Goodbye 2014 - Hello 2015!

I realise now that its always busy in Rwanda, even during the holidays! They ended on Monday, so its back to the Teacher Training College for me - not that I haven't been working since the 5th of January anyway!

I had a great Christmas and New Year in  Byumba. We decided to buy a chicken (or two) and have a feast on Christmas eve and Christmas day. I didn't think I'd ever be on the back of a motorbike taxi with two live chickens hanging from my right hand by their feet! I also didn't know how much stuff you have to do to a chicken before you can cook it when you buy it live! Luckily my friend and fellow volunteer Christ is an expert, so we killed it the Halal way (for Prima) and had great food for two days. We also attended Christmas day mass - the last one at 10am, not the 6 or 8am sessions which most of my colleagues went to. Mum sent the Christmas pudding and crackers so we had a bit of an English vibe going, and Simon just got back from the Philippines with bags of sweets traditional at xmas there. Another friend provided the mulled wine sachets and we partied until 2am to see the new year in!   Plus lots of Karaoke, TV and movies on the laptop and we all had a great Christmas and new year week. 

In the mix of the holiday fever and new years not on holiday but not back to college yet I did some more painting and copied some rice sack books, celebrated a birthday or two and was invited to a principals house. It was also the Quarterly meeting for all the volunteers and we took over a local bar after the last day (Tuesday!) where I DJ'd and projected dance videos and we generally had a right good time!

Now it's back to business as usual at the TTC, preparing the Year 3's for their 9 week internships at primary school and cataloging all the new materials that have been bought for the resource centre by VSO. Bring on the Saturday training, new, shy Year 1 student teachers and my last year in Rwanda.

On February 3rd, I celebrate my one year Rwandanniversary probably with brochette and chips at the local bar! I handed in my notice at the beginning of this year and after 18 months in Rwanda and 3 months in Ethiopia, my volunteering journey in Africa will end in July 2015, I will continue to support both the organisations I have volunteered with so that they can continue their good work.



I also say "see you soon" to my good friend Amy who has gone back to the UK to bring new life into the world - can't wait to meet the Ugland Princess when I get home!