[Ed. note: I’ve got this one.]

So, Rwanda was an adventure in more ways then originally expected. First, the medicine thing. The lodge/front desk manager made a mistake.  We had confirmed twice for fridge, even agreeing where the fridge was, not frozen, yet…someone tossed it in the freezer.  Be that as it may, that’s why for any trip we always buy travel insurance, and when we’re in Africa we use a travel company to actually book (we plan) the in-country parts of the trip. The travel company, their local guides, travel insurance, and my dad all did a lot of work on Memorial Day to keep this trip on-track, and for that I am very thankful. Major thanks so that by the time I was checking into the Nairobi hotel, insulin delivery was already there waiting.

With that out of the way, some Rwanda quick-hits!

• It is clean.  They take incredible pride in keeping their country clean.  Even the rural villages we drove by – clean.  No trash on the side of the roads/etc.  Apparently one Saturday a month everyone helps clean up.
• They take pride in their country as a whole it seems like. I think this is a conscious political and social choice since the 1994 genocide – the entire country has bought in to the concept and has for over 20 years.
• Speaking of genocide, that’s basically what anyone thinks of when you say Rwanda. It happened, it was awful, we did a half day at the museum and memorial – they aren’t hiding it, blaming anyone really, they fully explain how it came about and the consequences. It was a powerful museum and memorial, but the country I think became stronger learning from their (awful) mistakes.
• GORILLAS! Holy wow gorillas are everything and then some. We’ve never really seen primates (some monkeys and baboons on safari, some monkeys around the Cambodian temples), so to get a long time mere feet from some mountain gorillas…yeah. Everything was worth it to see them, even for just an hour.
• Golden Monkeys – these guys are hilarious. Spectacularly playful and everything you’d think of when you think of a stereotypical monkey, only even more colorful.
• All in all, Rwanda was an awesome place. The mountains, volcanoes, rainforests, the people, and then of course the primates. Definitely a place you should go experience.
• LATE ADDITION!!! I emailed my pen pal, and he just emailed me back (6/16/2017)! I think we’ll send them a soccer ball, they could use one for practice purposes.

hello sir [Boy]
how are you?
how was your family?

please i a very interesting to hearing from you again and i am so happy to mail you again

thank you so much for your kindness and thank you so much for your kindness.

i am so happy for this pictures.very nice. i am very happy for how you allow me to contact with you in my dail life.special thanks to you.

how was your job? and how was your wife?

for me now i am at school .as i told you i would like to be the future guide. but i don’t know if i will achieving it.how was there?

please sir allow me to contact with me in my daily life.please sir say hello your wife

thank you so much for your kinness and your lovely heart.

i am waiting forwards from you again

love and all the best wishes.

Elisa.

And now, some photos!