stories of the land 2015: with love on Father's Day!, by Shields

In honor of fathers (and mothers!), I am writing to share a bit about the group experience thus far. We have had such a joyous time traveling together. The students are down to earth, engaged, deeply attuned to the "sense of place," and fun. Everywhere we go, the kids are singing and laughing. Many within our group--and several Rwandans who have hosted us for activities--have identified the hallmark of this group: they plumb the depths! Our classes have been profoundly wonderful. Today, for instance, our 40 minute class turned into a 90 minute class. Before we knew it, we were racing the clock to meet friends for dinner. It is not just in class, however, that we have terrific, intellectual conversations....on the bus, waiting for lunch, even at breakfast. I think this comfort with scholarly inquiry is the glue that holds this group together. Of course, a growing passion for Rwanda also helps and wraps the group in a sense of shared purpose.

While everything has been so smooth in terms of our activities and our access to moving examples of the spirit of Rwanda, we have faced a rolling gi-bug--not serious, but fairly thorough! Today, we bonded around Hannah's trip to the ER. The bugs seem mere annoyances, though, as everyone is happy and, in the big picture, healthy.

Spirits remain high as we look forward to our last complete week of the summer study. As I reflected on how much I adore the students and what a lovely trip it has been, Lauren and I decided to identify the "spirit animal" of each student. We unveiled them one by one after Jess, Lauren, and I worked hard to capture the gifts each student brings to the trip. Ask them when they return if you have any questions about why they earned the name they did...they all know and embrace! In turn, they gave us spirit animals :) Below, please enjoy a portrait I took at the Mille Collines Hotel tonight of each student. I have included her/his spirit animal! Happy Father's Day!