Strange Encounters I

Nose-Picking

I have come to realize that nose-picking is perfectly okay here.  During presentations in front of 50 + people or even while having a one-on-one conversation, the presenter or person that you are speaking with will stick his index finger as far into his nose as it will go and pick away.  I cringe every time...it's so gross!  And to think...when I shake everyone's hand on the street, I am more than likely shaking hands with their boogers!  Oh how this makes my stomach turn.

Are you a girl?

Marriage is a big deal here and "are you a girl?" is one of the first questions I am asked each time I meet someone.  Not because they are wondering about my sex, but because to be a "girl" means that you are unmarried with no children.  You are not considered a "woman" until you have either married, had children, or accomplished both tasks.

You are a Cow!

I'm pretty sure this makes more sense in Kinyarwanda, but this is a phrase that is used among the Rwandans when one of them does not know English well.  Apparently cows are seen as dumb here, so calling someone a cow is like calling them stupid.  Whereas in America, calling someone a cow would mean that they are fat.  I found this to be quite interesting.

Give her a lot of milk!

As my counterpart took me around to different parts of the district, I heard some people say on more than one occasion, "Give her a lot of Milk!"  After hearing it a few times, I asked why people were saying that and here was his explanation: cows are plentiful in the Eastern Province of Rwanda and so when you give someone milk, you are expressing your joy that they are there.  The more milk you give a visitor, the more welcome you want them to feel in the community.

I love you! 

Most girls live to hear these 3 little words, but I definitely heard them from more strangers than I would have liked to during my site visit.  I would meet someone and after about 5 minutes of speaking my broken Kinyarwanda, they would say, "I love you."  I would just laugh like they said a funny joke to kind of remove the awkwardness of the moment.  I'm not sure how love is defined in Rwanda, but I'm sure they were just trying to express their excitement for my being there...but still...it's awkward.

Public Transportation

You have to take a taxi (which is really a bus) to get anywhere in Rwanda and the taxi stops are...interesting, for lack of a better word.  As I would sit on my bus waiting for it to take off, people would come up open window trying to sell everything from candy to gold chains.  There are also a lot of people that go from window to window to ask for money.  The really bold ones reach in through the window, exposing a knub or deformed hand.  I'm sure they do this to get people to give money, as I was very tempted; however the Peace Corps advises us against this.  It's just so sad because most of these people who don't have their hands or whose arms don't extend passed their elbows probably lost these parts during the genocide when they were tortured.I was taken aback by this at first, as I have never seen so many people with missing hands or fingers, but then I thought about it and realized why th There are people everywhere and you have to hold your bags really tightDisabled...expensive vendors 1000 vs 500

Thizz face/mean mug:

If the hyphee movement ever would have made it to Africa, I'm sure Rwanda would have won the contest for the meanest thizz face...the people here sure know how to mean mug! lol It's a bit intimidating to look around and just see a bunch of angry faces, but the instant you smile and say hello to someone, their faces just light up.  My favorite part about seeing them frown is being able to turn that frown upside down :)

Love and Peace Corps,

Dametreea