Umuganura

 I'm checked into my flight my bag is almost packed and it is time to leave but hopefully not to say goodbye. What a day! It is the Harvest Festival the same one I participated in 2 years ago in traditional clothes and I participated in the dances this time was a little different Colleen and I did get dressed she was a dress she brought in Guinea and I was dressed by Salama and traditional gar there were a lot of people and parents and I saw Obama's dad and made sure that Emmy came with me to talk to him and I wanted to express how I feel about her his son being so smart I believe he was very proud of what I had to say. They had the traditional foods some of which I don't usually care for I didn't eat very much but it was an incredible afternoon and they're so grateful for everything that we can do for them. After the meal and dancing we met for debriefing in the staff room where Colleen and I gave a little funny speech about each person I think they really appreciated it I knew they were taking us out to dinner but they made it seem like a big surprise so we all went out for dinner and when I say all I mean all there must have been 20 people all the staff members and a few of them made some speeches about Colleen and I which was very touching and the food was quite good actually we enjoyed it very much so I have lots of pictures to share from both the festival and from our dinner and once again I don't know how to upload videos but I'm sure that you'll enjoy just the photographs as well it might be more coming as people are going to share their photos with me when I did not take pictures. It's been a very rewarding trip especially seeing how mine leaves has grown there are so many new employees there and teachers and trainers a lot more than they were two years ago when I first entered mine leaves I believe it's going on 7 years ago there were 100 students there's now over 300 students I remember dancing on a grassy knoll and now they have the dance platform which now has lights and has you know like Shades that can come down I mentioned earlier when I first came that what was the kitchen is now a classroom and they have a separate building that has been renovated that is their kitchen they now have a sewing room with several sewing machines where ciprio is teaching parents how to s e w I know it's going to take me time to debrief and to process everything and try to get back to my life again and not have the hills to climb I although I hated them I love them I love the weather and the people my friends I have friends now is so interesting when Colleen and I are walking back up the hill how many times we see people we know is very interesting. Thank you for reading my blog if you have been reading it and my thanks go out to Olivier Emmy Raymond FistonYves Frank Alice Jennifer patience and I probably forgot a few other people. It's been quite a ride till 3 and 1/2 Weeks the first week went slowly the rest went too fast I hope I will be back next year Frank made me very proud because when we first met and he was one of the new teachers here we talked a lot about why in Rwanda it's a thing about men portraying a strong image and not crying and things like that we talked about his mother and he told me how much he appreciated her and loved her I said well have you told her and he said no he hadn't and I would bother him all the time about talking to his mother and maybe writing her a letter but apparently she doesn't write or read so he told me today that he did tell her had the conversation with her and she cried and he cried and he felt so good about it so I'm so happy that he did that and that his mother knows how much she is loved good job Frank

casava

dinner out with all

at festival