Kibuye to Kivu

We took our second consecutive Friday off from teaching this week to travel to the west coast of Rwanda to the city of Kibuye. Also on the very western part of Rwanda sits Lake Kivu, the largest body of water in Rwanda. We had yet to hit the western side of the country, and what better way to visit than a 2-day period of rest and relaxation? We hopped on a Capital Express bus at about 10:30 to ride just over two and a half hours to Kibuye. If there's one thing that sets Rwanda apart from the rest of East Africa it is their bus and road systems. Although we, as "westerners", are not used to the seemingly quirky and complicated bus system, it is actually quite advanced for East Africa and I have come to be very appreciative of that fact over the past weeks. Traveling from city to city is simple and efficient; you just sign up for a certain time, pay, and ride. We've been traveling just about every weekend since we've been here and it's been a small undertaking for us all. Rwanda is small enough to have easy traveling (under 5 hours) from one side to the other.

Upon arriving in Kibuye we had only one thing in mind: get to the lake! Over the past couple years in Kibuye, there have been a couple newly established hotels & resorts on the lake that mainly attract tourists and foreigners. We had been recommended to stay at Hotel Bethanie over the others because it had a great location on Kivu, direct access to the water, a ferry system to travel to the islands in the lake, and happened to be the cheapest of them all. All of these aspects excited us so we quickly hopped on some taxi motos to take us there. When we arrived at the hotel it had felt like we had the entire place to ourselves. Everything was so quiet and gorgeous, much different from the Kigali city center. Relaxation immediately overcame me. We booked three rooms for the evening, two with dual twin beds, and the third with a double and a twin. This would be enough for all of us to sleep comfortably. The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to swimming and continued relaxing. The water was perfect; clear and just the right temperature to wade about. At one point in the mix between late afternoon and early evening we noticed an increasing number of military troops and officials arriving on the hotel grounds. We soon found out they were having a banquet of some sort in the restaurant, and wouldn't be around for too long. However when they were milling around and enjoying their dinner, some of them found entertainment in us. A few troops were sitting nearby the same dock from which we plummeted into the water. Most Rwandans seem to be almost fascinated by our foreign nature and, from time to time, watched us swim in the lake as they ate. As strange as it was, I paid them no attention nor mind and swam to another side of the waters edge to enjoy the beautiful scenery in which I was submerged.

The whole place seemed surreal. My descriptions cannot do the justice of what Lake Kivu is. The hotel itself gave me the impression of being on the coast of the Mediterranean in Italy or Greece. The contrast between the high hills and the water that appeared limitless was breathtaking. The vast lake had a current that made the water hit the bank with a sound that mimicked that of ocean waves hitting the beach. It was the place we all wanted to be. For much of the Florida-native group, it was home. As we ate dinner on the patio overlooking the water, we marveled in our environment and were glad to be where we were. Just afterwards we had noticed another, smaller, group of similar-aged people sitting at another table on the other side of the patio. We took it upon ourselves to strike up conversation, as it's not everyday you see other college-age people in Rwanda. We learn they are from Quebec and are on a government volunteer program to teach French & English, but are enjoying the same scenery and company as are we. We chat for a while until both groups retreat to their original form for the remainder of the evening, although this would not be the last time we would see each other.

The next morning, on Saturday, Casey and I woke up at about 5:30am for a sunrise swim. The sun usually rises at about the same time everyday around 6:00. It had not yet risen above the hills when we eased into the lake, but it wouldn't take long. The water was a little chilly but all the more refreshing as the dark blue sky soon turned a mixture of magenta and orange. We were out there for about 45 minutes to an hour before we decided to head back to our rooms to catch some more 'Z's. The day ahead was dedicated to boating out to the middle of the lake to Amahoro ("Peace") Island. The ferry ride was only 20 minutes long before we arrived to find a slew of people already enjoying the amenities - including the Canadians we had met the previous night. Amahoro looked like something out of a movie (Most of the group were relating it to the popular television show Lost, in which the series plays out on an island) because it is a gorgeous, serene getaway. It was equipped with a small restaurant, volleyball net, hammocks, swings, fire pits, and even had a number of animals. How could you ask for more? The animals that call Amahoro Island home include a dog, two turkeys - male and female, three cows, and a monkey! The monkey was non-confrontational and had been used to human presence for a while. We went off looking for the little guy ever so often and he posed for us while we snapped pictures. After being on the island for pretty much all day playing volleyball and swimming, we realized that there were camping options offered for the night. We deliberated and found that camping would cost the same amount as staying in the hotel. How many chances in our lifetimes would we get to camp on an island in the middle of Lake Kivu? One. We took the opportunity and it was fantastic sleeping under the stars with the soothing sounds of waves hitting the shore. We shared the island with two other women - one English and the other from Seattle - who were backpacking through Africa and had stopped in Kibuye for a few days.

We returned back to Kigali on Sunday after an amazing weekend out in Kibuye and Lake Kivu. I am so glad we made the trip, because we now have only one free remaining weekend before we end our English classes and take our week-long trip to Uganda. Eight days of English class remain, three weeks until I fly home. I've loved every minute of being here and I plan to soak up every remaining minute of my time. I've learned so many things about Rwandan culture and about myself. I guess that's why I enjoy traveling so much - learning every instant. If something doesn't turn out the way we had planned, we learn from it and move on to the next thing. Teaching has been a learning experience in itself. I had never taught English before, and it's helping me understand the language in ways that would have otherwise been impossible. This trip has been a time for self-reflection and organization. I've had time to gather my thoughts and continue to explore the world I want to live and work in. There has been so much clarity for me over the past five weeks, and I'm forever grateful to the opportunity I have been given. Although I'm writing as if the trip is coming to an end, but it is far from it. I look forward to every new day that brings another experience for myself.

I haven't posted pictures in a long time because it has been difficult to upload them to a computer. I will try to do so in the coming days to show a little of what I have been doing.