One of the many things that these first few weeks in Congo, along with my year in Uganda has taught me, is the importance of a having a routine. For the Congolese people in this area, the value of having a routine cannot be overstated. Rebel groups are notorious for having no other motivation for attacking a village than to wreak havoc on the lives of the civilians within that community. They want to disrupt any sense of safety and stability their victims might have. Their mission is to take away any sense of control one might think they have over their lives. Rebels want their victims to feel powerless—it’s what makes them feel powerful.
A routine can offer a sense of comfort and control, in an otherwise chaotic and unpredictable situation. I’ve spoken to people whose routine consists of a morning commute from the transit camp where they have fled to safety, back to their village (often hours away), where they spend the day cultivating their land. After that, they begin their evening commute back to the transit camp, where they will sleep before starting it all over the next day. For most, those activities would offer no sense of comfort at all. However, the sameness of that activity in and of itself provides them with a sense of control over their circumstances. These are people who have had most of their worldly possessions, as well as their sense of safety and security stolen from them. But that routine is something that truly belongs to them…it’s autonomy disguised as a mundane activity. Some days might render this routine impossible, but that doesn’t negate its importance.
Having a routine has provided me with a sense of comfort in a new and vastly different environment (It’s worth noting that my 'need' for comfort and control is nowhere near as vital as it is for those around me). I’ve found myself in a place where I wake up each morning, not knowing whether or not I’m going to be allowed to go outside (FYI-when the sound of distant gunfire serves as my wake-up call, it’s a pretty safe bet that I’ll be staying inside that day). Thankfully, that isn't the norm and I’ve found myself able to achieve some semblance of a routine. When the stars align and all goes as planned, here’s what my days should look like--
During the week, the first part of my day—7:30am-1:00pm—is spent teaching the children of the employees who work for the organization that hired me. There are 8 of them, and they range in age from 2.5-6 years. These children are lovely, bright and well educated. They are also much more privileged than the children I work with in the refugee camp. Not only do they have their parents, those parents have jobs. They still live in their well-guarded homes, and go to bed each night feeling relatively safe. Thankfully, their daily routine hasn’t experienced the disruption that this war has caused the more vulnerable of the population.
3 days a week and on Saturdays, I spend my afternoons at a refugee camp for children who have been left orphans as a result of the war. My purpose there is to teach them English, which at this stage in the game, looks a lot like just hanging out. If you know me, you know that this is right where my heart is. Working with children who have been exposed to and traumatized by armed conflict is the reason I moved to Africa. So this is kinda a big deal. A dream come true, if you will. Unfortunately, this is also the part of my routine here which will be most sporadic. Due to the conflict, there will be times when the road is too dangerous to pass. So far there has only been one day when we weren’t able to make it out there, which is promising on several fronts.
I have a French tutor, Monsieur Jacques, who comes to the house 3 days a week for 2 hours a day. Poor guy. I suspect a person can only hear «Je ne comprends pas. Parlez plus lentemente, s’il vous plaît» from a student a certain number of times before they give up and say au revoir. I’m confident that he must be fast approaching his limit.
My diet here is exclusively local food, which in English translates to carbs, carbs, and more carbs. This necessitates that I expend a pretty great amount of energy, so I’ve talked a couple of the men who work here at the factory to go running with me in the mornings. So far, this has worked out well. Although they seem to think that 3 miles, each way, is perfectly reasonable...whereas I’m more of a 3 mile round trip kinda gal. I learned very quickly how to ask,“Can we reduce the speed?” in French and can now say it with the best of them—I’m still working on “I think I’m going to pass out”.
Right now, my main focus is learning French as well and as quickly as possible. I’ve also learned a few phrases in Swahili that I’ve found useful when communicating with the Congolese children in the community and at the refugee camp. I’m also in the process of researching and applying to graduate programs in the US and Europe. It’s a very busy, very exciting time and I truly am loving every second of it. Thanks for reading and for all the love and support! I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.
all my love and happiness,
Bliss xxxx
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