Accomodation

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ACCOMODATION

The accommodation for the volunteers of Faith Victory is nothing if not salubrious. We have the occasional running cold water and the most modern bathing facilities. If the water does stop flowing (as it does no a reasonably regular basis we have the ever reliable and tastefully coloured yellow jerry container. Our house is surrounded by a 2 and half meter fence and large metal gates (which are always locked and we have to get the unlocked when we want to come in or go out). The house has 8 rooms with 2 to 3 beds in each room. At present I have my own room. This will change very soon. Upon arrival at the house I was hit initially by how clean everything is, we have 3 permanent staff whose job it is to clean the house, make our beds, cook our dinners and breakfasts (except for Sunday night dinner and no lunches) as well as happily doing our washing for a nominal fee. I really can’t complain about the service. When I’m not working at Gahanga PS I’m dividing my time between sitting on the patio with a cup of coffee (now that I can get it) or lazying by the pool having one of the local beers. I have to admit getting a regular stream of coffee has been a struggle but I now have found all the things required to enable me to have a constant supply of the stuff. After nearly two weeks of only 2 cups of coffee per day I was almost ready to chuck it in and come home. However life is bearable now.

I share the accommodation with 8 other ladies, 2 from Canada, 2 from Australia, 3 from America and I from New Zealand. All fantastic people with wicked senses of humour. They all work in different areas of the field from orphanage, to HIV clinics, to crises centres and obviously the one I’m involved in which is schools. Their lengths of stay have varied between 2 to 4 weeks with Lorraine here the longest (she here for 8 weeks I believe). A number of the people leave this week and we get some new ones in. Won’t be long and I’ll be the old stager.

As I mentioned the bathing facilities leave a lot to be desired so when people get desperate they head of to the De Milles Collines to have a swim in their pool. It cost 5000RF to swim in their pool but this also gives you access to a nice warm shower afterwards. 5000RF = about 9 AUS dollar. I haven’t availed myself of the pleasure yet but I may soon as my will power to not given into this decedent lifestyle is waning. A beer here costs 600 RF per stubbie. The prices of meals and food is generally the same as you would pay in Australia maybe a tad cheaper. What is reasonably cheap is the transport. If you can accommodate someone up close and personal the buses are the cheapest mode of transport. As long as you are not in a hurry and you can live with the permanent body odour smell they are fine. In buses created to hold 12 people they will get 18 to 20 in, they also wait until they are full before they leave. I have had to wait (at times) a good half hour before the bus will leave. It is an experience.

PS The pool bit is a load of rubbish, it just sounded good.

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