Rwandan culture is so different from our own in a lot of different ways, but the biggest adjustment for me is presentation. Dressing ourselves in America is a form of self expression, while in Rwanda we dress to respect others. Wearing ripped jeans or scuffed shoes in America is a reflection of my casual dressing habits, but here it shows that I don’t respect other people.
I think my hygiene is better here than in America.
When I signed up to do the Peace Corps in Africa, I figured I’d be taking “showers” once a week and got comfortable with the thought of putting hygiene on the back burner. That couldn’t be further from reality in Rwanda. Hygiene is taken very seriously here. Everyone (bucket) bathes everyday, sometimes twice. People will notice if you don’t bathe or take care of yourself, it’s enough reason to socially ostracize someone. Homes are cleaned thoroughly twice a week, bed sheets are washed every week, teeth are brushed after every meal, and shoes are washed everyday. I think my hygiene is better here than in America.
Having dirty shoes is the easiest way to offend someone here, since it shows that you have little respect for others. I spend 15-20 minutes everyday once I get home to clean the red dirt off my shoes. As I walk by the bustling market every morning and night, I can feel people looking at me, judging the way I dress and carry myself. I overhear the locals talking about my outfit and if my shoes are clean. Their gaze follows my shoes. The best thing I brought with me has been my little, pink, shoe brush. The powdery, red dirt shows up really well on our shoes and can instantly make it look like we don’t take care of ourselves and that we don’t respect others, which can severely damage our ability to integrate into our communities. It’s easily the best $3 I spent because I use it every day.
Practicing good hygiene is so important that our teachers had rotating stations where we learned how to mop the floor, trim the lawn, wash our bags and shoes. It’s important that we know how to do all of that using the local supplies so we can take care of ourselves and our homes properly once we get to our sites in December.
Our teachers giving a quick demo on how to wash our bags and shoes. 
Cleaning the floor. 
Learning to wash shoes! 
That’s me mowing the lawn. 
The stains were difficult to get out by hand – teamwork makes the dream work!
Rwandering around with Joanna 