Going with the Flow: Rafting the Nile

Before I get started, a bit of a disclaimer: I realise how fortunate I am to be in this position and have the opportunity to travel and experience so many cool things. However, as I have noted before, life is not just the highlights, and there are everyday challenges and concerns that are still quite present. I recently said goodbye to a friend who is moving back to the UK, and it in many ways felt like de ja vu. The decisions I've made between studying in the UK and working in Rwanda, while still having close friends and family in Colorado and California, means that it is a perpetual cycle of hellos, goodbyes, and readjustments. I am more than confident in my decision to move out here, and I have no regrets in pursuing the opportunities that I have over the past few years, but every now and then, it catches up with me. With this in mind, I have another 12 or so months left here. On one hand it's a bit daunting, and there are certain things like finding a long term accommodation, which still prevent me from feeling totally established. I am infinitely more comfortable and familiar with Kigali, yet there is still this feeling of limbo that I can't yet seem to shake. I'm confident this will change, but in times like these, all the moving, the settling in and packing up, the hellos and goodbyes, have a way of wearing me down a bit. On the flip side though, I have 12 months to continue soaking in all the exciting things living and working in Africa has to offer, and to really make this place my temporary home.

It's on this positive note, that I will move on to some of the fun things I have been up to this past month...
Over the past few weeks there have been a decent number of public holidays, and therefore long weekends to take advantage of! For the first such weekend, I joined with one of my friends and his mates from back home to venture out to Nyungwe Forest. The drive out is spectacular, passing by tiered farmland, plantations and endless rolling hills. Along the way we stopped for lunch on Lake Kivu, an absolute gorgeous spot, and one of Africa's Great Lakes. After a tilapia lunch and a swim, we proceeded on to the rainforest. One of the oldest rainforests in the world, and the original source source for tributaries to both the Nile (through Lake Victoria) and Congo, it is a really unique environment. The next day we trekked out to a giant waterfall and even spontaneously jumped in the pool at the base! The drive back to Kigali was long but equally as spectacular. At one point, we stopped and were greeted by dozens of monkeys swinging through the trees. One of them started walking along the road, and I stupidly rolled down the window to take a picture. I immediately had to bring it back up, because the monkey jumped up on the drivers side mirror! I was about 2 seconds away from letting a possibly rabid monkey into our car! Despite driving through the chaotic streets outside Kigali after dark, we made it home in one piece, without the need of a rabies shot! Oh, and did I mention that on a night out this same weekend, I was solicited by a Rwandan man at a bar to marry his sister? Unfortunately, the dowery was a bit steep! Suffice it to say, it was a fun, whirlwind, uniquely Rwandan few days.

Anyway, following up from that eventful weekend, I flew up to Uganda over the independence and liberation holidays. While I travelled on my own, I met some cool people at my hostel in Kampala, who were also living in Kigali. We explored the hectic streets of the city -- Kigali seems like a sleepy village in comparison -- checking out both the central mosque with its panoramic views, as well as the Buganda Palace (home to the tribal royal family). I very much enjoyed the city. It's exciting, chaotic, and in some ways a bit more commercially developed than Kigali. However, it made me appreciate Kigali so much more for its cleanliness, orderliness, and safety. Anyway, the main purpose of my trip to Uganda was rafting the Nile. The river is about 2 hours from Kampala, but feels like another planet. Beautiful and remote, with no people (except your fellow rafters) in sight. The rafting itself was incredible, covering about a 17 km stretch of river. With eight Class V rapids, I got to experience getting tossed and thrashed under the roaring current, as the boat flipped once, and I fell out another time. Despite the increased knowledge of what drowning may feel like, it was an absolute blast! Between these rollercoaster waves, there were also large swaths of calm and pristine river where it was safe to swim around and relax. I even finished up the day with a bungee jump over the river. What can I say, sometimes you need to just let loose a bit!

This post is running long, but I will wrap up by saying that with all the crazy ups and downs of living out here, these past couple months have taught me that sometimes you are just forced to go with the flow. While this is not something that comes easy for me, I do know that things tend to happen for a reason. All the moving about, the ever adjusting social groups, and adventures in between, are leading me to a career and life with purpose...with plenty of excitement along the way.