Category Archives: East Africa Poo-ganda. That’s what Bruno and I have been calling it since we left last December. And that’s probably why both of us had a tiny knot vibrating in our stomachs as we prepared to cross back into Uganda. Would our second try in one of East Africa’s most beloved countries prove more successful than our first?  Dian Fossey is one of the most famous names in primate study, and she conducted her research right here in Northern Rwanda. Even though we couldn’t come face to face with her infamous mountain gorillas, Bruno and I decided to follow in Fossey’s footsteps. It was an illuminating journey.  Sometimes, you turn down an unknown road, just by chance, and you end up exactly where you’re meant to be. On this day, the road led us to a serendipitous encounter with a couple of Filipino missionaries, and restored my faith in humanity.  The streets were clean, the stop-lights worked, the road lines were being freshly repainted. It was hard to believe that exactly twenty years ago, one of the most widely-publicized genocides in history was planned and executed from here. We were driving into Kigali, and I had expected anything but this.  French speakers, right-hand driving, staring people, crowded villages, fresh baguettes. Burundi was the most unique country I’ve visited in all of Africa. I’m glad I went, but one week was definitely enough. |
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