What You Should Know in Rwanda

Although I had a number of guides,previous trekkers, and a wealth of online reading to guide me, landing in Rwanda was still major culture shock. And although I consider myself an expert at city markets, navigating strange cuisine, and reading a map, there were many tips I couldn’t have guessed that I really wish someone had told me. Here, in no logical order, I pass them on to you.

I hope you love airports ’cause even for a seasoned travel vet, this is one long trip. It was almost mind numbing to sit through New York to London, London to Ethiopia, Ethiopia to Entebbe, and Entebbe to Kigali, and by my second hour in the barren Addis Ababa airport, I wanted to hang the white flag and head home. By the time all was said and done, I had 30 hours logged in each direction. Bring lotsa books and several plug chargers or an adapter case for your chosen form of entertainment. If you stop in Ethiopia, there is no Internet access or Wifi, save for an expensive Internet cafe. You’re better off grabbing a bench and some shut eye. But keep an ear open since gate notices are rarely in English and change sparatically. It’s an adventure under one roof.

French was the official language in Rwanda ’till just a few years ago. English is the official language now. That being said, don’t expect everyone’s English to be stellar. Throughout the city, guides, and even markets cranked out their best English, but when it came to shops, eating, and other daily activities, your new friends might have a roster of 20 or 30 words and that’s that. Like with any new country, it helps to learn a handful of words in their local tongue. Even “hello” and “goodbye” are much appreciated.

You won’t be able to exchange your money in the states. Seriously. The cashier at JFK International (New York City, people!) laughed at me when I asked for Rwandan Francs. Instead, I cashed in for a few pounds for my London layover, and exchanged the remaining pounds for francs in Kigali on a city tour. Exchanging money was a fun sidetrip, with locals begging for a few bucks right ’till you walk through the bank door. At this moment you’re looking at maybe 600 francs for every USD, at generous exchanges.

I also decided to keep some American bucks in my wallet and it worked out. After two days worth of mishaps and hardships, I was out of loot- and needed to tip. You’ll find the people of Rwanda very heartwarming and generous, and for their open love (and services. Say, pushing your truck out of a mud hole?) they like to be tipped. I ended up giving American money, which was gladly accepted.

Don’t drink the water. Just don’t. Some hotel let you know when you can’t. Others assume you know. I just wouldn’t, particularly when there’s plenty of bottled water and drinks to go around. I might also be a germophile but I carried an extra bottled water with me at all times. It came in handy at night to brush my teeth with.

You know those canvas and nylon supermarket bags everyone’s always urging you to buy for your groceries? Bring a few. Since plastic bags are illegal in Rwanda, I used one for my dirty laundry, and ended up using the other to hide the plastic bag I needed to get through Heathrow. For the record, a man carrying a thing shopping bag outside of the airport was stopped, and it was confiscated. My teeny tiny ziploc was not, although I waved it around in public by accident a few times and was greeted with shock and grief from locals.

Bring the big boy bug repellent. I’m a pretty juicy peace of meat to misquito’s and a few times they nearly picked me up and flew off with me. Besides dousing myself every morning and afternoon, I sprayed around windows and doors of each hotel, my own special little way of saying “be gone, creepers.”

If your phone is unlocked, head straight to a MTN stand when you arrive (they are the big yellow umbrellas and they’re everywhere) and spend your $2 on a Rwandan SIM card. A member of my group tweeted in the middle of the jungle while I struggled on AT&T’s International network in the middle of the city.

Hurry up and wait. Rwanda’s got it’s own schedule and doesn’t care about you, busy American. From day one, get used to rushing to your waiting spot, and then spending maybe 30 minutes to hear from or see whoever you are waiting for. Don’t fight it, it just is. And after all, you’re away from home, so why rush anyway?