Seeing old friends and dancing like noone is around

 We got a little bit of a break this morning and did not have to be at the center until 10:00 a.m. we got there and Colleen went to church because it was Sunday and I was at the center and a dancer from 2 years ago that I met from the United States her name is Caitlin was visiting and also choreographing and they were doing some dancing with the kids and I was invited in and was able to do a 1 hour warm up which was really a lot but it was good for my back it was good for me I'm still able to do it so good for me! I did some talking to the guest dancers and trainers who would never been to Rwanda before and then we waited until about 4:00 we were busy but the day went and got a ride in a car with Fiston whose birthday was today all of 29 and Colleen and I and we went to visit Johnson. He met us there with his little girl in his arms and we walked to his house where I got to spend time with his son Gary and with his lovely wife Noella. She prepared a meal of Fufu and meat which was something Fiston n was very happy to have Johnson has such a beautiful family and it's just lovely to see someone who went through such trauma to continue life. Having survived the genocide and witnessed it first hand seeing his mother and Aunt murdered before his eyes and then escaping to the orphanage and being saved by none other than Carl Wilkins. It's amazing how our lives have intersected especially knowing that Rebecca got her start in Rwanda also with Carl. That's how I met Colleen when Colleen and I were on call strip and that's how I met Johnson who was at the time the translator for Carl. Johnson informed us that he has been writing a book about his experiences and hopes to cover pre-genicide during the genocide and after the genocide. It's still very much in the Forefront of his life Colleen asked him does he plan on telling his children and he said maybe but right now he feels they are too young but they will eventually come to know about it.

So I gave out my gifts which was a slinky and a barrel of monkeys some Tootsie Rolls and some body lotion for his wife the barrel of monkeys and the slinky were big hits. We talked a lot we caught up on what's going on in his life what's going on in my life and he and fist on have now become friends which I really was happy about we're coming back to the hotel and having a rather restful evening because we're back pretty early and hoping to watch the World Cup with maybe other people at the hotel that don't want to watch it they have a TV in the restaurant so we may go down there so I'm going to post pictures of our day and I hope you enjoy them

Ishme

Caitlin ,Baptiste

Parent community meeting

dance classes

Fiston enjoying fufu

Johnson family

Adding to yesterday's blog/ July 18

 Student from 4 years Baptise.  So great to see him

 I forgot to mention that yesterday at the festival that Israel was represented and everyone cheered there was no one booing there was no one calling out names nothing and the Israeli group was very interesting about life in all aspects the only issue was it was very long but everyone gave a standing ovation just wanted to add that. So I've already been down to breakfast it was very nice with fresh pineapple and watermelon and egg of your choice and in my room just getting ready to go to the center and go on some home visits which can be very humbling and rewarding at the same time I'm sure again I've left out a lot or got some names wrong but I am going to do my best. Have a great day everybody talk to you later

BTW they nickna ed me Kazuba. Means su shine ! So sweet

I'm in my room trying to catch up a little bit because I don't need to be back until 5:00 for the second night of the festival. So Colleen and I had breakfast went over to the center and went on a home visit with Raymond. The student's name was actually Obama named after our ex-president because he was born the same year that Obama became president. I will include photos and you will see it's typical of the Rwandan homes that we've seen one actually two rooms one had a curtain where I saw there was one big bed and then four people in the family the father and three children two girls and Obama is his only son and the oldest mother is not present. You can see it's very sparse but they do have a television the television's not connected to any service what they do is play movies the father makes bricks for a living so his legs will cover it in mud because they use mud to make the bricks he's 40 years old was very hospitable very sweet and answered all our questions. The hike to the house was a little sketchy but I was able to make it with my very good shoes and my hiking stick which I did use. After that we came back to the center and met up with Raymond to discuss lessons which will start on Tuesday. I also was able to see some of my ex students and some of my students now which was very nice. I played around with chat GPT as you will see from the pictures that I post and they loved it although there was still a debate over the use of AI. So Colleen and I decided that we'd come back to the hotel for a rest as especially because we haven't made the walk back to the hotel last night they drove us back so we did it was all uphill and I must admit my heart rate went up to 135 but I was okay I could talk we stopped once or twice along the way and all of a sudden they hear someone call my name and it was one of my students from 4 years ago Baptiste. He has grown so much and was so ni

ce for him to walk us back to the hotel and catch up he's in school he's in college he's doing a lot he was very smart then and he's very smart now so it was also very nice to see a success story or on his way so I'm going to rest for a bit and then go back to the center and tomorrow we're going to see Johnson and his children but that's later in the day so I'm going to insert some pictures and be back to you I hope you're enjoying this

Another place i can caĺl home

 July 17 11pm

It's somewhat  of a blur. goingba k to Wednesday  Colleenwas caught in traffic  and was 

2 hrs behind .it was smooth  through to Staten Island  then the infamous  

Belt parkway. Our flight was at 6 pm and still had very to stop at Rochelle house for pit stop! It's now 4 pm  boarding in an hour.  I called for a lyft and we had 4 suitcases 

OMG. Stress ! LYFT arrived and driver was soon nice , I still had not used bathroom. And Rochelle rushed from work to let me in. The driver was OK with waiting. He was  great.  Once at airport he said  don't pay for a cart just go in and look for used ones. And some did and got 2. Next nice person was luggage check in at Brussels air. Colleen knew her bags were over weight because of school supplies and candy for the kids. The agent let it go

We also saw the crew outside and we said we were on that flight. Once at gate   the same agent was there and let us aboard early so the day was leaning to positive, then flight was delayed 2 h I urs due to traffic!  We knew our layover was 2 hrs in Brussels and now we used up that time sitting on the tarmac.  There is only one flight  a day  to kilgali.  We'll they waited since many people were going that way . Once we arrived it went surprisingly smooth. All bags arrived and Raymond was waiting. Got to hotel ,checked in 

I showered and we went to be

Today we had to be at the center at 9 so we ate l o very breakfast and with my hiking stick headed to center. What a reunion!  Emmy, Julius,Kevin, Olivier Bashir and the kids recognized me Raymond  Carried the suitcase from hotel to the center

 BTW, my keyboard  won't connect so my typing is terrible . We went to visit several students who had graduated the program and we're now pursuing Life Beyond mindweeps. The first person we visited was a young man named Josue who now owns and operates his own Coffee Cafe and Restaurant it's a beautiful restaurant Raymond and I both had coffee and we were very impressed with his attitude he's also still going to school at the same time to study medicine he wants to be a doctor so his restaurant is open 24/7 and he has done so much and is going to school at the same time and we come to find this young man is all of 21 years old. I am amazing person and I see him doing wonderful things beyond what he's doing now. Our second stop was to another young man who is now working in a travel agency that he helped to actually establish however the building was really like a weworks in New York where there are many many rooms that get rented out for presentations for all kinds of business and they actually have rooms that look like a phone booth for people to study or take exam and while they're taking the exam they're able to be proctored amazing place it was again extremely impressive with such a young man our last stop was a young lady Evie Evy that I've been personally in touch with over the last 2 years she's a beautiful young lady who is now working as an intern in the hospital she was telling us many stories and it's very hard for her to not get emotionally attached. She's a lovely girl she calls me pretty often from home and she'll be graduating in another year her program is intense she's still going to school and I'm very proud of. After this we returned to the center where we watched Raymond and julius's class have a debate about the benefits of AI or is it not a good thing does it take jobs or does it make jobs this is what they would debating so I say go in I see several students waving at me and remember when I teach them from home often they don't put their cameras on so I got to meet many of my students JP who reads beautifully I saw Vivian I saw Kevin and Kevin I saw albertine all my lovely Tuesday's Thursday students having this debate and they did very well after that we got on the mutual bus with the kids actually this time they would not really singing and dancing because everybody's got a cell phone now so unfortunately it has reached them we got to the kilgali Memorial Museum getting ready the Music Festival. Once I got there I saw even more ex students that I haven't seen for the two years or more. Rebecca was there I only got to see her briefly. The first group that went did an unbelievable dance and what was amazing was there were eight of them with a dance company and only one was not a mind leaps former student so I got to see Prisha, and lovely Giselle. And it was passy who choreographed The Dance. We also saw Didier so it was quite a reunion. Mine leaves was the second group to go and they had also an unbelievable dance dedicated to trees they look like trees when they first came out and the dance was incredible I'm probably leaving out a lot of information but right now it is now a

fter 11:00 and I was just able to figure out how to do voice to text because I can't be sitting here typing. Sunday I'm going to see Johnson. And hopefully passy will come by Sunday during the day I'm tired but I'm happy and love the love that they give me. I forgot to mention drones will soon be delivering medical supplies between hospitals 

Time for another journey RWANDA 2026

 Hi, to my friends and family.  I'm packing for my trip to Rwanda. A bag full of food items, gifts, and things to leave behind. A second bag with minimal clothing and supplies.

It's been two years, and I'm a bit slower and still recovering from a car accident back in April. SO I prepared with sneakers with awesome tread and a hiking stick.  This year I'm not alone, as my buddy Colleen will be my partner. Our teaching schedule is full, and I was able to make a reservation at Chabad for Shabbat dinner.

There is a slight Ebola situation, but I will not be near the Congo. My students are excited; I'm excited and will tread lightly- literally, as I must be careful on those hills.  I'll miss you all, especially my kids and grandkids.

I hope you'll read this, and I can't promise to write every day.

Great hugs!!!!

Fiston

Emmy