It is rather strange to start
writing in my blog about, probably trivial, events after what happened in Paris
not even forty eight hours ago. But time is what it is and after weeks writing reports for
Rwandan authorities about professionalization of Rwandan dance and vocational
dance education in Rwanda I thought it was time to update all of you a bit
about what happens in my ‘new life’ in Africa.
So this could be the end of my
today’s message because as I told you I was sitting mainly in front of my
laptop writing reports with a resulting low back pain. For sure I’m proud of my
writings and I will publish them soon after they have been handed to the
ministers who ordered them. Now it is on their plate and it is up to them to
take the required steps and decisions with courage and determination but in
Rwanda there is no shortage of that!
In between I was working hard
with two dancers to prepare the opening act of a Contemporary Dance Festival
coming Thursday in Kigali. The two ladies who started a professional dance
education path in Senegal at l’École des Sables, will present a combination of
two solos in an unexpected arrangement and I’m looking forward how it will be
received.
Last week I started to teach
dance to orphan boys, primary school level. After more than thirty years it was
a great experience. I completely forgot how it was but after a few minutes I
was in the mood again and time is flying with those kids.
For sure I also had time for
leisure in between. Our monthly ‘sports day’ with the friends, which means
walking from Kigali to 33 km² Lake Muhazi, was a sobering experience. It’s clear I don’t have the condition
of 2010 anymore and when arriving at the bottom of that last hill I climbed…
into the sag wagon. That has probably saved my life for that day. In a few
weeks we will repeat the experience and now I’m climbing the road to UTC here
at city hill at least two times a day to check if the condition is improving or
deteriorating. By the way … after the sports part we have spent a nice
relaxing, read: eating, drinking and dancing time on the borders of the lake
with the athletes and the not so sportive mates coming later and inventing the
most exotic excuses for not walking. So I can be proud of myself at the end…
because I’m not only the errant muzungu but also the oldest of the pack. Now
and then I go out for a diner with friends and I have to confess that an
evening in front of the tv screen is sometimes a welcome alternative after a
hard working day.
Last week I met Maarten
Blolkland, former distinguished staff member of UNESCO-IHE and then in Kigali
for a trainer course. I took him to my favorite bar, were he also met the
oldest of the 2005-2007 Rwandan batch, Egide Nkuranga. I was particularly happy
with some unexpected news from Delft. My institute is alive again and that made
my day! Something funny… my Rwandan IHE friends who are visiting me are telling
me that they find back here the atmosphere of my Delft apartment. Well it’s
true, I took pictures and frames from Delft with me, the famous calendars of
Liesbeth resuming so many memories and the pièce-de- résistance… Pato’s
painting! And every evening before sleeping my eyes fall on the etching of the
Old Church I got from Angelica and Benno, so I can’t forget about Delft.
I feel good, relaxed and freed
from an obligatory organized existence. Every morning I know my program but I realize
it in a different context. Around me I see human beings working towards a
better future, real people, never complaining even if they work sometimes from
seven am till six pm and sometimes later. I tell you, it is contagious and it’s
a virus you gradually breathe.
Today I got the official request letter
of the WDA to the Immigration for a more permanent visa and work permit. I
think that when you have read my report to the Ministries of Education and
Sports and Culture you will understand why they made this step.
There still has to happen a lot
before we will see a green light for my proposals but we have sufficient
material now to start an in depth discussion with the whole field of dance and
education specialists.
I've already rolled up my imaginary
(seen the daily temperature) sleeves for the battle to come.
Read all about in my coming
postings.
For those to whom I didn’t make
it clear enough… I miss you all, your laughs, your smiles, your voices, but
remembering them is like a glowing fire in a long cold night.
Yours always.
PS. I know how terrible Paris
is/was… and Beirut a few days before and... And…And… but please follow the news
about Burundi and if you see and hear, together with us here in Rwanda, signs
that a new genocide is really in the picture require your governments to dare
to pronounce the G-word this time and tell them not to make the same mistake as
in 1994!
No comments:
Post a Comment