The Case of the Missing Clothes

And just when I thought Rwanda could do no wrong...

I woke up this morning, did my laundry, cleaned my house, and did a whole bunch of other "house keeping" type business that I have gotten into the habit of doing every Saturday.  Only today, I was rushing a little bit to get everything done since me and one of the other volunteers decided we would meet up in the town that is between our two villages.  I also needed to go to the market and run a few errands so I wanted to leave my house with plenty of time to get everything done and make it home before dark.  So I called my moto driver (who after today, probably won't be my driver anymore) and he came to pick me up to take me into town.  Before I left, I decided I would leave my clothes outside to dry so that once I got back from town I could put them away.  Good idea right??...wrong!  No sooner than I got into town (which is 30 minutes away from my house), a felt one drop, then two...and then a dozen drops of rain!  NOOOOO!!!! was all I could think as I pondered at making another 30 minute trip and paying again so that I could go home just to take my clothes inside so that they wouldn't be soaked by this rain that came from absolutely nowhere.  I decided against coming back home and thought to myself, oh well, it's just water...they'll dry eventually. 

Once all of my errands were completed and me and the volunteer were ready to head back to our respective homes, we said our goodbyes and I went on my merry little way.  When I got home, the first thing I went to do was check on my clothes that were hanging on the line in the backyard.  (Or SHOULD HAVE BEEN hanging on the line).  As soon as I opened my back door, I noticed all of my towels, shirts, and socks were M.I.S.S.I.N.G!  The raggedy clothes were still hanging there so I just knew something fishy was going on.  Ohemgee!! Where are my friggin clothes??!  I panicked a little bit, wondering where on Earth they could have been.  People in Rwanda don't steal...right??

It usually gets pretty windy on the days that I wash clothes (coincidentally) so I thought maybe they flew off of the line.  I looked around the yard knowing that I wouldn't find anything and then looked over at my neighbor's house.  They can see over the fence into my backyard so since my next thought was geared at thieves, I went to ask her if she saw anyone come into my back yard and take the clothes.  After several failed attempts at trying to ask if she saw anyone back there, I gave up and just asked, "Imyenda hehe??" (where are my clothes?)  She just mumbled a whole bunch of gibberish that I couldn't understand, walked off, and disappeared inside her house.  I stood there for a moment, shocked, hoping she didn't think that I was accusing her of stealing my clothes and then I turned to walk back into my house to have myself a one-woman pity party.  Just as I walked through the door, my neighbor yelled out, "Keza!"  When I turned around, I saw the best thing I had seen all day...she was standing there with a huge pile of clothes in her hands...MY clothes!!  (Thank God!)  She told me she had her daughter come over and get them when it started raining so that they wouldn't get wait.  I thanked her a million times (and would have hugged her had the fence not been between us), apologized silently for thinking the worse, and took the clothes into my house. 

And just when I thought Rwanda could do no wrong...I was right.  Someone asked me what I like the most about Rwanda, and I told them the people.  They are so thoughtful and hospitable.  I have felt right at home since the moment I stepped foot off of the plane.  As for my neighbor...she's the best!

Love and Peace Corps,

Dametreea