Rwanda?

[quantumleap]

I'm in Rwanda for the next three months with my two littles (3 & 1). We're visiting my parents, and I'll be doing a little bit of volunteer work, but mostly we're just bumming around and I would LOVE to meet up with any MDC mamas who might be around. We're in Kigali. *Please* get in touch if you're around! :D

[Katie8681]

Hey! I am nowhere near Rwanda, but I'm wondering: What are you doing for your kids' malaria prophylaxis? I hope to bring my son to East Africa, where I was a Peace Corps volunteer, and am having a hard time tracking down the guidelines. Hope you're enjoying Rwanda! I would love to go.

[quantumleap]

We don't do malaria prophylaxis. We're not really in a very high incidence area, and I really think the drugs are pretty toxic, especially for tiny bodies. If they get malaria, then we'll treat it. But, I'm not really concerned. I seem to have really good malaria luck, which I know isn't scientific at all, but I've spent several years in malaria zones and have never taken the prophylaxis. I've never gotten malaria. Everytime I'm in a malaria zone with someone who does take the prophylaxis, *they* get malaria! In any case, like I said, we're not in a high risk area, and we have easy access to very good medical care. Calculated risk on my part. We do sleep under nets though. 

It's a tough decision, hey?

I hope you have an awesome trip with your son. :)

[Katie8681]

Thanks! I hope your good luck holds.

[ariahsmum]

Ooooo... Not in Rwanda, but sooo hoping to connect with mamas there.  We are wanting to relocate in 2015 to Kigali.  Where do I go to get info on uprooting life here and moving there?

mama- did you find anyone to connect with?

[quantumleap]

Ariahsmum, isn't your son from Rwanda? Pretty cool that you're planning such a big leap! We're there and back again, and after nearly 8 years, my parents are off to Costa Rica in the next few months. It was really neat being there, and I got to work at an amazing midwifery/prenatal clinic in one of the "slums". I'm only peripherally involved with life there, but would be happy to pass on contacts or places you should go that I do know of. 

I never did connect with anybody there from MDC. I met a social worker who was pretty AP, but mostly the parents I met were did not necessarily share my parenting philosophies, and I even met a few proud "Babywise Moms". (gulp) *But*, the MDC-style parents have got to be around!

Best with the big move! :)

[ariahsmum]

I have no idea why I thought stress of third world government processes would be limited to adoption, but it turns out it also applies to immigration.  DUH!

I've made some preliminary inquiries and it sounds tough to get a visa extended beyond 90 days in Rwanda.  Recently it has gotten even tighter than in the past in fact as a reaction to international views and politics.  The Embassy in DC responded to my inquiry by stating that we (all of us) appear before immigration in Kigali to inquire about extending stay beyond 90 days.  As a right brained westerner I was hoping for some more clarity about our plans BEFORE packing up a home, animals, jobs, etc and moving to another country for *hopefully* a year.  I get pretty unsettled thinking about just sitting and waiting with our family in the immigration office.  I've been there and done that, but for adoption which seemed a stressful yet unavoidable part of the process.  I'm just not feeling the luv of leaving for an undetermined amount of time- 90 days or one year, who knows!

I wonder if your parents can shed any light on this?  

I did in fact adopt from Rwanda.  Is a matter of fact, it was my AP style that put off the adoption the first time as I had induced lactation and pumping and ready with milk.  The gov't didn't get this, didn't think it was possible with my claimed circumstances (fetal death and complete hysterectomy as reason for childlessness) and they therefore refused us as they assumed we were lying about some or all of our case.  In the end we made it thru and now are home and it all seems like distant dream.

[quantumleap]

I can ask my parents. I know when we stayed past the 90 days, we just went to the office, waited around for 10 minutes to hand over our passports and some money, and then came back a few days later and picked up our passports. It was painless, other than the 20 minute walk in the middle of the day with a 30lb toddler on my back (I am such a heat whimp). My parents and brother are residents, and have been for a long time, but I don't know when or how they transitioned to that. I'll ask when I speak to them next. 

Sorry to hear your adoption was rough! 

What an adventure for all of you if you can make this work! The library is open in Kigali now, and it looks lovely. There's even a children's section!