amsterdam-Nairobi-Kigali. My layovers are only an hour to an hour and a half at each location. If I am late on any flight I am crossing my fingers for Amsterdam. I wouldn't mind going out for a few hours and exploring. I have heard and read it is pretty easy to get to "downtown" from the airport, explore a bit and get back. I am flying in a day early and flying out I think on the 2nd or 3rd, I forgot already. So I have given myself extra time on both ends of the trip to miss a connecting flight.
I would love to get stuck in Nairobi but since I did not apply for a visa I really hope I don't get stuck there because I literally would not even be able to get out of the airport.

I've emailed the airlines to see about checking my bags for free since there will be lots of donations. I have not gotten an answer back yet.

I have been getting in touch with a few past and future volunteers and so far everyone has been very positive about the experience. One gal has posted wonderful pics and short videos of her experience. Karen should be back from Kenya tomorrow, so I am very excited to hear about her trip.

I have been disappointed in myself that I didn't opt for a longer time. I wish I had done at least 3 months. I feel now that I am really going to miss out on some of the experience. I know I know...I can always go back and at least I am doing this much. I wish I knew then what I know now...of course :)

Murakoze

Thank you to Lynn Daleiden for her donation!

I am off today to buy 60 pairs of shoes for the children. I may go ahead and get 100 pairs since that was my fundraising goal for the week.
What I really need to do is create a new budget and figure out how much of my budgeted trip money I have already spent on fundraising items. I get so excited about getting the shoes, school supplies, and bracelets for the kids that I am forgetting I need to save my budgeted money for food and traveling expenses.

I've also made contact with a few past volunteers and have found a few online journals of past and present volunteers. I am looking forward to asking questions, seeing pics and learning more about their volunteer experiences.