Also, governments need to stop calling people "hooligans". It just makes them sound silly.

This NYT article is a brief, dispiriting, but unsurprising look at Rwanda. In excellent journalistic style, the NYT makes sure to examine all the pluses and minuses of having a police state. Is Rwanda a police state? Yes, it is. Now, granted, there's no free press. But the streets are so clean!

"[S]omething of a central African utopia", though, seems like a bit of a stretch. I've certainly never met anyone who thought of Rwanda as any kind of utopia. Actually, many people I've met seem to assume that there is still an active genocidal war going on there, and that they just haven't heard about it recently because the media got bored. Which is also fairly dispiriting, on several levels.

Jog Vlog!!!!!

So, after much ado.. and reminding from my most awesome friend Cecily, I finally got my act together and finished our final vlog from Rwanda. It's about the fun times we had with the Hash Harriers of Kigali. Enjoy.



UPDATE: P. S. from Cecily: Shockingly, we weren't paying attention and our tape ran out right as we got to the conclusion and coda parts of our narrative (HI KRISTIN!!!!) so the end kinda cuts off all sudden-like, there. We are very sorry and promise to do better next time we are making a vlog about going on a Hash run in Kigali.

(also added by Cecily: exclamation points!)

sorry

Today was a very boring day. Me and Lindsay sat in a room and worked. For ELEVEN HUNDRED HOURS.

We had to import video and compress video and print pictures and identify subjects and photograph drawings and sort t-shirts and groan and sigh and whimper and moan a lot.

Now we're done doing those things! We are watching Bugsy Malone. You'll get your Video Blog someday, just be patient please.

the research is over

Are you guys SO EXCITED to find out all about our elicitation procedure? That's what I thought! I don't blame you; it's a pretty exciting procedure.

Our project is supposed to be analyzing phonological processes in narrative strings. Unlike my old project which was just supposed to be analyzing any old phonology. So, we had to think of a way to get these kids to produce narrative strings. We decided to give them little booklets to draw in and then have them tell us about the stories.

In conjunction with my explanation of this whole thing on the first day, I also demonstrated an example of drawing in a book and then telling the story to the camera. My example story was about me and Lindsay getting in a plane and visiting Rwanda and meeting a bunch of deaf kids.

That day, 60 percent of the stories were about Cecily and Lindsay getting in a plane and visiting Rwanda and meeting a bunch of deaf kids. It's a good story and all, but we were hoping for a little more variety in the subject matter.

So then I drew a different story, and so did Lindsay, and we used these as samples for the rest of the days. Our stories are awesome and it was very fun to watch each other get more and more dramatic and ridiculous as we practiced the stories more (and as the participants' ages lowered). Finally today we remembered to film ourselves throughout our explanation and demonstration and it is pretty funny. Lindsay's story is about herself drinking water and going swimming. My story is about a lonely fish and his friend the cow. They are both CLIFFHANGERS so I won't ruin the endings.

And as we hung around at the school and learned more and more about AKR, our tellings of our stories shifted to include more AKR words and fewer ASL words. So that at the end, the last day, today, we were doing what was probably a pretty study-worthy creole of our own design.

Anyway, now we are all done with the data collection and all we have to do now is compress, code, and analyze all of it and think of something interesting to say about it.

Instead of starting right away, though, we spent the evening sitting on the balcony drinking beer. We'll probably have another video up soon.

that weekend was fast!

We will say more about it soon. Don't give up hope. However, the gist of it was that we drank a lot of beer at a party on Friday and we drank a lot of beer at the Hash on yesterday and we swam in a lake a lot today. Then we had to leap out of the water and rush to the car and drive like maniacs back to Kigali because we were on a tight tight schedule for this evening which includes (1) wine (2) cheese we bought on the way up to the lake and (3) Season 4 of the Wire.

So. As you can tell we are far too busy for you right now. Bye.

wrap it up

Dear internet,

Well, we're almost done here. Time flies when you're sitting around on the balcony all day drinking drinks and staring at birds.

Our schedule until we leave is very full and demanding. Here let me tell you all about it!

Today we are reading books and drinking coffee. Then we will go souvenir gift shopping (list: masks. coffee. banana beer. Who wants what!? Email us!) This evening Lindsay will go run around with those crazy Hashers some more, and I will sit around in a bar and read some more. And then we will all sit around and enjoy some Mutzig.

Tomorrow. Well, to be honest, I don't exactly understand what the plan for tomorrow is, but it seems to involve driving somewhere and looking at some kind of wildlife and swimming in a lake.

We have one day left of data collection: Monday. So we have to make one more batch of booklets and do one more batch of booklet photography and one more drawing and filming session at the school.

We have Tuesday off (La Directrice: Je vous le donne, 'I give it to you' Us: um... oh! Oui! Merci! okay bye!). Wednesday is another Fanta Party. And Thursday we're out of here! Fin!

Then next I'm going to Minnesota. Africa isn't exciting enough for me; I need a vacation with some Midwestern rock stars. Get ready, Minnesotans!

Yours truly,
Cecily

conversation

from one of our elicited stories

d

Audiological identity

Utter sabotage- complete with beer. humph. I swear Cecily wants me to fail out of school // oh wait, HAHA, never mind.

“Oh she doesn't talk?”

What is interesting here, as the hearing person, is that I get all the comments about us signing.

Actually that is not true. What I get is, “So, she can't talk?” And with this question and in this situation I always freeze, like a Mutzig in the freezer*. How am I supposed to respond?!

My first thought is to say, “Yes, she can.” (However, this seems a bit like if I got pulled over for speeding in South Carolina and as he hands me a ridiculous ticket, the police officer asks if I have any questions and then I ask him how many seagulls are there on Hunting Island**.) It seems to me that they are actually inquiring about why we are flailing our hands about and that saying “Yes” will not actually answer their question even if it IS their question.

Cecily, I agree- discourse is confusing!

So...after an awkward silence to a seemingly simple question... I just continue to freeze. I think most of the time I just mumble my way through and smile. Who wants to get into a whole freaking debate about the difference between being Deaf and not being able to speak and why signed languages are important ...and....and.... who knows what else in the grocery line at the German butchery. I SURELY do not-- as you all must know by now, I have more important things to attend to—like going to watch the storks!***

No, Cecily's driving; LINDSAY must be deaf!

And recently, at the school (full of Deaf children) we have sort of, half way been in a bunch of conversations discussing why Cecily is driving and why I am not. As I try calmly to explain that it'd be better for society in general if I do not drive-- they get into their own arguments about who in fact is deaf and who in fact is hearing. Apparently the driving conditions these labels. Then we have to clarify, once again, Cecily is Deaf. Lindsay is not. Cecily is driving. Lindsay is not. END OF DISCUSSION.

Then they all ask for a ride.



* SOMEONE may have accidentally left 5 or 10 giant bottles of beer in the freezer after the dinner party last Friday. This may or may not have been the reason we were buying more beer at the German Butchery.

**This happened once. In my head only. Thus, I did not spend the night in jail.

*** and drink the beer!

mean!

Lindsay keeps looking at me sternly and telling me I am not allowed to bring any orphaned children home with me. She claims that it is illegal, and that the IRB would frown upon me. She always uses a very no nonsense tone of face so I will pay attention.



Come ON Lindsay. It's not like I would take ALL of them. Just a couple of the very small ones!

Muzungumuzungumuzungu!

Sometimes it's hard to figure which rules I'm supposed to be following around here. (well. For me, it's always kind of hard. I'm not very good at even IDENTIFYING cultural norms, let alone obeying them with a facial expression conveying the appropriate attitude. A True Story: through most of high school I thought the expression "toe the line" referred to a situation where some authority figure drew a line and then the person subject to the authority refused to stay on their side, and instead kept toeing the line. Like "oooh look, I'm on your side! Now I'm not!" As in what you would do to your younger sibling in the back seat of the car. I thought when people praised someone for being willing to toe the line, they were admiring the independent streak in a willful disobeyer of silly rules. I was totally insulted when my mother said something about how I had never been willing to toe the line, at which point we got the whole thing straightened out. Down with line toers!)

Oh, my, that was a long and tedious digression. Let's start all over again.

Sometimes it's hard to figure out which rules I'm supposed to be following around here. Just about silly minor things, I mean. Like how many times you are supposed to kiss somebody on the cheek when you meet them (three) or whether I am supposed to hug or shake hands with what age of children (I do not know).

Here is one example: We're working in a big, just-built building at the school that houses a chapel and an auditorium-type-room. We're in the auditorium. This building wasn't even built four years ago, and had some external stuff left two years ago. But now it is up and running, and has electric lights.

We hadn't been using the lights, because we're only at the school between 2 and 4 in the afternoon and there's plenty of sun to run the camera. Also, I'm not positive, but my understanding is that the school has a generator that they can only afford to run three hours a day or so, which is kept for meals and dorm rooms after it gets dark (at six pm).

So, but, the other day it was very rainy. And surprisingly dark. And one of the teachers turned on the lights for us. This was good, and we would not have been able to film anything without it, but I had (and still have) no idea how big a deal this was. Maybe it was nothing. But I don't know enough about what kind of politeness expressions are expected to understand how to navigate this situation. If I am offered something, am I supposed to accept it? Or reject it? Is one rude and one not? Should I have rejected the lights? Did I use up all the kids' bedtime hanging out energy?

Often people will just do whatever I ask, because I asked for it and I'm from America. Even when I'm not trying to ask FOR something, I'm trying to ask IF something. If we turn on the lights, will that have a negative impact later? Too late, now the lights are on.

For another example, my parents were away (they will both be back today I think. Dad was in Capetown for some USAID thing and Nancy was at an EGPAF staff retreat) for the past few days. Lindsay and I were trying to figure out how to offer to Sam the Housekeeper that he take a day or two off if he wanted.

We talked about different ways to approach the subject but ended up just not doing or saying anything, because it seemed like any way we brought it up would get interpreted by Sam to mean that we were requesting that he not come. Which we weren't. Or that he would feel obligated to take time off whether or not he wanted to, because we had suggested it. This is why I don't like studying discourse: it's uncomfortable! I don't want that kind of power in a conversation! I'd rather just not think about it at all; that way I can pretend that everyone is equal and happy and loves each other.

It's kind of relaxing, to have my automatic main role out and about be OHMYGODTHEREISAWHITEGIRLRIGHTOVERTHERE!!!!! (in Kinyarwanda: Muzungu muzungu muzungu!!!!) and as such,not really be expected to know any of the local mores. I clearly don't belong to this country plus I keep waving my hands around all the time instead of talking: who knows WHAT I'll do next. But also that means no one will tell me what the mores are, even if I ask. I always get responses to questions in French, when I ask for translations to Kinyarwanda. No meta-discussion allowed!

***

(tangential other story about this topic: Laura and Lindsay were in France one time and after drinking a bottle of wine together at a cafe, decided to have one more glass before they left. The waiter was taken aback, but, you know, these crazy Americans, who knows why they ever do anything, so he took their glasses away and wrapped them up for taking home. Because they accidentally asked for the glasses themselves, not "glass" as a quantifier of wine.)

***

Lindsay and I have taken to yelling "Muzungu muzungu" whenever we see white people, too, now. That's what the LOCALS do! We're just trying to fit in!

Storks remind me of flamingos....except they hang out in trees.

This is my favorite tree in Kigali. It's next to the German butchery La Galette. (Let's think about this for a moment: a German store with a French name in Rwanda. Yes, I like it. Plus, they sell beer.)

FAQ

1. Hey Cecily wanna meet me at Kramer's tonight?

Oh man I totally do but I am in Africa.

2. wtf?

yeah I'm doing research here. I'm in Rwanda. My dad lives here.

3. when are you gonna be back?

May 30!

4. well you wanna meet me at Kramers after you're back then?

Yes! Yes I do!

5. hey tell me more details about this "research" thing you mentioned

That is boring to me, but I will let you read a segment of our [APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!] IRB application.

6. oh okay

here you go:


Phonological processes in AKR:

This project will continue to investigate the phonological system of the signed language at use at the Institut Fillippo Smaldone (ISF), a residential school for deaf children in Kigali, Rwanda. Very limited documentation of this sign language has been published to date. This project undertakes to continue work towards a description of the language and its phonology, with a primary focus on phonological processes that occur during narrative signing. Conceptions of phonology and definitions of phonemes for signed languages and for all human language will be particularly affected by this research.

We are seeking IRB approval for a project documenting, describing and analyzing phonological processes in Rwandan Sign Language (Amarenga y’Ikinyarwanda: AKR). The main research questions for the project are: (1) What phonological processes occur in narrative production of AKR? (2) How do these processes compare and contrast to those documented in other signed languages? (3) Can generalizations be made about signed language phonology in general based on these results?

Banana Beer

Tuesday night, 5:50-6:30

trilingual

from the dinner party last Friday:

The guests were all Rwandan and everybody was speaking mostly French with occasional English or Kinyarwanda. Except me and Lindsay who were mostly signing with occasional English or French.

stepmother: ... so Lindsay is trilingual; she speaks English, French, and ASL.
Rwandan guest: Oh, so she's not an American then.

much hilarity and mockery of the United States ensued.

Grog Vlog Deux

In which bottles are examined, beverages are consumed, faces are made, and dogs are encouraged to sing songs.



UPDATE: I seem to have edited out all the parts where we mention that this is the much-and-justly-maligned Banana Beer that we are trying to drink. Other non-banana types of Rwandan beer are very tasty and we are happy to drink them all the time.

Hash Run TWO: Nyambagogo.

Last saturday at 16:00, Cecily and I went to La Gazelle hotel and bar to meet up with the hashers again. We waited around for a few others to show up while we sipped on a Fanta (I still do not understand the appeal of drinking carbonated soda before an hour long run- but hey, when in Rwanda, run like the Rwandans... right?). It seemed this week would be a much smaller group, and it ended up being only two runners (Sraith and me) and two walkers (Egide and Peter).

This week's route was straight up and straight down a mountain. I'm not sure where the running was supposed to come in—but me and Sraith ended up walking most of the trail. Some would argue that this is because we are not in shape enough to run up a 90 degree incline for forty minutes. Humph. For argument's sake, we are that in shape. I, however, was focused on other things such as 1. not falling off the mountain and 2. of course, the baby farm animals. And above all else, we had to safely arrive back to drink beer. Priorities people! But, I have to say this crazy trail has won a place in my top ten runs of all time (joining the ranks of the harry potter run in England, the Clamart-Meudon run in France, the Uluru run in Australia, and the Central Park run in the US).



As we scaled “the hill,” we passed through a community of houses/ dwellings that could not be imagined in the US. Groups of children ran behind us laughing and letting me know that I was a mzungu. So, right, my dear children, so right. A few said “bonjour!” As we climbed, the houses became fewer, but they still dotted the landscape in the must unexpected places. How do they even build houses here?!



We passed by manioc patches and exotic flowers. A group a kids sat together under a tree staring at us as we passed by. A little later we'd realize we lost the trail. (The “trail” is marked by shredded paper from the embassy I'm told. How curious!) So, we headed back the way we came (just to let the kids stare again) and eventually found the trail again leading up some obscure path that was not there the first time.

At the top, we took a few minutes to enjoy our accomplishment: a view of all Kigali. It was stunning. Everything looked so far away and so peaceful...ridiculously different from the crowded chaos we'd left behind just a half hour before.

But all things that go up must come down. Remember, the beer was down there-- and Cecily, and ... beer. Our descent was fast. This was not particularly by choice. It was due to the fact that going down a 90 degree incline lends itself to gravitational pull... and falling. Sraith said if I fell off the mountain, he'd watch until I landed and mark the spot in his mind. Then he'd continue on to La Gazelle and get a Mutzig to bring back to me... how thoughtful!

Luckily however, and by some miracle of I don't know what, I did not fall. I did get distracted by a little really cute baby goat-- which again I did not pet, although the adults around could totally tell I wanted to. And there was a little child who held my hand for some ways down the mountain until someone told him to let go. I got petted a few times too-- felt like I was in Japan again. MZUNGU MZUNGU!



The beer was delicious and totally worth the run. I wish we could have stayed longer to hang out—but it was getting dark, and well driving in Kigali is scary enough as it is. Driving in the dark is just.. eh, let's all just give a round of applause to Cecily. She deserves it. So another successful run on Africa, hopefully I have time for a few more. One of these days I might get my lazy butt out the door on a non-hash run. We'll see....

where we at

If you have GoogleEarth installed on your computer, you can see my parents' house. It's at 1^57'38 S, 30^03'54.5 E

I used ^ instead of a degree symbol because I am too lazy to figure out how to make a degree symbol

I mean, I am too busy doing important things.

The school is at 1^58'44.5 S and 30^03'03.5 E

If you look right now maybe you can see us outside waving up at Big Brother! (and at you of course)

just wait

we went to the Genocide Memorial Centre today, so now we're cranky and mad at the world. We're drinking wine on the balcony and complaining; we'll have something else to say tomorrow.

here's another movie of driving around, in the meantime

driving around