La vie dans Bukavu

It's getting close to a month now that I've been in Bukavu. Orientation is coming to an end and my french is slowly improving. I think I probably understand half of what people say to me at this point. I found out this week that I'll probably be working with a peace and reconciliation organization called PPR. They are an organization that works with various armed groups in the area. This means I'll probably be staying in Bukavu for the next six months or so. After that I may potentially move into a village, but I'm not sure. I'm happy to stay in Bukavu for now, because the weather is so good.

This is an article I read about PPR, when I originally became interested in the program:
http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/01/02/374574242/when-a-rebel-is-homesick-he-might-be-willing-to-surrender




I'm endlessly amazed by what people carry on their heads. This guy probably had at least 10 live chickens in that bag. I'm not sure how he got them to stay in the bag. I'm also not sure how he keeps the bag on his head without his hands, but he makes it look effortless. It's common to see someway walking with an object of this size on this head. Five minutes after this, I saw another woman doing the same thing. I also saw a man with a full sized wooden coffin, and I've heard people move couches this
way.


This is my host dad at a wedding party. The groom had to give six cows for the dowry. My host mom said a cow costs around 600 dollars. I'm not sure whether he gave the money or the actual cows.

This is the family I've been staying with on the weekends. Their son David is normally away at school, but he returned for Easter vacation, which lasts two weeks.

On another note, the power went out for almost a full 24 hours yesterday, for no reason other than that it happens sometimes here. It was a hassle, but it made me glad to have grown up in America. The power usually goes out a couple times a week, but usually only for an hour. The water also works only about half the time. I get really excited when the water and electricity are both working. That means it's a good day.

This is the last week of orientation. Next Monday, half of my group will leave for Goma, which is 4 hours north of Bukavu by boat. I'll begin studying french with a new teacher next week, which will hopefully improve my grammar. I'm not sure exactly when I will begin working.

Anyway, that's all for now. Hope everyone's doing well.