umunezero - forever happy

25 november 2009

I am thankful..

for my new Rwandan name: umunezero, forever happy.

for the fact that I have been finding happiness in every single day, no matter how big or small it may be, I am just glad that it is there.

for my sister who made me a dream catcher to protect me from the Mephaquin nightmares that haunt me from time to time.

for the dreams I often have where I am at home again (798 Alberton, of course), spending the afternoon with my family. It's almost like I get to visit you all every other day, sometimes it feels so real that I actually think it is.

for my grandma who has learned how to email and dial long-distance so that she can keep in touch with me half way around the world.

for being able to maintain a vegetarian diet here in Rwanda - if you saw the meat in the market, you would understand.

for having studied abroad in Tours - where I had teachers who were patient with me and designed creative lessons to help me learn French, which I feel is helping to make me a better English teacher for my students here in Rwanda.

for getting a roll of toilet paper every Sunday, so that I don't have to take quite as many napkins throughout the week from the dining room after every meal.

for every time there is a bucket full of water in the restroom beside the toilet for flushing.

for my ipod that allows my mind to escape into memories, feelings or nothingness from time to time.

for the heavy clouds that play hide & seek with the mountains in the early mornings, for the sun that shines in the sky, and for the afternoon thunderstorms that cool things down.

for the starry nights where I can see Orion's belt - and I don't feel so far from home.

for the yellow dish-washing gloves from Elizabeth that allow me to hand-wash my laundry without quite so much discomfort to my skin.

for the laundry days when the sun is so strong that my clothes dry in one afternoon.

for the laundry days when I am too lazy to do a proper rinse and it storms, getting that left over soap residue out for me.

for the electricity that allows me to charge my laptop & camera.

for the nights when the electricity is out so we have to have candle-lite dinners.

for my mosquito net that protects me from the giant grasshoppers that have taken over Rwanda this week.

for the electric tea-kettle that makes it possible to take a warm bucket bath every day.

for the funky shirts and treasures that I find at the market on a weekly basis.

for the fact that my students were well behaved today, so much so that we were able to play a game throwing around the big globe, without things getting too crazy.

for my summer at KP with a staff of amazing individuals who taught me how to really love myself.

for dark chocolate that arrived last week. yum.

for the opportunity to visit Africa, make a contribution to the world and grow as a person.

for my parents, grandparents, friends and family who send me their love, support and updates on a regular basis - be it in the form of letters, chocolate, emails, songs, leaves, phone-calls or prayers. Thank you.

Thank you for being there for me, even when so far away.

with much love & much to be thankful for,

- nicole