Beets!!

I can’t believe I forgot to mention the beets I bought in my last blog.  When I went to the market with Julienne, I found beets.  Remember than I have been living on eggs, avocado, fried food and let’s not forget ice cream.   I decided that I would prepare the beets for the ladies at the store.  I had to roast them in the oven for quite a long time, which is very expensive in Rwanda, but they were definitely worth it.  They were delicious.  I even had them again for lunch.  It is amazing how small things can make a difference.

I still make my own coffee in the morning.  Remember the wonderful Rwandan coffee I talked about in my last blog.  It really is nice sitting on the patio in the morning, writing my blog, and having a great cup of coffee. 

I was definitely bored today.  It rained until around 1pm and the shop was pretty quiet.  A lot of ex-pats in the afternoon, but they were busy talking amongst themselves, so I read another book.  I am really running out of things to read.  I am done with all the movies that Zach gave me.  I am leaving on Tuesday, so I shouldn’t be too bored.

I did have an interesting conversation with a woman that works at the US Embassy in Kigali.  She said that, if she had known I was visiting, she would have hired me to lecture.  It would have only been a small stipend, but would have paid for my flight.  I think I will contact the embassy in every country prior to my arrival to see if there are opportunities to speak about starting a business.

We are definitely seeing a pick up in business at the shop and I am feeling really good about the future.  Louise and I spent some time making sure that she is totally comfortable managing the accounting.  I can also work with her remotely, so we shouldn’t have any issues.  I pick up the slack in the ice cream shop, when it gets busy, which means that they may have to increase the staff.  I really enjoy working in a small ice cream store like this.  Perhaps I missed my calling!!

Have a great evening, Paula

Umuganda

It was Umuganda today for the shop. 

Umaganda:  In Rwanda, there is a mandatory community service day from 8:00am to 11:00am, on the last Saturday of each month called Umuganda meaning community service.  The day is called umunsi w’umuganda, meaning “contribution made by the community, which is designed to be a day of contribution and building the country by citizens themselves. By law all able bodied persons above the age of 18 and below 65 are expected to participate in volunteer community work. The start of this practice goes back to colonial times and is still practiced today.

Yes, it is Friday, but the ice cream shop is too busy on Saturdays.  The ladies did a thorough cleaning, while trying to wait on customers.  Wouldn’t you know that this would be a busy day!  We had a lot of ex-Pats in the shop, which is always nice.

I tried helping as best I could with the cleaning.  Mostly I stayed out of their way.  It was Pizza Friday so I had to make my pizza sauce.  Juleinne and I had to go to the market to get the cheese and some other ingredients.  I thought I was a fast walker… I had to practically run to keep up with her and she is smaller than me.  She was laughing at me because I kept giving the drivers a dirty look and waiving my arms.  They think it is funny to scare you. 

We only had one order of Pizza, but a lot of ice cream.  We are happy to have the ice cream machine working again.  It was warm in the morning, but started raining late afternoon.  I am so tired from not sleeping last night that I am anxious to go home and watch a movie in bed. I really need a good nights sleep.

Good Evening, Paula

Playing Chicken

I am a little tired.  I decided to finish a book in one evening.  It wasn’t even that great a book.  I really need to have my head examined! I have a busy day today, with the staff meeting and it is the morning all the staff cleans the store.  One a month every Rwandan is required to give a day of service.  They can clean the streets, clean public buildings, etc.  Our staff cleans the shop.  I decided to help because I am part of the community, when I am here.

Yesterday I decided to take a walk in the forest behind the college.  It was really beautiful.  I found out that the Belgians planted the forest as a future source of wood.  It is filled with Eucalyptus trees.  I am going to take another longer walk on Sunday.

Every day I have to walk around 10 to 15 minutes to the store.  It is a very interesting walk along the side of the road.  You have cars and motos who “own the road” and really do not care if they pull in front of you or run over you.  And then you have the other walkers.  They walk in groups or on a cell phone right in the middle of the path. 

They definitely do not feel they have to move.  They are either staring at me or ignoring me.  Either way I have been the one to stop on the side and let them go past.  You definitely do not want to step in the road to go around them… the motos, buses, and cars are waiting for you.

Today was going to be different.  I decided that I would play chicken and walk right into them and see if they finally move.  No more mister nice guy.  It was very interesting to see who gave in first.  I say it was 50/50.  To me, that is a win.

It was really an unproductive day at work.  We completed our February report in the morning.  A little late with all our financial issues, but it was emailed.  After that Louise lost focus and I was not able to get her to go over all the documents.  My time is definitely running out and I need to make sure she is self-sufficient when I leave.  I hope we get this done on Saturday.  We did get the ice cream machine fixed.  Very exciting and the ice cream is creamier than ever. 

I had Louise and her GU boyfriend join me for dinner.  We had a great time.  He is in to Buddhism and Tai Chi. He also talked about the government.  He believes that it was necessary for Rwanda to move to communism after the genocide.  He hopes that after the country is stable it will become democratic.  Not sure I believe that will happen. 

He also said that each neighborhood has a neighborhood patrol.  They check for abuse; that each person is using a net over their bed (they are trying to eradicate malaria); the kids go to school; etc.  The patrol will report you and you will be jailed or fined heavily.  He also told me that the guys in prison wearing the pink outfits are not the genocide guys…. I couldn’t figure out how they could be given their age… they are people that are jailed but not convicted yet.  Interesting system.

Well, off to work.  Have a good evening, Paula

Cutting our COGS

It was a busy day with meetings.  First, we had a visitor from the Eastern Region of Rwanda.  It was a woman from the US working at one of the Universities considering opening a restaurant for the students.  I think she was really overwhelmed after our conversation.  Not sure she will do it after I told her we still have not made money after three years!!  I tried to be very positive but realistic.

We had a meeting with the managers to prepare for our staff meeting.  We were all in hysterics.  I am trying to get them to reduce the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) by cutting down on the ingredients. One of the guys they cook for each day was eating his meal and I was whispering that they put too much food on his plate.  Louise was laughing so hard she was crying.

We had a big discussion on the amount of juice to pour in a glass… I said to only fill it to a certain line.  Poor Julienne, she just looked so sad and was shaking her head.  We finally compromised between where I wanted them to pour versus where they currently pour.  It was a big discussion in Kinyarwanda; sometimes I am glad I don’t know what they are saying.

I made them weigh the amount of potatoes in fries to cut down on potatoes and oil, which is very expensive. They thought I was nuts!!  It is hard to get them to change their ways.  But we have to start making a profit!!!

I finally met Louise’s boyfriend.  I kept asking her if this or that boy is her boyfriend, because all these guys are hanging around.  When she told me her boyfriend lived in Kigali, I explained to her that her boyfriend was GU; he lives 2.5 hours away from Butare.   It was really a crackup.  She told her boyfriend and he was laughing. 

Everyday I meet very interesting people volunteering in Rwanda.  I met a new group of Peace Corp ladies.  They invited me to Chinese… what is with everyone going to this Chinese restaurant!!  I passed and went to the local grocery store and got some fried food.  Can’t change my diet at this point.

It is hard to believe that I am winding down.  Every time I go to a place I go through stages:

Why am I doing this stage?

Can’t wait to go home stage because I am homesick?  (this is around the 3^rd week)

Settling in Stage

Hate to leave stage

So it is typical that I am starting to feel at home and becoming part of the community.  I really do wish I could stay a little longer.  With only one month, I really did not get to do all the tourist activities either.  Perhaps I will need to come back next year?  That is a discussion for September, when I make my decision for the next adventure.

Have a great evening, Paula

High Five!!

Hurray… We balanced within a few dollars.  Louise and I were high fiving each other.  We were so excited.  I finally feel that I have accomplished something.

Don’t get me wrong… there is still a lot to do, but a big win is always a motivator to do more.  I can see Louise’s change in attitude.

Now, the big BHOG…. To reduce cost of goods sold.  I have tried little things like asking Julienne to reduce the size of the Chapati.  If you haven’t had a Chapati, you are missing out.  It is fried bread with scallions.  I love it, which is why I am gaining weight on this trip, although I am eating less.  Everything I eat is fried!!  I want them to reduce the amount of fruit juice per glass.  This seems simple, but it is not.  I am not giving up!!

I decided that I had to do my own wash, because I have not see any Laundromats in Butare.  I don’t want to include TMI, but definitely after two weeks things needed washing.  I used my shower body wash and I think I did a fine job of washing clothes.  They definitely smell better.

Drying is another matter.  I decided that I would lay everything over the chairs on my patio, which faces the center of the motel.  Probably not the classiest thing to do at this motel / restaurant, but who cares!!  It is amazing what you can do with body wash, a plastic bowl, plastic chairs, and dirty clothes.  It makes you appreciate the finer things in life, like a washer and dryer.

I didn’t leave the restaurant until 8pm tonight, so I just stopped at the local Lebanese store and got… you guessed it… fried??  Not sure what you call it but it is mashed potatoes fried in bread.  Yes, very fattening.   I had to use beer to get it down…

I will need to buy two seats on the plane home or get the extended seat belt. 

It was great to be back at work today.

Have a wonderful evening, Paula