June 24, 2019

Reflection

I am so honored that I was chosen to go on this trip! I have learned so much not just about Rwanda but myself! It was an honor to be apart of this village and cannot wait to bring what I learned back to Buff State and the people I encounter in Buffalo! Working with the teachers and seeing how eager they were to learn was my favorite part. Going into the classes to see them implement it was the icing on the cake. Again I am so honored that I was one of the few chosen to go on this trip!

Day 13

We went on a 6 hour safari! It was real nice to see animals in their natural habitat just living. This is our final night in Africa. I cant believe it is the end of this trip, the end of this new experience.

June 20, 2019

Day 12

Today was a calm day. We went back to the market and I was able to find more gifts for people. With it being such a calm day and being able to process with the village really showed me how grateful I am for the trip and how it was am honor to meet everyone and go on this journey with them. This quote also stuck out for me that I got from the Kigali Memorial Center: There will be no humanity without forgiveness. There will be no forgiveness without justice. But justice will be impossible without humanity. - Yolanda Mukagasana

Day 11

We went Chimpanzee trekking and I truly disliked it! We walked up and down hill for about 3-4 hours. We did this because we wanted to get a good look for the chimpanzees in the trees. This was truly one or the hardest things I ever had to do and it pushed me to another limit! I made it through though. I feel like the old Tierra would have given up. My body hurts and I feel gross from all the dirt and sweat. Did a lot of exercising today. If you want a good exercise go trekking in Africa. On a positive note after i caught my breath and stopped falling It was cool to see the monkeys in there habitat though. I don't have pictures from this experience because if I would have moved i would have fell. hahaha!

Day 10

Today we were able to meet the Mayor of Muhanga. She was a very nice woman. With her we all went to do community service. The students who were there do community service so they can go to University. It was nice helping the family make their houses. We were also there for the cow distribution. It was nice seeing how grateful they were for the cows given to them. After that we had a long drive to the next guest house.

Day 9

I feel like this experience has been moving really fast! I cant believe it's been 9 days already! Today I got to the classrooms of the teachers we taught yesterday and see how they can apply it to there classrooms. It was nice seeing it in action. You can see all the fun the teachers and the students had doing these games and learning. From what i seen Rwandan students already love to learn and go to school. It is nice that we can add this to their classroom experiement to make their time in school even better. Also Rwandan children really like seeing tourist. Everyone wants a hand shake or a hug. It was very overwhelming. But good day and I am having fun, but I also miss everyone back home.

Day 7

Today was really exciting! I got to work with Rwandan teachers. This was a great experience to get in front and show everyone what we learned. This was great to see that I knew more than I thought. What made it even better is that these teacher I worked with were math teachers!! I loved doing all the exercises that I have learned. Seeing then involved and engaged was such a pleasure and anyone teaching anything loves to see something as wonderful as that. I hope they bring this into their classroom and their children love doing it just as much as they did. One major thing that stuck out to me is how universal math is! The quadratic formula is the same anywhere you go. I love that they knew all the formulas I out on the board and I knew the ones they put. I think that is one awesome and unique fact about math. I am posting a picture of the group with my great partner, Amanda today!! I can't wait to go back tomorrow and do and learn even more from them!

Day 6

Wasn't feeling too well today but I pushed through because I was excited for the day. Today we visited Azizi life. This place gave us the wonderful opportunity in getting to experience the real life of a Rwandan family! We were greeted with hugs singing and dancing. It was was so sweet. They showed us how they cook. We helped peel sweet potatoes and get fresh beans. They also showed us where they get their water. This was about a 15-20 min walk from where they live. This walk in itself was life changing Haha. I was so tired and couldn't believe they would have to do that about 2 times a day. They then made us lunch with the food we helped prepare. It was such a nice time. We then made bracelets while the some of the other village members made balls. It was great making my own bracelet out of banana leaves. As it was time to go before we left we had a dance contest. It was so nice. We then departed with more singing and dancing. It was so nice being welcomed in their home to see how a families everyday life.

After we rested after our day we then went to Urukundo Foundation. Urukundo means love. With going in there and hearing Mama speak you can definitely hear the Love she has for all these children. She reminded me that it doesn't matter what age you are to make a difference and that will always stick with me. Mama is 88 and came to Africa when she was 60. She is truly an inspiration. The village and I were welcomed to dinner where we meet some people on the team of the Urukundo foundation. We also meet some of the children that live there. We sung songs and we even did a fairy tale story for them. The three little pigs and the children were even ready and willing to help us. They then danced for us and showed us some of their moves. It was very nice to be in that environment.

Day 5

Today was a very emotional day! We visited the Nyamata genocide memorial cite! That was a lot to take in and it hits you hard. This day will be a day I will never forget. It will always be in my heart and my mind. Never forget the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Remember Unite Renew

Day 4

Today we went to Les Enfants De Dieu. This is an all boys school for children who didn't have families. This was very nice to work with the kids and play all the games with them. They had so much fun. They even taught us some of the games they play. We got to see how they lived and all the things they learn there. It was very nice to witness! I also learned today why this is called the land of a thousand hills.

June 10, 2019

Today was such a fun day! We woke up and got to do some story building with the whole village. It was great to be with everyone and not over the phone or computer. Getting to work with all these talented people in this wonderful country Is an honor. We then went to the Kimironko Market! This market was sooo busy. We were there for a very short amount of time so I feel I wasnt able to get the full feel for it, but we are going back and I am going to be much more prepared. This day was really calm and was well needed.

Day 2

What a day, what a day? Today I got to do a tour of part of the Nyamirambo neighborhood. I got to see how people live and learn from them. I also got to visit the woman center there in that village. These women help other women in their community to make sustainable living. They helped with education and giving them sowing lessons. It was beautiful to hear and see what they do for these women. It was also great to see all the children in that community. After the tour of that neighborhood I got to get a home cooked meal. That food was SOOOOOO GOOD. I had dodo and rice and I am still thinking about it!

The next part of my day was pretty heavy. The village went to Kigali Memorial Center. Here it really put the reality in all that we learned through the Anne Frank Project. Of course I knew it was real, but being there and seeing it with your own eyes is completely different then someone telling you about it. My heart truly moved as I walked through this center. I feel completely differently about things and it's only the second day. Paying our respects and being there as a village was really something that helped me a lot. Being able to talk to people who just went and did what I did and had different perspectives made me see it through a new light and was very necessary. Listening is very important and you never want to shut down anyone's feelings.

The rest of the day was very calm. We went to a restaurant and got some delicious food and just hung up. It was great being around good people in this fabulous Country.

"This is about our past and our future
Our nightmares and dreams
Our fear and our hope
Which is why we begin where we end...
With the country we love..."

Day 1

This trip is taking me to a completely different environment that I am not used too. This makes me nervous and takes me completely out my comfort zone but there is a quote that I heard that stuck with me that says, “Great things never came from the comfort zone.” I truly do believe that this opportunity to go to Rwanda will be great! Being able to learn firsthand about the tragedies this country went through and how they have grown since then is very influential and inspiring and I know with this knowledge, given to me I will be able to take back to the United States and not only use it in my personal life, but teach others to affect their lives. I am very excited to learn a new culture in a personal way and I know that this wisdom will not go to waste. I am also excited to go into the schools to see how they teach there and to help the teachers learn a fun, new and different way to teach storytelling to their students. Being able to have this new knowledge is just an impact on many lives and I’m glad I can experience and learn!

May 24, 2019

Right now it still feels unreal. I am still going through my motions of what to pack? How much to pack and is that enough to pack? I have been thinking a lot about how I know this trip is going to be a life changing trip for me and that alone nervous. Not to mention the curve balls I've been thrown in my life here... I am staying strong. Well to get out of me just being nervous, I am also super excited! I excited about going somewhere new and meeting new people. I am excited to take this trip with the village! I know I am going to miss my mom here, but she is so excited and happy for me it can help but to rub off on me. She is also this excited because she wants me to bring her some new stuff. I am just excited for the journey ahead! I also been messing with this site for a couple days and i finally got it! i know i will only get better from here!!! :)

2019 Rwanda Delegation: Tierra Purdue