Day 52 (Monday)

I am almost always up early, just after the sunrises.  On my early morning trip to the latrine, I literally do trip.  The way is covered with broken bricks and stones just loosely jumbled on the ground covering a width of about a metre for the 20m long path.  The bricks and stones slide and roll under my feet and I normally turn my ankle at least once on the journey.  Whoever owns the house made the path to keep his feet out of the mud that forms regularly in the rainy season and then gets brought into the house.  Only, as with many things in the house, it is just poor quality and it is safer to avoid walking on it altogether!  Just beyond the fence at the bottom of our garden is a field of sugar cane.  On my early morning walks to the latrine I can watch the male weaver birds cutting strips of the cane leaf and fly off with a 20-30 cm length in their beaks.  The males build the nests to attract a female.   If this applies to the human species, I am not sure our landlord would have got himself a prize female!

Day 53 (Tuesday)

The government has declared today a public holiday, as it is international women’s day.  Rather than take a day off, I have been working on the science experiments scheme of work.  I have also completed the planning of the Head Teacher training that is planned for next week with another VSO Education Management Advisor.  Our training covers the role of Head Teachers in raising the standard of teaching and learning in their schools (through strategy into action).  Hopefully a group of around 20 Head Teachers will turn up and be entertained!

Day 54 (Wednesday)

Our water delivery has got very muddy again.  Is there any point in washing in muddy water?  We filter the water for drinking, but it is a very slow process, so there is no chance of filtering our water for washing or laundry.  Unfortunately, I seem to have developed an allergy.  It could be to the anti-malaria pills, but it is impossible to be sure.  Could it be the muddy water?  It is not too serious, but my skin itches and I have a rash.  I don’t think I have been invaded by anything microscopic! 

Day 55 (Thursday)

A cloudy morning turned to rain.  Four hours later our water supplies are replenished, but all of the paths and roads are slippery with mud.  The sugar cane beyond our fence at the bottom of our garden has grown rapidly in the last few weeks and has been full of weaver birds.  I have also seen the bright red cap of a bishop bird. It has made going to the latrine an almost pleasant experience! This morning though a labourer came and cut the cane, so no more birds. More bad news.  I went for a walk this afternoon with my binoculars and came back without them.  Three youths walked up and asked for them in a non too friendly way, so I thought it best to hand them over.  I wondered if they were just going to have a look through them and hand them back, but they ran off with their prize.

Day 56 (Friday)

At 7.30 a.m. I was on my way to see various Kabarore Sector officials.  They were all very sorry about what had happened and promised action.  By 9.00 a.m. I was told I should go back to work.  I went to Kiziguru to deliver my report, which was on my memory stick.  When I got to Kiziguru the power was off, so I could not access my report.  The power stayed off until the evening and came on minutes before it got dark.  On returning to Kabarore, I was escorted to a school where it was thought one of the offenders might be a student.  I had to go from classroom to classroom with another potential witness to try to identify the guilty party, but neither of us could.  It was reassuring that so much effort was being put into apprehending the thief but annoying that the binoculars were not found before my trip to the Akegera game reserve.