I have been back in Kinshasa for about 4 weeks now, and Kinshasa is pretty much the same: warm because of family and friends, but still stuck in a time loop that makes it seem like not much has changed in the last 20 years (at least nothing for the better. More about that in another post).
I have had more excitement – both positive and negative – than I bargained for. Let me start with the negative stuff first. About a week or two after I arrived here, my siblings (in the Western world, people would say “half-siblings”) lost their mother. It was quite sad, as you can imagine. And I have rarely felt as helpless as when I saw one of my brothers cry his soul out, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to alleviate his pain…
Then came the fact that my father was gravely ill for almost two weeks, and I had to be by his bedside at night, and see him suffer in agony of the pain he was under… I mean I had never seen my father shed a tear before, let alone howl in agony… I am glad it’s mostly over, since he is no longer in pain, and he is well on his way towards recovery.
But one must admit, that is one hell of a comeback home trip. Add to that the constant power outages, my generator going kaput, water also disappearing from time to time, and you have my life in Kinshasa so far, in a nutshell. My mum’s car broke down completely, and it cost a lot of money to repair, and gas prices are simply too high, and did I mention my internet is sometimes so slow I have the time to pull my hair out and glue it back on before my yahoo mail page opens? I won’t even talk about the food poisoning I am still reeling from myself.
I know, I know, I am all gloom and doom, right? Well, not exactly. See, despite all that – and that’s a big THAT – I am stil happy to be home. I am getting to interact with dear family members I have not been able to see for ages. I am learning to know and appreciate and love my 20+ nephews and nieces, many of which I had never met. I am helping my mother get settled in her new job… It ain’t so bad after all.
More details about Congo in general, and activities Kinshasa in particular very soon (with pictures, Internet-willing)
Until then, keep coming back, keep in touch, and keep commenting
