More news from Mike Nicholas

Day 4
Wednesday 23rd February 2008
This was the day that we were going into the rural areas to visit a number of schools.
Travel in this country consists of three standards motor cycle (phutt phutt) bus, taxi or a lift.
The motor cycle is positively scary you get onto the back of a small bike and keep your balance whilst going across roads that are little better than farm tracks in the UK. The fear of falling off is ever present.
Secondly, the bus. These buses are similar to our mini buses that carry about 14/16 people, not over here they are designed to carry at least 22 people, and the bus does not leave the bus stop until full.
Thirdly, the taxi this is a much better way to travel but expensive when travelling long distances.
Finally getting a lift by far the best mode of travel but based upon the generosity of the Rwandans, bearing in mind not many Rwandans can afford cars.
We started our journey by bus into Kigali where we were catching the express Gitarama. A passenger in the front of the bus was bribed (approx 10p) to move so that because of my size I could sit on the bench seat alongside the driver. This is also called the suicide seat.
The guest house is run by the Catholic Church and is extremely clean with running water (rare) we stored our unwanted gear and went to meet the two teams that were playing a postponed game from last weekend. This had been cancelled due to the non appearance of a referee who had been booked but for some reason couldn’t find the ground.

Day 5
Thursday 21st February 2008-02-24
Following breakfast at the guest house we re-packed our belongings into our haversacks and waited for a bus outside the church.
We were travelling to Butansinda, where there was a technical school run by an Australian by the name of Mark O’Kane.
No bus was forthcoming so it was decided to thumb a lift. Luckily for Emma and me we were able to get a lift but unfortunately there was insufficient room for Deena who agreed to follow later.
The Rwandans who gave us a lift were very kind and seemingly interested in the project to introduce Rugby to the schools of Rwanda.
When we arrived at our destination Emma and I went to an internet cafe (there are many in Rwanda) whilst waiting for Deena. An hour later Deena arrived looking very hot and bothered having survived a journey cramped into the local bus service.
We walked to Marks house where we had been kindly offered accommodation for the night.
Due to the fact that two schools required training/coaching it was agreed that I would stay with Marks school ETO Gitarama and the two girls would go to train Lycee de Ruhango school.
It is only possible to train these children at specific times due to their education timetable, and also the availability of the fields.
The children have a basic knowledge of rugby so any coaching session is arduous but not impossible. The major problem is language this being kinyarwandan and French so when you are coaching you always require an interpreter, the children are learning English but this will take time to percolate through the system.
A very good session was held until we were told that the field was now required for football training.
Following every training session all we are asked is “when can you come back again”
We spent the night at Mark’s house it was wonderful to sleep in a bed have hot and cold running water and to be looked after by his houseboy.
We will be sorry to leave.


Day 6
Friday 22nd February 2008
Following our stay at ETO Gitarama we travelled to Nyanza and were extremely lucky because as we were waiting for a bus a motorist joining the major road alongside the bus stop offered us a lift to our destination. Believe me this was absolute heaven.
We arrived in Nyanza and travelled about three miles by motor cycle to see a replica of the King’s Palace this dating back to the eighteen hundreds. The Palace was of circular appearance and very well designed and built, on a warm day it was beautifully cool inside.
Leaving the King’s Palace we had to walk about a mile before we were once more able to hire motor cycle taxi rides back to the centre of the town.
The school that we were assisting was “College Maranatha” and we had arrived early, this meant that we had to wait in the sun for about thirty minutes.
We were awaiting Daniel, a teacher at the college who is keen to introduce rugby to the school.
Wherever we went a crowd gathered to see out of curiosity what we were about to do.
The teacher and pupils arrived and the teaching session got underway, Emma and Deena have a wonderful way of introducing the pupils to rugby, starting from simple passing to gentle tackling. At the end of the session these boys looked as though they had played or trained before.
The field that we trained on was in part dangerous due to hidden ant hills in the grass.
It was agreed that we would make a further visit within the next three weeks.
Once again the enthusiasm was absolutely fantastic and everybody wanted to play rugby every day.
We collected all of our belongings and walked across the road to catch the bus into Kigali which when it came was virtually full but they did manage to squeeze (this being the operative word) us in this bus took us about two hours to get to our destination.
We spent the remainder of the evening at Jo’s, a friend of Emma and Deena’s in her apartment, sitting on comfortable chairs and eating red hot pizzas with a cold beer is some kind of luxury never to be forgotten.

Day 7
Saturday 23rd February 2008
The last Saturday of every month is a day of community work (Umuganda), and everyone must stay in their community and do local voluntary work like filling holes in the road.
The population are not free until 12.00hrs this is strictly adhered to and the police have the authority to stop anyone not complying with this ruling. This is a serious offence.
When the curfew was lifted we moved some of my belongings to a small guest house the Chez Rose, this was both to give the two girls a break from me and also for me to enjoy some luxury. The hotel is about a mile away from their accommodation so it is still convenient, this is only for Saturday and Sunday Night.
The girls are travelling around Rwanda trying to find a piece of land suitable for a rugby pitch and clubhouse, this is an arduous task due to the difficulty of finding suitable sites and the endless negotiations. Emma had the task of meeting a potential landowner whilst Deena helped me to move to the hotel.
During the afternoon Deena collected me and together we went to meet Emma at a small orphanage in Kicukiro. There was a delay whilst some of the children changed into football boots, when ready the rugby party walked approximately two/three miles to a suitable (questionable) field. The day was one of the highest temperatures I had experienced in my seven days in Rwanda.
Coaching these children is an absolute pleasure to see their faces when they are trying so hard, but the most special part is the way in which they assist each other to overcome the language barrier, when one or more do not understand what is being asked of them another will help them.
These children are at the bottom of the pile when it comes to love and goods but they give of themselves to everyone who is around, this is a very humbling experience.
On the way back to the orphanage we made them late by taking them all for a cold soft drink and to see them all sitting quietly drinking and talking, I am told that this doesn’t happen very often.
I returned to my hotel rested until late evening approx 22.00hrs (Rwanda is 2 hours in front of the UK) when I went for an evening meal with the hope that I could convince the restaurant owner to change from watching football to watching my game rugby. He tried very hard but unfortunately he was unable to locate the correct channel.
I was extremely pleased to hear the score of my international side but very annoyed that I missed seeing the game.