Course Group D

Monday, the first day of group D

We had prepared well and trusted that the room we were to borrow was prepared. But before we left in the morning, thankfully by a good margin, "The executive" called and advised that it was not emptied of furniture.

A few days before we had a meeting with "The executive" the leader of Rugerero, here in Gisenyi, where we will hold the courses. We got to see the room, which turned out to be two smaller rooms, instead of one big one. It also turned out that "The executive" had contacted sixteen young women and not ten as intended.

We quickly packed up everything we needed, managed to get two motorbike taxis, which we scooped up a large suitcase, two cans and two buckets full of stuff and wobbled away.

Once there, we had to start by emptying one room of furniture while the other room was locked and instead we were given another, even smaller room, also not empty of furniture, at our disposal.

I wondered in horror how we were going to manage to squeeze all sixteen into one of these rooms, some of whom would surely come with their young children.

Mudi and I started deliberating and replanning.

We simply have to skip the training, that is the yoga, the acrobatics and all the games, or we had to hope that the weather would allow us to be outside, even though the rainy season is raging the most.

At ten o'clock everyone is gathered and we set off, with only a few mishaps such as missing kitchen equipment and the gas stove not working. Mudi had to quickly get on a motorcycle taxi and pick up his gas stove at home.

In the meantime, Radjabu had come and started his teaching in massage therapy and after that I went through the different vitamins and minerals, we talk about good food and bad food and about dental care. We ended the day by cooking a delicious Risotto.

Tuesday

Once there, it turned out that the larger of our small rooms was occupied and the other room was still locked, we were relegated to the much smaller room.

"It is what it is". As Mudi usually says.

It was just a matter of reorganizing and squeezing us into the smallest room of about 7 m2!

The plan was to cook ratatouille but that was the limit; sixteen people and cook Ratatouille in 7 m2?

Quick deliberation and we decided to make a fruit salad instead of not having to use the stove.

At 10 o'clock everyone squeezes in and Mudi explains the situation and we start playing a name game to learn each other's names. The atmosphere becomes light and everyone laughs. But then there is a knock on the door and we are told to be quieter!

During the break, it turns out that two more women have joined the course. Word has spread! Unfortunately, we have to announce that they cannot join, this time.

Before we have time to start the fruit salad, it turns out that we get access to the second room we were promised, however full of milk cartons that have to be moved into the first room, which is now free.

Yes, the day continued with a few more rockades, but in the end we peeled and cut up the world's best fruit salad of banana, orange, mango, red fruit, and papaya!

The rest of the week goes by without mishaps and we hold yoga and acrobat training outdoors. Then Radjabu continues to teach massage therapy.

Occasionally "the executive" came in and checked out, he wanted to take pictures and be photographed and Mudi explains that he has to report to his superiors.

After that, we talk about nutrition and a little about their dreams and faith in the future. The big challenge every day is for sixteen people to cook a dish in a small room, without running water or sewage, on a gas stove with two plates, two tubs, two cans of water, two buckets, a lot of knives and change. And not least big loads of vegetables and fruit!

It's really annoying not knowing the language! Too often when Mudi brings up different topics there are heated discussions between the participants and it would have been so exciting to understand what they were saying. Mudi is doing his best to translate, but I want to understand everything!