WEEKS 3-6 (Feb 15-Mar 5):

The last couple of weeks have slowed down. On Saturday the 28th of February we had language tests by an outside group. They went well I think yet they were very difficult. On Sunday the 1st a big group of us went to Nyungwe Forest National Park. We saw three different species of monkeys there. One of the most beautiful sights we saw was of Lake Kivu.
On Tuesday the 3rd, we had our last interviews with the Peace Corps concerning our site placements. Although most of the sites have already been decided on we won’t know our sites until Friday the 6th.
On March 4th, we visited an orphanage and an organization that assists women in distress and people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The orphanage was one of six in Rwanda. It is being run by a couple of Catholic nuns but isn’t doing so great. Their funding is insignificant and much of it (if not all) will be cut later this year and sent to Burundi. Since Burundi is now becoming more stable after many years of instability and war, many organizations are moving their focus from Rwanda and to Burundi. I don’t know what will happen to the orphans who range in age from 2 weeks to 18 years old. Normally when the parents of a child die they are taken in by family members but these children have lost all connections to their families. The orphanage is the only place they can go.
I am starting to miss everyone more. I hope everyone is doing well. Until next time… take care.