Day 73 (Monday)

My last week of proper work here.  It is a quiet start to the week.  I am mainly finishing reports and making sure that there is a proper record of the work I have done.  I have rung one of my Head Teachers to try to arrange a joint action planning session and some training for his science teachers, but no luck yet.  It could remain a quiet week!  This morning there was a thick mist over the valley at dawn, although it was bright overhead.  However, by 9.00 a.m. it was raining for the third day in a row.  Definitely the rainy season now.  The clouds had cleared by midday and we had a beautiful warm afternoon. Nothing much to do but sit on the veranda and read. It’s a hard life.

Day 74 (Tuesday)

David and Sarah are going to Kigali for a few days to sort out a visa problem.  I am finally in a situation that I might have envisaged from  England 3 months ago.  I am alone in the house, with only my own company and strangers who call out and peer over the fence.  I have a little work to do, but not enough to fully occupy me.  My meeting with the district education officer is cancelled.  I spend a little time in the market and buy plenty of passion fruit.  Making the most of their ridiculously low price (2p each).  It will be my last chance and I intend to have at least two every day before I leave Kabarore.

Day 75 (Wednesday)

My last visit to Kiziguro.  It is market day  and so the journey will be more difficult, but it really is the only opportunity to do the science teacher training and work with the head teacher.  Unfortunately the Head Teacher is not at the school, so I cannot do the action plan with him.  Luckily the science teachers are all present and very keen.  It is obvious that they have never handled any science equipment before and so the training starts at a very basic level.  They have no confidence in their ability to use the equipment properly and need constant encouragement.  They are even fascinated by the alcohol thermometer and all want to take the temperature of things around them. 

Day 76 (Thursday)

My last day of working with Rwandan teachers and head teachers.   I am training another group of science teachers and will give them all copies of my schemes of work. All my reports are written and I just have a final exit interview in Kigali on Monday.  I hope to be able to pass on electronic copies of all the reports, pro-formas and documents I have produced in such a way that they won’t just be forgotten about. Is this just a forlorn hope?  An evening walk finishes the day.  To the lake and back.  The ants are very active in wide trails across the track.  Twice I do not avoid stepping too close and within a second or so there are ants swarming on my shoe and up my leg inside my trousers causing a loud and physical reaction from me.  If you ever see anyone hitting himself violently around the legs you might now be able to guess the cause.

Day 77 (Friday)

My last full day in Kabarore; an interesting place to have lived for 10 weeks.  It has been great to explore the local countryside here. Kabarore has its own lake and just behind our house is a tranquil lily pond, so there have been plenty of places to walk.  The London Bar, with its friendly service and TV football, has both entertained me and supplied me with my ration of meat via its goat kebabs.  The town has grown noticeably since we first arrived; there are more shops and they sell more produce – we even saw cheese on sale for the first time last week.  On a different note it is dull and grey today, which means my laundry is not drying and I have to pack it tonight. Tonight I will cook my own chips with fried eggs.  Bananas for dessert.  There is almost nothing else left in the house to eat.