Garden Mark II

It's been a week for giant bugs. After throwing the frog out, I settled down on the sofa the next day to read a book. I heard something scuffling about but didn't pay it much heed. When the noise continued, I looked up to see a funny shadow behind the net curtain. Drawing the netting back, I found this chap wandering about. It's the biggest praying mantis I have ever seen! Easily the length of my hand.

Rehomed in the Garden

The second encounter wasn't so pleasant. After watching The Conjuring, a scary movie about a possessed house, I went to bed to finish reading my book. Tucked up by the light of my phone torch, I suddenly caught something out of the corner of my eye. Looking up, I discovered a huge cockroach just above my head, on the inside of my mosquito net!

I resisted the urge to run screaming through the house wrapped in netting, and instead moved veeeeery sloooowly out from under it. My porch resembles that scene from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air where Jazzy Jeff keeps getting thrown out the door. So far this week I've forcibly ejected a frog, a giant cockroach, two millipedes and a praying mantis. 

Currently contemplating my papaya and wondering when to harvest. It's looked like this since I moved in. Seems to grow very slowly, and never ripens.

Baby Papaya

Also doing very well on the avocado front. Love avocado, so it's nice to have a tree again. Picked some the other day but they need a few days to soften.

And I found a patch of mushrooms! Not the edible kind, but still a treat to look at. Considering how warm it is here, and how much it rains, you don't see so many wild shrooms.

Got my first royalty cheque from my publisher the other week, so decided to treat myself to a proper breakfast the other day. There's a really nice place in Kisimenti, just down the cobbled road from Izola. It's a super-modern looking cafe, which seems a little out of place compared to the restos next door. I ordered a banana and pineapple smoothie and their full fry-up: potato, peas, onions, chorizo, omelet, ham and toast. Was yummy and I couldn't finish it all so brought it home for dinner. That's the nice thing about restaurants in Rwanda, you can order anything to go.

Mega Breakfast

I was out looking for a printing shop. I was getting some photos printed for Damascene, from the visit we made to Muhanga a couple of weeks back.

It was bright sunshine when I left the house, but suddenly the sky turned black and another massive thunderstorm broke. The rainy season is in full swing at the moment and flash floods are a regular occurrence. Usually you get a big gust of wind as a warning 30-60 minutes beforehand and you know to run home, but I was in the printing shop and couldn't leave. I had to purchase an umbrella and take refuge in Izola with a beer. Thankfully my friend Patrizia, who works for an NGO up the road, was passing and rescued me.

Waiting it out with a Mutzig

The rain gets so bad sometimes that it rains the entire day. Last week Damascene put my clothes on the line - they were still there two days later.

I'm really happy, though. I had a meeting yesterday with my new team. This is for the Country Directorship I've just taken over. Our key in-country partner is an NGO providing legal aid services to people who can't afford representation. The majority of their work is civil - land rights. It was only in 1999 that women won the right to succession in inheritance, and it's generated a lot of contest from unhappy male relatives. They also cover some criminal cases. 

They help coordinate the logistics for the program I manage, and look after participants when the human rights delegations arrive. I'd met a couple of them at the Winter Program, before taking on the job, but this was our first formal meeting. They are absolutely fantastic. Feeling much more confident about the program knowing that I have friendly, competent back-up. We had a very interesting discussion about refugee camps, alcoholism and teenage pregnancy rates amongst marginalised minority groups both here and Australia (fascinating similarities in once-nomadic tribes), and issues of sustainable development.

Got a lot of work on my plate at the moment, but feeling happy. Had word from LB who was in Italy presenting his NGO to donors. I'd made a little video of our trip to Mugunga and Nyamitaba. It was only a quick mash-up, but apparently it did 'wonders' in showing donors what their organisation faces in the field. Really glad it was useful to him. 

Got home from my meeting to find Damascene had cleared my garden for planting! I was so happy. Since I moved in the vegetable plot has been overgrowing - it was a mess - and I kept thinking I really should ask Damascene to clear that. I've just been out to plant some seeds that mum sent. Used a broom handle to make furrows and marked them with rocks. It's true what Poisonwood Bible says, they do look like mini graves, but with frequent downpours your veg does need to be elevated, otherwise it would get washed away.

Old Vegetation Feeding New Growth

I've planted tomatoes, onions, radish, courgette, chives, spinach and lettuce. I had some other seeds, but I gave them to Emilina as a housewarming present. I like the idea that the plants will grow as their house does. The plot is nowhere near as big as my last house, but it is shaded better, and the other plot was so big it was hard to maintain. 

We had planted radishes and forgotten where. By the time I moved out of the house, there was this funny plant growing everywhere. I assumed Damascene had planted it - I thought it was manioc or something - but he started asking me what it was! When we dug one up, it was a huge tuba about the length of my forearm, and fat as my thigh. We cut into one and it tasted like radish, but I'd never seen one so big, and they were everywhere. Not the dainty little salad vegetable I was expecting. I'm determined to remember where I planted them this time, and pick them before they grow out of control. 

If anybody fancies sending some more vegetables, that would be great. Tomatoes, peppers and onions are fairly easy to find here, I can just take the seeds from what I eat, but more unusual items would be good. I crave a varied diet and things grow so fast here, especially in the wet seasons. 

Missing the view from my old house.
Kigali, peeping over my wall.