What to Expect, When you're Expecting... to go to Rwanda...

Or, as our dear friend Will put it when we were scouring the internet for useful information, “Less, ‘It was so inspiring!’ more ‘What to pack’.”

Getting To Kigali:
We did the path less traveled (albeit cheaper, it was not for the traveler who is weary in the slightest of… well, basically anything, specifically volcanic ash clouds) through the Entebbe-Kampala airport. We flew in, took a taxi to downtown Kampala and rode the Jaguar Bus (about $16) to Kigali. It’s an uncomfortable, long, bump journey – but in the end it saved us a few hundred bucks as opposed to flying in directly to Kigali. Other than that, you can usually find Brussels Air doing flights from the States in to Kigali. We also just learned that KLM will start flying from the states (via Amsterdam) in to Kigali. KLM is our favorite airline (minus the GIANT customer service nightmare incurred during the aforementioned volcanic ash cloud.) and they have fantastic inflight food and movies.

Accomodations:
If you are a volunteer with FVA, you will be both surprised and pleased! FVA owns two guest houses: Favour Guest House in Remera, and another house in Kimironko. In both houses you will share a room and a bathroom with, at most, one to two other volunteers. There is always running water and occasionally it will even be lukewarm. You get a very respectable breakfast (most days) of fruit, bread, tea and sometimes instant coffee. Dinner is actually VERY good. You buy your own lunch. If you live in Favor Guest House, you will be steps away from several markets, internet cafes, restaurants, banks, Western Unions, and other conveniences. If you live in Kimironko, you will be close to nothing.

If you are not a volunteer with FVA, Kigali offers a wide range of accommodations, from a room with no running water for about $10 a night to a very nice room with your own bathroom for about $30. We stayed at the Favor Guest House, but nearby was Chez Rose - a fantastic guesthouse (be sure to check out the funky 'tree table' in the courtyard).

Basic Kinyarwandan (Kin-yar-wandan)
Oya - No
Yego - Yes
Murakoze [More - A - Coz - A] - Thank you
Bite se? [Bee - Tays] - What's Up (Hello to young children, informal greeting)
Muraho [Mer - A - Ho] - Hello! (Formal)
Mwiriwe [Meery - Way] - Hi! (Informal - use anytime but the afternoon/evening)
Undishaka [Un - di - sha - ka] - I want
(Blog Update we did for Kinyarwandan 101)

Neighborhoods:
Kigali isn't exactly the easiest city on Earth to figure your way around. "Town" is pretty basic, it's the center of Kigali, where the Union Trade Center is, where the buses stop when they're going to town, Milles Collines, etc. Remera is where we lived and it's biggest landmark is the Chez Lando hotel. Also, you'll probably read about Sole Luna, the awesome Italian resto that's right down the road from Chez Lando. Remera is quiet and clean - but the bus stop (the end point) is really crazy because there are a lot of buses going out of the city from there. Kimironko is near Remera - if you turn towards Chez Lando and keep going straight (past the stadium) you are well on your way to Kimironko. There you'll find a super market - tons of local produce and meat, big craft stalls and seamstresses. The University is also located in Kimironko.

Nyabogogo is what we like to refer to as the Times Square of Kigali - it's busy and crazy and there's a huge bus stop there where buses come in from multiple countries. There's a market there as well but we never went to that one. Kacyriu and Kicyciru (those are definitely not correct spellings, ha!) are pretty residential districts. Kacyriu is where Ivuka Art Studio (see below) is located and also where the American Embassy is located. Kicyciru is close to the big charter schools in Kigali (ISK and Green Hills) and is a little more expensive residential area.

All the neighborhoods have tons of restos and markets and people selling MTN minutes. We liked Remera the most because we lived there for three months. It's clean and pretty cheap (internet is 300RwF/.5 hours - whereas in town its about 600RwF/.5 hours). Having Chez Lando and Sole Luna within walking distance is also pretty awesome :) Google maps has some pretty great updates on Kigali, so it's helpful if you need to look at it.

Transportation:
The Kigali public bus system is remarkably easy to use, once you get the hang of it. Men stand at the bus stops and yell the ultimate destination of their transport – “Kimironko!” “Nyabogogo Nyabogogo Nyabogogo!” – and attempt to herd you on to their bus, whether or not that bus is going in the direction you originally intended to travel. You will quickly learn which buses go by the places you would like to stop, and remember “OYA” for when a conductor grabs you and aims you the wrong way. The buses are extremely cheap – 150-180RwF – because, as we have mentioned, they are dirty, extremely overcrowded, and always smell as though someone’s armpit died in transit. Also, people will sit directly on top of your appendages. We always recommend sitting near a window.

Motobikes are awesome – for questions, comments and concerns, see previous post devoted solely to this, our favorite means of transportation. If you don’t know how to get where you’re going, find a moto that does and hop on. ALWAYS NEGOTIATE THE PRICE UPFRONT, and don’t pay more than you said you would. When you get off, hang on to your helmet while you wait for your change. We’ve never had a moto drive off on us, but we don’t feel the need to take chances. Motos are slightly more expensive than buses, ranging from just under a dollar to about 800 - 2,000RwF, depending on distance. Make sure you get a motobike wearing a green vest/helmet that means they've been certified by the government to be able to drive the bike.

There are regular taxis, but they’re more expensive and we sometimes found them extremely shady (ie: a man would drive up in his car and say ‘taxi?’). We only used them in the most dire of situations (sudden downpour while walking home from an evening out, etc).

What to Pack:
- Shampoo & Conditioner : it’s all imported here, so it’s very expensive
- Lotion, Body Wash & Lady Products: ALSO, very expensive in the stores here
- Bugspray
- Sunscreen
- Chapstick
- Deodorant
- Water Bottle
- First Aid Stuff (basics, Aspirin, Cold Meds<-- Extremely hard to find in Rwanda, Band-Aids, etc) - Clothes: First – long skirts (you’ll be climbing over 18 people in a minibus, hopping on the back of a motobike or working with children who barely clear your knees, long skirts are best), tank tops, tshirts, jeans, capri length pants (no shorts, you’ll be uncomfortable unless you’re working out), maxi dresses (comfy and good for the weather), hoodies for cold evenings - also good to carry around for the quasi-frequent rain showers that come out of nowhere.

o In general, bring clothes that are loose fitting materials because the hot in Kigali is not like the hot you’re used to. Also, if you get caught in the instant (and short) sun showers you’ll dry out quickly.
o Mens: Basically, whatever you want. Pants and Tshirts. Men aren’t typically expected to be dressed to the nines in public in Kigali. Definitely bring a few light cotton button-downs and a nice pair of pants or two in case your placement or infrequent church attendance requires them.
o Shoes: Flip-flops. If you find yourself walking a lot, sneakers. Whatever you’re most comfortable in.
o Rainboots: brought ours and didn’t find them useful, plus they took up way too much room in our luggage. The rainy season isn’t exactly what you’d expect, so bring a rain jacket and an umbrella – you’ll be fine.

Bring It or Buy It – It’s Cheap!
- Soap (They sell Dove soap at Simba for 900RwF)
- Umbrella

Recommended Sights and Sounds:
- The bar scene in Kigali is both awesome (banana beer!) and daunting (bars, everywhere). The nightclubs are infamous for pick-pocketing, but most bars are extremely laid back, have seats outside, serve the beer very cold and the prices are manageable. If you pay more than 1,000RwF for a Primus, you’re getting a muzungu price, go somewhere cheaper. We have no idea how to get to any of these bars, but a motobike will be able to drop you at their front door :)

o Papyrus (good drinks, pretty view)
o Pasadena (Salsa dancing extravaganza every Thursday night)
o Sundowners
o Cadillac (We didn't prefer the nightclub there, but every Friday there's karaoke and the setting is amazing. They also have a Mama Africa cafe in there which is really good.)

- Ivuka Arts Studio: Become part of Rwanda’s blossoming art scene. This art studio is more than a showroom, it houses the resident artists and their workroom is in the back. You can drop in anytime during the day (Charles is the ‘manager’ but you can always find an artist more than willing to show you around) and there is often work going on until the sun goes down. Swing by around 3pm or 4pm on Sunday and catch the studio’s world-touring dance troupe practicing. Ivuka is behind Novutel (make a right at the ‘Internews’ sign on the main road – about 50 feet from the bus stop; walk to the first big T in the dirt road and make a left; Ivuka will be about ½ mile up the road on your right). http://ivukaarts.com/. Find Charles, Collin, or Innocent and tell them Nicole & Kaitlyn sent you.

- Genocide Memorial Sites at Nyamata and Ntarama: Both are chilling reminders of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. They both include crypts that you can walk in to and mass graves where identified Rwandans are buried in caskets. The tours are often given by survivors, not just of the Genocide but of the murders that took place at the sites.

- Genocide Memorial Museum

- Milles Collines Pool: Its 5,000RwF ($10) for a chair and a towel at the (in)famous hotel, but if you have a Saturday or Sunday with nothing to do, it’s a great way to spend a day. The water is crystal clear and cold and the people that work there are fantastic.

- Amahoro Stadium: Outdoor concerts here are awesome (2,000-5,000RwF) and the soccer (football) games are exciting too.

Things to do in Town:
- UTC (Union Trade Center) has the fixings of a small mall right in city center. Inside you can find Bourbon Coffee (Rwandan Starbucks, overrun by muzungus, but its good coffee), Mille Collines (Fabulous clothes! Not exactly inexpensive, but the clothes are glorious), an MTN store, an Electronics store and an internet café.

- Nakumatt & Simba (Home of the Big Burger): Located very close to each other (Nakumatt in UTC, Simba on the other side of the traffic circle (near Centennary House) these two markets offer the greatest of Western conveniences in Supermarket fashion. They are the cheapest places to buy anything from Shampoo to Cadburry bars. They both have legit bakeries and a butcher and even a freezer section.

o Simba has a fantastic restaurant. The prices are reasonable and the food is enough to make any Western pallate feel at home. They have burgers (2,800 RwF), omellets (1,500 RwF) and the famous African tea (1,400 RwF).

- Aroma Coffee: Located near the entrance to the Kimironko Bus Station/Market this small coffee shop has great drinks, teas and pastries. There is also wireless internet – it’s a good un-muzungu’d coffee place.

- Kimironko Market: The produce prices are unparalleled here (200RwF for an Avocado!) so take a Saturday and head out to the market to pick up fresh produce. You can also find a fantastic selection of Rwandan crafts (much more reasonable prices than the Craft Market in Town). Be ready to bargain – they run a fierce operation, but we found the women almost always the easiest to bargain with and they always offered the best deals. If you have a specific budget in mind, ask a local what they would pay for things and use that as your bargaining tool.

Weekend Trips:
- Akagera : Use BiziDanny’s Tours, they offer great prices and door-to-door service. For about $80 we had our park fees and our SUV covered with 5 people in it. It will be, by far, the best $80 you have ever spent in Rwanda.

- Gorilla Trek (OR! For budget minded travelers-->) Hike in Volcanoes National Park : We didn’t choose to do either of these options, but heading to the OTPR (Rwandan Tourism Office) in Town will be able to give you all the information you need.

- Bujumbura, Burundi : Travel is safe there nowadays (but TIA, check the security status before setting off). You can take a Belvedere Bus there for about 12,000RwF roundtrip. The beach in Bujumbura is gorgeous and we heard there were lots of fun things to do in this city over a weekend.

- Butare : A beautiful smaller town in the south of Rwanda, this is also the location of the National Museum and National University.

- Gisenyi : Use the Belvedere Bus Line (the entrance is directly across from the entrance of UTC (near the Akagera Toyota Car Lot). The tickets to Gisenyi are 2,800/each way and the bus trip is about 3 hours. When you get to downtown Gisenyi, walk down the road towards the T (away from the volcano) and you will see a sign for the Presbyterian. The guest house here is simple and cheap (2,000 RwF for a room in the dorm; 8-12,000 for single/double rooms) and the staff are great.

o Go to Goma, DRC. The border is within walking distance. (US citizens the entrance Visa is $35). There isn’t a lot to do in Goma besides go to the site of the volcano eruption that happened about 10 years ago, but it’s a sweet stamp on your passport and interesting to say that you went there.
o Find a place that serves Chai tea (It’s the best in this town due to the huge Muslim population)
o Beach sit for free on the public beach, sit in the Serena Hotel’s beachside garden or pay 3,000RwF to sit by their pool or in one of their beach chairs. If you go to Serena, find a waiter named Yves - he's awesome and was a great friend to the RAs and one of the other volunteers during our time there.