I love you so
on Rose Hardman (Rwanda), 16/Oct/2011 12:56, 34 days ago
This weekend was one of those wonderful weekends where the planned somehow becomes the unplanned and the surreal happens. But in a wonderful way.On Saturday morning Judy and I headed to Butare to meet Isy. We were going to spend Saturday night in her village which is 2-3 hours south of Butare. Isy had some things to do in Butare so before we got the bus we set off to complete her to do list. On the way to collect some rice sacks Isy got a text which made her scream. Judy and I didn’t know whether to presume the best or the worst so I was thankful when Isy gave me the phone and we were able to read that Charlotte had text to see if Isy wanted to be in a Dr Claude music video. Dr Claude, for those who haven’t heard of him, is a Burundian singer who is very popular in East Africa. Isy is a big fan of his and was so happy to have the opportunity to be in his video. We carried on with Isy’s chores, collecting rice sacks, buying food, with Isy grinning from ear to ear. She was so excited that when we got a lift from a bank manager (from a broken cash machine to a working one- the customer service was amazing!) she told him she was a singer with Dr Claude! That is until the bank manager revealed he was a friend of Dr Claude at which point Isy went unusually quiet! So the day was good and we were all on a high, particularly Isy. That is until Isy gets another text from Charlotte saying she’d just found out the video was being shot today in Kigali. Isy was devastated and Judy and I knew that we couldn’t just let it end like this. So Isy rang Charlotte back and Charlotte said if Isy could get to Kigali on the next bus AND find a white man (needed for the video) then she could still be in it. We then had some umming and aahhing as Isy decided whether or not to be in it. She was worried because she wasn’t wearing suitable clothing and where would we find a man? Judy and I managed to convince her that this was once in a lifetime and she had to go for itso we all piled onto the bus.We then had two and a half hours (the time it takes on the bus from Butare to Kigali) to transform Isy into a goddess and to find a man! The transformation wasn’t too difficult. Isy is a pretty girl and with the beautician and dress design skills of Judy, she was a star in no time. The strategically timed puking of a child sitting next to Judy enabled Isy to change into Judy’s dress on the bus with no one looking and the transformation was complete. Finding a man on the other hand was not so easy. The man we originally thought could do it pulled out and so then there were frantic phone calls to every man we know and some we don’t! Eventually Bert, having originally said he couldn’t do it, changed his mind with 30 minutes to go. Arriving at Nyabugogo bus station we had to find Isy some shoes whilst waiting for Dr Claude himself to come and pick us up. Shoes were found, as was Dr Claude and we were then driven through Kigali to the sound of Dr Claude singing along to himself singing ‘I love you so’. Which, I must say, is a very catchysong!Filming was already in progress as we arrived. Isy and Bert were soon called upon to film their scene and they took to it like the true professionals they are. I won’t reveal what the video involves you can enjoy the surprise when you watch it! Later Judy and I were also filmed although we’d be surprised if us dancing around Bert made the cut. It was a really good day and definitely not what we were expecting!