A Bunch of Dirty Soles

Muraho y'all,

During the past 5 days, I fixed a patient monitor, traveled hours across Rwanda's countryside in a bus, hiked a volcano, played cards on a Kigali rooftop, and tried authentic Italian pizza for the first time.

That was my thesis sentence for this blog post. My English teachers would be proud.

Hospital Visit #2

Last Thursday, our EWH team split in half to visit two different hospitals. My group had the privilege of introducing ourselves to the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK). Compared to the hospital I visited the previous week, CHUK was substantially larger and better equipped. Because CHUK is a teaching hospital, its budget works a little differently. When most of the public hospitals in Rwanda need spare parts for equipment, they have to send in a written request to the Ministry of Health. This process can take many months to accomplish, and the result is a lot of useless equipment sitting around in maintenance workshops, waiting for repair. On the other hand, CHUK receives its own budget specifically for medical equipment, so they can immediately order new parts as they are needed.

All this being said, the repairs we attempted here were a little different. Richard and I were able to take apart two broken patient monitors and swap out parts between them. We were able to get one of the monitors working, and then we were able to test the machine because CHUK owned an abundance of disposable ECG electrodes, blood pressure cuffs, temperature probes, etc. We were definitely thankful for the spare parts, but I do not expect the same experience in my hospital next month.

"Look like y'all are doing something." - Maddy

I knew life was slow-paced here, but...

Richard = "repair #394 successful"
Me = "OMG THE LIGHTS COME ON AND IT BEEPS"

The Weekend

You don't know mud.

This past weekend, a group of 9 of us traveled to Musanze, Rwanda. Musanze is a small town close to Volcanoes National Park, and it's about a 3-hour bus adventure from home. We left Friday evening and came back Sunday* afternoon, spending the nights in a Catholic Center hostel. Musanze is a really cool town with a bunch of delicious restaurants, and the hostel we stayed at was very nice (hot showers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

On Saturday, we hiked Mt. Bisoke. It is located near Musanze and actually straddles the Rwanda-Congo border, but the summit is in Rwanda. Initially, our tour guide assured us that our group could make the ascent in about 100 minutes.

What a funny guy.

Our ascent took at least 3.5 hours. The descent was at least 3 more. What went wrong, you may ask? Mud. Mud is the worst.

It rained the night before we hiked, and I kid you not when I say we were ankle deep in mud for the majority of our hike. Every step ran the risk of falling (and trust me, everyone fell - even our guides), and the path was extraordinarily steep. It was certainly the hardest hike I have ever attempted**. That being said, the summit was amazing, the guides were amazing, struggling with my friends was amazing, and therefore the hike was also amazing.

Picture time.

I posted this on Instagram. Go like it.

Take note of my shoes.

"This muzungu and his pictures..."

Aw look, we still had hope at this point.

Safari hat bros take the summit.

I like to pretend that's lava behind me.

First ones to the summit. From left: Peter, Savannah, Maddy
"I'm just going to throw these away..." - Peter, after the descent,
 regarding his pearly white socks which were no longer so pearly white

After the descent.
"I am trying to smile!" - Richard (far right)

Remember my shoes from earlier? This is after it rained***.

After our hike, we stumbled upon Alberto's Italian restaurant in Musanze where we ate some delicious pizza. We also talked to some very interesting people. If you ever find yourself in Musanze, I definitely recommend this place.

Spades

As I mentioned in my last blog post, a few friends and I have an ongoing (and viciously competitive) game of Spades. If you've never heard of it, check this out: https://www.pagat.com/boston/spades.html

I thought I'd update you guys on the score. Savannah and I are partners against Gaby and Peter. As of now, the score is:

G&P - 1621
B&S - 1191

Don't worry, guys. I can hear the comeback train choo-chooing in the distance.

'Till Next Time

I'm moving this weekend! Richard and I will be off to Butare to begin work in our hospital. Updates and pictures are sure to follow. Keep me in y'all's prayers****, and always feel free to message me over the internet!

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

-Bryan

*Sunday was Father's Day! Happy Father's Day Dad! (I called my dad on Sunday; I just wanted to give him another shout-out.)
**I have GoPro videos of the ascent and descent. If you think I'm exaggerating, ask to see them when I get back to America.
***Get the title yet?
****

I had to find a way to include this picture.

Blue Sky Safaris The Eye Can See

Howdy, y'all.

I apologize for not posting anything for the past 10 days or so! I was pretty busy this weekend due to reasons I will explain in this post...

School

... is great! I attended class as usual last Monday and Tuesday. Learning Kinyarwanda is pretty difficult, but I know enough conversational words to accomplish various simple tasks. A few examples:

• Mwaramutse* (good morning)
• Amakuru? (how's it going?)
• Bangahe? (how much is it? - referring to money)
• Mu mugi (into town - used for buses)
• Ndagerageza kwiga ikinyarwanda** (I am trying to learn Kinyarwanda)
• Ndi umuzungo*** (I am a white person)
• Ikinyenzi (cockroach)

As you can see, I have the important bases covered.

I may not be able to speak other languages, but I can take a great Snapchat

inka = cow | inkoko = chicken
(some class days are slower than others)

Something new we started last week in language class was.... another language! As of last Wednesday, we now have French class from 10-12 directly following Kinyarwanda. Thankfully, French class only happens on Wednesdays and Fridays. Je suis mauvais en français****.

Aside from language class, technical lecture/lab is going very well! We have built an LED flashlight, a variable power supply, and an ECG tester. Also, no explosions!! Additionally, we had our first hospital visit last Thursday. We toured the Kibagabaga Hospital near Kigali. This hospital was significantly different from anything I've seen. The hospital was very flat, spread-out, and open to the environment. Luckily, the weather is amazing here, so the cool, sunny days are undoubtedly good for the patients' well-being. After spending the first half of the day touring, we were introduced to the maintenance department where we spent a few hours working on broken oxygen concentrators. The most notable thing about medical equipment maintenance is that there is a severe lack of spare parts. Many groups of students found that, although they knew how to fix a specific piece of equipment, the hospital did not possess the appropriate parts. Thus, much of the equipment remains in disrepair.

Outside of Class

During the week, we usually have a lot of free time. We spend the time going out to eat, singing karaoke (!!!) exploring the city, chasing some cows which wandered through campus, and - lately - playing very competitive rounds of a card game called Spades.

At restaurants, I can expect to receive far more attention than back home. For example, a group of us went to a food court downtown. Immediately after arriving, we were literally swarmed by waiters, each begging us to order food from his restaurant. I've never felt so special :]

Spoiler alert: Peter and Jeff ordered from
the waiter wearing a red shirt.

Also, church is still awesome! Sunday, we went back to Christian Life Assembly where we visited the first weekend. The message was about focusing on what you have, rather than what you have lost. You should always seek to do the most good with what you have.

The Safari

So, I got to check off "African safari" from my bucket list. Saturday morning at 5AM, we were picked up by a couple of jeeps and driven to Akagera National Park. Y'all know what a safari is, so there's not much for me to explain here. Unfortunately, neither pictures nor words could ever capture this experience. It was truly one of the coolest and most beautiful things I have ever done. 

Nevertheless, I've included some pictures. I must fill my quota of funny captions.

Peter and I realize the importance of packing a safari hat
specifically for a safari.

I posted this on Instagram. Go like it.

The lack of puns was giraffing me crazy.

Look how much my "gig" has improved.

I am secretly a photographer for National Geographic.

This one was, in fact, black with white stripes.

Flat tire. Not sure what the giant log was for. By the
looks of it, our driver (and repairman) doesn't know either.

PB&J lunch squad ft. Gaby (left) and Savannah

Hungry Hungry Hippos
"One once chased me up a tree." - James, our driver

The Move

Why was I busy on Sunday? I'm glad you asked. Much to my surprise, my home-stay family moved to a different house on Sunday. Apparently, construction was going to require the demolition of their old house. Thus, I spent much of Sunday packing up my stuff and staying out of the way. Unfortunately, I stayed too out of the way because around 6PM I was headed home from town when I realized that I had no idea where home was...

Upon finding the new house several hours later, I was excited to find out that the house is much bigger and generally nicer! The downside: it's a thirty minute walk from campus. The upside: the cockroaches made the move with us :] Also, my home-stay family is great and has been more than willing to help us out with directions; they even offer to drive us to class.

In Memoriam Ikinyenzi #477

That's All Folks

Stay tuned for more updates! I have another hospital visit tomorrow, and I will be going on a volcano hike this weekend!

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

-Bryan

*This literally translates to "I am glad you survived the night." I find it very interesting how culture shapes the language here.
**Pronunciation tip for Kinyarwanda: add random "g" sounds whenever you see a "w." That's what I do.
***People call me umuzungo on the streets all the time. It's not meant to be offensive though; it has a connotation of importance. At least, that's what our teacher tells us...
****"I'm bad at French." - courtesy of Google Translate

Icyumweru Rimwe

Well, I made it. African* can't believe it.

A lot has happened in the past week. From cockroaches to farms to soccer games to the big city, there's honestly too much to include in one blog post. That being said, stay tuned for separate posts regarding food, living conditions, and some other specific topics. I am having an incredible time so far; Rwanda is more amazing than I could've imagined.

The Flights

Most important take-away: on-flight food is awesome.

I took two flights to get to Kigali, Rwanda. First, I flew from Houston to Amsterdam. The flight was about 9 hours, but there was a +7 hour time change so I left at 3pm on Saturday, and I arrived in the Netherlands at 7am on Sunday. There, the A&M group met up with a few other participants for a three-hour layover. Finally, we boarded an 8.5 hour flight to Rwanda.

Now the important part: food. Wow. First of all, we were served two meals on each flight. I don't know if any of you are familiar with airplane meals, but these things are legit. I'm talking bread, entree, sides, dessert, drinks, and cheese(!!!) for every meal. The food was warm and delicious. IT WAS ALSO PRECEDED BY HOT TOWELS. It was magical. You'll just have to take my word for it. 10/10 would recommend.

The Place

Kigali, Rwanda. The Land of 1000 Hills.  Rwanda is divided into 5 provinces. North, South, East, West, and Kigali. (Guess which one I'm in)

More specifically, I am staying in the neighborhood of Kicukiro. I am living on-campus at the IPRC (Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre). There are approximately 5000 students who attend, and the campus is pretty big! There is a variety of buildings, a soccer field, a cricket field, and lots of friendly people! Here's some sick pics.

IPRC campus, outside my classroom.

Crazy-nice IPRC building. We've met here a couple times.

Kicukiro

Kigali viewz

Kigali viewz pt. 2

Actual School

I have to go to class during the week. That's the "study abroad" part of this trip.

Moving On

Just kidding. I'll elaborate on the school. It's actually a lot of fun! During the week, we meet from 8-5 with an hour for lunch around noon. From 8-12, we have language class. Mostly, we have been learning the local language, Kinyarwanda. How much have I learned you ask? Well, the title of this blog post means "Week One". I think. Our teacher's name is Francis, and he is a really cool guy. He says the place he most wants to visit in the United States is Nebraska because "nothing is in Nebraska." Sorry, Nebraskans.

From 1-5. we have technical lecture and lab. The lecture is taught by Texas A&M's very own Dr. Cote, and one of our EWH coordinators, Maddy, teaches the lab. So far, we've done some pretty cool things. We made an extension cord, we learned how to solder, and we learned how to use a multimeter. Interesting note: when we first plugged in our soldering irons, we blew out the circuit breakers in our first classroom. There was smoke pouring out everywhere; it was great.

Once a week (for the first month) we will be traveling to a hospital. This week however, we spent Friday in the Equipment Room instead. Here, we spent all day taking apart different medical equipment to learn how each device works. We took apart an oxygen concentrator, a suction pump, an autoclave, and a centrifuge.

Our classroom. RIP circuit breakers.

The Weekend

Rural Rwanda is breathtakingly beautiful.

I posted this on Instagram. Go like it.

We took a trip out to the Millennium Village on Saturday. The day began with a visit to a genocide memorial site, an old church once used to hide the Tutsi people from their attackers. Side note: if you don't know anything about the Rwandan genocide, I strongly encourage you to spend some time Googling it. In short, it was the slaughter of the Tutsi people by members of the Hutu majority government in 1994.

An estimated 1,000,000 Rwandans were killed in 3 months.

The church we visited was filled with remnants of the genocide, the metal doors were warped and broken by the grenades which blew them open. The roof was perforated with shrapnel holes from similar grenades thrown inside the church. The walls were loaded with craters left by gunfire. Piled in the church were the clothes of the people who died there, and underground there was a mass grave which stored their bones. There were 70 survivors. 10,000 Rwandans were killed inside the church.

Since the genocide, Mayange, Rwanda has become a part of the Millennium Village Project (read: http://millenniumvillages.org/the-villages/mayange-rwanda/). After the memorial site, we visited a village in which Rwandans (both genocide perpetrators and survivors) live together in unity. They share everything, and they have forgiven each other. We listened to people from each of the aforementioned parties tell their stories, and their testimonies were followed by a traditional dance performed by some of their youth. To say the least, it was a very emotional experience.

This church replaced the one which we toured at the memorial site.

The whole squad in Mayange.

Next, we got to see the farming lifestyle. Approximately 80% of Rwandans identify as farmers, and I had the privilege of walking through a local farm in Mayange. It was like walking through a jungle; at the end, our tour guide dug up a cassava root and chopped it up for us to eat.

Some goats.

Savannah scaring away some goats.

This is what our yard looked like in College Station
before we got a weed eater.

"I KNEW that was a banana tree!" - Mom

Choppin' some cassava.

The stank face award goes to...

To end the day, we attended my very first soccer game. The Rwanda national team played Mozambique. Even though Rwanda lost 3-2, it was a lot of fun.

Bringing the 12th Man to Rwanda.

I apologize to Aggies everywhere.

I should also mention that church here is great! A few of us went to a really cool English-speaking church where they played a lot of familiar music. We learned about glorifying God through our work, which is applicable both to my Rwanda trip as well as my time in college. It is also a topic I have learned a lot about at my college church. All in all, my church experience was very similar to what I am used to back home. I liked it a lot! I was also interested to find out that the majority of Rwandans are Christian.

Wrapping Things Up...

That's it for now! I have a bunch of other things to say, but they'll have to wait. I'll most likely make separate posts about the food, living conditions, and the culture here. Thanks for reading! Also, feel free to message me on Facebook or WhatsApp; I'd love to talk to you guys!!

Gig'Em and God bless.

Bryan

*I'm sorry for reusing this pun. By the way, it's supposed to sound like "I freakin'" for those of you who didn't get it (Dad).

African Can't Wait

I've never blogged before. I've also never been out of the country before. What an exciting time this is.

This post marks the beginning of my journey; I am currently on my way to Houston, Texas where I will fly out of George Bush Intercontinental Airport tomorrow at 3pm. I just wanted to take this chance to say thank you to everyone who is supporting my endeavors! I quite literally couldn't do this without you guys.

I am very excited for my trip tomorrow! It's a 28-hour series of flights (Houston to Amsterdam to Kigali, including a time change +7 hours), but I've successfully managed to obtain aisle seats on every plane. I will be arriving in Kigali, Rwanda at approximately noon (Texas time) on Sunday.

That's about it for now! I can't wait to start taking classes and helping out hospitals in Rwanda. Feel free to message me on Facebook or WhatsApp, and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I figure out how to use the internet from Africa...

Gig'Em, and God bless!

"Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you" (1 Samuel 12:24).

-Bryan

UPDATE: If you've never been to a Buc-ee's, I can't really explain this picture. If you have, I don't need to.

When in Madisonville...