Tuesday 25 March 2008

Broke!

Mar 20th

Hooray, my tummy has let me off. Still not feeling 10% but definitely not the dreaded bacterial runs or (even worse) amoebic horrors! Still can’t work out exactly what I’ve eaten which has disagreed with me; it might be the Mutzig beer, too.

I arrange with Cathie that I’m going to have a lie-in and a slow start to the morning, and it feels all the better for taking things easier today. In to the district office, stopping at the bank on the way. Try to draw some money but my cheque is refused, and I discover to my horror that I’ve virtually no money left in the bank! My accounting hasn’t been as good as it should be, and my budgeting obviously leaves a lot to be desired. Still, there’s another VSO pay cheque coming at the end of the month, and there’s also some money coming from Teresa. Just hold in there, Brucey…..

Problem is, Gitarama is a relatively expensive place to live compared with volunteers based in schools, and those in the outlying districts. And I’ve taken every advantage of going to places, too – I reckon I’ve already seen more of Rwanda than any of the others in my group.

The only problem is that if we do go to Nyungwe Forest over the Easter weekend it’ll be another expensive outing (like Akagera), just at a time when my finances are at their most vulnerable. Ho hum, things will sort themselves out. I’ll eat bread and jam for a week…..

At the office there is another small batch of school census forms to tabulate; that takes all morning. I think I’ve now got 19 out of 106 primary schools, and about 6 out of 23 secondaries. Way to go!

At lunchtime we meet up with Elson and I only have safe things in my mélange – rice, beans, matookes. Continue working in the office all afternoon, then home to clean up and prepare for visitors. Marisa and Els are coming from Nyamata tonight and we’re all going to Gikongoro for the Easter weekend.

Tom’s off to Karen’s for the evening; she’s doing a house communion as its Maundy Thursday. If I didn’t have visitors I’d go as well, to show willing, but as things stand I’m busy cooking. No sign of the girls, and I’m getting really worried. Turns out we’ve got one of these periodic phone blackouts where nobody can get through by phone or text. Eventually make contact and discover they’re sitting at the bus park like a pair of orphans; they’ve asked around if anyone knows a very tall muzungu called Bruce but those who recognise the description don’t know where I live. Walk don to meet them and the rest of the evening goes fine.

I’m sleeping on the mattress in the lounge so that the girls can share my bed. This time I’ve got myself sorted out and douse myself with Deet before sleeping, hence a much better night than when Tiga and Lisa were here.

Best thing about today – not being ill; having visitorWorst thing about today – can’t yet make much progress on the school census returns because so few have arrived.

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