LATEST EXPEDITIONS
"It was an amazing experience." That's what I always tell people when they ask. I don't tell them about Kiki, or Amani. I don't talk about the joy or thrill of riding a motorcycle or sitting on a safari car. I don't talk about the shame or guilt I felt visiting a memorial or leaving a village. I don't talk about the interviews I did or about all the times I rolled around in the dirt to get a a good camera angle or shot. How can I? How do you wrap up an entire summer of beauty and realization and life lessons into a small talk conversation? So I just say what it was - an amazing experience.
My time in Rwanda taught me so many things about myself, my team, and all the people I encountered while I was working in the field. I was sent there to gather stories about people and their strength, but I was surprised by just how much of it I encountered while I was there. I was fortunate enough that I had a lot of time to think and reflect on my experiences, and lot of them made me think of just how different a person’s life can be just depending on where they were born in the world. Life in Rwanda provided me with so many experiences and stories to share, and reminded me how beautiful the world is when you take the time to stop and listen and watch.
My time in Rwanda taught me so many things about myself, my team, and all the people I encountered while I was working in the field. I was sent there to gather stories about people and their strength, but I was surprised by just how much of it I encountered while I was there. I was fortunate enough that I had a lot of time to think and reflect on my experiences, and lot of them made me think of just how different a person’s life can be just depending on where they were born in the world. Life in Rwanda provided me with so many experiences and stories to share, and reminded me how beautiful the world is when you take the time to stop and listen and watch.
A few key stories and relationships stuck out in my mind when I was reflecting on my time in the field. One of the people I felt most connected to was Kiki, our translator. Kiki was one of the first people I met in Rwanda, and within the first week of meeting her, she started referring to me and my coworker as her “little sisters”. I wasn’t sure why, but when she started calling us that, it instantly made me feel more comfortable around her. And during my time in Rwanda, she was just that - a big sister. She never failed to stick up for me, to protect me, or make me smile. I never, ever make bonds with people that fast. It takes me a while to genuinely trust someone, but she made it so natural and I’ve never had a relationship like that before. Kiki was also so different than I expected a translator to be. She used instagram, had gone to school in the US, and had a similar sense of humor to all of us in the field, which made for a great relationship.
Our other translator, Amani, also fit in super well with our group. He had an incredible story and worked so hard to get where he was, and is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. He was born into such a difficult situation, and overcame so many things the world threw his way - and yet, he always had a smile on his face! Every time he walked into a room, people were instantly drawn to him. He was the quietest person, yet every time he taught a workshop or gave a speech, he commanded a room like a natural born leader. Over time while we were there, I developed so much respect for him and everything he accomplished, and I strive to be more like him.
Our other translator, Amani, also fit in super well with our group. He had an incredible story and worked so hard to get where he was, and is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. He was born into such a difficult situation, and overcame so many things the world threw his way - and yet, he always had a smile on his face! Every time he walked into a room, people were instantly drawn to him. He was the quietest person, yet every time he taught a workshop or gave a speech, he commanded a room like a natural born leader. Over time while we were there, I developed so much respect for him and everything he accomplished, and I strive to be more like him.
Not only were the people and my relationships with them important, but I was also able to gather a lot of stories about objects that gathered a lot of information on the meaning that they carried to the people I made connections with. For example, there’s one tree in the village of Mumeya, that stands off to the side and doesn’t look like it has any special significance. However, this is the tree where PICO Rwanda started, and where pastor John first held his meetings and helped community organize. When they started, it was just a tree - there was no roads, no school, no clinic. There was just a tree. Through PICO, and through annual meetings under that tree, Mumeya was able to accomplish so much and really make a name for themselves.
Another object and building that was super special to some of the people we met was the tiles in Nyange. These tiles are the foundation for Nyange’s work. They started making them so that they could build houses for eachother, as many people were either homeless or still had a lot of damaged unfinished houses from the war. After they finished that project, they started selling tiles to other villages to help them as well, and have now made a deal with the government to sell even more. There was so much history in the most inconspicuous places, it gave me a new respect for people and all that they had to go through and overcome. A lot of these places showed me the power of community organizing and how building confidence and working together can help build a successful community.
Another object and building that was super special to some of the people we met was the tiles in Nyange. These tiles are the foundation for Nyange’s work. They started making them so that they could build houses for eachother, as many people were either homeless or still had a lot of damaged unfinished houses from the war. After they finished that project, they started selling tiles to other villages to help them as well, and have now made a deal with the government to sell even more. There was so much history in the most inconspicuous places, it gave me a new respect for people and all that they had to go through and overcome. A lot of these places showed me the power of community organizing and how building confidence and working together can help build a successful community.
I believe that life is made up by the stories we tell, the people we meet, and the beauty and deeper meanings we find in something as simple as a tree, a road, or a piece of concrete. I was so blessed to have had the experience that I did in Rwanda, and I can’t have imagined a better summer. Though I may not always get a chance to tell everyone the amazing details, experience was just that - amazing.