Day 17 (Monday)

My employer has not returned to the divisional office in Kabarore and so, once again I cannot see him and I have no way to introduce myself to the headteachers I am supposed to be working with.  I find out that tomorrow is a public holiday, which should be nice, but it means further delay. I feel I am here to work and it is too early to do a bit of tourism.  Until I get started on the work, I don’t really know what I have to offer and whether I will be of any value to the people here.  

As we are expecting a visitor from Kigali we ask her to bring cheese.  She arrives with a small Gouda and makes my day.  All does not stay positive by way of food.  For our evening meal we soak the tiny dried fish we got from the market last week and add them to a vegetable stew.  The result was not particularly pleasant and fish heads have never been a favourite ingredient of mine either!

Day 18 (Tuesday)

A huge storm last night and we wake up to grey clouds.  It is raining by 7.00 and carries on until 10.00.  This changes my plans for the public holiday.  The roads are very wet and on the dirt roads the spray will make riding very unpleasant.  I had thought I would ride out to Lake Muhazi and explore the northern shore road, which is supposed to be scenic.  However, there are other things to do.  Tuesday is market day and we need to restock the larder!   We find green apples in a local shop and stock up on bottled water before going back to explore the market.  The more we explore and get used to the shops, the more we realise is available.  We can buy yogurt, eggs, UHT milk and (luckily) toilet paper.

Day 19 (Wednesday)

Disaster strikes.  The motorbike has been stolen!  It was in a shed in the back of our compound, but someone has come over the fence at night and carried the motorbike (which was locked) back to and over the fence.  This not only leaves me with a very difficult journey to my schools, but also makes us feel vulnerable.  I have to go to the police station and report the theft.  Luckily I have two passport photos in my wallet as these are needed to complete the paperwork.

However, by a curious juxtaposition of circumstances, the Director is in the office and explains to me that a teacher is coming over from one of my schools and he will take me back so I can meet the headteacher.  It seems there is nothing more that can be done about the bike, so I set off on the bus to Kiramirutzi.  We get to the school an hour later after the bus ride and a 15 minute walk.  I think that this is what is in front of me twice a day until I complete my placement.  I meet the headteacher who is a francophone, and we struggle to communicate without an interpreter.  After the formal introductions I arrange to visit again tomorrow, but the headteacher will be at a Sector meeting and will not be available.  I walk back to the main road and catch a bus north towards Kabarore.  The bus stops in a town with a large market.  It stops, people get out and disappear.  I sit on the bus whilst it is slowly loaded with produce and another 25 people.  Fifty minutes later we set off northwards again.  Finally, nearly two hours after I set off I am back in Kabarore.  An eventful day, but perhaps things can only get better.