My Life on a Rwandan University Campus: Lecturer Style

I must confess to you that when I found out that my placement was 2.5 hours outside of the capital city, Kigali, I was devastated. But when I arrived in Rwanda and told different people I would be living in Gisenyi, everyone told me how lucky I was. Seven months into my grant period here, I truly have come to know and love my small town on the border of Congo. The energy, the vibrant colors, the imam’s sounds from the town mosque, the stunning view of Lake Kivu just outside my door, the sounds of the students from my window passing by, the avocado-bearing tree that drops its fruits in the dead of the night on the roof of my house. I truly lucked out.

The last time I lived on a college campus was in 2010, the year I graduated. When I arrived to Rwanda Tourism University College, my host institution for my nine months as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, I had low expectations (a skill you have to develop when travelling).  I knew that I would be provided a house on the campus, furnished with the few amenities, I needed. So I was really just showing up as Bintu, and with all of my many clothes and shoes and bintunecessities in three suitcases, a hand luggage, and an oversized personal item.

I was ushered to a cute little house on the campus just behind the main lecture hall and administrative offices and attached to the boys hostel behind me. They couldn’t have created a more comfortable home for me. As it is my first time living alone, I needed something cozy, and I was given just that. The home has almost a grandmother’s feel and everyone who visits catches that vibe.  It’s like a studio house, made for one single lady like me or a couple who doesn’t need to be separated my much space ;) It’s a one bedroom, decently sized room with a bathroom attached.

I have a big sink, which believe me is a big deal when you are washing fufu pots. A refrigerator that didn’t work for the first months, although the top freezer part functions readily. And the same refrigerator doesn’t work again. No microwave, which I don’t find myself missing either; I have found creative ways to reheat food. But also going to the market and thinking of what I can finesse on the stove with limited ingredients is fun too.

The fact that I live on campus means I need less than five minutes to get to class. This also means that students are always knocking on my door. Most times they are just stopping by to say hi. Other times, they are coming to ask questions. During exam time they are coming to file their complaints about discrepancies and beg for pardons on zeros assigned when caught cheating. Overall, living on campus as their lecturer allows for integration into the school community. I really have made a home here and always feel that sense of comfort when I walk back on the campus.  I usually leave my windows and front door open to catch the nice breeze, but mostly to invite positive energy into my home and make my students feel welcome. This is not a requirement, but as I am here on a cultural exchange, one thing I want to share is my openness.   

my awesome first year students came to say Hi after their evening class

ran into my Hotel and Restaurant Management students on my back home from town

Lights are out by 10, not sure if that’s a rule or if every student on this campus closes their eyes at 10 pm. That’s when the gate closes and students are not allowed to leave or enter after that time. I am an exception.

Campus life is still fun, even from a Lecturer’s perspective. Stay tuned.

Thoughts for the Ride: 25

i promise that's my inner light. 25 and shinin'

I am so blessed to be me. And I mean that in the most humble Bintu way possible. Lol. No seriously.

I am thankful for so many things as I celebrate my quarter of a century milestone.

Each year, I learn a new thing, new lesson about myself on how to make myself better. Some things I have learned this year (the hard way) are too personal to share on this blog, that all of yall read lol. But among the shareable things, I am learning to let go and really, truly go with a flow.

You see sometimes, we get so caught up in this plan that we have for ourselves, that we do not listen to the omens, signs, answers that are given to us by whatever we believe. And when we set ourselves on a path without truly listening to our inner most thoughts and blessings, we might set ourselves up to miss other opportunities that are presented before us with an even better, cooler, more exciting option for us.

Recently, I had to make a big decision. So big because it would determine where I would spend the next few years of my life, well at least the next year or two.

I felt stressed. Sad. Anxious. Worried. I had to remind myself that it was a blessing to have both options in front me, yet still it wasn't an easy feat.

I prayed. Made a pros and cons list. Prayed. Meditated. Put cold water in a corner after talking over it for guidance from my loved ancestors. Asked my namesake (grandma Bintu Janneh) for her blessing and guidance. And talked to my parents about it. And prayed again. And finally, I listened. I weighed the things that were most important to me.

And with that, I was able to see that the opportunity I had in front of me was exactly what I had asked for at the beginning of this year.

I said somewhere, that all I wanted was a full-time job, one where I could sustain myself, continue to live my lifestyle abroad, and empower girls under a more professional guise. I want to take my passion for girls' empowerment to another level. I want to really use the skills that I know I have in a way that I have never used them before.

can't wait to see this reflection from the other side of the Atlantic :)

So I took a risk. I accepted the full time position to be English as an Additional Language co teacher. The catch, what I am really excited about, is that I am designing a club, just for girls from scratch. This time, internationally. Check me out!

And Godwilling, I will get to travel to the place where my heart has been since 1988, Sierra Leone. There I will visit my grandparents graves, pay my respects, cry a lot. But most importantly, facilitate a workshop or two for the second annual Girls Empowerment Summit in Sierra Leone.

Am I scared? Hell yes? I have absolutely no template for what I am trying to do. Well, sorta, kinda. I have it. In several word documents, but in a figurative sense, I have no template, because I am doing everything I do in a way that only I, Bintu, can do it.

A big risk indeed because my other option was much more planned out. But this---this is truly me.

I am continuing to live out my dreams, even if sometimes I forget what they were, they always come back to me.

So let's keep journeying through Panama, in a few months, I will give you lens from the perspective of girls’ empowerment internationally from two very different countries.

If I might say myself, I am goin' to do the damn thang (Godwilling)

(P.S. I am also working on believing in the value of my work in this new chapter)

Here's to Round 2 of Bee's Backseat in Panama!

Bee's 3 Step Guide to Going Abroad: LIVE!

Step 3---You made it! And so...

First thing’s first. There is a good ol' saying from Sierra Leone, that the people always tell the JCs ( a term for newly arrived visitors, especially those Sierra Leone natives living abroad). They say "Nah for put u rights nah u pocket." In translation, put your rights in your pocket. In translation again, forget about all them rights and rules and essentially all the order that you know to exist in the western world. It’s a serious thing, though, we laugh at it. But it is one thing I recommend for travelers. It speaks to the ability to adapt to your local environment. This will help you stay calm and not become frustrated in certain situations. Take it easy, take the country for what it is, try hard not to compare it to what you know and you will be able to get the best experience out of it. Do I like brushing my buttocks against passengers as I squeeze to through the cramped aisles to find a seat? No. Do I look forward enduring the odor of someone’s long day of hard work? Um, not exactly. But do I like paying only .25 cents to get somewhere?  Um, yes. $3.00 to the beach. Um, yes. So I take it for what it is and sacrifice. Learn how to do this and you are half way to having a blast! And truly delving into what the country has to offer.

-Check into a hostel, couch-surf, or stay with a friend in town. Some people look for places to live before hand. I would recommend crashing somewhere until you are hired or have established an area that you want to be in. You should get a feel for the country and decide where you could see yourself living. I stayed at a nice hostel in the older section of Panama City upon arrival. And I am actually planning to move back there in a few weeks.

-Once you arrive, ask where you can get a small/cheap cell phone with a local number. This should be done almost immediately.

-Once you get yourself a number, add your new local number to your cover letter and resume and then re-send your cover letter/resume to your list of school contacts. Watch the magic happen!

-Ask about ways to get around and start checking out the locations of these language schools. Get some copies of your package printed and then hand deliver them to schools/businesses. This shows that you are serious and the reality is that down here and in other parts of the world it is highly likely that you will not get a response via email. I won’t even begin to go in to the many reasons as to why non-response should be expected. #aintnobodygottimeforthat

-Be patient. Again. And Again.

-Go out. Meet people. Network. Tell them what you are doing. Indulge the people who will spend minutes and minutes talking to you you about how they are investing in some weird project and even the people who say they have been traveling for 7 months and are just passing through. Just indulge them. You might learn a thing or to, or find someone with whom you share similar interested. And besides, you never know what connects they might have.

-Don't be usin’ all your money juuuuuust yet. (Yes, I said it like that. It was appropriate)

-Make a list of things/experiences you want to have while in country.

Deep Ish:

Make a list of what you didn’t come here to do. And every time you find yourself trippin' look back at that list.

For me, I didn’t come to panama to work excessively, to be stressed, to have that day-to-day stress of office job-ness and I didn’t come here to drive. I came here to walk as much as I could and be driven. I also came here to write more, live more, and self-reflect about how to build my future.

And so far, I have done those things. I’ll be honest and say that I do get stressed, but it’s a different kind of stressed than when I was in the States. I have had a lot of time to do just those things. However, I am almost ready for what’s next. Stay tuned.

But in the mean time, start your own journey.

Get back to Y.O.U. (Your Own Unfulfilled dreams)

Just G.O (Get Out!)

And

LIVE!