The blog is back!

Ok, so it's been about a year since I last wrote, but this is to officially announce that the blog is back!

Here's a tidbit to get me started: Went to a club on Saturday night and security took my granola bar from Canada!! It's those peanut butter nature-something (can't remember the actual name) ones that they don't sell here - they have the other flavours, but not the peanut butter one. So I keep one in my purse in case I miss dinner one night, etc. And they took it!! I said, "What if I'm diabetic?" and her response was "Do you have documentation?" Do diabetics usually have documentation? Maybe I should've gone with hypoglycemia...seriously, still miffed they took my granola bar!

Stay tuned for more fascinating anecdotes like that...

Reclaim the Night!

On Saturday night, Alex and I went to the Reclaim the Night march and rally. I was there representing the White Ribbon Campaign (and myself, of course).

When we arrived at Whithall Place, I was initially surprised to see so many police officers there. I thought, "what, do they think we're going to get violent at an anti-violence against women march?"

It didn't take me very long to realize that they were there to protect US. That was scary.

Alex and I saw many men (usually in groups) laughing at us as we marched through downtown London, bringing traffic to a standstill. One man stood at the edge of the sidewalk, frowning and staunchly thumbs-downing our march. A lad, being a little shit, ran up to us and stuck his butt out at us, saying something like "don't you want to get some of this?" Another man, more aggressive, started running toward us and yelling "I've been on the other side of that!!" until a police officer stopped him. Of course, there are male victims of violence, but how does that fact make protesting violence against women (the VAST majority of domestic violence, rape, honour killings, female genital cutting, forced marriage, etc) any less valid or important?

Still, what we saw was nothing compared to what happened to the blogger Noble Savage, who was sexually assaulted during the march:

Last night, I marched through the streets of central London with 2,000 other women and dozens of police escorts, holding a sign that said “End violence against women.”
Last night, I used my voice to chant and shout about sexual violence, unsafe streets and women’s rights.

Last night, when I should have felt at my most powerful, most inspired and safest, I was sexually assaulted.

I had to stop typing there for a minute and make sure I’d written that right and that it wasn’t just a strange dream. But yes, I was sexually assaulted at a march protesting sexual assault. How’s that for irony?

As we came through Leicester Square, a man pushed his way abruptly past the barrier and with one swift movement of his outstretched arm, managed to push me backwards and roughly grab my breasts at the same time. I swung at him with my right hand but he’s already stormed past so I only made contact with the back of his shoulder before he disappeared out the other side and down a side street. My friend Jen and I looked at each other in disbelief and shock. I hadn’t seen him coming until he was centimetres away and before I noticed the arm coming at me, what I undeniably saw was a face riddled with disgust and anger.

He, along with the man who had spit towards us earlier, and the one who had stood on the side shouting “Boo! Boo!” with his thumbs and his mouth turned downwards, and the significant number of men I saw mocking us — laughing, rolling their eyes and grabbing their crotches — were obviously disturbed by our presence. Perhaps we were reminders of violence they had perpetrated themselves, or a catalyst for the potential violence bubbling within them, just beneath the surface, like a nearly-boiled kettle. Maybe they felt threatened by our numbers and our voices and our demands. Maybe they were scared.

But whatever the reasons for their animosity, they will never know what it’s like to be scared of being humiliated and violated, in public, by people who feel they have a right to our bodies, our smiles, our time and our compliance. They will never know what it’s like to trade stories, with friends of the harrassment, abuse, assault and violence nearly each and every one of us has experienced, some of us in many different ways. They will never understand that we call these ‘war stories’ because every day is a battle and we are tired of feeling like soldiers, fighting off an enemy that has the better, more powerful weapons. They will never experience life and humanity the way we experience life and humanity because their view is unobstructed. They stand on the shoulders and backs of so many people, so many women, to survey their kingdom and claim rights to us, its spoils, with indifference and greed.

It's disgusting. That's about all I can say. These men are obviously threatened by 2000 women who refuse to back down in the face of gender-based violence. The actions of these particular men only reinforce how important feminism and organisations like the White Ribbon Campaign are.

A New Adventure

After 5.5 weeks traveling across East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda) and 3 months back in Southern Ontario, I've arrived, back in the UK!

It's good to be back.

A little weird, but still amazing. When I arrived in London, after maybe 2 hours of sleep on the plane, I took the train to King's Cross station from Gatwick and then a taxi to my friend's house near Turnpike Lane. Driving through the city, both in the train and in the taxi, I felt strangely at home and in a strange place. I was back, but in a completely different place in my life. I wasn't here for school, but for work. Most of my friends had gone back to their respective countries, but a new one had arrived. I didn't have a place to live.

I still don't. But, I've been in West Yorkshire for the past week, so I will find something when I go back to London. I'm located in Hebden Bridge, a self-described quirky town and the lesbian capital of the UK. It is awesome. I'm working for the White Ribbon Campaign, an organisation started by men to end male violence against women.

More to follow on my work so far, but for now, a teaser from an event we had on Saturday: "These Heels Are Made for Walking" -

The Craziest Day Yet in Rwanda...or in My Life, Really

Before I get into the crazy antics of yesterday, I will fill you in on life in Rwanda so far (it's already been a week! I can't believe it!). 

It is seriously one of the most amazing countries I've ever been to. I mean, obviously it has such a horrible history, and that's almost what makes it even more amazing - the fact that people here are trying to heal, and to forgive. I'm mainly staying in Kigali and then doing some day trips (to places like Gitarama, Butare, and possibly Kibuye). Next weekend, though, I'm relaxing in Gisenyi, Rwanda's "resort town," which is on Lake Kivu and is supposed to be beautiful!! I'm staying near the Hotel Mille Collines (of Hotel Rwanda fame), and I've eaten dinner there once. It was neat to see because of the history, but the hotel itself isn't that spectacular. It might also have been the fact that the pool (people drank the water from the pool during the genocide in order to survive) and main restaurant were closed. My hotel is very cozy, with a  small swimming pool and garden. The staff are really nice too. The city is SO much bigger than I thought. It's pretty much impossible to walk all around it - it could take 4 or 5 hours to walk from one side to another, I think. I had an interview in Remera district and had to take a taxi, and it was about a 15 minute ride (with no traffic), and that wasn't the edge of Kigali. I'm located right in the centre, which is great. I'm pretty proud of myself, as I've figured out where the best supermarket is, I've located a coffee shop (that also serves great lunches), and I've got a Rwandan cell phone. The city is built on many hills, so the views are spectacular (though personally I enjoy the countryside more).

I've pretty much mastered the public transport system, although I'm still a tad hesitant to go on the motorcycle-taxis. Walking is better anyway. But the buses are great - the most expensive one is about $3 for the 3-hour trip to Gisenyi. I'm always the only muzungu on them, so I get lots of attention and stares. Usually I can bond with moms and their babies, which is fun even with the language barrier. And sometimes I get special treatment, with bus drivers wanting to know if I want a better seat up front, but I like sitting in the back with everyone else. It's more interesting.

I arrived about a week ago, and have started my research. The interviews are going well - though I've only done 3 so far. But, to be fair, I did need a few days to figure out Kigali, get to a bank, get a Rwandan phone number, buy some groceries, etc. I plan to do more next week.

And  now I'll get to one of the craziest days EVER! On Friday, I took the bus to Musanze (which was supposed to be 90 minutes but took about 2.5 hours as we kept stopping to let people off at different places, and we stopped at a small mall for a few minutes. But it was an adventure!). I walked the entire town (which isn't that big) and visited a small genocide memorial/cemetery. Then yesterday, the craziness began!  It took as about 2 hours to trek to the gorillas, then we had an hour with them, and then trekked back out. We literally climbed a mountain - it was SO high! And I got a little altitude sickness (we were at almost 3000 metres above sea level) when we were at the gorillas, so I sat down for a few minutes so I wouldn't faint. The group I saw was Group 13, and it has 26 members. It was amazing - we saw the huge silverback, a few females, and about 10 babies who were jumping and swinging and playing. The silverback was amazingly patient. He just lay there while all his kids jumped on him and around him. The guide said "he's a good dad."

And then I went to an orphanage where I met the "Mama" (the woman who takes care of all the kids), who is seriously one of the most amazing woman I've ever met! I fell totally in love with her - she is awesome! But she only speaks Kinyarwandan so I couldn't really convey my admiration. But she was just so warm and sweet to me, even with the language barrier, and you could see how much she loved her kids. It was SO sweet! THe kids all sang and danced for me when I arrived, and then did so again as I left. When I arrived, they all came running up to the car (and I felt bad because I didn't have any gifts for them, but I did give a donation to the Mama, which will likely be used for food, my translator said). Then as we went inside, one of the littlest kids took my hand as we walked inside. It was so cute! I fell in love with those kids and wanted to stay much longer than my timing allowed, as I traveled back to Kigali the same day. The translator I had for this (arranged by the tour company that also got me my gorilla permit and took me to the park this morning), wasn't the greatest. He didn't understand a lot of my questions, and as he was relating her answers, they didn't always make sense. I had to keep clarifying, but I think I got a few good points out of it for my dissertation.

I then got on another matatu, and the next incredible thin happened! The bus stopped and I saw a man running towards it, carrying a child in his arms. THe boy had been in a bad accident and was bleeding (he was probably around 5 or 6, and his father was carrying him and an older brother (I think) was with them.) So I whipped out my antiseptic wipes and some kleenex and set to work communicating with the brother what to do, and then stopping the bleeding myself from the rather deep wound from his head while cradling his head and trying to soothe him (while another girl about my age had to keep looking away from the sight of it all. I kinda thought I would be like that, but then I just sprung into action. Not that he was bleeding THAT badly anymore - but still). And don't worry - I didn't come into contact with any blood! THe wound was rather deep, but small circumference-wise, so I didn't touch any blood (and it wasn't bleeding very profusely by the time they reached the bus). So yeah, it was a pretty crazy day! 

But that is why I love Rwanda so much.

First Full Day in Kigali

Yesterday was my first full day in Kigali and it was...interesting. Well, it was much better than Sunday, the day I arrived, when I was a tad overwhelmed and had no idea where I was going!! The top three things I dislike in Kigali are:

1. The fact that there are NO street signs. Perfect.

2. People staring at me because I'm a muzungu (white person)

3. The lack of sidewalks. I swear I'm going to be hit by a car at some point.

So yesterday, my first port of call was the ORTPN - tourist office. There, I was lucky enough to be booked on the 2pm city tour since another couple was going too (and you need at least 2 people for it to run). So I then bought some dry goods at a gas station and then found a supermarket, which also only stocked dry goods, so I bought some water and a knife to spread the peanut butter I brought from Canada (well, my parents brought it from Canada to London and then I brought it from London to Rwanda) on my digestives. Yum!

I then went to the bank, where I was charged 90 USD to buy cash off of my VISA. Whoever said Africa was cheap has NOT spent a lot of time in Rwanda!!

Then I went back to ORTPN for the city tour. It was pretty good, albeit a bit overpriced at $20 since the two places we actually visited have free entry. We first visited the building where, in 1994, 10 Belgian UN soldiers were killed by the Interahamwe, in  a successful attempt at getting the Belgians, and much of the UN, to withdraw. It was a very moving site. There was a blackboard where Belgians had written messages - such as "why did you kill the innocents?" Surprisingly, there was a skull-and-crossbones cartoon of Romeo Dallaire, asking him where were his ears and eyes. I was really shocked by this, considering how much Dallaire tried to do during the genocide and how affected he still is today. Our guide told us that Rwandans don't blame him or draw cartoons of him, since they understand that he couldn't do much on his own.

Then we drove around a bit, while our driver talked about the movie Hotel Rwanda and how it is fake. He said it was maybe 2% true. I've heard before that Rwandans aren't particularly impressed with the movie, but our guide was pretty adamant that Paul Rusesabagina was not a good guy, that he charged people to let them stay in the hotel when he was told to give out any goods for free, and that he used the money to go to America. (But really, he's in Belgium). I'm not sure which story is true, but the fact of the matter is that he did save a lot of people. He could have turned them over to the Interahamwe, like many did, but he did not. That, at least, is admirable.

Then we went to the Kigali Memorial Centre, where about 300,000 genocide victims are buried. The number keeps growing as bodies continue to be found, even 15 years later. It was a very moving museum, but I did find parts fairly simplistic. It is small though, compared to something like the Simon Wiesenthal Centre or even the Holocaust exhibit at the Imperial War Museum, so it can't really cover everything in depth. The hardest things to see was the exhibit on child victims, which included such intimate details as their favourite foods, best friends (often a parent or sibling), last words, and the way they died. There was also an exhibit of skulls, clothes, and possessions found with the bodies. One room is entirely dedicated to family photos of victims; family members can come and put one up in the room. It was haunting.

We then drove some more, into the rich areas of Kigali - the estates. Some of these houses were HUGE, and cost around $500,000 USD. HERE, there were street signs! And there were security guards at many of the house entrances. We also caught glimpses of some slums, that are being torn down, the people moved, in order to build more of the monstrous houses.

Well, that was my first day. Today I'm catching up on some secondary research by the pool while hoping that my translator finally contacts me. If not, I'm going to start calling organizations tomorrow and hope for the best. I do have some independent contacts from my translator, but he has contacted orphanages for me so I need to visit them too. Plus, I'd like to actually have a friend/contact here. 

Will write again soon - see everyone in Canada soon!!

Arriving in Nairobi

So, my first adventure to Africa has not exactly gone entirely smoothly. First of all, I had to pay at Heathrow for my luggage because one bag was overweight and even though the other was extremely underweight, I still had to pay. I wasn't about to start re-packing in the middle of Heathrow airport. I was WAY too tired!!

Then, I arrived in Nairobi. Still exhausted. And the extremely underweight bag did not make it to Nairobi. But, I was assured it would arrive the next day. So that was fine. And it DID arrive today, but when it did, the sleeping bag I had attached to the back of it (in hindsight, I should have put it in my suitcase) was ominously missing. So, I tried to call the airport baggage desk three separate times and no one answered. So now I must brave Sunday Nairobi shopping tomorrow to buy a sleeping bag. AUGH!!!

But, my first official day, other than all the annoyances, was really amazing. I slept about 11 hours, which was amazing. Then, I went on a 4-hour mini safari, traveling to the Karen region of Nairobi (named after Karen Blixen, who Meryl Streep portrayed in Out of Africa). There, I went to Karen Blixen's house - so cool! I just saw Out of Africa, so it was really neat to see the house where it was filmed (well, the exterior - not the interior). Then, I went to a bead and ceramic factory where there were gorgeous necklaces and earrings. So pretty!! 

After that, we went to the Giraffe Centre. It was amazing. There were warthogs and giraffes, plus two rogue tortoises. Giraffes are such beautiful creatures - I got to hand feed them pellets, pet them (though they really only let you do this if they were getting fed), and even "kissed them." This consists of putting a pellet in your lips, leaning over, and having the giraffe's LOOOOOONG tongue take it from you. I kissed a baby giraffe and a grown female. They were both SO cute!!

Driving around Nairobi was also amazing. We passed street vendors, many of whom were selling furniture. There were also goats just milling about - and some baby ones too! There are also vast differences in standards of living. The starkest contrast was driving out of Karen, which is one of the richest areas (and used to be Whites-only) back into Nairobi, where we passed the slums - where about 1 million people live.

Tomorrow, I start the main safari - two weeks of fun-filled tourism in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar. Then it's onto Rwanda!

Africa

I'm getting really excited to go to Africa! One month tomorrow, I'll be on a plane flying to Nairobi. Cannot wait!

Right now, I'm waiting to begin exams. My first two are June 3 and 4, so I have LOTS of studying to do! But I'm getting really tired of waiting around, and studying. My last class with new information was March 19. We had a few review sessions in May, but really, it'll be almost 2.5 months between our last class and my first exam. It's just too long!! I'm getting burnt out! But, once it starts, it will be pretty quick - 4 exams in 2 weeks should fly by! And then, I have 9 days to move out of my flat, close my bank account, ship stuff home to Canada, and prep for my African adventure. I'm heading to Nairobi first - where I get to hand-feed giraffes and visit an elephant orphanage. Then, I join a 13-day safari through Kenya and Tanzania (which includes 4 days of relaxation in Zanzibar!).  I'm really excited to see the wildlife and the scenery, but am also well-aware of the human situation in these two countries. Recently, there was an article in the NY Times about maternal mortality in Tanzania. It is quite a sobering read.

After my time in Kenya and Tanzania, I fly off to Rwanda for three weeks to conduct research for my dissertation, which is on the rights of children conceived through rape during the 1994 genocide. I will be spending most of the time in Kigali, but will also venture off to a small village to conduct a case study. After some intense interviews and dissertation writing, I plan to visit the infamous Rwandan gorillas before beginning my 26-hour journey back to Toronto.

I've decided to come back to Toronto a bit early, (1) to save money on British accommodation, and (2) to spend time with my family and friends in case I end up working overseas in September. I do really want to get a job in Toronto, but am quite aware of the fact that this may not happen. So, I've applied to jobs and internships in Uganda, London, Washington, and Strasbourg so far. I will probably be applying to some in New York as well. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that I find something!! :-)

Well, better get back to studying. At least my African adventure is only one month away. And then, in about 2 months, I'll be back in my homeland, and able to visit all of YOU! Cannot wait!