Between August and December of 2012, I traveled from the United States to six different countries. Before I left, several people asked, “what will the toilets be like where you’re going?” I […]
Sara Maurer
Social worker. Writer. Traveler. Guacamole lover. www.sarameetsworld.com
Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more
Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more. ― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas This is the third consecutive year that […]
Carrying burdens
When Americans practice good posture, many of us try walking a straight line while balancing a book on our heads. The Rwandese can do better than that. They can balance an entire […]
I rafted the Nile
Last weekend, I went white water rafting on Uganda’s Nile River. Fear filled my bones for days leading up to the trip, along with most of the five-hour voyage down the mighty […]
Frank and Liliose
One of my hardest adjustments to living in Rwanda has been that of having hired help around the house. Well, let’s say it’s been my hardest and easiest adjustment. In Rwanda culture, […]
A pause
It has officially been two months since I exited the plane at Kigali’s International Airport. Life since then has been what I imagine life to be like if staring inside a tornado […]
Six days on Rwanda's roads
I recently spent six days traveling the Northwest corner of Rwanda. My brain has not yet processed the amazing, frustrating, enlightening adventures of the week. And, that makes writing about it difficult. […]
Words of my Rwanda life
Goats Everywhere Banana trees Cover the hills Motorcycles Most popular mode of transportation Bare black baby butts Seen frequently around neighborhoods Hills Not a single part of Rwanda without them Carrying on the head The large items locals […]
Shaila meets the gorillas
I made my way toward town under a bright, star-filled sky. It was 4:30a.m. Locals still meandered their way home from the bars, but I had my hiking boots on in preparation […]
White girl in a black world
The locals call us mzungus. The word is a Swahili-adopted Kinyarwanda term for “foreigner,” or “white person,” and also the first Kinyarwanda word I learned. Few days pass when this the term […]
Progressive Culture | Scholars & Rogues 