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...
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| Buddy teaching the game of 'Bocce' |
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| Bernard and Harriet before their game |
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| Everyone so focused on winning |
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| Bosco saying 'hey, what can I say...' |
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Dodos with the ball and Janvier and Bosco celebrating their
good tosses |
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| Sam offers a high-five to his team mate Ildephonse |
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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.
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| Aly and our new friend, Jacky |
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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.
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| Sorwathe Tea Factory |
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| sorting the tea |
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| tea leaves on the conveyor belts to be heated and steamed |
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| on the tour |
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| sorting and packaging |
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| Buddy and a cup! |
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| stoves and wood that dry the tea |
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| view of the plantation and vicinity |
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| more views |
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| and more |
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| and more |
More shots from the trip of traveling to and from and around the tea plantation...
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| in Kigali on the way |
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| heading out of Kigali |
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| publicity...wonder if they get free beer or free milk? |
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| now this is really catching a lift! |
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| village women |
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| transporting lumber |
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| tea pickers |
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| millet or sorghum drying |
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| bringing in their tea pickings |
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| a small market--do you see any of your old clothes here? |
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| views on the way back |
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| 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.
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| a corner shop in Senegal |
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| outside La Riviera restaurant in Saly |
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| inside La Riviera restaurant in Saly--seating for 30 of us |
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| a small beach front art gallery |
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| beach front restaurant |
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| on a sunrise walk outside our hotel |
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| the beach at our hotel |
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| fishing boats from our hotel |
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| the hotel grounds |
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| beautiful swimming pool |
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| La Lamantin Hotel in Saly, Senegal |
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| our rooms (4 to a rondaval--2 up and 2 down) |
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Director's of Mgmt & Operations in Africa
and support staff from HQ |
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these arches are the furthest point west on the
African continent outside Dakar, the capital of Senegal |
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| looking at the arches |
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| need anything to snack on or to drink? |
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| locals swimming in Dakar |
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| street side grilled fish in Dakar |
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| downtown Dakar, Senegal |
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| shopping in Dakar |
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| Dakar and the ocean |
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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.
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| some of our herbs outside our kitchen for cooking! |
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| some of our veggies |
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| the girls |
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| blues, purples, mauves, reds, yellows, greens...lovely... |
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| our entrance flowers |
Heading into town, going shopping...
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| downtown Kigali |
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| downtown Kigali |
Just to show you a bit of what we might find in a local super market...
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| see that Jiff? $20/jar! whew!!! |
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| Buddy was found in the cookie isle |
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| fresh 'white' bread...we have lovely wheat/grain as well |
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| small generators, about $1000 US ea |
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$4/can of Pringles! yikes!!! we'd rather have 3 beers!!!
same price |
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| a view from downtown |
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under construction--the new Convention Center
3 kms from our home |
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| part of the new Convention Center |
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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...
