Peep-hole

Each day I walk by gaurds who gather away from their posts and sit together on the street by our school. I wave and smile. They wave, stare, or nod. Since this has been going on for several months, nods became waves and waves became greetings. They have now become my Kenyarwandan teachers. The most outgoing gaurds, Pascal and Evien, have taught me common phrases for hello, how are you, I am fine, I am going to school, etc. I still stumble on these. They roll off my tongue like peanut butter. Even when I get them right, it's a laughing matter. It's these encounters, peep-holes into another's culture, and such simple gestures of kindness that make Rwanda beautiful.