Last night I arranged a homestay with a lovely Rwandan family about 5 miles outside the town of Musanze (aka Ruhengeri) where I've been hanging out lately.
Dad (Joseph) & Mom (Clementine) were very hospitable and their little girl (Peace, 2) and boy (David, 4) were super cute...even according to me, and I don't even like kids all that much.
Despite a bit of awkwardness since only the dad spoke some English, I had a great experience. I helped out with the cooking, cleaning and keeping the kids entertained. It really doesn't matter what kind of language barrier there is with kids, they always respond to goofy faces, funny noises, ridiculous dance moves and rousing games of peekaboo.
What was most interesting to me was their social status & neighborhood. They are a middle-class family living in what used to be considered a rich neighborhood before the '94 genocide during which many of the families fled the country. Looking around, I envisioned the neighborhood being picked up and plopped into Anytown, USA where it would certainly be considered very poor to American standards. Without a doubt, we'd be focused on what they don't have. Whereas, here, these "don't haves" are no matter as they have the basics that are enough to get comfortably by.
American POV:
Don't have a front door
Don't have a bathroom (and therefore, no toilet, shower or sink)
Don't have a kitchen
Don't have enough beds for each family member
Don't have reliable electricity
Don't have proper sofas
Don't have a car
Don't have a TV
Don't have a closet full of clothes
Rwandan POV:
Have a roof
Have a floor
Have access to food & plenty of space out back to grow banana trees, beans, tomatoes, yams, etc
Have access to clean water
Have places to sit
Have enough clothes to get by
Have firewood
Have matches
Have a radio
Have a school for their kids
Have friends
Have a loving family
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