Getting Acquainted

My entry for the Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation (EGR) blog was due today and here is what I wrote:

"I got off a plane in Kigali yesterday after a trip that took 35 hours including layovers. Driving through the city, one of the first things I noticed was the remarkable lack of trash. I believe this can be largely attributed to the Rwandan government's decision to ban plastic bags from the country.

In many parts of nearby Kenya, especially informal settlements and slums, one of the most striking images is streets lined with plastic bags, strewn across roads like carpets whose designs are the art of the nation's waste. Now, Kenya too has banned plastic bags.

Several weeks ago, I watched an independent documentary about an area the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean known as the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch." Here, plastic floats freely and collects in large, ice berg-type chunks the size of a small car. Gutting a fish or an albatross reveals stomachs lined with plastic bags, wrappers, cellophane, and bits of plastic jugs. The biggest problem, however, is more subtle. Because plastic is non biodegradable, it breaks down smaller and smaller, literally changing the composition of the sea water and poisoning everything with which it has contact.

Perhaps our country too should consider banning plastic in as many forms as possible and use our political clout to encourage others to do the same. As with many issues I have noticed and studied, perhaps we should focus less on what we have to teach Africa and more on what Africa has to teach us."

On a less serious note, I am staying in one of the nicer housing setups I have encountered.  We are just down the street from the President’s house, which provides for a very safe and lovely area.  There are several hired staff whose names escape me: at least three security guards, a housekeeper/cook, and someone who does laundry at least twice a week. The gardens surrounding the house are beautiful, we have French press coffee, a refrigerator, a water filter to filter boiled water, mosquito nets, a free Vonage phone for international calls, wireless internet, tiled floors that resemble hardwood, beautiful exotic trees, and a glimpse of the rest of the city across the valley.

I have jumped right in with film work and will be editing some existing footage from several villages as soon as we have it translated from Kinyarwanda to English.  The language barriers here are multi-fold for me.  English is the third most spoken language next to Kinyarwanda and French, and I have already encountered a few situations where I wish I knew French.  However, this has not been a significant hindrance and I do not expect it to become one.  I did have an exciting encounter in which I began,

"Do you speak English?"  A shake of the head.

"Parlez-vous Francais?"  A surprising second shake of the head.  And then, on a whim,

"Unasema Kiswahili?"  A moment of recognition and a response!

We proceeded to speak for a few minutes and she offered me tea, which I accepted.  This has been one of only a handful of opportunities to speak Swahili, but it seems like I will have more.

Yesterday, I attended and filmed a Moto Polo match.  Moto Polo is polo using motorcycles.  It was pretty ridiculous and I am hoping to post a short video about it within the week.  The whole occasion had a strange, slightly uncomfortable colonial feel to it because the players were mostly white ex-pats riding on the back of motorcycles maneuvered by Rwandan moto taxi drivers.  However, they did pay the drivers and the drivers seemed to be enjoying the whole event just as much as the ex-pats.  Regardless, I think it's going to make a pretty hilarious video.

Otherwise, I am doing great and super excited for the upcoming adventure!  More to come soon, especially when the internet is fixed at the house.

Love for all,

Reynolds

P.S. My blogspot account seems to be really wacky and difficult to use, especially with posting pictures.  I have compared it to the account of some friends and it appears as if I have the earlier version.  I am confused as to why it did not automatically update, but if anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them.  If not, I may make a new blog and direct this one to the new one.

The parking lot just inside the compound on the way to the house

The front porch, the view from one of my bedroom windows

My bedroom

My little bed

Neat art things where we put our shoes in the entryway