Rwanda day 5

Day 5

I have not written about day four yet, because yesterday we visited the capital city of Kigali and the Genocide memorial, and so I need a more time to write this hard topic.

  Today we taught the farm staff English. Their boss Solomon was nice enough to give them an hour break from their work to learn with us. It took about ten minutes for the thirty farm workers to come back from the field. The farm workers are mostly male, and range in age from fifteen to sixty. They are very poor, but seem to be happy to work at Agahozo. We split them into two groups, and showed them how to greet someone in English. It was fun, and they laughed at us a lot. One of the girls I’m working with from Young Judea is from Canada and has a Canadian accent, which makes it very hard for the workers and even English speaking Rwandans to understand her. I have developed my own accent (which many long-term volunteers also use), which is a slow spoken English with an African type accent and flow. This helps the Rwandans understand me much easier.

 Working with the farm workers was definitely one of the most challenging things I have done educationally in my life. Most of the farmers spoke no English, and did not go to school. With the farmer’s positive spirits, some good planning on our part, and a little bit of luck, it did go rather well.

  I am trying to build up the music program at Agahozo. I restrung a few guitars, and tuned them. The guitar room fills up everyday with tons of kids who simply love playing guitar. You could never tell they have only been playing for only a few months.

 My class was with first year students who are in their enrichment year. I started from the very beginning of guitar, explaining how the instrument works, the terminology for it, and taught them basic chords. I beat a drum, and had them play different chords on my command. They liked it I think.

  After class, this kid came in and started singing some Chris Brown songs and playing guitar. I literally 

stopped what I was doing and stared. This guy sounded like Tracy Chapman I swear. He had this incredible gravely voice, but could also go very high. His name is Blaze, and he has been singing since he was in primary school. I am determined to record him.

  There is also a full fledged recording studio next to the guitar room, with a posse of Senior 6 boys(oldest kids), who make some incredible Rwandan music. It is mostly randb, and sounds a lot like Sean Kingston at times. Their band is called the brave. Just another day at Agahozo…

Tomorrow we wake up at 6 as usual, but this time we will be baking challas. Shabbas in Africa here we come!

I can't see this but maybe it's good

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzwCRBZubec