The Camel

On our 15 passenger bus once again, the ROR team is off to our next stop in Kibuye. We have travelled from the east of the country, down to the south and now we are slowly making our way to the north.

Our driver Eric only speaks neither English or French yet has the best sense of humour I have ever seen. He is so kind and patient to be driving us to our destination. Our group is full of energy and madness but I wouldn't change it for the world. 

In just 6 days, we have developed what I believe to be the beginning of great friendships. We are sharing the good, the hard and the amazing times. 

Our bus, also known as the Camel because of its branding logo, will surely be the source of good memories as we continue to travel across Rwanda.

Hope For The Future

These past few days have been difficult. We have visited various sites from the genocide, talked with survivors and rescuers and de-briefed about our observations and experience thus far in the programme. It has been tasking everything in. Although it is difficult to hear and see the chaos and the terror this country has endured, the people who we've met have showed me courage and resilience. Their testimonies are being heard and entrenched with me as I make my way through the country.

Today we met with students from the National University in Butare, Rwanda. They took us through a tour our their campus and we touched light subjects about education within the country an the development within this sector. 

We then moved to cafe to further discuss  topics of interest about the country. The students talked about what they envisioned for Rwanda and its future. What was truly remarkable was their willingness as the youth of the nation, to work as a collective community under good governance to rebuild and empower the Rwandan population. 

We talked about successes that the current government are continuing to build on such as education, health care and self-reliance programmes and initiatives. Additionally, the de-centralization of government has allowed for everyone in society to feel as though they are contributing and participating as active and productive citizens. 

These students are the future of this nation. They have so much faith in their government and it's ability to make the country strong in every aspect. They believe in the future of Rwanda and its positive contribution on the international community. 

Nyarabuye

Today the team travelled Nyarabuye, Rwanda. This remote village is found in the east of the country, neighbouring Tanzania. We visited one of the memorial sites in the village. 

I don't think there is anything comparable to visiting a location such as this one. Mixed feelings were shared among many in the group. Confusion, sadness, anger and anguish were only a few emotions many went through as survivors shared the stories of the site.

After walking through the site with a survivor from the Nyarabuya, we had a visit from Ferdinand. He was also a survivor from the village. He shared his testimony with us and explained how he has been living since the genocide. 

The pain and suffering he has been through has etched a space in my mind. Although he lost everything in 1994 and lived through the difficult aftermath, Ferdinand has shown me resilience and perseverance  I could not even begin to understand. As we drive back to Kigali, I now question so much that I have learned in the past about this genocide. 

While I have learned so much in these past few days, I have so many more questions. For now, I will stare out to the lush thousand hills with houses cascading from the top to the bottom. There is no other site like it. 

Checklist

Hiking boots? Check! Passport and visas? Check! Sunscreen, bug spray and bug net? Check, check, check! All packed and ready to go. The day is finally here! I thought I would write something up really quick as I wait for my dad to come pick me up to drop me off to the Greyhound bus station destination Toronto.

A mix of emotions flutter within me as I think about the journey I am about to embark on. Excitement, anxiousness, curiousness and anticipation are only a few emotions I am living at this very moment. Months of preparation and hard work have led up to this. I am off to Rwanda for a 2-week program which focuses primarily on post-genocide reconciliation and institutions since 1994. The selected group consists of 10 students doing their masters or attending law school across Canada. Our backgrounds vary but we all have the same common interests in the themes to be explored. Afterwards, I will be off to Tanzania to meet my dear friend Marie-Jo, where we will be hiking Kilimanjaro and then heading to Zanzibar by the Indian Ocean.

Stay tuned for some posts. This is the beginning of an amazing journey.

And, There Is More To Come...

Here we go again! I took a break this past semester due to the work and school overload but I am back! And, I am excited to tell you all about my upcoming plans for the summer. Stay tuned, this is going to be one amazing adventure.

Jess Z.

Step Back

We can easily take life for granted. Indulging in perfect and sublime moments, forgetting how fast these instants of happiness and carelessness can deteriorate. This is not a pessimistic or negative view on life. On the contrary, it is a mere realization that sometimes a sweet thing can turn sour.

Whether it is a project that doesn’t go as planned or someone deceiving you in some way, life has a funny way of showing us how at any moment, everything can change. This is not to be feared because it is inevitable. And in the end, a random act of silence, of distress or of grief can shape us into more resilient, patient and compassionate individuals.

Like it is important to push forward with your life and seek to better yourself everyday, it is equally essential to step back and look at the path you have paved. If the path is strong, well made and done with care, you will always be able to go back without any regret or burden. If you have neglected those around you or have set a stray from your own morals and values, you will reap the consequences in the end. No good or bad deed or decision goes unnoticed.

It seems that people believe it is difficult to live an honest, selfless, loyal and happy life, but I beg to differ. If we make these positive attributes, behaviors and attitudes habits, they become second nature. Yes, at some point, you will cause someone some type of grief or pain but you can always find a way to step back, make the situation work, and move forward with confidence and peace of mind, heart and soul.

Stepping back is not a set back. In fact, it is proof that you are making conscious efforts to be a better person. With courage and patience, stepping back makes you  mindful about the present and future. 

Promises

From a young age, we are told that if and when you promise something, you must deliver. Your credibility, loyalty and image depend on your deliverance. This embedded notion sticks to us just as saying thank you or apologizing. Promises carry a heavy connotation that we lean on for many reasons.

Sometimes we lean on a promise because the person who created that bond said they would deliver. We want to believe that person will never disappoint us or let us down. There is a great deal of emotional investment behind a promise. Take emotion and the relationship out of the picture, and all you are left with are words strung together, just like any other statement. Promises have emotions and values behind them.

Breaking a promise leaves permanent stains of bitterness accompanied with a gulp of the harshest liquid of disappointment. We call this moment, a reality check. Your belief in that person, whether it is yourself or another, begins to wither away. Doubt, confusion and fear settle in and you are left with thoughts of what could have been if that person or you would have delivered.

We are left believing we can never trust the person who broke that promise. Whether it was a promise that was to last an eternity or one to be kept for just a few moments, breaking a promise is a pivotal moment in each person’s life. We have all broken a promise or two, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.

The only solution to this problem is forgiveness. While it may not seem feasible or appealing at first, forgiveness is the key to move on. Finding your peace will allow you mobilize your heart, mind and soul towards a better tomorrow. This task is the hardest because it requires you to let go of the negative and indulge in the positive. Behind every great catastrophe lies a possibility to move on. We have the choice to forgive and we have the choice to resent. Promises carry a heavy burden which forgiveness is the only solution if they are not kept.

“I know it is a bad thing to break a promise, but I think now that it is a worse thing to let a promise break you.” ― Jennifer Donnelly, A Northern Light