Ciao Rwanda

As you read this hopefully i am safe and sound in Uganda – my ninth country on my African Adventures and my 60th country on my life journey. Dromomania is not just for Christmas.

As usual there may be a gap between postings for every country i pass through i have to find ways of getting on-line via my laptop. To this end, i am humbly grateful to Mark who i met in my very first week of my African Adventures in Windhoek who passed me his dongle. Mark was working as an educational adviser for VSO in northern Namibia and was returning back to the UK before embarking on a new placement in Rwanda. Like myself he has worked many years on the international school circuit and risen through the ranks from humble class teacher through to senior management.

The dongle has worked throughout the trip so far so it seems somewhat uncanny that Rwanda has been the first country which has failed me and i have to purchase a new dongle from MTN – the phone/computer network company.

Once again Mark finds himself in the sticks, just some 20kms north of the Tanzanian/Rwanda border, but nonetheless he is happy to come and spend the day with me in Kigali. He knows a few good places to take me and he gives me several interesting insights into the country as well. Many thanks Mark!

My all too brief sojourn in Rwanda has been awesome. The people have been warm, open and friendly – just what i needed after my often disappointing contact with Tanzanians. It seems almost inconceivable that the cultural genocide was just 16 years ago, and yet the country seems to have moved so far forward in such a short space of time. Nonetheless, it is difficult to look at anyone over thirty and wonder what they were doing during this darkest moment of history. Were they victims whose family were slaughtered or were they slayers of their very own neighbours?

The Kigali Memorial Centre had a profound effect on me, and although i planned on visiting two more genocide sites outside Kigali, (Nyamata and Ntarama), after KMC i was not up for it. I subsequently met Cheech, a hardened older Ontarian working in the steel mills who visited Myamata. He was physically sick having seen a whole pile of baby skulls, many of which had been smashed to a pulp. I’m pleased not to have witnessed this first hand.

President Paul Kagame must take huge credit for the healing that has taken place. It is true he runs the country very much with an iron fist, but almost uniquely on the African continent corruption has been stamped on mercilessly. Throughout my travels i have heard stories of corruption and nepotism which has blighted development throughout the African continent.

Bus journeys have been great too. Not since South Africa have i witnessed a one bum one seat policy.

Two other short observations i wanted to share.
1) The importance of shoes – Shoes are a major status symbol in Rwanda. Even waiters in bog-standard restaurants will ensure their shoes are looking impeccable. They are rigorously cleaned every day. I don’t dare wear my flip-flops here.
2) Smoking – smoking is a big no-no here. Trying to purchase a lighter has been challenging – even in Kigali!

I hope to update you soon.