I know Alphonsine Imaniraguha would be nodding her head in agreement to that question, a question that those who have never left their hometown or country may be shaking their head in confusion to! I was so intrigued by Alphonsine's recent blog sharing her cross-cultural experiences living in the US as a Rwandan, that I was eager to get her permission to share a bit of it here! One of the many stories that really leaves me in mystery and intrigue is when she talks about her brother's wedding (Alphonsine stands, right, in a traditional Rwandan dress).....
"A few months ago at my brother’s wedding, I vowed to myself that I’d make an effort to use Kinyarwanda only during my 5 minutes speech. Howbeit, in front of our honored hundreds of guests, as I searched in despair how to say “on behalf of” in Kinyarwanda, I feigned a smile as I apologized to the audience because I had no other word to replace it in order to complete my phrase. I indeed felt betrayed by the language I have spoken my whole life :(." (Read her entire, engaging blog here.)

Alphonsine Imaniraguha was born in Rwanda where she lived until moving to the US in 2006. She is a Network Engineer with Cisco Systems in North Carolina and a motivational speaker through her non-profit Rising Above the Storms (R.A.S) with a goal to teach forgiveness, love and hope. You can find out more about R.A.S. at www.risingabovethestorms.org or her personal blog: www.asoothingvoice.wordpress.com