My girl Shonda got paid big for this concept of saying yes! I found her book exceptional, so kudos to her for being such an amazing and relatable writer! I have thought of the idea of saying yes quite often on this journey.  It’s very easy when traveling alone to hunker down and stay in your comfort zone, whatever that might be.  Whether that’s in your place of residence or in the neighborhood in which you land, or your favorite cafe.  I have challenged myself on the reg to ensure I don’t get stuck in the bubble of comfort.  On some level I find we crave comfort. We crave familiar. BUT life is boring when you do the same thing every day! I think there is a way to spice it up and mix up your experiences, keeping life fresh!

I noted this idea in an earlier post, but there is a ton of trust that takes place when getting out of your comfort zone. You generally have to rely on someone – whether for advice, a ride, or even a fun night out with a stranger!  I landed in Kigali, Rwanda 19 days ago! I live in an area called Kacyiru and I work at Akilah which is in Kibagabaga.   These two neighborhoods aren’t directly next to one another so I was able to scope out neighborhoods and parts of town on my moto when traveling in between.  There isn’t much to do between the two but there are tons of farms. I actually saw cows for the first time the other day!  I spent the first week or so learning Kacyiru.  I was lucky that I had people to show me around and people providing recommendations every time I asked for a new thing to do!  One thing to note though, is you gotta ask! People are happy to help, but they’re living their normal, daily life. It doesn’t often come to mind that you are looking for something to do every free second of the day!

Learning a new place can be quite daunting. But like most things, it’s all about your mindset; your perspective.   

Over the last week I have made a few new friends!  Kim, a fellow Akilah volunteer, has become a new partner in crime!  We went on a walk last Saturday and ended up at Inema Art Center. We made friends with the guys that run the art center – a group of 5 brothers. We had a great day learning about them, the art center and the work they’re doing in Kigali! In addition to art, they host yoga classes, happy hours and dance practice for a youth dance program.  Their art is SO GOOD! That evening we went to dinner with two of the guys, Innocent and Greg.  What’s cool here is that Greg works for Red Rock Tours and is helping me plan a little staycation next week.  (Next week, things in Kigali will be closed half day in honor of Genocide Memorial Week.  I learned from the locals that many go out of town this week since there isn’t much to do. Akilah will be closed, and all employees will be working half day remotely from home.) I will be going out of town for a few days visiting Lake Gesenyi, Red Rock , Hiking Bisoke, and doing a Golden Monkey tour. For anyone that knows me super well, you will know that there is a small piece of me that wants to be Jane Goodall. I took Intro to Anthropology my freshman year and had an incredible teacher. I almost added Anthropology as a 3rd major. I am thrilled to be able to do this tour while I’m here!
As I’ve mentioned previously, everyone here is SO NICE! Kim and I joke about if often because we are constantly being warned from people at home to be safe – especially with what’s going on in the world. BUT … please rest assured. Kigali is the safest place I’ve ever been. I was heading home from dinner the other night in the pitch black. Street lights aren’t as generous with their light as what I’m use to, but I felt so at peace; so comfortable. I couldn’t say the same thing at home…

Internations: this is a site that helps expats connect.  I am actually eager to sign up for this at home and help host people visiting Tampa!