My New Home

All good things must come to an end and the sharp realization was dawning that soon we would be off on our placements. The final day was an employer’s workshop where we were all well warned that although we should be ready to start at 8.30 as scheduled, things may not actually begin until 10.00am, herein after referred to as “Africa Time.” Gradually one by one the employers arrived and met their volunteers as we all stood about like wartime evacuees and guess who was left like the wallflower at a party – my employer wasn’t coming but eventually sent one of his HT’s to stand in in his absence. This meant we were not able to enter into any discussion about my role within the district or possible induction – not a good start.

The next day I was told to be ready to get picked up by the district vehicle between 8 and 9am so there I was just after 8 with my mountain of luggage and my additional household belongings waiting patiently. For the next 4 hours I was able to say goodbye to almost every other volunteer as their employer came and picked them up and at 12.15 it was finally my turn.

Feeling pretty nervous and a tad emotional at having to say farewell to all my fellow volunteers we finally set off to the eastern district of Gatsibo, about a two drive from Kigali. The north eastern part of Rwanda is definitely the poorer side of the country with a lot of the land being reclaimed from the Agakera National Park to repatriate the thousands of refugees who have returned from both Uganda and Tanzania.

On arrival we went to the district office to find out who had keys for my property and eventually located the man who had been the night guard for the previous volunteer, who was able to guide us to the house and let us in through the locked gate.

From the outside the house looked pretty impressive and certainly very big for one little old volunteer but the inside was a bit of a shock. Having been empty for the last three months everything was covered in the fine red dust which permeates everywhere, spiders and insects were having a field day and the rooms were spartan to say the least. The bedroom had a bed, mosquito net a shelf and a cupboard which didn’t lock, the concrete floors were cracked and bare, there was a kitchen table and chairs and 4 armchairs but as I looked around I could find no items of household equipment that I had been promised, no bedding, no washing buckets and no cooking utensils what so ever. I had no water and no electricity and a very dodgy looking outside loo, at that point I was  feeling pretty low.

A phone call to VSO revealed that all the household items had been reclaimed because the previous volunteer had only been there a short time so all the possessions were returned to supply other short term volunteers. Fortunately I had with me a couple of pillows, a sheet and blanket, my little pressure cooker and my oatcakes and marmite so trying very hard not to cry I endeavored to settle down for the night.

At least I had my night guard outside to reassure me of his presence with his constant coughing and spitting throughout the night!

As with most situations, things didn’t look quite so bad in the morning and once I had located the communal water pump and VSO had sent up some basic, essential household items of equipment, I got set to with some major scrubbing and cleaning.