Today was my first day navigating Kigali as a semi-true resident. I woke up to the most beautiful sky outside my big window in my room. I couldn’t believe it. I’m waking up in Africa! I am not sure how long it will really take to sink in, but I’m going to enjoy that “pinch yourself” feeling as long as I can!

I listened to some music as I got ready and prepared for my first day at Akilah! I took a moto which I would compare to a dirt bike. Not quite a motorcycle but quicker and more slim than a scooter. The moto is the most traditional form of transportation here. They do have taxis but motos are the cheaper option. It costs 600RF to get to Akilah which is about .71 cents USD.

I got to Akilah around 9 am and met with Natasha, HR for Akilah! She has been my sole contact here in Rwanda and it was great to finally meet her in person! We discussed a few things and then I began putting together a plan for their first-ever internship program! I’m super excited to assist in getting this launched! Stay tuned for more details on this!
She sent an email to the team to let them know I’d be working with them over the next month. I received several welcome emails! It was very nice to meet many of the team members. My Rwandan welcome has just been so kind! I’m sharing an office with a gentleman named Fistol – I’m not certain of the spelling but he said… “Like a French pistol” haha! Loved it!

I enjoyed a lovely lunch at a restaurant below my office. I had African Tea which actually tastes similar to chai tea and a Chinese chicken wrap. It didn’t taste Chinese – but either way, it was delicious. I cleaned my plate!
I had a lovely afternoon surprise with a nice video call with Kelley – definitely have to include that as a highlight from today! Also, Natasha invited me to dinner with her and some girl friends on Friday! I’m really looking forward to that!

I finished my day and then took a moto to a place where I purchased a SIM card! Now I’m truly experiencing the Rwandan way and have a Rwandan phone number! How fun! I also had a really lovely moto driver. His name is Joshua! We started chatting and I asked if he would pick me up in the morning to take me back to Akilah. He kindly agreed. We exchanged numbers so I can message him when I need a ride. I mean talk about success. Day 1. I have my own Moto driver! I feel like I’m crushing Kigali… I feel so at home in many ways. Although I had countless stares today… I literally say hello to everyone! Soon they’ll know me!
I came home and sat outside and just enjoyed the view. I posted a few blogs that I’d written previously but never got around to posting. It’s interesting how many hours are in the day. I felt this way when I was traveling from place to place – but the same feeling still resonates here. Without distraction – you really have so much time. I mean today, I worked a full day. But I woke up with this energy of gratitude, and I came home ensuring that I was reflecting on my experience. It’s really that simple – yet I have a tendency to just get distracted by life. Whether events/happy hours, work, social media, television, Netflix… I mean, all of it.

If I can choose one thing to always keep with me from this experience, it’s that. I feel that being grateful is who I am in a nutshell, but I want to ensure I’m taking time to reflect. Taking time to just be.

I was listening to a Ted Talk the other day (“Where is Home” by Pico Iyer) that said “It’s only by stopping movement that you can see where to go. And it’s only by stepping out of your life and the world that you can see what you most deeply care about and find a home.” This Ted Talk was filled with quotable moments… It’s so true. He speaks about his experience in a Catholic hermitage and says “The silence wasn’t an absence of noise but a presence of a kind of energy or quickening.”  Perhaps I have been crying for stillness. I have recently been experiencing this yearning to cook and have continuous images of a life so different from the one I left in Tampa. Just so there is no panic or questions – these images do still include LA. 

I was chatting with Kristi and she is a great asker of questions. She prompted me to dig deeper on the cooking thing. I said something to the effect of… “I keep thinking of lifestyle. Who/what I’ll be when I’m not on the run. I don’t knows if because I’m actually on a path of doing what I’ve always dreamed of, which then creates room for a new dream…” I immediately was like, WOW! What an interesting statement.

I feel as though going to Africa has always been this ultimate dream. I don’t specifically mean Africa the destination. I mean this grand experience. Living there. Just being a part of our world in a different way. A deeper engagement. Leading up to Africa, I could feel myself already trying to determine what’s next. I’ve been on this journey and my dream is in reach. It’s a weird mix of emotion. It’s thrilling and I’m filled with excitement and joy. But it also leads to many questions about what next. As they say, “One way to keep momentum going is to have constantly greater goals.”

I know. I know. Enjoy the journey! Believe me. I’m taking every second as it comes and being more present than ever. However, in 29 days, I will be heading back to Tampa. I have a 30 day visa for Rwanda. That’s it. 30 days. I’ll head home just in time to celebrate my best friends wedding which I’m soooo excited for! From there, I have no plans. It’s an interesting spot to be. That’s where the “I’ve lived my dream” comes into play with a little more concern. “Now what?” Kind of a daunting question – although I like to think of it as an exciting opportunity with endless possibilities!

I can certainly take this dream forward and say, do I go back to Africa? Do I fall in love with this country, the people, this organization… and decide yep! It’s for me! Do I go home and try to find a new opportunity in Tampa? Do I change course completely? The sky is the limit and I have no plans which is a nice feeling. I’m not worried or scared. I truly believe that life works out. I need to focus on my intentions, and identify the core values of my next chapter. What am I’m really looking for? What matters most to me? Shockingly, more than ever, I really just want to be creating a life with my man! I am LOVING Africa. I know, I love everything. I truly do find something to love in every place I go. I think there is beauty everywhere – just maybe not in the way you are use to seeing it. Anyway, that’s a topic for another time.

I enjoy traveling alone. It’s a completely different experience when you’re by yourself. Relying on yourself. Challenged with new food, new languages, new living arrangements. You experience things at a micro level. It’s a granular experience. Time moves slowly. You’re more introspective. You are pushed outside your comfort zone at every turn! I enjoy it immensely!

What I’ve found though, is although I enjoy the solo experience, I have fallen in love with this idea of surrounding yourself with good food and good people. When visiting Morraya in Amsterdam, I had the pleasure of staying in her families home. I have never eaten so much in my life! She laughed and said her family gathers around food. Every morning we’d wake up and there would be fresh bread, jams and peanut butter. Meats, cheeses and a basket of fruit; kiwis, bananas, pears, apples…all sorts of stuff. We also had Moroccan tea which is a favorite of mine now! After traveling alone, I found a great deal of comfort in this. Her mom was so kind. She had the greatest laugh! We always ate with her and it was really a highlight of my day. It was a simple moment, yet an extraordinary one.

As you can see, there is a lot going on in this mind of mine! I have no idea what tomorrow will bring, let alone life after 30 days in Rwanda! I’m enjoying this wild and crazy adventure and am grateful to have this opportunity.

More to come from Kigali!

Going Against the Current
A