July

July began with 2 holidays. The 1st was Rwandan Independence day (1962) and the 4th was Rwandan Liberation day (liberation from genocide that is in 1994). I was in Kigali for the most part during these holidays but didn't do anything special. Taught English all month. Everyday was different and varied from complete success to complete failure. It's hard teaching English.

I took 2 long bike rides. One in Kibungo for 3 hours with my friend Tom. 2nd, I took a ride to lake Muhazi from my apartment (abt 2 1/2 hours). Very cool. On a ride back from work one night I hit a large rock in the middle of the dirt road and flew off the bike managing, somehow, to land on my feet. My white pants were undamaged but my bike was carried home by a couple nice Rwandans guys. I fixed the bike the next day. I'm learning more about bikes here than ever before.

Gave a presentation on family planning (in English w/ a translator) to "model couples". Model couples are trained by an organization called PSI (Population Services International) who do great work in Rwanda and elsewhere. They are married couples who practice family planning. They are trained in family planning methods and other related topics so that they can teach their communities not only by evidence, but by example.

I read "An Ordinary Man". The autobiography of the man who inspired the movie "Hotel Rwanda".

Little by little progress is made.