Guy l'Africain (*)

Muraho!

In a week during which tens of thousands are fleeing the Syrian war zones and the masters of the European fortress are showing their inaptitude to manage this refugee crisis I was leaving the citadel to head for a continent and a country where crisis management is daily business and more and more successful.

Now it is waiting for the moment when the enlightened European leaders will raise the little finger again towards Africa… next time, if they still dare, it should be with a confounded blush on their faces!

So, here I am, in my new country, in my new house surrounded with pictures, knick knacks and memories brought from good old Belgium and the Netherlands. Sunny days, stormy evenings and nights as a welcome concert. Rwanda has a beneficent sense on me, always.

The welcoming ceremonies were healing after the SAD and less sad goodbyes of those last weeks. I never leave friends behind me; I always take them with me in my mind and in my heart and at arrival I only have to unpack and dusting.

A warm welcome at the airport after my carefully sealed 128 kg of luggage was ripped of its wrapping by diligent officials… No plastic (bags) in Rwanda sir! I guess the wrapping was bio degradable but the premature stripping had the advantage I didn’t had to do it myself later, with my friends impatient to see what all those cases would content.

After a weekend that started at the 2 Shots Bar, with friends and ending on the coach watching a movie on Sunday I can announce you, this is my first working day!

For those who wanna meet me outside the office hours for a drink, 2 Shots Bar is perfect for its beer, wine, brochettes and ambiance. There is always someone to meet at 2 Shots!

Sunday I could re-smell the atmosphere of the old catholic school/boarding school, visiting some friend’s kids at the monthly visiting hours. Gives me cold shivers but catholic Flanders also looked that way thirty years ago. I’m always fearfully impressed by the influence the catholic church still has in this country after its role in the genocide.

What is really incredible… How fast you can have a subscription for internet etc. In 30’ you have a telephone number with a 4G internet connection on it + a modem for 10 access points 4G for home use. A visit to the Canal+ desk in the local store results in … you walking with the technician with a Satellite Dish, a modem and some materials and having + 200 channels within an hour on your tv screen. What is the average waiting time for something similar in Europe?

Late or early working, don’t worry supermarkets are open 24/24. I can tell you why economies are booming in Africa and here in particular.

I apprehend the coming sports Saturday with the friends… not the relaxing moments at the lake afterward (lol) but the hills walking up –down towards it… When I climb my street I’m dying. Oh yes I forgot we are + 1500 m. here….

For those who wonder… my dancers are doing wonderful… was working with the two who went to Senegal last spring… they are working together now every day for four hours and they are teaching the company two days a week what they have learned over there.  At least now they have a decent sound system. From tomorrow I go to Kanombe to teach twice a week.

And now it’s time for work! Office hours at home today and my first meeting to discuss the future dance school.

A Biboneye & Umunsi!

(Means have a nice day… but probably the whole of Rwanda will fall over me now and come with at least five other possibilities….

Joy… someone took my book for the weekend :-(

(*) After inshuti my distinguished friend Guillaume - you know the one who only drinks water and milk but suddenly also sips on wine - gave me this new title Guy l'Africain!

Pictures of the house here!