Day 4

As I write this, it's 5:30 on Thursday, Thought I can see blue sky and sun in the distance, threatening clouds are gathering overhead. This is Rwanda in April. I may be moving inside soon. The winds are picking up as well. Back to Wednesday...

Around 9 am I packed everything into my two bags, packing what would get me though four or five days into my "backpack" so that I could stash my "travel pack" at Heaven. Knowing that I would be taking public buses - think sardines - I couldn't imagine dealing with two bags. Fidel, the same driver who had escorted me to Nyamirambo, arrived to deliver me to the central bus station, Nyabugogo. Now, you know it's serious when even Rwandans comment on how dreadful, busy, noisy... it is. But, Fidel insured that I made it to the correct bus, got my ticket, and boarded. I was soon on my way to meet Kayonza to meet Linda, the student who will be attending Hamline in the fall.

The ride was uneventful. It was a beautiful, sunny morning. I was able to text Linda regarding my progress and knew that she would be waiting at the bus park for me. When we arrived and I disembarked, imagine my surprise to see a large, black Toyota Prado awaiting me. I had recognized Linda's dad standing next to it. Her parents, Linda, and I traveled to the hotel where they had made arrangements for me to stay and then left Linda and I to discuss everything from classes to what to expect in an airplane to how cold it is in Minnesota to what she should bring to what weekends on campus are like to how cold it is... We had lunch and continued to visit. We had a snack and continued to visit. Around 6 pm or so we were picked up and went to her dad's office so that we could use the Internet. We tried to catch Kari Richtsmeier via Skype, but that just wasn't to be. It was right around 9 pm when we went back to the hotel and her dad said, "Let's have supper," or words to that effect. We were still stuffed from our snack. I thought I might get away with nibbling on something when the plates started coming. Large, whole tilapia, quarter chickens, the requisite fries... We ate.

I got in bed some time shortly before 11 and was immediately asleep.