Rwanda

I don’t know what we’ll be doing in Rwanda, but I am going to start studying Kinyarwanda like crazy. I always run into a few Indians at engineering companies, because so many of them are engineers, so it would have been more auspicious if I were learning Hindi and going to India, which would include building houses (which I’m well trained for). India’s also one of the fastest growing economies in the world, so it’s really interesting to me. I also think I'd like Indian food much much more than Rwandan food. The other 7 Rwanda people had Rwanda as their first choice, (Rwanda was my second choice), but our leader Mikaela said she stole me away from India cause she wanted more guys.

So at first I had mixed feelings, cause if the entire world revolved around me, I might have made a couple adjustments to my destination and team. But dude! I’m going to Africa. And anyways, before the DTS started, I’ve always told people I’m going to Rwanda.



Meet the Rwanda Team

Mikaela Joy Moxness. The staff member who will be our leader. A missionary kid. She’s from Indonesia, but her parents are from the States. I immediately felt nervous about having a hyper 19-year-old girl as a leader, but her first words could not have been more perfect. She called us all together and said “I know some of you may be nervous about have a 19-year-old girl as a leader, but I really see you guys as the leaders and I’m just helping to send you out to be leaders.” Well done.

Now, in order of favoritism…

Luke Cook. He probably enjoys my humor more than anyone else here. He’s a former college football quarterback and a very cool guy.

Kara Dannenberg. She is 18 but seems much older. We’ve been hanging out a bit, and she’s a lot of fun. She has an awesome thunderous laugh, especially at most of the things I say. She’s been dating her boyfriend for 2 months now. She’s the one that loves her boyfriend “more than a really good dump after not having had one for a really long time.”

Michelle Berry. She’s 25. Her boyfriend is 35. There are three 25-year-old girls in my school. They’re all very down-to-earth and are fun and easy to hang out with. We make fun of the 18-year-olds together. Well, mainly, I do, but they participate as the audience.

Jacinta Kanyunyunzi. She’s from Uganda and grew up in her later years in Philadelphia. She’s nice and she’s acculturated with American humor, which is great. She’s also graduated from college here in the States. She speaks a bunch of Bantu languages so that will be helpful.

Sam Loewen. He had a blog about fashion before the DTS started. He’s an art major. The way he talks is very effeminate. He is awesome. He’s really nice and easy to hang out with.

Madi Kozacek. She’s nice. Not super outgoing, but she is somewhat approachable. She’s from Washington. She’s been dating her boyfriend for 6 months.

Katie Green. She is the Canadian patient. I’m not saying this to be funny or mean, but she has low self-esteem and doesn’t understand guys at all so she reminds me of bad past experiences, which is unpleasant to me, so I’ve been more distant with her lately. Cause she says something really mean, and then she doesn’t understand at all why what she said crossed a line, and then when I explain it to her, she says she doesn’t understand guys at all. She also often frets about her problems. I am very motivated to read that book on counseling. I believe that the majority of the time, people’s general well-being doesn’t improve drastically or maybe even noticeably, and any changes are hard-earned. I’ve grown more cynical from having failed so much at trying to help people over the last few years. But still, I don’t want to let that compassionate part of me die. I’ll just have to cut my losses and try, try again.