Getting A Little Culture

I’m at the halfway point in my internship here in Rwanda.  6 weeks down, 6 weeks left to go!  A 12-week project sounds like it will last a long time, but now that I realize that I’ve only got 30 working days left to implement and iron out the bugs in a new system, it seems a little more like I’m working against the clock.  So lately I’ve been focused mainly on the work of teasing out which changes in structure might benefit patients and health care providers at Ruli Hospital and its outlying health centers.  But even so, I’ve been making time to explore the land of a thousand hills a little bit and experience Rwandan culture.

A fine dowry indeed!

I've had a couple notable experiences so far, the first of which was having the distinct pleasure of attending a Rwandan wedding.  One of the younger doctors from Ruli Hospital was tying the knot with one of the other workers there, and they invited me to the ceremony, which was conveniently being held not more than a 3 minute walk from my adopted home.  At first, I was a bit hesitant.  I hadn’t known the couple very long and I certainly didn’t want to intrude on a private, intimate event.  But they wouldn’t take no for an answer, and escorted by the more senior doctors and their families, I made my way to the event.  And what an event it was!  Starting at 8 in the morning, I walked over to the outdoor ceremony at the bride’s home which began the day.  As soon as I entered the yard I was quickly ushered in front of the nearly 200 other guests, where I had the opportunity to see a public negotiation over the dowry – for 4 hours! 

The happy couple

After a brief recess, the attendees moved up the road to the local church, where a religious ceremony was held and the couple formally married.  After a longer rest (time for a nap!), everyone reconvened in a large hall nearby for a reception.  I attempted to hide in the back this time, but I was quickly identified and dragged front and center.  The evening was similar to a wedding reception in the US, complete with dinner, drinking, and of course, dancing.  Around 8 PM, the crowd began to disperse, and I began to walk home, carefully on the dirt road, in the pitch black night.  But before I could get there, I was pulled aside to go to the after party!  This turned out to be the intimate gathering I had imagined, with a crowd of only 20 or so at the home of the new couple.  But after the whole day of ceremonies and ritual, I was welcomed warmly and was able to watch the couple’s family members come bearing a traditional gift of home furnishings and supplies to last for the first 3 months of their new life.  All in all, a special experience that I won’t soon forget.

But not all of my time here has been spent among the Rwandan people.  The wildlife deserves some attention too!  One visit that I made a point to make was to Akagera National Park.  The park is in the East of the country, bordering Tanzania, and its geography is totally different than the plentiful hills and valleys prevalent through most of the country.  In the East, the peaks slowly change into smaller rolling hills which give way to a flat grassland.  There, antelopes, zebras, hippos, giraffes, and many other animals make their home.  I had good company for the trip too – Sean Morris, the Ihangane Project intern and WDI fellow from last year, accompanied me on an adventure through the Northern half of the park.  We saw a good variety of African wildlife from the safety of the car, but we were able to get out and walk around as well.  Standing in the middle of the savannah among a herd of giraffes was an amazing feeling! 

Current and former WDI fellows, plus a few giraffes!

Opportunities like these have made this internship a unique one.  The work is truly meaningful and interesting, and these “extracurricular” experiences are icing on the cake.  I can’t wait to see what adventures await me in the second half of this summer!