A day in the life...

I know I have written about most everything we do on a daily basis at some point already, however I figured it would be entertaining to lay it all out. Since I live in a room with 3 other girls, and another 4 across the hall, mornings start with a considerable amount of shuffling and shifting, typically starting around 6:30, which also happens to be 0030 in Rwanda time (they start their day at 6). It's hit or miss for getting bathroom time when you want it. Either you get lucky and get a sink or you end up brushing your teeth in the backyard with your bottle of "clean" water. Breakfast starts at 7:00. Seats outside are limited so it is beneficial to get there early. The goodies such as peanut butter also go quickly. I have learned to love eggs here as that is really the only protein available for vegetarians. From 7:00 to 8:00 is eating, socializing, tea, and study time for whichever activity suits your fancy. At 8:00, we start classes, typically with language being first, since it requires the most concentration. We study our little brains out until we hear the glorious sound of the bell, or someone hitting the rusty tire wheel. Tea break at 10:00 has become our most beloved time. Snacks and tea/coffee are essential to getting through the rest of the morning. After a half an hour break, we get back to class, usually another language. Rwandans typically take long lunches, therefore so do we. From 12:00 - 2:30 we are free, free, free. This is typically prime internet time. Afternoon classes are run from 2:30 - 4:00 and then from 4:00 - 5:00. Thankfully they have taken into consideration our dwindling energy levels and attention spans. These classes are Medical (Malaria, GI, fevers, etc), Technical (Income generating activities, kitchen gardens, community activities, etc), Safety and Security, or Cross Cultural, basically Rwanda culture. The 5:00 bell has become one of the sweetest sounds. After class, we are free to do our own thing until dinner at 7:00. We typically go home and use this time to go see resource families, internet, study, throw a football, exercise, read, or just sit around with a cup of tea waiting for our brains to solidify again. Dinner is really no exciting affair, unless you happen into our backyard and watch them prepare our meal (always entertaining, especially if there are chickens involved). After being fed 3 times in the morning, and then not again until 7, we scoff down our food and everyone disperses to our own houses again. Nights typically revolve around studying more language, at least in my house. Or, if you can't handle anymore Kinyarwanda for the day, a game of Bananagrams, a movie, or reading before everyone crashes at 9:30 or 10:00. A peaceful night passes underneath the sheen of the mosquito net and it begins all again the next day! Sundays, our one day off, has become our laundry, general grooming, resource family, and skype date day. We have mixed up the monotony a few times with trips to Butare (the 2nd biggest city), a failed attempt to visit the closed King's Palace in Nyanza, and a failed trip to Nyungwe National Park to see monkeys which ended up being a $70 entrance fee and eventually turned out just to be a 6 hour ride in the buses. And, such is the life of a Peace Corps Trainee.