Bloggin’ my blog, blog (in Strongbad voice).

Hey, faithful readers! (Hi Uncle John, Hi Moms!) It’s a chill Saturday night in Bukavu. We had power until that period that I just typed. I was going to say I was thankful for power. It will probably flicker on and off three or four more times tonight. They say that the person who runs the switchboard will take money if you want power in your neighborhood at a certain time. Really, it just seems like he’s spastic. 
 

Mark is in Bujumbura where they played a friendly Frisbee match today. I stayed home and chilled. It’s been great! I went to the informal coffee shop/hamburger joint in a residential neighborhood at noon-ish and enjoyed a coffee. I got my hamburger at 3:30. Thankfully, I wasn’t very hungry when I got there, and I had a paper to write, so I was pretty engaged with that. It was tasty, but I had planned to exercise this afternoon and it’s 6:30 and I still feel full.

It’s been almost a year since we got back from Brussels. That’s crazy! I know I still make all kinds of mistakes in French, but I don’t have to think quite so hard anymore. (Power’s back on now!) Mark said that I wrote an email in “beautiful French” earlier this week. That’s nice to hear. We share lunch a couple of times a week with staff from a Swedish church-based development organization whose office is near ours, and their domestic helper makes lunch for all of us. Kinda a lunch co-op. Last week, they had two visiting auditors who joined us. The first day, all of our conversation around the table was in French and the next day, the group was a little different, so all of our conversation was in English. I was proud to be among those who could fully participate in conversation both days!

What else? Mark and I borrowed paddle boards from our French friends (whose kids are the only white kids we know of in Bukavu), and went out on the lake for an hour or so. It was nice, challenging, and the lake had some oily stuff on the surface that was gross. I’ve been writing and thinking too much recently, most of which is kinda pessimistic. So I guess I just want to keep it light here for now.

I’m looking forward to a women’s retreat with MCC ladies in the region (and I’m not in charge!). Also to getting my diploma! And to rainy season so that we have regular water in the house. (plus our road is pretty much done, so it won’t be absurdly muddy!!!) I’m loving WhatsApp and how much easier it makes it to share life with family.