Rwanda 2015 Trip Information - 12 Jan 2015
Dear Delegates,
It is hard to believe that in a little over a week we will be in Rwanda. I expect it to be just a wonderful experience. I know that everyone is excited about the organizations with whom we will be meeting and interacting and our trip to Volcanoes National Park and the gorilla trek.
We should all be very proud of the ability of the Delegation for Friendship Among Women in conjunction with Kim Harms via the Eric Harms Memorial Library Foundation and Books for Africa to donate approximately 22,000 books and several computers to the Imbuto Organization. This organization was recommended as the recipient by Mrs. Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of Rwanda, as a noteworthy, deserving group in need of books and computers. Although the shipment, which is an entire shipping container, will not have arrived when we are in Rwanda, we will meet with members of Imbuto to present a plaque commemorating the gift. Thank you all for your donations and support. Special thanks to Linda Hoeschler for her hard work arranging the details of this significant donation.
Linda also has established an excellent relationship with the Rwandan Embassy in Washington D.C. and has been working with them to confirm whether we will be able to meet with President Paul Kagame and/or Mrs. Kagame while we are there. We have not had confirmation of this as yet. We also have not had confirmation as to whether we will be able to be present as observers for the National Heroes Day ceremony. If these opportunities do become confirmed we will definitely adjust our schedules to include them.
We are confirmed to meet with the US Embassy in Kigali on Monday, January 26, 2015 at 10:00 am. I have requested a time change to 8 or 8:30 am on that date as that is the date we travel to Butare and the National Museum and want to have adequate time for that. Please know that we will be flexible with our itinerary as necessary if opportunities arise.
News today was that Erica Barks-Ruggles was sworn in as US Ambassador to Rwanda on January 12, 2015. In her 20 year diplomatic career she previously served in South Africa, India and Norway. She is originally from Minnesota. I do not know whether she will be in Rwanda yet when we visit the embassy.
I did resend the orientation packet from AltruVistas earlier this weekend. All information is also on our website: www.friendshipamongwomen.org with password: rwanda2015
Additional Information:
DO NOT FORGET TO BRING:
Passport
Yellow Fever Vaccination documentation
$30 US Dollars for entry Visa
Global Entry Card if you utilize that for customs returning to the USA
Medications in original rx container
Small Notebook and pens for taking notes at meetings
Money belt for money, passport and any plane tickets
Camera
batteries that may be needed
electrical converter
mini travel alarm
basic first aid: antidiarrheal, nausea, analgesic such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen etc.
travel umbrella
wipes
small Kleenex
sunscreen
mosquito repellent
Weather:
I did check the weather and it is ranging from 60 to 85 predicted for the next 10 days with clouds and intermittent thunderstorms on and off. It is also highly probable it may be wet for the gorilla trek so raingear should be anticipated as being needed.
Clothing:
Business casual for most of our meetings with a nice outfit for meetings with Embassy, government officials such as President and Mrs. Kagame. Mix and match is always good and it is easy to have a couple of scarves to change the look of an outfit. The Serena hotels are nice and should be able to get laundry done if needed. Again anticipate rain and the temperatures. Gorilla trek requires long pants, long sleeves, gloves such as garden or work gloves, good walking shoes and baseball caps are considered gorilla friendly. We are on a lake when we go out to stay in the country for the gorilla trek and both hotels have pools though I don't know if there would be time to take a dip.
Money:
We have been told by previous Rwandan visitors who go there often that Visa credit cards are accepted most places especially in Kigali. There is also availability of ATM machines mostly in Kigali. Please notify your bank that you will be using credit or debit cards in Rwanda and countries enroute so they will know it is not fraudulent usage. You will need cash also for some tipping and possibly(when you can't
or don't want to use credit card) for the meals that aren't covered and other purchases such as crafts, alcohol, activities you do in spare time. The tip for the Driver and the Rwandan guide are already included.
You will likely want to leave a small tip for the maid daily. The gorilla trek guides and porters are usually tipped $5 or so each so would keep maybe $30-50 for that(I don't know how many there will be. ( You can always keep what isn't needed!) We will also request a voluntary cash donation at the end of the trip for a group selected by delegates based on our meetings. In Cuba donations were about $125 per delegate. During past trips delegates have also wanted to contribute for a gift for the trip leader.
Note taking:
You should bring a small notebook and pens to take whatever notes you wish to take. One delegate will be assigned for each meeting to take specific notes that she will write up as a small report to be shared with The Delegation for Friendship Board members and trip participants after the trip. These are shared by email. You may volunteer for a particular group that you wish to cover(usually it is a couple of meetings) or we will simply assign someone before the meeting. We have found that this is the easiest way to document what we learn and how to contact persons with whom we interact in the future and allows the other delegates to concentrate on the meeting and questions/comments.
Gifts:
Gifts are not required but are always appreciated by the recipients. Some gifts that have been given in the past are t-shirt's, books, pens, pencils, writing pads, calendars especially from your community/state, crayons, flashlight keyrings etc.
We have a special request from the Kigali Music School with whom we will be meeting for old children's instruments although I think it would be impossible for some of the requests due to size and ability to transport on an airline or in a carryon. Feasible requests were guitar and violin strings both plastic and metal. Small old instruments no longer used such as recorders, finger cymbals, rhythm sticks, maracas, triangles, mouth harmonicas. They also requested books related to music as they are encouraging the culture of reading, also need pens and pencils. I will send an additional email with the full request.
Remember, each group we meet with does receive a small honorarium for meeting with us.
At the end of the trip the delegates will select a group with whom we have met and give an additional donation to them. In Cuba 2013 we ended up selecting 3 or so groups and donations were about $125 per delegate although some gave less and some much more.We request cash donations due to the difficulty and cost of shipping supplies to other countries.
Hotels:
The Kigali Serena hotel is 5 star with all the amenities including laundry service, internet and restaurant with pool. The Lake Kivu Serena Hotel also has all the amenities including internet throughout the hotel and is on Lake Kivu with beautiful hotel grounds leading down to swimming beach on Lake Kivu.Please give Cathi Smith your room numbers when you have checked in. We will have a hospitality room to freshen up before our departure flights February 3, 2015.
Trip Leaders
Malia Everette: Founder and CEO: AltruVistas Tour Company www.altruvistas.com
Clementine: Trip Leader and translator
Clementine is a young Rwandan woman who grew up in Kigali. She comes from the western part of Rwanda near the beautiful Lake Kivu and Congo-Nile mountians and hills. She holds a bachelors degree in biotechnology from the former National University of Rwanda and a master's degree in biochemistry from the Makerere University in Uganda. She is passionate about sharing her country's stories, beauty and success stories. She likes to meet new people from around the world. She is fluent in English and French and a quick learner.
Roommates:
Cathi Smith/Jo Van Tiehl
Jill Christiansen/Kim Harms
Beth Fluke/Holly Jobe
Sylvia Sabo/Judy Tiede
Patti Kenyon/Linda Hoeschler
Cece and Cherie Riesenberg
Single:
Maureen Hoeschler
Malia Everette
I will be leaving for Rwanda on January 20th and arriving January 21, 2015. I will be staying at the Chez Lando Hotel in Kigali the nights of the 21st and 22nd. I will transfer to the Kigali Serena for check in at on the 23rd. Please let me know if you have questions that have not been answered.
I am very much looking forward to this trip and to finally getting to meet those of you I haven't had the opportunity to meet previously and to reuniting with those I already know.
Appreciatively,
Cathi Smith
President
The Delegation for Friendship Among Women
It is hard to believe that in a little over a week we will be in Rwanda. I expect it to be just a wonderful experience. I know that everyone is excited about the organizations with whom we will be meeting and interacting and our trip to Volcanoes National Park and the gorilla trek.
We should all be very proud of the ability of the Delegation for Friendship Among Women in conjunction with Kim Harms via the Eric Harms Memorial Library Foundation and Books for Africa to donate approximately 22,000 books and several computers to the Imbuto Organization. This organization was recommended as the recipient by Mrs. Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of Rwanda, as a noteworthy, deserving group in need of books and computers. Although the shipment, which is an entire shipping container, will not have arrived when we are in Rwanda, we will meet with members of Imbuto to present a plaque commemorating the gift. Thank you all for your donations and support. Special thanks to Linda Hoeschler for her hard work arranging the details of this significant donation.
Linda also has established an excellent relationship with the Rwandan Embassy in Washington D.C. and has been working with them to confirm whether we will be able to meet with President Paul Kagame and/or Mrs. Kagame while we are there. We have not had confirmation of this as yet. We also have not had confirmation as to whether we will be able to be present as observers for the National Heroes Day ceremony. If these opportunities do become confirmed we will definitely adjust our schedules to include them.
We are confirmed to meet with the US Embassy in Kigali on Monday, January 26, 2015 at 10:00 am. I have requested a time change to 8 or 8:30 am on that date as that is the date we travel to Butare and the National Museum and want to have adequate time for that. Please know that we will be flexible with our itinerary as necessary if opportunities arise.
News today was that Erica Barks-Ruggles was sworn in as US Ambassador to Rwanda on January 12, 2015. In her 20 year diplomatic career she previously served in South Africa, India and Norway. She is originally from Minnesota. I do not know whether she will be in Rwanda yet when we visit the embassy.
I did resend the orientation packet from AltruVistas earlier this weekend. All information is also on our website: www.friendshipamongwomen.org with password: rwanda2015
Additional Information:
DO NOT FORGET TO BRING:
Passport
Yellow Fever Vaccination documentation
$30 US Dollars for entry Visa
Global Entry Card if you utilize that for customs returning to the USA
Medications in original rx container
Small Notebook and pens for taking notes at meetings
Money belt for money, passport and any plane tickets
Camera
batteries that may be needed
electrical converter
mini travel alarm
basic first aid: antidiarrheal, nausea, analgesic such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen etc.
travel umbrella
wipes
small Kleenex
sunscreen
mosquito repellent
Weather:
I did check the weather and it is ranging from 60 to 85 predicted for the next 10 days with clouds and intermittent thunderstorms on and off. It is also highly probable it may be wet for the gorilla trek so raingear should be anticipated as being needed.
Clothing:
Business casual for most of our meetings with a nice outfit for meetings with Embassy, government officials such as President and Mrs. Kagame. Mix and match is always good and it is easy to have a couple of scarves to change the look of an outfit. The Serena hotels are nice and should be able to get laundry done if needed. Again anticipate rain and the temperatures. Gorilla trek requires long pants, long sleeves, gloves such as garden or work gloves, good walking shoes and baseball caps are considered gorilla friendly. We are on a lake when we go out to stay in the country for the gorilla trek and both hotels have pools though I don't know if there would be time to take a dip.
Money:
We have been told by previous Rwandan visitors who go there often that Visa credit cards are accepted most places especially in Kigali. There is also availability of ATM machines mostly in Kigali. Please notify your bank that you will be using credit or debit cards in Rwanda and countries enroute so they will know it is not fraudulent usage. You will need cash also for some tipping and possibly(when you can't
or don't want to use credit card) for the meals that aren't covered and other purchases such as crafts, alcohol, activities you do in spare time. The tip for the Driver and the Rwandan guide are already included.
You will likely want to leave a small tip for the maid daily. The gorilla trek guides and porters are usually tipped $5 or so each so would keep maybe $30-50 for that(I don't know how many there will be. ( You can always keep what isn't needed!) We will also request a voluntary cash donation at the end of the trip for a group selected by delegates based on our meetings. In Cuba donations were about $125 per delegate. During past trips delegates have also wanted to contribute for a gift for the trip leader.
Note taking:
You should bring a small notebook and pens to take whatever notes you wish to take. One delegate will be assigned for each meeting to take specific notes that she will write up as a small report to be shared with The Delegation for Friendship Board members and trip participants after the trip. These are shared by email. You may volunteer for a particular group that you wish to cover(usually it is a couple of meetings) or we will simply assign someone before the meeting. We have found that this is the easiest way to document what we learn and how to contact persons with whom we interact in the future and allows the other delegates to concentrate on the meeting and questions/comments.
Gifts:
Gifts are not required but are always appreciated by the recipients. Some gifts that have been given in the past are t-shirt's, books, pens, pencils, writing pads, calendars especially from your community/state, crayons, flashlight keyrings etc.
We have a special request from the Kigali Music School with whom we will be meeting for old children's instruments although I think it would be impossible for some of the requests due to size and ability to transport on an airline or in a carryon. Feasible requests were guitar and violin strings both plastic and metal. Small old instruments no longer used such as recorders, finger cymbals, rhythm sticks, maracas, triangles, mouth harmonicas. They also requested books related to music as they are encouraging the culture of reading, also need pens and pencils. I will send an additional email with the full request.
Remember, each group we meet with does receive a small honorarium for meeting with us.
At the end of the trip the delegates will select a group with whom we have met and give an additional donation to them. In Cuba 2013 we ended up selecting 3 or so groups and donations were about $125 per delegate although some gave less and some much more.We request cash donations due to the difficulty and cost of shipping supplies to other countries.
Hotels:
The Kigali Serena hotel is 5 star with all the amenities including laundry service, internet and restaurant with pool. The Lake Kivu Serena Hotel also has all the amenities including internet throughout the hotel and is on Lake Kivu with beautiful hotel grounds leading down to swimming beach on Lake Kivu.Please give Cathi Smith your room numbers when you have checked in. We will have a hospitality room to freshen up before our departure flights February 3, 2015.
Trip Leaders
Malia Everette: Founder and CEO: AltruVistas Tour Company www.altruvistas.com
Clementine: Trip Leader and translator
Clementine is a young Rwandan woman who grew up in Kigali. She comes from the western part of Rwanda near the beautiful Lake Kivu and Congo-Nile mountians and hills. She holds a bachelors degree in biotechnology from the former National University of Rwanda and a master's degree in biochemistry from the Makerere University in Uganda. She is passionate about sharing her country's stories, beauty and success stories. She likes to meet new people from around the world. She is fluent in English and French and a quick learner.
Roommates:
Cathi Smith/Jo Van Tiehl
Jill Christiansen/Kim Harms
Beth Fluke/Holly Jobe
Sylvia Sabo/Judy Tiede
Patti Kenyon/Linda Hoeschler
Cece and Cherie Riesenberg
Single:
Maureen Hoeschler
Malia Everette
I will be leaving for Rwanda on January 20th and arriving January 21, 2015. I will be staying at the Chez Lando Hotel in Kigali the nights of the 21st and 22nd. I will transfer to the Kigali Serena for check in at on the 23rd. Please let me know if you have questions that have not been answered.
I am very much looking forward to this trip and to finally getting to meet those of you I haven't had the opportunity to meet previously and to reuniting with those I already know.
Appreciatively,
Cathi Smith
President
The Delegation for Friendship Among Women