from today's new times, kigali:
one evening, bayingana had his supper while watching the english news on rwandan television; little did he know that he was watching his beautiful sony for the last time. the next day, he was up at 6 am, and to his dismay a window-like hole had been created on his wall. he must have begged g-d to turn it into a dream but everything was real. "so, this is how i've been paid for the hard earned savings that enable me to get all these super machines", he thought. a hand must have been borrowed from an engineer because they had tools and expertise which helped them put his house wall apart. and that's the last time his living room heard of the screen, dvd player, and decoder.
the scenario taught bayingana something so true about a section of our police. my dear friend always heaped praise upon our police force; you would think these guys walk on water and have a direct line to g-d. they got his emergency call and the best help he parted was being told to take pictures of the scene as if every citizen of rwanda is meant to have a camera. this is ample negligence enough to let bin laden smoke at one of teh c.i.a. headquarters' balcony.
one evening, bayingana had his supper while watching the english news on rwandan television; little did he know that he was watching his beautiful sony for the last time. the next day, he was up at 6 am, and to his dismay a window-like hole had been created on his wall. he must have begged g-d to turn it into a dream but everything was real. "so, this is how i've been paid for the hard earned savings that enable me to get all these super machines", he thought. a hand must have been borrowed from an engineer because they had tools and expertise which helped them put his house wall apart. and that's the last time his living room heard of the screen, dvd player, and decoder.
the scenario taught bayingana something so true about a section of our police. my dear friend always heaped praise upon our police force; you would think these guys walk on water and have a direct line to g-d. they got his emergency call and the best help he parted was being told to take pictures of the scene as if every citizen of rwanda is meant to have a camera. this is ample negligence enough to let bin laden smoke at one of teh c.i.a. headquarters' balcony.
say, wah?
i am continuously struck at the formality of rwandans, and by conjecture, sub-saharan africa. there is a manner of speaking which belies the informality of any given situation - people are friendly and physically affectionate, and yet they converse rather oddly in this way. people are most often smiling broadly and warmly, and i assume that perhaps this idiosyncrasy is the result of a long period of colonization. it is evident in both the french speaking people who have 'come back' from congo (belgian) as well as in the english speaking residents who have returned from uganda or kenya (british).
at any rate, it is quite endearing and actually extremely pleasant to listen to - particularly coming from america where slang is de rigeur, and there is little or no emphasis placed on grammar or pronunciation.
my work is pretty much done here for now, so tomorrow i leave for a 36 hour mini-break, where i hope to recharge my batteries. last round of samosas and mutzig beer are enjoyed in my room while packing, and tomorrow brings my last breakfast on the terrace overlooking the garden ... goodbye summer, hello winter -
h
i am continuously struck at the formality of rwandans, and by conjecture, sub-saharan africa. there is a manner of speaking which belies the informality of any given situation - people are friendly and physically affectionate, and yet they converse rather oddly in this way. people are most often smiling broadly and warmly, and i assume that perhaps this idiosyncrasy is the result of a long period of colonization. it is evident in both the french speaking people who have 'come back' from congo (belgian) as well as in the english speaking residents who have returned from uganda or kenya (british).
at any rate, it is quite endearing and actually extremely pleasant to listen to - particularly coming from america where slang is de rigeur, and there is little or no emphasis placed on grammar or pronunciation.
my work is pretty much done here for now, so tomorrow i leave for a 36 hour mini-break, where i hope to recharge my batteries. last round of samosas and mutzig beer are enjoyed in my room while packing, and tomorrow brings my last breakfast on the terrace overlooking the garden ... goodbye summer, hello winter -
h
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