Only 420€ per week!
Culture Week
Kigali - Rwanda
Get fully immersed into Rwandan culture through immersion in language, history and cooking lessons. Enjoy visits to local shops, sightseeing and relaxing at a nearby beach!
Get off-the-beaten track and get to know Rwanda, through visits to important memorial sites, local markets and training centers. You will also learn the basics of the language, show your skills in a cooking class and learn about the history and culture. Last but not least, enjoy a day of relaxation at the beach!
Program
Living
Rwanda
Program Description
Culture week is the perfect way to get acquainted with your new surroundings. Throughout the week, you will be introduced to Rwandan life through its history, traditions, food, language, and learning the basic do’s & don’ts. You will never forget your visit to the Genocide Memorial Museum, nor the impact of the lessons from this experience. You will get to know this land of “a thousand hills” through a local walking tour, as well as, sightseeing around the city. Moreover, you will get a nice bit of relaxation during your visit to Muhazi Beach, a local favorite, where you will enjoy lunch, swim outside, or simply sunbathe and enjoy some of Rwanda’s awesome weather.
All in all, this culture week will get you fully acclimated and ready for the upcoming weeks, if you are staying longer to be a part of our programs.
Aims & Objectives
- Learn through immersion in local language, food and activities
- Gain a better understanding of Rwandan customs, history and culture
- Provide a full induction, preparing you for a longer stay
Schedule
Monday
- Breakfast
- Introduction meeting, House rules, Setting Expectations, Health and Safety Advice and handling of documents.
- Rwandan Do's and Don'ts, Culture introduction and country history and Kinyarwanda Language Lessons.
- Tour around the compound and local area; where to find local shops, and arrange a sim-card if necessary.
- Lunch
- Tour of Kigali City including a visit to the market.
Tuesday
- Breakfast
- Language class
- Lunch
- Cooking class
- Dinner (enjoy the dishes you helped to prepare)
Wednesday
- Breakfast
- Genocide Memorial
- Sightseeing around the city center plus visits to nearby facilities
- Lunch
- Visit Parliament House Museum
- Dinner
Thursday
- Breakfast
- Belgian Peacekeepers Monument
- Gahanga Memorial Church site
- Lunch
- Women’s Training center (handicrafts)
- Dinner
Friday
- Breakfast
- Introduction to program sites and schedule
- Lunch
- Visit Muhazi Beach (enjoy some fun in the sun)
- Dinner
Note: This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.
Participant Criteria & Requirements
Standard Requirements
Minimum age: –
Maximum age: –
Minimum English level: Basic
CRB required: On Signup
Passport copy required: No
Resume copy required: No
Required qualification: None
Additional Requirements
There are no further requirements for this program.
Additional Equipment
No specific equipment required for this program, but we recommend bringing a notebook and pen for your language lessons and cooking classes to write down the scrumptious recipes.
Location
Enjoy the capital city of Rwanda and all of its surrounding communities. Find out why this extremely clean, city of spectacular views is known as the place of a thousand rolling hills. Your accommodation location provides you with a great opportunity to see and experience this nation that is rebuilding and redefining itself, on an authentic, local scale.
About the Accommodation
You may be staying in our rural accommodation center or at a local homestay. The accommodation itself is quite basic and authentic to the community. There may be limits on wifi/network availability, electricity and water depending on local conditions. All participants are expected to be environmentally aware and to use all resources with restraint, especially water, paper and electricity. You will be expected to clean up after yourself, and to play your part to keep the accommodation spaces neat and organized.
Food Arrangements
Food will be Rwandan-style, which means simple and nutritious, with lots of vegetables, fruit, rice, potato, banana, bread, chapati and pancakes. Meat may be served occasionally and very few western meal options will be offered. Participants are welcome to supplement their meals with items of their choice which can be purchased locally at your own expense.
Facilities
Access to an ATM, restaurants and small local stores closeby to the accommodation. These facilities are available by taking a short public transportation to Kigali town.
Activities & Events
No scheduled activities outside the program.
Sights & Surroundings
Kigali City
Not so far from our center is Kigali City, where you can enjoy nights out or head to a good restaurant.
National Parks
For those looking to get the most out of the time in Rwanda, there is a national park nearby where you can head to on a weekend to trek, camp and spot gorillas. Ask your coordinator to discuss available options.
Beaches
Popular beaches and recreational areas are also not too far from our center.
Transportation
From this location we do not provide free transport to other locations.
Quick Facts
Name: Republic of Rwanda
Population: 12 million
Capital: Kigali
Language: Kinyarwanda, French, English
Currency: Rwandan Franc (RWF)
Time zone: UTC +2
Country Information
Despite its brutal and quite recent history, Rwanda has lifted itself up from the ground and has undergone an almost miraculous transformation since the occurrences of 1994 and now boasts unity, stability and a slowly growing bright future.
With bamboo forests, awe-strucking volcanoes and mountains, gorillas roaming about its jungles, rich culture, dances and more, Rwanda is well-prepared to show how it has recovered in the past decade and is ready to show you what it has got to offer with arms wide open!
Climate
Rwanda boasts a temperate tropical highland climate. Temperatures vary very little throughout the year. Due to its high elevation, Rwanda’s temperatures are significantly lower than its neighbours, with daily temperatures ranging from 12°C to 27°C.
Culture
Rwandan culture is varied despite the size of the country. Throughout the area, you will find significant differences amongst people. However, we can safely state that music and dance is an integral part of the country’s heritage and acts as they key element of festivities, gatherings and ceremonies in Rwanda. A traditional dance is intore, a choreographed routine consisting of ballet performed by women, the “dance of heroes”, performed by men and most importantly: drums.
Another important aspect of Rwandan culture are its traditional arts and crafts, which are meant to serve a purpose rather than being merely a decoration. Woven baskets are a perfect example of this and you can easily find one to take back home!
Gastronomy
Rwandan cuisine is made up of bananas, pulses, sweet potatoes, and cassava. Meat in Rwanda is not too common and most locals do not eat meat too often, with it being consumed once or twice a month only. The lack of meat in their diet dates back to centuries ago, particularly referenced to the Twa and Hutus people’s diet was high in vegetables and lacked animal protein.
Ugali is a national dish and is a paste made from corn and water that creates a consistency similar to porridge. Matoke is another staple dish, made from baked plantains. Isombe, another very recognized dish is made from mashed cassava leaves and served with dried fish.
Transportation
Mototaxis and Bicycle taxis
These are one of the most common ways of transportation in Rwanda and is also rather inexpensive. Make sure to always discuss the price before the ride with the driver, who will most likely speak English and/or French.
Taxi
Taxis are not too common in Rwanda and can be rather pricey. The way to get a taxi in Rwanda is by calling one on the street or waiting at assigned taxi stops.
Matatu
For longer distances, you can travel by Matatu, white minibuses. Keep in mind these are often crammed with people… and chickens.
