Friday, August 10, 2007
It's been almost a year since I arrived here. These are some things 'I've learned' here.
-I've learned that 'yes' can mean 'no' and that raising your eyebrows can mean 'yes'
-I've learned how to walk in the dark
-I've learned how to make an adaptive cup for a child with CP out of a peanut butter jar
-I've learned how to stay calm, and silent
-I've learned how to dance salsa
-I've learned how to use and re-use flip chart paper
-I've learned how to bucket bathe
-I've learned how to ignore my hunger all day
-I've learned to love to shop
-I've learned that death may just be a part of life
-I've learned that not all bananas are peel-able
-I've learned how privileged I am
-I've learned to be a bit patriotic to the US
-I've learned to say 'trousers' instead of 'pants'
-I've learned to be ready for anything
-I've learned that if you put someone in prison, you are responsible to bring him dinner every night (at least on a domestic violence related charge)
-I've learned how to be Posh Spice
-I've learned that drinking too much fanta really can rot your teeth
-I've learned how to live without reliable water and electricity
-I've learned how to bake without a proper oven
-I've learned that the word 'proper' has a less negative connotation to British people
-I've learned that organized religion is similar the world over
-I've learned that I love to sing with my colleagues before we start our work day
-I've learned to be my own fashion designer
-I've learned to like pasta
-I've learned to live without crackers (and burritos, and sushi...for that matter)
-I've learned that connecting with people can cross all language and cultural barriers
-I've learned to sew and to saw
-I've learned not to be too trusting
-I've learned that I still enjoy hand washing clothes even when it is out of necessity
-I've learned to love a language most people have never heard of
-I've learned that ALL stereotypes can be defied
-I've learned to question how to give
-I've learned never to try to give 'prizes' to 80 street children at one time
-I've learned to share food
-I've learned what a guava looks like
-I've learned how to send a text message
-I've learned how to find my way with no street signs or maps
-I've learned that I think that lining up should be important around the world
-I've learned to wash my hair, once, hmm, maybe twice a week
-I've learned how to ride on a moto in a skirt
-I've learned the strength in people
-I've learned how to scare cockroaches into playing dead
-I've learned that I am just as poor a matchmaker in Rwanda as in the US
-I've learned to 'scale' secure gates
-I've learned that many people truly believe that money grows on American trees
-I've learned that I look Chinese
-I've learned variations of my name: Julianna, Julia, Lilianna, Junior, Robbins...
-I've learned that I will never understand what it means to have survived the genocide here
-I've learned that there is so much more to learn...
-I've learned that 'yes' can mean 'no' and that raising your eyebrows can mean 'yes'
-I've learned how to walk in the dark
-I've learned how to make an adaptive cup for a child with CP out of a peanut butter jar
-I've learned how to stay calm, and silent
-I've learned how to dance salsa
-I've learned how to use and re-use flip chart paper
-I've learned how to bucket bathe
-I've learned how to ignore my hunger all day
-I've learned to love to shop
-I've learned that death may just be a part of life
-I've learned that not all bananas are peel-able
-I've learned how privileged I am
-I've learned to be a bit patriotic to the US
-I've learned to say 'trousers' instead of 'pants'
-I've learned to be ready for anything
-I've learned that if you put someone in prison, you are responsible to bring him dinner every night (at least on a domestic violence related charge)
-I've learned how to be Posh Spice
-I've learned that drinking too much fanta really can rot your teeth
-I've learned how to live without reliable water and electricity
-I've learned how to bake without a proper oven
-I've learned that the word 'proper' has a less negative connotation to British people
-I've learned that organized religion is similar the world over
-I've learned that I love to sing with my colleagues before we start our work day
-I've learned to be my own fashion designer
-I've learned to like pasta
-I've learned to live without crackers (and burritos, and sushi...for that matter)
-I've learned that connecting with people can cross all language and cultural barriers
-I've learned to sew and to saw
-I've learned not to be too trusting
-I've learned that I still enjoy hand washing clothes even when it is out of necessity
-I've learned to love a language most people have never heard of
-I've learned that ALL stereotypes can be defied
-I've learned to question how to give
-I've learned never to try to give 'prizes' to 80 street children at one time
-I've learned to share food
-I've learned what a guava looks like
-I've learned how to send a text message
-I've learned how to find my way with no street signs or maps
-I've learned that I think that lining up should be important around the world
-I've learned to wash my hair, once, hmm, maybe twice a week
-I've learned how to ride on a moto in a skirt
-I've learned the strength in people
-I've learned how to scare cockroaches into playing dead
-I've learned that I am just as poor a matchmaker in Rwanda as in the US
-I've learned to 'scale' secure gates
-I've learned that many people truly believe that money grows on American trees
-I've learned that I look Chinese
-I've learned variations of my name: Julianna, Julia, Lilianna, Junior, Robbins...
-I've learned that I will never understand what it means to have survived the genocide here
-I've learned that there is so much more to learn...
