Daily Routines

7:00- Wake up. Take a cold shower (there’s no hot water). Eat small breakfast, bread butter, honey and a small banana or orange (which are actually green, have seeds and are sour). 7:45- Ride bike to work (about 10 minute ride). Sometimes in a thick fog. I greet strangers along the way “mwaramutse” (good morning). Kids are on their way to school and say “good morning!” the entire way there. 8:00- At office with colleague. I have my own desk in the small office that sits on a big piece of property surrounded by banana trees. I don’t have much to do yet but sometimes I translate reports from broken English into proper English. I take note of ideas for building a health and development youth center here. In the office there is a wall with pictures of orphans in Rwamagana district, one ancient computer and some bookshelves with a bunch of books. 12:00- I ride home for lunch. Normally beans w/veggies and rice. 1:30- Return to work. 5:00- Off work. Go home or stop by a soccer game on the way and watch for a little while or run errands. 7:30- Dinner generally a selection of these (plantains, cabbage, carrots, beans, rice, corn meal, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spaghetti, onions). Study, read or practice guitar. 11:00- Sleep.