Umuzungu!

As you can probably well imagine, a busload of 10 caucasians coming down your road in rural Rwanda is not something you see every day.  As we have criss-crossed the highways, country roads, and dirt tracks of Gatsibo District, we are constantly waving to the people we pass.  Particularly on the rural back roads, our waves and smiles are instantly returned - often with great enthusiasm.  Many people - particularly children - yell "Umuzungu!" as soon as we are spotted.  Umuzungu is a Kinyarwandan phrase meaning "white person."  It isn't derogatory, simply descriptive.  I wish I could capture the variety of ways in which I heard umuzungu today.  It ranged from the more reserved - almost like a greeting, all the way to the firehouse siren of a beautiful child who seemed to be alerting the entire district of our presence.  It sounded more like "UMUZUNGUuuuuuuu!" as we drove by.  I am honored to be an umuzungu in Rwanda.

James waving to children on the way back to the hotel