Rwrappin' up Rwanda

I know you loved the post title. Don’t pretend you didn’t. Took me at least 37 seconds to come up with it, so hopefully it was worth the time investment.

I’m writing this post to you from my house in the Abingdon, Virginia. So….retroactive drum roll, please….. I’m back from Africa!! As you might imagine, things got pretty crazy there towards the end, so that’s why I’m just now getting around to writing about it.

I’ll keep it simple. My last week was wonderful. Fittingly, it was more about people than places or trips or new experiences. Valentina and I went to our final Cub Hope meeting. I played Saturday Soccer with some of my Rwandan friends.  I spent the afternoon at Lake Muhazi with Vanessa and the orphans that she has been working with the past two years. I also had dinner and went clubbin’ (if you can imagine that in Rwanda) in Kigali with all of my UVa and Yale friends.  Here are some pictures:

 

 

On the way back from Rwanda, Ginni and I took a 3 day pit stop in Istanbul, Turkey. If you haven't been to Istanbul yet, stop reading this blog right this second, go sell your kidney on the black market, and book your trip. It's that great. Tons of history. Colors around every corner. Lively at all hours of the day. Great food. Nice people. Good weather.

Here are the highlights:

Visiting beautiful mosques (the Blue Mosque was one of the prettiest buildings I've ever seen in person)

Trying street food (we gave everything a shot: grilled corn, cherries, paninis, Turkish delight, chicken kebabs, baklava, orange juice (squeezed right in front of you), ice cream, assorted nuts, oysters from the Bosporus, etc.)

Exploring a football-sized underground Roman cistern

Walking along the Bosporus at sunset

Taking a 3-hour audio tour of Hagia Sophia (my "favorite building in the entire world," circa high school world history class freshman year)

Haggling for stuff no human being would ever need at the Grand Bazaar

Running into to numerous Russian speakers. Всегда люблпю говорит по-русский! Always love using my Ruski!

Walking around Taksim Square where all the protests were a few weeks ago.

 

After an 11-hour jaunt complements of Turkish Air, I landed in DC last Thursday. It's been an incredible (albeit short) couple of months. As is usual with me and traveling, I was equal parts sad to leave Rwanda and happy to get back to Virginia. I'm extremely grateful for the things I've learned, opportunities I've encountered, and the people I've met this summer. Coming to Rwanda was a huge blessing for me. As sad as I am that it's over, at least I have my memories (and a ridiculous amount of poorly-shot 18 megapixel pictures).  It's been an adventure. Thanks for tuning in. Next chapter: Med school, Year 2.  Classes start in a week! See you then!