Summer time Africa style June-July 2014

Work has kept Aly very busy this spring and summer, though we took an afternoon in June to have Aly's Admin team over for some food, drink, bocce ball and even squeezed in some dancing.  It was a fun way to celebrate our 1st 3-months in country and to thank the team for all the hard work they've done so far...

Buddy teaching the game of 'Bocce'

Bernard and Harriet before their game

Everyone so focused on winning

Bosco saying 'hey, what can I say...'

Dodos with the ball and Janvier and Bosco celebrating their
good tosses

Sam offers a high-five to his team mate Ildephonse

Aly's team--L-R--Sam, Theogene, Bernard, Marcelin,
Suedi, Aly, Harriet, Ildephonse, Esperance,
Janvier, Bosco, Leonard and Jean Paul

Our daily lives are pretty consistent these days, we're getting into the swing of things, with lots of work and some play, fitting in as much exercise as possible, reading when we can, playing brain games with friends and enjoying our time in Rwanda.  Our shipment arrived in mid-June so Buddy has been kept busy unpacking things and drilling holes, hanging pictures and helping Aly organize.

Aly and our new friend, Jacky

Mema, Buddy's former Country Director when they were in
Gabon together back in the 80s--it's been that long
since they've seen each other--a fun reunion!  He was here
for a conference

Buddy took a day trip in Rwanda with a group of people to visit a local tea plantation a couple of hours northwest of Kigali. Tea is one of the biggest exports from Rwanda and their black tea is some of the best we've ever had!  The group got to see how the tea made it from the fields to a cup.

Sorwathe Tea Factory

sorting the tea

tea leaves on the conveyor belts to be heated and steamed

on the tour

sorting and packaging

Buddy and a cup!

stoves and wood that dry the tea

view of the plantation and vicinity

more views

and more

and more

More shots from the trip of traveling to and from and around the tea plantation...

in Kigali on the way

heading out of Kigali

publicity...wonder if they get free beer or free milk?

now this is really catching a lift!

village women

transporting lumber

tea pickers

millet or sorghum drying

bringing in their tea pickings

a small market--do you see any of your old clothes here?

views on the way back

a bicycle taxi

At the end of June, Aly went to Senegal, on the west coast of Africa, for a work conference for 9 days with all the Directors of Management and Operations in the Peace Corps Africa Region.  Leaving home at midnight on a Friday, arrival time in Saly, Senegal 7pm (9pm Rwanda time)...that was a LONG day of travel!  The conference was superb and the attendees and presenters were fabulous!  The hotel where we stayed was lovely with too much food and lots of drink and good times after sessions.

a corner shop in Senegal

outside La Riviera restaurant in Saly

inside La Riviera restaurant in Saly--seating for 30 of us

a small beach front art gallery

beach front restaurant

on a sunrise walk outside our hotel

the beach at our hotel

fishing boats from our hotel

the hotel grounds

beautiful swimming pool

La Lamantin Hotel in Saly, Senegal

our rooms (4 to a rondaval--2 up and 2 down)

Director's of Mgmt & Operations in Africa
and support staff from HQ

these arches are the furthest point west on the
African continent outside Dakar, the capital of Senegal

looking at the arches

need anything to snack on or to drink?

locals swimming in Dakar

street side grilled fish in Dakar

downtown Dakar, Senegal

shopping in Dakar

Dakar and the ocean

 

Goree Island, 2 kms from Dakar, where the Atlantic
slave trade started

Back at home...we are feeling settled and comfortable.  Aly works full time M-Th with 1/2 days on Friday's (that's about 50 hours/week of work!!) and Buddy works full time around the house, supervising the house and garden help, reading as much as he can and taking care of our gardens and our hens (you can take the boy off the farm, but you can't take the farm out of the boy!!!).  We have lovely flowers in bloom, thanks to his cutting everything way back shortly after we 1st arrived and we're reaping benefits in our daily salads and veggie dishes from the veggie gardens.

some of our herbs outside our kitchen for cooking!

some of our veggies

the girls

blues, purples, mauves, reds, yellows, greens...lovely...

our entrance flowers

Heading into town, going shopping...

downtown Kigali

downtown Kigali

Just to show you a bit of what we might find in a local super market...

see that Jiff?  $20/jar!  whew!!!

Buddy was found in the cookie isle

fresh 'white' bread...we have lovely wheat/grain as well

small generators, about $1000 US ea

$4/can of Pringles!  yikes!!!  we'd rather have 3 beers!!!
same price

a view from downtown

under construction--the new Convention Center
3 kms from our home

part of the new Convention Center

Happy 4th of July--from your Colorado and Texas friends!!!
our flags...view from our dining room window

Here's to the rest of the summer!!!  Enjoy...