June 17

Three weeks ago, we began our journey to a country we had never been before. We were nervous, excited, and a little scared to be going on this trip, but now we are done and returning home. Last night was our homestay family dinner where we all enjoyed good food, good company, and lots of dancing. We all were sad to say goodbye to these kind and caring families, but nonetheless we still had to leave. The things they have shown us about how they live everyday has left us all with memories for the rest of our lives. However, it was not just them that left lasting memories, this whole trip has, so let's take some time to reflect.

We started out our trip with some brief, but very important meetings that taught us the basics of Rwanda and what was going on in the country around us and what was happening in Kigali. Then the very important discovery exercise of the buses that were very useful for many in the following weeks with getting around the city on their own. The Gisozi Genocide Memorial was our first real hit of what actually happened here and was an eye-opening experience for all. Next we saw the Presidential Palace Art Museum that gave us a tour of both the beginning of the events of 1994 and a look at how the country has recovered. Later that evening we enjoyed a local specialty in the form of fermented milk that some of us, mostly myself, enjoyed more so that others. Then we had our first free day to explore wherever. Some went to the volcanoes in the north of the country, others went to the rain forests in the south of the country, while the rest stayed and explored the beautiful city of Kigali. Then off to Huye/Butare we went. We visited the traditional king's house and got to meet the royal cows who had quite the impressive set of horns. Next, Murambi was a somber reminder of what happened and a great learning experience. We also got to meet with some of the people who rescued in the Genocide. They talked of their heroic deeds and what it was like to do so. Then, we went to a women's Co-op that talked to us about how they reconciled with each other after the Genocide was finished, it was impressive to hear them talk about overcoming their obstacles Next, we met with some of the local university students and discussed what university life was like in Rwanda and we answered their questions they had about the United States. Back to Kigali, we talked with people who had participated in the Genocide and how they managed to cope with what they had done, and how the community had managed to reconcile with them. This was quite a surreal experience knowing they had done what they had done and yet there they were talking with us. Next, we went to Parliment and saw the heroic actions the RPF did to stop the Genocide and bring peace to Rwanda. Then the moment we had all slightly been dreading, the homestay. We all waited on the balcony of our hostel waiting for our families to come pick us up and were so nervous to meet our family for the next week. Eventually, we all were picked up and take to our new homes. We spent the next day with them and got to truly experience Rwandan living that day. Then we went on a day long safari excursion to Akagera National Park. We got to see impala, zebra, baboons, warthogs, giraffe, hippos, and more! Next day, we went to Kimironko (a large marketplace in Kigali) and shopped for whatever we wanted, getting many of the souvenirs we wanted on the trip. After that, we visited AVEGA, a  group that helped with counseling after the Genocide and even still till today. Then, we talked about Gacaca and all the efforts Rwanda had put into helping reconcile the nation and help the country move forward. The next day, we got to hear a survivor's story about how he had recovered and how he was making sure people remembered what happened. Then, we visited the Ntarama and Nyamata memorials which were very interesting to see since they were so different from the other memorials we had visited. We also got to go to the CNLG that helps fight against genocide and its denial. Finally, we went to Kibuye to see Lake Kivu and get some much wanted relaxation in the sun, before coming back to Kigali the next day and having our homestay dinner.

I know that was a lot, but in order to understand this last part, you needed to see the whole picture. Over these three weeks, we as a class have all grown so much together. Learning from each other, helping each other, laughing with each other, crying with each other, and in the end we will all miss Rwanda. It has been our home for nearly a month and now it is time for us to say goodbye. Rwanda has taught all of us more about the world and ourselves. We have made friends along this trip that for many will last a lifetime. We may all scatter as we grow up, but we will all remember Rwanda. Whether it's Mustafa always seeming to be late, Jess' confidence and natural born leadership, Brooke's laugh being able to make anyone smile on a bad day and her constantly having to state she studies Environment Economics Development and Sustainability, Ryan's ability to chug an entire glass of that fermented milk and not puke after the bumpy road up to Mount Kigali, Luke's sassy humor and readiness to try anything, Ellen's laughter at anytime at anything, Faduma's ability to laugh at her broken glasses sadly needing a new band-aid every few days because no one brought tape, Caroline's sweet kindness towards anyone and everyone, Kai's Polo hat aesthetic and patience, Sam's ability to have a discussion with you for hours and still not want it to end, Dameona's swagger and ability to make you laugh at anytime, Cara's ability to haggle like a master at the markets, Halley's resilience and adventurous attitude, Maggie's ability to take anything thrown at her in stride and laugh at her own misfortunes, and Savannah's ability to make us all feel at home and the love she had for everyone. A special shout out to Gena our graduate student/photographer on the trip for getting all our great shots who for some reason keeps coming back to Rwanda even after all her bad luck. Another special shout out to our coordinator Mercy for helping us literally do anything and putting up with us through thick and thin. Finally to our two professors Hollie and Michelle for being amazing and keeping us all on track while still making us laugh and enjoy the trip. We will remember Michelle's natural photo readiness no matter the situtation and Hollie for her ability to use the word "yeah" and somehow have it mean 70 different things. But most importantly in the end, Rwanda, we will miss you.
OSU Rwanda Study Abroad 2019 signing out.

June 13th

        Some days emotionally drain you. This was one of those days for me. Today, we visited two genocide memorials. Both memorials were churches that were killing sites during the genocide. The first site we visited was called Ntarama Genocide Memorial. When violence against Tutsi occurred in 1959, many fled to neighboring countries, while others were congregated in this region of Rwanda. Violence at this location began on April 15th 1994 and 5,000 people were killed. The RPF liberated the region on May 15th 1994. The memorial is run by the  National Commission in the Fight Against Genocide. The second memorial is called Nyamata Genocide Memorial. Violence occurred at this church in 1992 as well as 1994. Many Tutsi found safety at this location in 1992, but the nun that provided sanctuary to many was killed. In 1994, violence occurred again and 50,000 people were killed in the church and surrounding area. 

        During our visit to The Murambi Genocide Memorial, one student said he tried to give each victim one second to honor them. Today, I attempted to emulate his example. However, the task was impossible. One second for each of the 55,000 graves we visited today would take over fifteen hours. Not only did I not have time to individually honor each victim, many of the names are still unknown. At Ntarama, there are 5,000 bodies, but less than 2,000 names. Each victim deserves so much more than one second and that is the purpose of these memorials. They educate visitors about the genocide and honor the victims.

        After two challenging visits, it’s important to debrief and relax. So we headed over to Kigali Heights to grab lunch. Afterward we spoke with Pastor Antoine Rutayisire. He was very candid with us and had some interesting perspectives on current issues. One thing that he said that stuck with me is “The present should not be prisoner to the past.” He used this to explain that the resentment between the Tutsi and the Hutu should not persist into the next generation. However, I think this concept can apply to anyone. Do not let the grudges of the past, corrupt the present or endanger the future. 

Church at Ntarama Genocide Memorial

Broken window of the church at Ntarama Genocide Memorial

Broken window at Nyamata Genocide Memorial

Check out the moth we saw at Kigali Heights!

Pastor Antoine Rutayisire sharing his interesting perspectives

June 14th

My last (!!!) day of classes began with the usual breakfast at my homestay: bread and coffee/tea. After a quick bite, we hopped into the car and began our 45 minute commute into town. Although I won’t miss the 6:45 departure time, I will miss watching the sun creep over the hills and the balmy sounds of 94.3 FM, the family’s go-to radio station on the way to class. 

Shortly after arriving to class, we hopped on the bus for a trip to CNLG, a government organization with the goal of preventing genocide and fighting genocide denial and ideology. When we got there, we were given a refresher in the history of Rwanda and some of the events that contributed to the 1994 violence.  This served as a preface to the work the organization currently does. A good deal of their works aims to preserve the memory of genocide for historical purposes, but serves as “evidence” to counter the arguments of genocide deniers.  Some of their work also involves maintenance of memorials, providing public education, and collaboration with other groups to better preserve the memories and artifacts of memorial sites. To give us a better idea of what CNLG was fighting, we were walked through a couple of slides considered genocide ideology. Most of the statements were part of a conversation, where one person brought up past violence, sometimes relating it to one’s family, in effort to upset them or re-traumatize them. After questions, we headed back to SIT to hear about the refugee situation in Rwanda, and more life in a refugee camp. 

When we got back, we heard from a representative who explained more about the the current refugee situation in Rwanda. A sizable portion of the refugee population in Rwanda comes from the neighboring country of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC.) Refugees from the DRC have sought refugee from turmoil in their country, and have settled in communities across Rwanda. The representative explained that the refugee camp he works with in particular challenges the typical perception of refugee camps; the brick buildings and bright blue roofs might not match one’s assumption when they hear of refugee camps. While we didn’t get to tour this refugee camp in particular, we did get a glimpse of it on our way back from a visit to a genocide memorial. He shared some insight to what daily life looks like in a camp. He expressed some of the education, health services, and other facilities refugees have access too. He expressed some struggles that people face, such as finding ways to keep people busy, such a securing them jobs or forms of entertainment such as books. This tied into our group’s newfound project of working with a Rwanda-based group to supply the books that match the needs of the refugees. 

Our final stop for today was at Hope Haven, a school established by an Ohio State alum. It was established 8 years ago and is a 30 minute drive from the city center of Kigali. When we arrived, school was in session, with kids hanging out in and around the building. We were given a tour around the school, stopping by classrooms teaching subjects ranging from chemistry to English. We also popped into communal spaces like the library and the computer lab to check out some of the facilities offered at the school. Our tour concluded with a tour of the spaces for the volunteers, who comprise the majority of the teaching  force at Hope Haven. After the tour concluded, our debrief in the bus started our discussion of how organizations and visitors can be more conscious in their interactions with Rwandan communities. While I found the education the school provided to be beneficial, I questioned if Hope Haven was truly in sync with the needs of the community or solely those able to get into the school with the lottery. While our discussion never provided a conclusive answer, I believe our time spent considering the highs and pitfalls of philanthropic work was invaluable. 

Next stop: Kibuye! :^)