Happiness comes in many forms...

Watching a storm come in

Seeing cows walking down the road

The smell on the way to work that reminds me of Idaho

Hearing the mosque call

Swimming in lake Kivu

Seeing the mountains get the intense colors when the sun is setting

Taking a bus back to my site after a long weekend / week away

Cheap Indian food

Getting a package

Knowing I have chocolate in the house

Watching me garden growing (before the goats ate it)

Hearing my name (Kerry or Mbabazi, not mazungu)

Taking tea and bread at a local Mama's shop

Hot showers at St. Pauls or some nice hotel

Talking / skyping with friends and family

Holding one of my favorite green uniform kid's hands to or from school

Store Mama calling me 'friend'

Grilled cheese sandwiches

Cell Phone Country

I'm sitting in a staff meeting or a cooperative training when I hear the not so subtle tones of a phone beginning to ring. Immediately, I try to identify to the ring and the source to make sure I am not the culprit. After making sure my phone is on vibrate only, like I have been trained to after years of sitting in classrooms, I look up to see the embarrassed and guilty party whose phone is continuing to ring. My eyes shift around the room and I notice the tutilere or training leader reaching into their pocket non-chanlantly and pulling out a buzzing phone. The finish their sentence, look down at the phone again, and answer it turning their back on their meeting.

When you think of Africa, cell phones are not typically the first thing that comes to mind yet in Rwanda, cell phones rule. There are only 3 network carriers, MTN, Tigo, and Rwandtel all fighting for top rights. What they don't seem to understand is they don't even have to compete; most Rwandans not only have a cell phone, they typically have at least two with two different networks. For some of the wealthier, there are phones that hold two SIM cards to eliminate the hassle of carrying two phones.

During the half and hour morning prayer and song time, there will be at least 7 or 8 phone calls. I have yet to figure out if phones are just that much of a status symbol or people just don't care about interrupting or distracting others, but if the phone rings, you get it, no matter where and when.

Puppy Love

"Africa time" is a common phrase when describing how long things take to happen. Somehow this philosophy was recently suspended when, within roughly a week long period, I managed to inherit two dogs. My first puppy, Krindy, was the one I had puppy-sat for friends for a week, though she had been spending the last month with another volunteer where she was supposed to stay. Unfortunately, the volunteer's community became aggressive to Krindy and she was unable to stay there. I volunteered to keep her until another home was found. If anyone has tried this tactic, it doesn't work well. The 8 month or so energetic puppy fit so well I decided she could stay. About a week after that, I got a call from a friend of mine who had decided she was going to go back home; unfortunately, she had a puppy as well, Charlie. As Charlie had recently spent the week at my house during our IST training, I figured I would be a good friend and offer to keep her until another home was found. So, Charlie came to play and stay with Krindy and my small, 4 room house. Though Charlie's permanent home is still unknown, I will keep her until it is found. An additional note that makes this even better. I might have mentioned before that there is an old, grouchy dog that tends to hang out in my backyard. I have no idea whose it is or where he is from, but he just chills here. There is also a younger adult dog that makes an appearance every once in a while. So now we have old grouch, younger adult, Krindy, and Charlie. I went out to get water two days ago and was looking through the fence to Evariste's yard and happened to see a small ball of fluff waddling away. I went to investigate and apparently, Senga and Evariste have just adopted a new puppy, a couple weeks old. Welcome to the crazy dog party, King.