Welcome to Kigali!

By Rayyan Salam, University of Washington

Hello and welcome to Kigali!! I’m Rayyan Salam, and I study Law, Economics, and Public Policy at the University of Washington. In my free time, I enjoy reading books, going on hikes, watching movies, and spending time with friends. My passions are a mix of law, directing, and human rights. I love to criticize and find deeper meanings for things that seem straightforward. I believe there’s always something under the surface, and I want to know all of it. I’m hoping to combine my two interests and pursue entertainment law. 

The decision to travel to Kigali, Rwanda, to study was an easy one. Their rich history and monumental success called my name when I was applying to study abroad. Thirty years ago, Rwanda was struck with a planned genocide by the Hutu people against the Tutsi people, exacerbated by colonialism. My study abroad focusing on human rights, global health, ecotourism, and sports development made me ever curious about how Rwanda got past the atrocities it dealt with. As a Palestinian and in the state of global politics, I wanted to travel to Rwanda for the country to give me hope. My project deep dives into the genocide, how they rose above their horrific history, and most importantly, what other countries can learn from them. I plan to investigate all these topics by interacting with the countries’ memorials and the students I’ll be studying with at the African Leadership University. I’m hoping all the different conversations I will have with the students and citizens will give me primary sources for this research. Their stories, along with some deeper online research, will give me a good understanding of what countries with a war-torn history can learn from Rwanda’s persistence. 

As I stepped off the plane into the heat of Kigali, I was most excited to battle previous conceptions I had. A lot of media portrays African countries as a hot, undeveloped desert, but as I was driving through roads and walking up streets, I realized just how wrong I was for believing it. Kigali is a city in a valley surrounded by greenery and hills. The roads are paved, and the people are more than excited to talk to you. While I’m most excited to see how wrong I was and to find new things about Africa, I’m also a bit worried about how my connotations will affect the way I interact with the environment around me. As much as I can keep an open mind, I’m worried I’ll slip up in different places and act in ways I shouldn’t. But traveling to new places is full of trial and error, and I plan to make the most of my trip by not letting my anxiety restrict me from finding out new things and taking risks I might not take back home. If I mess up, I’ll make an effort to step back, learn, and trudge on forward. 

Studying abroad was always a dream of mine, and now that I’m here, I just can’t believe it. I’m ready to make new friends, learn more about the world from a firsthand perspective, and engage in research that can help communities that need hope for a brighter future.