7 Days and Counting...

Cheers!  I have 7 days left in Rwanda.  I suppose I am an analytical thinker at times, so I thought it'd be fun to tabulate my experience and show you what I have been up to over the past year.  This is what I call "By The Numbers"

Work-wise, I've been busy. 

• Number of overnight guests: 161
• Number of day visitors: 198
• Number of service-learning groups: 5 
• Number of work emails: 1,192

When I moved here, I brought a tremendous amount of toiletries with me, not knowing what I would be able to purchase in Kigali.  I went through most of it.  

• Tubes of toothpaste: 4
• Containers of contact solution: 2
• Deodorant containers: 5
• Bars of soap: 8
• Number of toothbrushes: 3 
• Bottles of hand sanitizer: 7
• Number of sanitizer wipes: 50 (I call them portable showers)

This is the first time in my life where I have been afforded the opportunity to read for pleasure.  It was such a blessing.  Everywhere I went, I had a book in-hand (or my kindle, thanks to my LUAA family).  I'm addicted and I have no problem being labeled a "book worm."   The titles in BOLD were some of my favorites.  

Number of books read: 27

Hunger Games 1-3

Girl w/ Dragon Tattoo 1,2

Mountains Beyond Mountains

The Help

The Poisonwood Bible

The Happiness Project

The Pilot's Wife

Water For Elephants

The Art of Racing In The Rain

Discover Scotland

You Think You Know Me Pretty Well

A Rush to Violence

Blood Orchids

Every Bush is Burning

The Advocate

Three Thousand Miles For A Wish

Torch Ginger

September Fair

The Snowman

Untraceable

Into Thin Air

The 24^th Letter

White Oleander

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter

I have had a lot of difficulty sleeping over the past year, so it has been nice to be able to watch a little TV or a movie on my computer.  Luckily many of the visiting groups to the Village traded TV shows and movies with me, providing me with hours upon hours of entertainment.  

• Number of movies watched: 39
• Number of TV episodes viewed: 367
• TV shows I now love:  The Good Wife, True Blood, The West Wing

Other Pertinent Numbers:        

• Jars of peanut butter eaten: I’ll just say that I averaged 3-4 jars per month (~40 jars total) :)
• Number of holes in my clothing: numerous
• Items of clothing that are permanently stained the color of Rwandan earth: numerous
• Number of flip-flops purchased: 2 (I couldn't help myself!)
• Number of days when water, electricity and internet all functioned: less than 20
• Haircuts: 0 
• Pieces of Mail Received: 14 (THANK YOU!) and thanks to NPS for sending me a postcard even though I never received it :)

It is impossible to measure or sum up this experience in numbers, but this gives you a sense of some of the behind-the-scenes, mundane bits that have been a part of my life while living in Rwanda.  The more sentimental bits are coming in a future post, so stay tuned!