My 1st night in CONGO & full day…

First night in Congo…headed out to OKTOBERFEST…but of course, it is celebrated here like anywhere else in the world with all sorts of people coming together for beer, food and music. Unfortunately, your dear friend here only lasted til a little past midnight…the long journey kicked in and knocked me out.



It was such a nice surprise how there was such an eclectic mix of people in DRC—I mean at Oktoberfest, they were ALL out…UN people…ex-pats…ALL were out n about boozing it up!! What a nice connection we all have…around alcohol…haha…no need to speak the others’ language as long as you can raise a glass and smile…instant friendship! For me, of course, I raised my beer mug FULL of water!


In the picture with Ryan & David (my housemates) and in the middle is Luke, our translator.

The first full day here in Kinshasa included seeing the farmland out by the Congo river…the river of all rivers…the river that eats other rivers. This river is HUGE. Congo is such a beautiful country…so many resources and riches unexplored, undeveloped and untainted…still very raw, organic…real.



Lucky enough to have seen the river via speed boat. That was fun taking out the speed boat for 2 rounds around the river...ran out of "petro" during round two. ended up pulling into one of the fishing villages to get a refill, which ended up being a bit of a problematic situation as the owner of the boat was not pleased with his boat driver doing that. it is considered unsafe and risky to do that especially when it is a boat filled with "foreigners."





One HUGE thing here in the DRC is that there are very clear lines of distinction among classes; especially when you are dealing with governmental and/or military officials...very clear and distinct with no classes defined in the middle. it is very apparent driving and walking around the city--seeing the way people live to survive. it really makes me appreciate and be grateful for how my life is and how i am able to live my life with the many luxuries that I, as I am sure many others, just take for granted, not even realizing that SO MANY in the world deal without and not because they just can't but because they never have.



My life here in the DRC is way above the norm of a Congolese. In America, what is provided for me and the others here with me would be considered as "ballin" and "pimpin." I mean, really, the house has a watchman (aka a sentinel)-all he is required to do is watch the house day and night-a houseman (cleans and does laundry on the daily)-a driver and car to get around town AND also a translator so that we do not get stuck, stranded or ripped off as we are ALL still very very very rusty on our French.


Picture of Luke, our translator (on left) and Alain, our driver with the Hummer we are rolling in.

Let's not forget to mention that we have an additional host, aside from our boss, who is around to help us AND one of our boss' partners around to help us as well. Considering all of that, we are being very WELL taken care of, you might even think we are royalty...haha. It is like Thailand, help is affordable...hard to find and trust but comes at a very low cost. It is amazing how human nature is when it comes to kindness, generosity and loyalty...it is quite universal. My life continues to be blessed as I am a guest in this country-very unknown, unexplored and unfamiliar to me. Can't wait to be acquainted...much excitement and enthusiasm.