By Catherine Reiland
July 17, 2009, Part 2
Sitting at the helm of our Toyota Land Cruiser was James, one of the most sought-after guides at Akagera Park. There was not a creature or plant that he could not name. His keen eyes even led us to the elusive Mutware, or “Crazy Elephant” as James introduced him.
The [...]
Continue reading about Teachers Peek into Life of Rwandan Elephant
By Catherine Reiland
July 17, 2009, Part I
Based at the tranquil Hotel Dereva on the main highway that runs through the sleepy town of Rwamagana we were about an hour’s drive to Rwanda’s Akagera National Park.
As the sun rose we piled into three Toyota Land Cruisers with all the fixings to have an al fresco lunch [...]
Continue reading about Giraffes: Rwanda’s Akagera National Park
By Catherine Reiland
July 10, 2009
After about a week in the capital city of Kigali we headed southwest to the university town of Butare. Butare’s main street bustles with activity as motorcycle taxis, matatus, and bicycles rumble by.
Maneuvering through pedestrian and wheel traffic past the ever-popular Matar Supermarket (a go-to place for fresh popcorn, Nutella, flashlights, [...]
By Catherine Reiland
July 9, 2009
Our travels across Rwanda would not be possible without the expert help and knowledgeable advice from Jeremiah and Giome, two guides from the Kigali-based Bizidanny Tours and Safaris. With a group of 15 people there is a lot of luggage, so before heading for a long journey Jeremiah and Giome lend [...]
By Catherine Reiland
July 8, 2009: Part Two
A few hours after our chance meeting with Senator Beatrice Mukabaranga, we made our way to FAWE Girls’ School, a boarding school located in one of Kigali’s suburbs.
The school, founded in 1999, is managed by its namesake, the Forum for African Women Educationalists-Rwanda Chapter. The secondary school represents a [...]
Continue reading about Visiting the FAWE Girls’ School, Kigali
By Catherine Reiland
July 8, 2009
Hanging out in the lobby of Kigali’s Hotel Chez Lando can be a good way to meet Rwanda’s movers-and-shakers.
Some of us had the pleasure of meeting Senator Beatrice Mukabaranga in the wood-paneled reception area the hotel. It was a chance meeting that turned into an informative discussion about Rwanda’s educational goals.
Senator [...]
By Catherine Reiland
July 7, 2009
The Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) group is keenly interested in schooling in Rwanda, and in particular the role of education in national development.
While some members of the group visited the Lycée de Kigali, I joined others to meet students and faculty at Riviera High School. The private school founded in [...]
Continue reading about WI High School Teachers Visit Schools in Rwanda
By Catherine Reiland
July 5, 2009
The Kigali Memorial Center opened on the 10th Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide in 2004. Set above terraces overlooking Kigali the Memorial Center sits on a site where 250,000 are buried.
Inside the crisp white building visitors walk through darkened spaces to learn about pre-colonial Rwanda and the historical steps that led [...]
Continue reading about Visiting Rwanda’s Kigali Memorial Center
By Catherine Reiland
July, 3, 2009
Following a restorative horizontal sleep after more than 24 hours of travel, the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) participants awoke to the sounds of roosters and other aviary activity in the Remera neighborhood of Rwanda’s capital city of Kigali.
Our first group meeting was held at the Hotel Bloom’s spacious back garden. [...]
Catherine Reiland
“This is a unique opportunity to develop curriculum that will be integrated into classrooms across the United States. I am especially excited to work on the topic of “Youth on the Move” because of its engagement with senses of place, mapping, and intersections between art and movement.”
– Catherine Reiland, assistant director of UW-Madison’s African [...]
Continue reading about WI High School Teachers Leave for Rwanda
By Leecreesha Hicks
Sorry for the long gap once again, but I spent the last four days in Uruguay! Friday and early Sunday I stayed in Montevideo, and late Sunday until early Monday I spent the rest of my time in Colonia.
Montevideo literally seems exactly like Buenos Aires - Palm trees, some of the older architecture [...]
By Leecreesha Hicks
Ahhh!! So much to do! I wish I could write more in detail about every aspect of my days here, because I know that those of you who want to go abroad would love to know as much as you can about Buenos Aires. But I have been so busy and tired and [...]
By Leecreesha Hicks
Whew! The end of the week is finally here!! The second week has immediately switched gears from getting accustomed to the culture, to school work, activities, and spending time with host families.
By host family, I don’t mean a traditional “family.” A host family here usually consists of a woman, either a widow or [...]
Continue reading about Week Two in Buenos Aires: On Host Families, Dancing, and Peanut Butter
By Leecreesha Hicks
This is a very delayed start to this blog, because of some misunderstandings, but no worries, I have a lot to say. Hopefully, I have enough time to say it all right now. If not, then I can always just blog again tomorrow, or maybe, perhaps, later tonight.
Whew! I am one week into [...]
Leecreesha Hicks
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Vitals: Sophomore, International Studies and Spanish Major. 2009 Rothschild Study Abroad Scholarship recipient.
Goals: I want to know more about Latin American culture, and want to experience an outside perspective of the United States from an Argentine point of view. I also really, really, REALLY want to become fluent in Spanish!
Motivation: This may [...]
