My Experience in the DRC Part I

To click the 'create a new post' icon after more than a year is a dread. My last post was exactly one year ago about my trip to Kalima. But I'm just gonna take my buddy Sam's advice and start blogging, hopefully this would make me famous one day. Haha!

So what have I learn after living in the poorest country in the world for more than a year.

1) Don't think about getting out from the airport without a cost, even when you have your visa and all travelling documentations. 

Kindu Airport

2) The time stated in your flight ticket is just a number.

3) Getting your flight ticket does not guarantee you a seat on the plane.

4) Don't expect the air stewardess to smile at you!

5) Everything in the plane's toilet is incomplete or missing.

6) People say you pay a premium price for better service, but not here. Check out my in-flight dining experience.

7) Children are a super independent. I've seen so many 4-5 years old taking care of their baby brothers/sisters. There was once where this baby was crying non stop because she was thirsty, her brother just grab a plastic from the ground which contains a little water and put it in the mouth of the little one.

Beatrice, age 5 washing her own cup without being told

The crying baby and her brother

8) They chew on anything they find like a chewing gum. i.e ear phone plugs, paper clips, plastic bags, rubber, pen cover, etc

9) Mothers and pregnant women here are in the teens, twenties, thirties, forties and fifties. They are everywhere on the street because they don't believe in using a condom. One of the locals told me using a condom is bad. In addition to that, I've never seen one being sold here in Kindu.

10) Most women have a pin buried in their braided hair. They use this to dig and scratch their scalp because they don't wash their hair daily. Itchy ma.

11) They don't have running water here and I don't understand why we have to pay $50 a month for water charges. Water pipe and shower are just for decorative purpose only.

A typical stationery shop

12) Some locals who live far away from the water source (wells, water pumps, etc) have to walk for miles just to get water for washing clothes and cooking. And carrying 30L of water is no joke!

13) People here live in simplicity. No electricity, no running water, no gadgets, no electrical appliances, nothing to keep them entertain except human interaction.

Mama Mayaza cutting some sugar cane for me

14) Nothing is impossible for them because they are really innovative in making use of the resources they have. For instance, the light bulb at the gate of my house is not covered from rain. What my worker did was, get a plastic container and use that as a housing for the light bulb. The mic stand in my church is even more amazing. It is made out of wood, it can hold the mic but sometimes, it will drop out.

Light bulb cover

15) The doctor takes your medicine after your treatment is complete but I think this only applies to us expats. Probably they can sell those leftover medicine.

16) Men and women care about the outward appearance a lot. Those who can afford will go to a salon to get hair extension. For guys clean shaved head for two thousand Congolese Franc (approximately RM6).

17) Most people walk everywhere they go, that's why you see a lot of people walking in town. Their taxi is a motor bike. Taxi fare ranges from five hundred to one thousand Congolese Franc to get around town (approximately 3km - 5km).

With Biay at one of the sundry shop

18) Most of them have bloodshot eyes, not sure whether they're drunk most of the time or its the dusty environment here.

19) Children and people gather in big group outside shops which sells CD and DVDS for a taste of entertainment.

20) Corruption is inevitable.

21) When they tell you they are hungry or thirsty, they really mean it. One of my worker came to me and told me he was thirty. I gave him a 1.5L mineral water, he finished it on the spot in less than 10 seconds.

22) They share their food, eat together and smile more than most of us who have everything

The locals having lunch together

I'll continue to add on to this list because there are many new things I learn about the people here. One year seems like a short time but being here away from family/friends/Shadow and the comfort of life feels like I've been here for three years.