Sunday 11 October 2015
Saturday 3rd October 2015
I was up by 6AM. Last night I agreed to meet up at 7AM with Dorothy the CRS country head, for a long hike up Mount Febe. Supposed to be very nice and scenic. I'd rather go for long hikes than to night clubs.
Anyhow the hike was fantastic. It was so incredible to see how crazy about sport Cameroonians are. They were running, stretching, crunching, etc...just about everywhere. The sidewalks, the pavement, in between cars, parking lots, everywhere. It was very unreal.
Yaounde is known for being the city of the 7 hills, as it is indeed surrounded by beautiful lush green jungle hills. A gorgeous sight early in the morning, when the dew is still visible, and the jungle has not fully gotten rid of its foggy blanket.
I was very tired waking up at 6AM on a saturday morning after the exhausting week I had had in Bangui. But it was so worth it.
We walked for a good 3 hours, and then walked back down to the city. We said goodbyes, and I kept on walk around alone. I just wanted to walk walk walk. Not being walk around in Bangui was so frustrating. And the way I love to discover a place is by walking.
And so I kept on walking until early afternoon. Found myself lots of bananas. Walked back to the hotel and laid down by the pool, eating bananas for brunch, while the tropical rain was making its way towards the hotel.
I spent the rest of the afternoon in my room, resting to the sound of the pouring rain, waiting for the time to pack and head to the airport...leaving Africa and back to Paris.
It was a short lived mission. t is really frustrating that I did not even get to really start implementing the project and making a concrete impact. I cant wait for the mission to start again or to find another mission. Soon inchallah...
Anyhow the hike was fantastic. It was so incredible to see how crazy about sport Cameroonians are. They were running, stretching, crunching, etc...just about everywhere. The sidewalks, the pavement, in between cars, parking lots, everywhere. It was very unreal.
Yaounde is known for being the city of the 7 hills, as it is indeed surrounded by beautiful lush green jungle hills. A gorgeous sight early in the morning, when the dew is still visible, and the jungle has not fully gotten rid of its foggy blanket.
I was very tired waking up at 6AM on a saturday morning after the exhausting week I had had in Bangui. But it was so worth it.
We walked for a good 3 hours, and then walked back down to the city. We said goodbyes, and I kept on walk around alone. I just wanted to walk walk walk. Not being walk around in Bangui was so frustrating. And the way I love to discover a place is by walking.
And so I kept on walking until early afternoon. Found myself lots of bananas. Walked back to the hotel and laid down by the pool, eating bananas for brunch, while the tropical rain was making its way towards the hotel.
I spent the rest of the afternoon in my room, resting to the sound of the pouring rain, waiting for the time to pack and head to the airport...leaving Africa and back to Paris.
It was a short lived mission. t is really frustrating that I did not even get to really start implementing the project and making a concrete impact. I cant wait for the mission to start again or to find another mission. Soon inchallah...
Friday 9 October 2015
Friday 2nd October 2015
Today I spent all day at CRS office, sort of debriefing with everyone there about the whole situation in Bangui. All wanted to know how it went.
At night another batch of evacuees arrived. I was hoping to see other Cordaid friends of other familiar faces. But no. I guess they went to another hotel. Sad.
So all of us, CRS CAR and Cameroon staff went out for dinner. I was still so tired, I just wanted to go to sleep.
One thing Cameroonians love more than their fake hair extensions, is their liquor. Gosh you should see how many liquor stores selling champagne and whiskey!
A lot of those who arrived today, mostly African expats, decided to go clubbing and drinking. No thank you!
Off to bed I went.
At night another batch of evacuees arrived. I was hoping to see other Cordaid friends of other familiar faces. But no. I guess they went to another hotel. Sad.
So all of us, CRS CAR and Cameroon staff went out for dinner. I was still so tired, I just wanted to go to sleep.
One thing Cameroonians love more than their fake hair extensions, is their liquor. Gosh you should see how many liquor stores selling champagne and whiskey!
A lot of those who arrived today, mostly African expats, decided to go clubbing and drinking. No thank you!
Off to bed I went.
Thursday 1st October 2015
I finally managed to sleep last night. First decent sleep since Sunday. At last!
I walk back to the room, everyone is already very active. What happened?
Apparently the evacuation flight manifest for today were out last night at 11:30PM, but only got disseminated by email, though everyone knows how bad the internet has been since the hotel is full.
Philippe is really mad, and so are we. UNHAS ignored the updated lists that were sent out and only considered the very first one we had sent out. Comes a bit as a shock given the logistical work put to update the lists each time UNHAS came back to us. From our group, Femke, Arnold and myself are supposed to be extracted today...this morning. Time for a quick bite to eat, pack, and go. The army tanks will be up front momentarily and if we are not there we they call our names, we miss our chance. I would not have minded missing my chance but from an insurance perspective I am not sure how it would have played. So better not fool around and not take the risk.
We are all down and ready when they call out our names. We all line up by groups of 7 with our grab bags.
The tanks dont take to long to arrive. More adrenaline. What a scene!
Now I really regret not having bought a GoPro in Paris before I left. Bummer! I still try and film some with my compact camera. No wide angle though.
And off we go each group behind a few soldiers. We get to the huge tanks, we get instructed to pick up and put on bullet proof jackets and Kevlar helmet. Coooooool! If anything, the mission was worth it for this moment.
How often does one get to take part to a military maneuver with actual lethal risks around?! fun! We all gear up and jump or rather climb in the tank. John is hilarious as any respectful c=Congolese, he is wearing a fancy suit with a tie. Just imagine how unfitting of an outfit for a military evacuation. I suggest he should at least drop the tie. It is like a million degrees inside the tank! But no, he wont have it.
Before the tank ride starts, I discretely tell Arnold who is sitting next to me, that I secretly wish for the rebels to shot bullet or even better a grenade or a rocket at us while we ride. Just for kicks...and for the story to be spicier. Sadly, the tank has no windows and we cant even see what's going on outside. Bummer!
The ride goes well. Not even a pot hole on the rode. Come on guys!!! All these days of tension, and you let this one go by without anything?!
At the airport, no one but us...the evacuees. Strange to see n airport, though as tiny as this one, open only for us. The check in still takes a long time, we still have to go to security, and we still have to wait forever in the boarding room even though the planes are waiting right outside.
When we are finally allowed to walk to the plane, it is quite cool. You know those movies where Mafioso boarding a private jet are safe guarded by private body guards armed with AK47 and Ray Ban sunglasses, wearing running shoes, kaki pants, and a tshirt, sanding on the tarmac scouting away for any suspicious movement? Well it was the same thing.
It was fun. I caught myself scouting away as well, trying to observe what they were observing.
But nothing. We just boarded the plane like any regular commercial plane. The plane itself seemed just like a commercial plane. Aboard, a flight crew dressed like regular airline crew.
Come on!!! what a rip off of n evacuation! I expected to board a big army cargo plane, with the back of the pane opening up and letting us all walk in then sit on the floor, with soldiers and military gear all around. I swear I gotta stop watching so many movies.
And off to Yaounde, Cameroon, we were.
The flight went without a hick up.
Arriving in Yaounde was quite something.
Most European consulate representatives were there, with baskets of sandwiches and beverages for their citizens...all but the French. We did not even get a small bottle of water. Shame shame shame!
It then took about 5.5 hours for all evacuees, less than 60 people, to get our 3 day transit visa, even though there were 5 airport officers there for this and only dedicated to us. A pre-flavor of what to expect in Cameroon. hahaha!
We were all dead tired after such a long day, we all fell asleep in the ride to the new hotel.
Most CRS staff was there to welcome us, even Dorothy the country manager. How kind of them.
A nice shower, a quick bite to eat, and off to bed...at last!
I walk back to the room, everyone is already very active. What happened?
Apparently the evacuation flight manifest for today were out last night at 11:30PM, but only got disseminated by email, though everyone knows how bad the internet has been since the hotel is full.
Philippe is really mad, and so are we. UNHAS ignored the updated lists that were sent out and only considered the very first one we had sent out. Comes a bit as a shock given the logistical work put to update the lists each time UNHAS came back to us. From our group, Femke, Arnold and myself are supposed to be extracted today...this morning. Time for a quick bite to eat, pack, and go. The army tanks will be up front momentarily and if we are not there we they call our names, we miss our chance. I would not have minded missing my chance but from an insurance perspective I am not sure how it would have played. So better not fool around and not take the risk.
We are all down and ready when they call out our names. We all line up by groups of 7 with our grab bags.
The tanks dont take to long to arrive. More adrenaline. What a scene!
Now I really regret not having bought a GoPro in Paris before I left. Bummer! I still try and film some with my compact camera. No wide angle though.
And off we go each group behind a few soldiers. We get to the huge tanks, we get instructed to pick up and put on bullet proof jackets and Kevlar helmet. Coooooool! If anything, the mission was worth it for this moment.
How often does one get to take part to a military maneuver with actual lethal risks around?! fun! We all gear up and jump or rather climb in the tank. John is hilarious as any respectful c=Congolese, he is wearing a fancy suit with a tie. Just imagine how unfitting of an outfit for a military evacuation. I suggest he should at least drop the tie. It is like a million degrees inside the tank! But no, he wont have it.
Before the tank ride starts, I discretely tell Arnold who is sitting next to me, that I secretly wish for the rebels to shot bullet or even better a grenade or a rocket at us while we ride. Just for kicks...and for the story to be spicier. Sadly, the tank has no windows and we cant even see what's going on outside. Bummer!
The ride goes well. Not even a pot hole on the rode. Come on guys!!! All these days of tension, and you let this one go by without anything?!
At the airport, no one but us...the evacuees. Strange to see n airport, though as tiny as this one, open only for us. The check in still takes a long time, we still have to go to security, and we still have to wait forever in the boarding room even though the planes are waiting right outside.
When we are finally allowed to walk to the plane, it is quite cool. You know those movies where Mafioso boarding a private jet are safe guarded by private body guards armed with AK47 and Ray Ban sunglasses, wearing running shoes, kaki pants, and a tshirt, sanding on the tarmac scouting away for any suspicious movement? Well it was the same thing.
It was fun. I caught myself scouting away as well, trying to observe what they were observing.
But nothing. We just boarded the plane like any regular commercial plane. The plane itself seemed just like a commercial plane. Aboard, a flight crew dressed like regular airline crew.
Come on!!! what a rip off of n evacuation! I expected to board a big army cargo plane, with the back of the pane opening up and letting us all walk in then sit on the floor, with soldiers and military gear all around. I swear I gotta stop watching so many movies.
And off to Yaounde, Cameroon, we were.
The flight went without a hick up.
Arriving in Yaounde was quite something.
Most European consulate representatives were there, with baskets of sandwiches and beverages for their citizens...all but the French. We did not even get a small bottle of water. Shame shame shame!
It then took about 5.5 hours for all evacuees, less than 60 people, to get our 3 day transit visa, even though there were 5 airport officers there for this and only dedicated to us. A pre-flavor of what to expect in Cameroon. hahaha!
We were all dead tired after such a long day, we all fell asleep in the ride to the new hotel.
Most CRS staff was there to welcome us, even Dorothy the country manager. How kind of them.
A nice shower, a quick bite to eat, and off to bed...at last!
Wednesday 30th September 2015
All the priority people to be evacuated both of UNHAS flight and on ECHO Flights are packed and waiting in the lobby by 8:30AM. By 9AM all is cancelled, but people are Chief of Missions are still waiting in the lobby just in case the UN and ECHO manage to secure convoys to the airport given that the flight are there and ready. Once again, not a bullet sound outside. What are MINUSCA and Sangaris doing? where are they?
In the meantime, I am having breakfast at the buffet with some friends. Before I go, I grab some fruits and pastries in a napkin to bring to the Chief of Missions since they will not get a chance to have breakfast. Cherry on the cake...the restaurant manager threatens to call security on me if I take any food out of the restaurant. I explain to him the reason, he stands his ground. He does not seem to understand that the security (financial as well as military) of the hotel is us. I tell him to go and try to call his security, and I walk away.
I swear I am not sure whether I am angrier at the rebels and locals for pillaging our offices, or at the hotel management for being so inhumane and pillaging us further.
The President is rumored to be arriving later in the afternoon.
The Chief of Mission committee meets again. We hear that yesterday, when we met up in a back room that had chairs and light during one hour for our evening meeting, the hotel actually charged us 300 euros for using the space. Everyone was in shock, but I really dont understand why none of these NGO directors did not do anything at all. The hotel should be happy that it is full for the first time of the year and try to show some compassion and humanity towards us.Every day I catch myself thinking that when we leave this place we should make sure that all the rebels and locals know that because we have all paid cash in advance for days, the hotel safe is filled with loads of cash, and watch what happens. hehe!
Karma is a bitch as I often heard while in Asia. So no worries...what goes around comes around.
The rest of the day went without the sound of a gun shot. As if everything had return to normal.
Oh, I almost forgot, during the early afternoon, we got word that there was a window of opportunity to make an "escape". We had been waiting, Philippe, Leann and myself, for a window so we could make a run to the CAM for Philippe and I to pick up our remaining stuff, and for Leann and some of her staff to pick up their stuff at their residence, right across from the CAM.
The window got confirmed. 5 of us jumped in a jeep. No escort whatsoever. No protection either.
We sped as fast as possible on the road. All eyes of people on the side walk turned towards us. Not a single vehicle but us on the road. Tension was most definitely high. More adrenaline in me.
We got to the CAM. Philippe and I jumped out. They kept on going. We had time to collect our things. For me to pack my bags. We caught a bit with the head nun, and gave her a big smile for good bye. The car was back. We jumped back in as fast as possible while locals around were staring at us. More adrenaline. I loved it!
And we sped back to the hotel. Fast!
Voila! Mission accomplished. Not a gun shot nor a grenade. Silly to say, but I was a bit disappointed.
I had some new clean clothes and my swim suit. So I went for a dip and a short swim in the afternoon.
The rest of the day and evening went by.
More bonding and socializing with our group. A very nice and fun bunch.
Tonight I am super tired though. Everyone wanted to stay up and hang out. It is 10PM, I am beat!
Laila Saida...
In the meantime, I am having breakfast at the buffet with some friends. Before I go, I grab some fruits and pastries in a napkin to bring to the Chief of Missions since they will not get a chance to have breakfast. Cherry on the cake...the restaurant manager threatens to call security on me if I take any food out of the restaurant. I explain to him the reason, he stands his ground. He does not seem to understand that the security (financial as well as military) of the hotel is us. I tell him to go and try to call his security, and I walk away.
I swear I am not sure whether I am angrier at the rebels and locals for pillaging our offices, or at the hotel management for being so inhumane and pillaging us further.
The President is rumored to be arriving later in the afternoon.
The Chief of Mission committee meets again. We hear that yesterday, when we met up in a back room that had chairs and light during one hour for our evening meeting, the hotel actually charged us 300 euros for using the space. Everyone was in shock, but I really dont understand why none of these NGO directors did not do anything at all. The hotel should be happy that it is full for the first time of the year and try to show some compassion and humanity towards us.Every day I catch myself thinking that when we leave this place we should make sure that all the rebels and locals know that because we have all paid cash in advance for days, the hotel safe is filled with loads of cash, and watch what happens. hehe!
Karma is a bitch as I often heard while in Asia. So no worries...what goes around comes around.
The rest of the day went without the sound of a gun shot. As if everything had return to normal.
Oh, I almost forgot, during the early afternoon, we got word that there was a window of opportunity to make an "escape". We had been waiting, Philippe, Leann and myself, for a window so we could make a run to the CAM for Philippe and I to pick up our remaining stuff, and for Leann and some of her staff to pick up their stuff at their residence, right across from the CAM.
The window got confirmed. 5 of us jumped in a jeep. No escort whatsoever. No protection either.
We sped as fast as possible on the road. All eyes of people on the side walk turned towards us. Not a single vehicle but us on the road. Tension was most definitely high. More adrenaline in me.
We got to the CAM. Philippe and I jumped out. They kept on going. We had time to collect our things. For me to pack my bags. We caught a bit with the head nun, and gave her a big smile for good bye. The car was back. We jumped back in as fast as possible while locals around were staring at us. More adrenaline. I loved it!
And we sped back to the hotel. Fast!
Voila! Mission accomplished. Not a gun shot nor a grenade. Silly to say, but I was a bit disappointed.
I had some new clean clothes and my swim suit. So I went for a dip and a short swim in the afternoon.
The rest of the day and evening went by.
More bonding and socializing with our group. A very nice and fun bunch.
Tonight I am super tired though. Everyone wanted to stay up and hang out. It is 10PM, I am beat!
Laila Saida...
Tuesday 29th September 2015
...the sun rose, and MINUSCA failed on their promises. No patrol at all went to the CAM to extract Philippe and the nuns. yet another disappointment from the UN.
The hotel by mid morning was full. The lobby was filled up with evacuees newly arrived and lining up to try and book rooms at the front desk. Cash in advance is still the only way to go. Ridiculously abusive!
Our intel confirms that many more NGOs got pillaged during the night. MINUSCA and Sangaris where were you all night???
Late morning, a window of opportunity opened up, the conflict cleared the access to the hotel. CRS staff teamed up with Philippe, and they made a 5 car convoy, no escort whatsoever, yet made it safe to the hotel. Yay! I was actually really happy to see him, and also see the CRS team arrive. Well, I was super proud and impressed that they took such risk. Goes to show Philippe's and Leann's experience with such situations.
Rumors say that the rebels are taking teh day off to rest from all the pillages and refill ammunition. Thus, an intense night to come.More action to come. More adrenaline for me!
The difefrent NGOs present in the hotel decide to put together periodical Chief of Mission's meetings. Since I am the only one from SCCF, I get to attend. What an interesting process. Yet at the same time, very surprisingly disorganised. As if it were the very first time for everyone, when most people around the table had already gone through at least 2 similar yet much worse situations in the past, and in Bangui. Oh well...
Our task is to put together a list ranking each NGO staff by order of evacuation priority. I was under CRS responsibility, so up to them. Personally, the longer I stay, the more action I get to see, the more adrenaline, and the more exciting an experience. So I let Leann do whatever she wants. Might as well put me at the bottom of the list.
First batch of evacuations planned for tomorrow morning.
The rest of the day goes as usual...intel hunt, speculation, a bit of socializing and networking, and a lot of laughing thanks to our dear Arnold.
Up until last night, dinner options were many. Just like in any restaurant, there was a menu with different prices and options, based on clients appetite and budget. So why would anything change, right?!
Well...now that the hotel is full or evacuees with no other option that to stay here, the hotel management, all of a sudden has decided to remove the entire menu, and impose the most expensive option: the 30 euros buffet. 30 euros for a meal when the minimum monthly salary is around 40 euros. And the manager is a foreigner! When the waiter brought the bill to us, even though we assumed it was all like last night and we had all taken just a simple salad from the salad bar, I lost my equanimity, or at least had some trouble maintaining it. Scandalous! And so we told the waiter we would simply not pay, and if the management had a problem with it, to come and confront us. Our loud scandal made a few other people complain as well. Good!
After dinner, some of us, not me, wanted to get a drink, and so we hung out on the terrace overlooking the pool, and facing far away, the main avenue. All of a sudden, we see firework-like lights coming from the street and shooting up in the sky and coming towards the hotel/us. I see Philippe jumping super fast and ducking behind the wall. Everyone, by reflex does the same thing. The lights fly above our heads and above the hotel. We see like big fire red bullet. WOW! more adrenaline. The rebels were shooting long range tracers with bullets at us. Probably just to intimidate us because it was just a one time thing. We all thought there were anti aircraft mist, and started fearing for the helicopters who kept doing their rounds all night long.
wow! so long for a relax evening outside. Our group went inside and stayed inside, while several unconscious people went back out to hang out.
Later on as we are about to go to sleep, or at east try, I get a call from Sister Flora, whispering on the phone that the office guards have been tied up while the office is being pillaged by armed rebels. I felt so helpless and frustrated at the same time knowing that there was nothing at all I could do given our failures the nights before. And so all I could tell her was to pray for the guards to not be harmed.
For rebels and locals to pillage private profit making corporations, I can perhaps understand given how opportunistic and abusive private sector companies can often be in the developing world. But NGOs?! Yes, perhaps some NGOs are not all that clean, but that for the most part we are all there to help local communities improve their livelihoods, not at all to take advantage of them, but rather to ensure that the grants we win get the most sustainable and positive impact as possible.
Another sleepless night in Bangui...my body is still filled with adrenaline. I am not quite sure if my reaction is normal given the situation. Perhaps I am a bit crazy, yet at the same time, I know there is absolutely nothing I can do.
Bonne nuit.
The hotel by mid morning was full. The lobby was filled up with evacuees newly arrived and lining up to try and book rooms at the front desk. Cash in advance is still the only way to go. Ridiculously abusive!
Our intel confirms that many more NGOs got pillaged during the night. MINUSCA and Sangaris where were you all night???
Late morning, a window of opportunity opened up, the conflict cleared the access to the hotel. CRS staff teamed up with Philippe, and they made a 5 car convoy, no escort whatsoever, yet made it safe to the hotel. Yay! I was actually really happy to see him, and also see the CRS team arrive. Well, I was super proud and impressed that they took such risk. Goes to show Philippe's and Leann's experience with such situations.
Rumors say that the rebels are taking teh day off to rest from all the pillages and refill ammunition. Thus, an intense night to come.More action to come. More adrenaline for me!
The difefrent NGOs present in the hotel decide to put together periodical Chief of Mission's meetings. Since I am the only one from SCCF, I get to attend. What an interesting process. Yet at the same time, very surprisingly disorganised. As if it were the very first time for everyone, when most people around the table had already gone through at least 2 similar yet much worse situations in the past, and in Bangui. Oh well...
Our task is to put together a list ranking each NGO staff by order of evacuation priority. I was under CRS responsibility, so up to them. Personally, the longer I stay, the more action I get to see, the more adrenaline, and the more exciting an experience. So I let Leann do whatever she wants. Might as well put me at the bottom of the list.
First batch of evacuations planned for tomorrow morning.
The rest of the day goes as usual...intel hunt, speculation, a bit of socializing and networking, and a lot of laughing thanks to our dear Arnold.
Up until last night, dinner options were many. Just like in any restaurant, there was a menu with different prices and options, based on clients appetite and budget. So why would anything change, right?!
Well...now that the hotel is full or evacuees with no other option that to stay here, the hotel management, all of a sudden has decided to remove the entire menu, and impose the most expensive option: the 30 euros buffet. 30 euros for a meal when the minimum monthly salary is around 40 euros. And the manager is a foreigner! When the waiter brought the bill to us, even though we assumed it was all like last night and we had all taken just a simple salad from the salad bar, I lost my equanimity, or at least had some trouble maintaining it. Scandalous! And so we told the waiter we would simply not pay, and if the management had a problem with it, to come and confront us. Our loud scandal made a few other people complain as well. Good!
After dinner, some of us, not me, wanted to get a drink, and so we hung out on the terrace overlooking the pool, and facing far away, the main avenue. All of a sudden, we see firework-like lights coming from the street and shooting up in the sky and coming towards the hotel/us. I see Philippe jumping super fast and ducking behind the wall. Everyone, by reflex does the same thing. The lights fly above our heads and above the hotel. We see like big fire red bullet. WOW! more adrenaline. The rebels were shooting long range tracers with bullets at us. Probably just to intimidate us because it was just a one time thing. We all thought there were anti aircraft mist, and started fearing for the helicopters who kept doing their rounds all night long.
wow! so long for a relax evening outside. Our group went inside and stayed inside, while several unconscious people went back out to hang out.
Later on as we are about to go to sleep, or at east try, I get a call from Sister Flora, whispering on the phone that the office guards have been tied up while the office is being pillaged by armed rebels. I felt so helpless and frustrated at the same time knowing that there was nothing at all I could do given our failures the nights before. And so all I could tell her was to pray for the guards to not be harmed.
For rebels and locals to pillage private profit making corporations, I can perhaps understand given how opportunistic and abusive private sector companies can often be in the developing world. But NGOs?! Yes, perhaps some NGOs are not all that clean, but that for the most part we are all there to help local communities improve their livelihoods, not at all to take advantage of them, but rather to ensure that the grants we win get the most sustainable and positive impact as possible.
Another sleepless night in Bangui...my body is still filled with adrenaline. I am not quite sure if my reaction is normal given the situation. Perhaps I am a bit crazy, yet at the same time, I know there is absolutely nothing I can do.
Bonne nuit.
Monday 28th September 2015
Today was yet another interesting day.
We finally managed to get the UN forces and Embassy forces to pay attention to us. Isabelle in Paris did a fantastic job backing me up to get my case on the priority lists for international internal evacuation.
At the same time, the Cordaid team here managed to get a UN Burundi blue helmets pick up to come get us at the CAM and take us to the Ledger Hotel.
And so we all packed our things to get ready, and waited.
At the same time I got confirmation that the French army would send me a pick up to evacuate during the day.
When the UN pick up came, Philippe suggested to jump on the opportunity and not wait for the other pick up. And so I listened to him.
Philippe, as brave as he is, decided to not go just yet as the nuns of the CAM were not feeling so good and safe. And since thus far not a single authority has even inquired about them, having Philippe in the center with them helped make them feel better.
Arnold and I loaded our own pick car in which we were to follow the UN pick up, as a 2 vehicle convoy.
Before starting the car, Arnold made quite a moving prayer for us. And for once, I said Amen.
The streets were empty of vehicles. Only pedestrians, and big UN white armored vehicles. I so wished I had a go-pro camera with me to film the whole thing. Thankfully, the Ledger hotel was only a few minutes drive away.
In all honesty, I was not worried at all. On the opposite, I found the moment so exciting. And so after our first night under the bullets, I got yet another adrenaline boost.
When we got to the hotel, we made sure to shake the hand of every soldier that was on our convoy.
Ok, now, the hotel Ledger, please, after reading this post, and every single time you have the opportunity, tear down the reputation of this chain of hotel.
This hotel's business is 100% foreign expats. It is clear that the whole city is now in a situation of a coup d'etat attempt. In other words, humanitarian crisis. Yet, the hotel will only accept clients if they pay their room cash in advance, and announces that it is forbidden to sleep on the floor or in the sofas. (all NGO offices, including their safes, have been pillaged, so obviously money liquidity is a very big issue at the moment, especially since the only ATM machine in the hotel is out of order).
So checking in took us 5 hours.
The rest of the day went quite well. Meeting lots of new people, and being at the center of the NGO and IGO population, all in the same boat, and all speculating about intel and events to come.
Personally, I found the situation fascinating.
Myself and another Cordaid guy, Fred, befriended two employees from the UN, MINUSCA forces.
After diner, we went for a drink at the bar to further discuss. Philippe called me telling me that their office was being pillaged a second time and that they were about to take the two safes from the office. (loaded with cash inside).
And so with my friends Danielle and Sophie from MINUSCA, we did all we could, to send over a patrol, and at the same time, arrange for evacuation of Philippe and the nuns. We got confirmation that all this would happen.
The night went on. I went up to try and get some sleep. Unfortunately; my roommate Arnold, snores way to much and to loudly, to the point that it was louder than the explosions outside. So I took blanket and pillow to go sleep in the hallway. Strangely, being able to hear the explosions and bullets calmed me down, as I was able to follow the evolution of the conflict.
The night was VERY tensed. Though inside the hotel all was very quite. People were probably all sleeping peacefully because the noise of the AC in their room covered the noises from outside. But I personally clearly heared a few attempts of rebels trying to take over the hotel and being pushed back by armed forces.
Every hour I was checking on Philippe. He had told me that they feared rebels would come down from the hill jungle and use the CAM as a hide out. So they turned off all the lights and hid in their rooms...and made sure the phones would not ring.
For several hours I did not get any answer from him...
We finally managed to get the UN forces and Embassy forces to pay attention to us. Isabelle in Paris did a fantastic job backing me up to get my case on the priority lists for international internal evacuation.
At the same time, the Cordaid team here managed to get a UN Burundi blue helmets pick up to come get us at the CAM and take us to the Ledger Hotel.
And so we all packed our things to get ready, and waited.
At the same time I got confirmation that the French army would send me a pick up to evacuate during the day.
When the UN pick up came, Philippe suggested to jump on the opportunity and not wait for the other pick up. And so I listened to him.
Philippe, as brave as he is, decided to not go just yet as the nuns of the CAM were not feeling so good and safe. And since thus far not a single authority has even inquired about them, having Philippe in the center with them helped make them feel better.
Arnold and I loaded our own pick car in which we were to follow the UN pick up, as a 2 vehicle convoy.
Before starting the car, Arnold made quite a moving prayer for us. And for once, I said Amen.
The streets were empty of vehicles. Only pedestrians, and big UN white armored vehicles. I so wished I had a go-pro camera with me to film the whole thing. Thankfully, the Ledger hotel was only a few minutes drive away.
In all honesty, I was not worried at all. On the opposite, I found the moment so exciting. And so after our first night under the bullets, I got yet another adrenaline boost.
When we got to the hotel, we made sure to shake the hand of every soldier that was on our convoy.
Ok, now, the hotel Ledger, please, after reading this post, and every single time you have the opportunity, tear down the reputation of this chain of hotel.
This hotel's business is 100% foreign expats. It is clear that the whole city is now in a situation of a coup d'etat attempt. In other words, humanitarian crisis. Yet, the hotel will only accept clients if they pay their room cash in advance, and announces that it is forbidden to sleep on the floor or in the sofas. (all NGO offices, including their safes, have been pillaged, so obviously money liquidity is a very big issue at the moment, especially since the only ATM machine in the hotel is out of order).
So checking in took us 5 hours.
The rest of the day went quite well. Meeting lots of new people, and being at the center of the NGO and IGO population, all in the same boat, and all speculating about intel and events to come.
Personally, I found the situation fascinating.
Myself and another Cordaid guy, Fred, befriended two employees from the UN, MINUSCA forces.
After diner, we went for a drink at the bar to further discuss. Philippe called me telling me that their office was being pillaged a second time and that they were about to take the two safes from the office. (loaded with cash inside).
And so with my friends Danielle and Sophie from MINUSCA, we did all we could, to send over a patrol, and at the same time, arrange for evacuation of Philippe and the nuns. We got confirmation that all this would happen.
The night went on. I went up to try and get some sleep. Unfortunately; my roommate Arnold, snores way to much and to loudly, to the point that it was louder than the explosions outside. So I took blanket and pillow to go sleep in the hallway. Strangely, being able to hear the explosions and bullets calmed me down, as I was able to follow the evolution of the conflict.
The night was VERY tensed. Though inside the hotel all was very quite. People were probably all sleeping peacefully because the noise of the AC in their room covered the noises from outside. But I personally clearly heared a few attempts of rebels trying to take over the hotel and being pushed back by armed forces.
Every hour I was checking on Philippe. He had told me that they feared rebels would come down from the hill jungle and use the CAM as a hide out. So they turned off all the lights and hid in their rooms...and made sure the phones would not ring.
For several hours I did not get any answer from him...
Monday 28 September 2015
What a night of welcoming fireworks!!!
It all started right after midnight, just like rumors had announced it.
We could very clearly hear the sound of exploding grenades, and riffles shooting, getting closer and closer as the trouble makers were making their way towards the city center, making sure to stop by most of the international NGOs on the way to pillage them.
It is only towards 1AM or so that I started stopping to try to sleep as by then, the shootings and grenades were exploding across the street, and right in front of the Cathedral. We could hear the shouts of the rebels. I even managed to peak through the windows blinds, making sure my lights were off of course, to see what was going on. I just wanted to make sure that the group was not making its way to our rooms to attack us. But man, did I manage to stay equanimous, and clear minded. My first reflex was to prepare a go-bag, just in case. In some ways it reminded me so much of my very first night when trekking the Anapurna last year. Hell of a storm!
Later we learnt that the rebels were none of the anti balaka nor ex seleka, as per it had been so far. This weekend saw the rise of a new group of rebellious local youth angry at all foreign presence in the country, especially UN forces and French citizens, and also asking for the transition president to be removed from duty. It so happens that the president is actually at a UN summit in the US at the moment. And it has all turned out into an unorganized conflict, therefore unpredictable either. Which is the part that is most worrying.
Seconds felt like days.
Helicopters were making their rounds very near us, making me suspect that the group of people they were looking for was the one hiding right in front of our windows. For a split second it made me start strategizing on ways to communicate their positions to the aircrafts.
By 4AM, Philippe calls me up, alarmed telling me that Cordaid's offices are being attacked and asking if I have any phone number that could provide them back up. Shit has hit the fan! If he is worried, given his 20+ years of experience in such situations all over Africa, then it is time for me to worry a bit as well I guess. I gave him the numbers I have.
Because he is asking for help to rescue locals, all the international forces turned us down, especially the UN! No wonder why the locals are building up hatred feelings towards us. They work for us, and protect our assets, and when shot hits the fan, all we care about are ourselves. Shame on us!
And so, basically, we stayed up all night, pacing outside our patio doors, trying to find solutions, and speculating about what was happening. It is ridiculous that in such context, there is no real security procedure in place. Even the emergency numbers of the French embassy did not work.
Turned out that this specific group of rebels spent so much time trying to break into Cordaid's offices that it slowed them down on further pillaging other NGOs. The two night guards managed to climb the walls and barbed wire to hide at the neighbors till dawn.
In any case, Philippe, the director of Cordaid is quite a cowboy! Ok he is "metisse", but first thing he did this morning was to walk the kilometer or so to his office to check on the damages and on the guards. Pffff!!! He was even ready to jump in his car to go rescue the two local guards last night! I say BRAVO to that!
As I am typing this, explosions and shots just started again...not far from here. Not a good sign.
I am still not registered at the French embassy, so not sure how things would go if we had to evacuate. In any case, since the airport is on lock down, it seems that the only way out would be to cross the river over to the DRC. From one conflict zone to another one.
Ok, I shall write more later. Maman, ne t'inquiete pas trop, si j'ai le temps d'ecrire tout ca c'est que la situation est quand secure. ;o)
We could very clearly hear the sound of exploding grenades, and riffles shooting, getting closer and closer as the trouble makers were making their way towards the city center, making sure to stop by most of the international NGOs on the way to pillage them.
It is only towards 1AM or so that I started stopping to try to sleep as by then, the shootings and grenades were exploding across the street, and right in front of the Cathedral. We could hear the shouts of the rebels. I even managed to peak through the windows blinds, making sure my lights were off of course, to see what was going on. I just wanted to make sure that the group was not making its way to our rooms to attack us. But man, did I manage to stay equanimous, and clear minded. My first reflex was to prepare a go-bag, just in case. In some ways it reminded me so much of my very first night when trekking the Anapurna last year. Hell of a storm!
Later we learnt that the rebels were none of the anti balaka nor ex seleka, as per it had been so far. This weekend saw the rise of a new group of rebellious local youth angry at all foreign presence in the country, especially UN forces and French citizens, and also asking for the transition president to be removed from duty. It so happens that the president is actually at a UN summit in the US at the moment. And it has all turned out into an unorganized conflict, therefore unpredictable either. Which is the part that is most worrying.
Seconds felt like days.
Helicopters were making their rounds very near us, making me suspect that the group of people they were looking for was the one hiding right in front of our windows. For a split second it made me start strategizing on ways to communicate their positions to the aircrafts.
By 4AM, Philippe calls me up, alarmed telling me that Cordaid's offices are being attacked and asking if I have any phone number that could provide them back up. Shit has hit the fan! If he is worried, given his 20+ years of experience in such situations all over Africa, then it is time for me to worry a bit as well I guess. I gave him the numbers I have.
Because he is asking for help to rescue locals, all the international forces turned us down, especially the UN! No wonder why the locals are building up hatred feelings towards us. They work for us, and protect our assets, and when shot hits the fan, all we care about are ourselves. Shame on us!
And so, basically, we stayed up all night, pacing outside our patio doors, trying to find solutions, and speculating about what was happening. It is ridiculous that in such context, there is no real security procedure in place. Even the emergency numbers of the French embassy did not work.
Turned out that this specific group of rebels spent so much time trying to break into Cordaid's offices that it slowed them down on further pillaging other NGOs. The two night guards managed to climb the walls and barbed wire to hide at the neighbors till dawn.
In any case, Philippe, the director of Cordaid is quite a cowboy! Ok he is "metisse", but first thing he did this morning was to walk the kilometer or so to his office to check on the damages and on the guards. Pffff!!! He was even ready to jump in his car to go rescue the two local guards last night! I say BRAVO to that!
As I am typing this, explosions and shots just started again...not far from here. Not a good sign.
I am still not registered at the French embassy, so not sure how things would go if we had to evacuate. In any case, since the airport is on lock down, it seems that the only way out would be to cross the river over to the DRC. From one conflict zone to another one.
Ok, I shall write more later. Maman, ne t'inquiete pas trop, si j'ai le temps d'ecrire tout ca c'est que la situation est quand secure. ;o)
Sunday 27th September 2015
Breakfast to the sounds of bullets in the jungle...slightly alarming.
Second day of confinement. So not much has happened.
The general intel is forecasting violence through the night. Interesting as it is also supposed to be the night of a supermoon eclipse, also called blood moon. Let's see what happens...
Saturday 26 September 2015
Saturday 26th September 2015
Here is an
article of what today’s general focus was on.
Today is
Saturday, so instead of meditating at 6:30am, I allowed myself an extra half
hour of sleep. Yay! (keep in mind that every single day of the week, the first
mass being celebrated in the cathedral literally behind our rooms is at 5AM and
celebrations and VERY loud singing last until about 7AM.)
My
meditation was yet again quite plain and flat. Yet, about half an hour into it,
and as the cathedral singing extend later than usual; I started hearing series
of gun shots for a good 20 minutes. As it was mixed with the cathedral singing,
I was not sure whether it was some sound effect part of the singing rehearsal,
so I did not pay much attention to it.
When I
emerge from my meditation, my shower, and my laundry, everyone is gone to the
office. No way I am going to the office today nor to work, as anyway, I need
some reports from the staff and to review those reports with them in order to
elaborate a plan of action for our upcoming site missions.
So I chill
outside until Leann, the country head of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) comes
to pick me up for my first security brief in the country. Our first step is to
go to the super market. She had to do some groceries, so I offered to tag along
in order to check out the local supermarket, and most importantly to check out
the food cost of living. ATROCIOUSLY EXPENSIVE!!!!!
One sure
thing is that while I am here, I will not be eating any junk food, or any
elaborate dishes, nor any super-duper healthy diets. Bummer! The weeks I spent
in Rabat got me used to such delicious and healthy eating habits! Moncef and
Caro, I told you that you were totally spoiling me!
And so
while I am wandering the aisles with Leann, the Archbishop himself (who apparently is a
major “political” figure not only here but internationally, calls me on my cell,
and asks me why am I not in his office as we speak. Sister Flora is there and I
a, supposed to be there as well. HA! Inside I am sooooooooooo mad at Sister
Flora. I had told her yesterday morning before she left the office like a thief, that I
was to have this security brief this morning, all morning. And so that’s what I
repeat to the Archbishop. He sounded a bit disappointed and slightly upset, but
I stood my grounds. So we are supposed to meet on Monday morning. Yet still no
news from Sister Flora. Seriously, what is this doing? She is being paid close
to 1000 euros monthly when the average monthly salary in the country is about
40…and what for?! I must say, thus far,
this is not reconciling me with the institution of the church at all. I am so
curious to see if and when the Archbishop will ask me what faith I am. Lol
The
security brief went quite well. The US arm of Caritas has so much money. The
gap between our French arm of Caritas and their US arm feels like the gap
between a homeless and a President.
Curfew set
at 9PM every single day. Green zone defined. And rule for today: forbidden for
me to go out.
Right after
lunch, and after chatting with everyone about all the speculations of what was
happening in the city, as I laid down to take a power nap (am still not used to
such humid heat), Christophe, the big brother of Cyrille, whom I had met in
Marrakech, and who is from Bangui, called me up as he was right in front of the
cathedral. And so I spent a couple of hours with him. Turns out his uncle who
used to be the prime minister a few years back is now running for the
presidential elections. His sisters who just gave birth works for the prime
minister. But strangely, as opposed to how rich, comfortable, and slightly
superior looking, such kind of person would probably appear in other African
countries, Christophe was very modest looking and humble…He taught me a lot
about the country geopolitical situation as well as economic and environmental
strengths of the country. It was a very interesting couple of hours. I really
hope I get to meet his sister at some point as she apparently is highly
involved with micro credits.
I spent the
rest of the day catching up on emails. Long over due!
When
Philippe came back, we had a very long and super interesting chat about the
geopolitical situation in the country, its origins, as well as his previous
work in Chad, DRC, and Rwanda. Wow!
It was just
us chatting on the front porch of our rooms, facing the jungle up the hill
across from us…when all of a sudden we started hearing scattered gun shots here
and there in the jungle. The sun was almost asleep, the moon already smiling
all her teeth, and the sky as quite as can be aside from the shots echoing
away. We stayed quiet for a bit…wondering how close they would get, and if the
anti balaka rebels would try and make their way to the city center, and by what
time tonight, now that the outdoor light was more favorable from them to come
out.
It is
almost 9pm and helicopters are still making their rounds.
I am
tired…off to bed I go.
Laila
Saida. I miss you all. May you all be happy, in peace and harmony. And may the
people of Central African Republic sleep in peace tonight.
Salam, and
a very belated Eid Mubarak to all my Muslim friends and to all the GOOD Muslims
out there. And may this Eid be a way for
the bad seeds to start turning into good ones.
Friday 25th September 2015
Today was
actually somewhat productive.
- - I let go half the team who was being paid yet not doing anything. Literally, not doing anything. (When you ask an employee who has been working on a project for 4 months already, what will you be working on today, and his answer is “I don’t know.” It says it all.
- - Communicated that starting Monday I will personally start finally implementing financial sanctions if expenses procedures are not followed and completed.
- - Managed to get a VERY old laptop sort of fixed.
- - Managed to get a tension regulator and modulator fixed and put to some use.
- - Manage to enforce that all machines MUST be plugged into regulators and no more directly into wall plugs.
- - Got a fan fixed.
- - Got them to understand that a Canon ink cartridge is not supposed to be used for a HP printer, and that when a printer does not turn on; it is not by shaking the ink cartridge that you will turn it on, but by plugging it into the right power plug.
- - And a few other things.
I got quite
upset when the driver pressed me to drive me home before 4pm, and all the
employees affirming that their work hours always end at 4pm, which makes for a
7 hour work day. I have been told that the labour laws impose a 8 hour work
day. The staff insist on justifying this by the fact that they all live far and
that past 6pm, it is very hard for them to find transportation. You must know
that all of the public buses but 1 or 2 I think got stolen during the high of
the conflict. Most of the cab drivers before were Muslims, and thus fled the
city during the conflict thus leaving the city with only few cabs.
In any
case, what frustrated me was more the fact that I didn’t know if the staff was
playing me because I am new or if they were being honest and sincere. Honesty
seems to be something foreign in this country. At least so I was told. And
well, Sister Flora left the office like a thief early afternoon without even
saying good bye. I would so love to know how this project was being run when I
was not here.
Every single
day I try to reinforce to the staff that we (this project and all the other
NGOs and IGOs in town) are not here to simply give out money and goods, but
rather to use these resources to help of course, but in a fair way and to
Impact as many people as possible. They just don’t seem to care.
For dinner,
Philippe (the country head of Cordaid) went for a bite at Ali Baba (please
don’t yell at me nor laugh for going to a pseudo Lebanese restaurant to eat a
beef shawarma that was prepared like Mexican beef fajitas, I really wish I had
the choice. ). Just like most other developing country capital city, it seems
that the Lebanese have taken over. They are the business kings…though honestly,
staying here just because you run a thriving business…I would personally not do
it.
And so
during dinner, to celebrate my very first Friday in this country, I ordered a
beer. They called it an imported foreign beer…brewed in Cameroun. With the heat
and all, it made me a bit dizzy and chatty quite fast. Lol
Bonne nuit!
Thursday 24 September 2015
Thursday 24th September 2015
Breakfast (Not
sure I would actually call this a breakfast. Gosh I miss the yummy juices
Moncef used to make in Rabat!) is served at 7am, so not easy to manage to
meditate a whole hour every morning. But I try to at least do 40 minutes.
Today is the
Muslim holiday of Tabaski, or Eid Kebir as we call it in Morroco. It was
actually declared a national holiday only yesterday. Quite a positive move from
the government in order to show religious inclusion given of the international
press is stupidly and incorrectly labeling the conflict a religious one.
So I was
told yesterday that some of the staff would not show up and the other half
would stay until midday only. OK, fair enough.
When I
arrived at the office, I saw everyone waiting outside, like in recess. It made
me laugh when they told me that they were waiting for everyone to arrive to
start the generator. REALLY???!!! They
all need a computer to work? I know that for the work needed right now, half the
staff is not needed.
And so now
that we were all there, they start the generator. I start working on my laptop,
but out of curiosity, I get up and walk around the offices to see what people
are doing. NOT ONE is actually using their computer. I feel like breaking something
and pulling my hair off because of how ridiculous the situation is. Right away
I tell them to shut the generator off.
The driver
comes by around 10 am asking if I need him to take me anywhere. He wants to
leave for the day. After all it is a holiday. SO OK, anticipating how the rest
of the day will go if I stay in the office, I tell him to take me to the
offices of Caritas Holland. They have way more money and way better offices…with
all day electricity, wifi, and even AC! Yay!
And so I
spent the entire day there, being quite productive actually. I intend to show the
staff tomorrow all the discrepancies within all the reports they had sent to
Paris, so that we can finally have an accurate database from which to work, and
be finally able to actually start the project.
Today I let
two other Dutch expats. Really cool young people with incredible humanitarian
experience. It was so good to be able to unload my bag of frustration with
them, and hear that they had similar cases within their team.
Another
good dinner and now off to bed. Tomorrow is Friday and promises to be yet
another “interesting” day.
Am curious
to see what the weekend holds for me…
Buenas
noches!
Wednesday 23rd September 2015
First day
in the office. What a day!
The ride to
the office was so beautiful. What a change from last night. The sun was out and
bright. People were out and about. Colors all over the place. Lush green trees
all around. If it were not for all the numerous NGO cars running around the
city like a ballet of white Ford pickup trucks with different NGO and IGO
labels on them, the city would feel just like any other city in terms of
security.
“Funny”
observation, but the office is located a few meters away from a little shop
making and selling wooden coffins. Not sure what to make of this as an omen for
my stay here or for the success of the project.
The whole
morning was spent meeting with the team. Not much to say about the office,
other than the fact that it looks like a rundown old mention occupied by bums
squatting around. Not because the staffs look like bums, but rather because of
how clueless they seem to be about the project they are working on. And that
includes even the director herself.
After my
time in Senegal, Mali and Morocco, I thought I had prepared myself for this,
but like I mentioned yesterday, I think this is thus far beyond imagination.
The meeting
with the staff all morning was my very first one ever. I mean the very first
one I was running as a supervisor. Yes the project has a local director, but
let’s be honest and realistic, I have the feeling that she will continue doing
what she has been doing thus far, stepping back from all sorts of
responsibilities and executions, and will complacently let me do all the work.
Which in a way is perhaps better for the project, at least at the beginning,
but my role is to accompany her in her tasks so as to help her acquire the
tools to become more efficient and effective at managing the project and her
team by the time I leave.
As much as
I had tried to prepare for this meeting, I felt like I could have done much
better, especially given the context of the project. Sister Flora was there at the table, but
barely spoke. I tried to give her room to speak and contribute, but no.
A few very
preoccupying topics came up during the meeting, such as the instability of not
only the electricity, but also of the generator, which both together, despite
regulators, have ruined the batteries of all the laptops…and that’s for those
who have laptops. I am just hoping that as the project goes along, we will need
to use laptops less and less, at least for the staff.
Getting a
SIM card and cash from a working ATM was off course more complicated than any
other countries I have been to, but it went relatively fast overall…just a bit
over an hour.
I am back
in the office as the staff is progressively going on their lunch break. I stay
in as I have work to do. When I finally go have lunch with the driver, and come
back to the office, by about 2:30pm, I find half the staff gone, and the other
half just hanging around, not doing anything. No electricity, no computer, no
work. (the generator is not supposed to run all day given how small it is, and
how fuel inefficient it is) The most enraging and frustrating part of it is
that Sister Flora tells me that it has been like that for more than a year now…and
you would think that she would have tried to fix this ridiculous solution. Nope…
My gut
tells me we need to cut the staff in half, and relocate to more reliable
offices in the city center where electricity is more constant.
Her absence
of concern and care for how this silliness is a huge constraint on the project
is just mesmerizing.
I suggest to
her that perhaps we should look for another place to work at. She agrees, and
then goes back to doing nothing. I insist. She agrees again and mentions a few
options to look at later. I agree and ask her when. Before she answers I tell
her let’s go now and not waste anymore time. I cant even understand how she didn’t
see how much of a priority this was.
We visit
two places belonging to the church that could work. No point in going back to the
office. She drops me off. It is still early in the afternoon so I get back to
work in my room.
The
cathedral being right next door, I could hear very clearly the locals
rehearsing beautiful songs probably for the visit of the pope supposed to
happen in November. So I took a break and sneak out through the back door to
sit in the back of the cathedral and watch the show. The inside of the cathedral
was quite impressive. Barely any fans compared to the one in Bamako, and barely
any decoration at all. Actually; no decoration at all. The entire ceiling was
made of wood. It is probably the hottest church/cathedral I have ever stepped
into. Strange.
Dinner was
yet another interesting African geopolitical conversation…well, I remained a
listener yet again as I don’t know much at all about such topics. But sitting
there got me closer to these expats, which helps quite much for my integration.
I have the
feeling that those 6 months to come will be a tremendous learning experience
for me, and I strongly hope that I will be able to make this project a success
and deliver what is expected of me.
No
meditation tonight either, I am way to tired.
Laila
Saida, as we say in Morocco…I miss it very much already…
Tuesday 22nd September 2015
The alarm
went off at 6:15am. Not that early perhaps, yet I still felt very tired. In any
case, I was quick to get ready, packed, and out the door of the Catholic
welcoming center I was staying in during my training week in Paris. And it is
then that I realized or rather wished this were not my first such mission. 6
months long and humanitarian. Not knowing with exactitude neither how nor what
to pack made it difficult to abide by the simplistic pack-light approach I grew
so fond off during my last backpacking adventure. So yes, I was carrying three
large backpacks. I can already see Angelina as well as Sebastian making
shocking faces because of how much I packed.
Ha! I’d like to see them in the same situation.
Anyhow, it
is only once I managed to haul myself all the way through long Parisian metro
connections and sat down in the RER heading to Charles De Gaulle airport that I
realized what I had gotten myself into. And I got the similar feeling I always
get when the first meditation audio recordings at each Vipassana course I go to
starts. For a brief moment I caught myself thinking: “shit! What the hell did I
get myself into!? Why!?”…indeed…not working was such a treat and I was getting
quite used to it after such a long time. But hey, I signed up for it, and so I
sucked it in, and my face smiled a little, the smile resulting from a mix of
excitement and anxiety. Strangely enough, the fact that the country of Central
African Republic is a war zone and that most workers would consider being
posted there as a sanction rather than a treat is not what preoccupied me the
most, not at all actually. It was rather the fact that I was to go there on my
own to take over a failed project and revamp it with not a single expat behind
me locally to guide me through and back me up. This is the very first time I am
taking on such challenge. And that is most probably why I have been so darn
nervous this whole past week. Nervous like rarely I had been before. It is so
strange how despite having taken the craziest challenges each and every time I
made a career change in the past; I am still not fully used to it. I really
hope it is not something I am addicted to as I sincerely intend to settle down
very soon. But hey, this is normal I suppose, since I am daring to make the
change and transition, at last, towards the career path that will fulfill me.
During the
entire plane ride, which was quite short, only 6.5 hours, I was glued to the
digital screen watching movies. Probably
one of the reasons I love flying so much…the abundance of movies and the
opportunity to catch up on many I haven’t seen yet.
When we
started to descend towards Bangui, the landscape, aside from being lush green,
got quite interesting…and helped me get a broad idea of some of the ravages the
rebels had done back in 2013. Indeed, I could see numerous remains of what used
to be roofed, windowed and doored houses…now only left with the cement walls,
and trees and grass growing inside, as if the structures were actually some
sort of small walled gardens. And it is then that I understood and realized
where I was about to land, and the degree to which this country was a risky
place.
When the
plane touched ground, I could see loads of random people walking around the
bushed on the side of the tarmac, as if it were just a grassed sidewalk. When
the door of the plane opened and I walked outside I got slurped by the hot and
humid air just like I were walking into a steam bath. Welcome to the tropics!
The airport
terminal was no more than 30 meters deep by 30 meters wide. It took me almost 2
hours to cross it and get out. Waiting in line to go through all the filters
they have when you land gave me a good sense of what to expect when working
here with the locals. I tried to remember that I had already managed to
successfully work in Morocco a while back, but my gut was telling me that
working in Morocco was piece of cake compared to what I am about to face for
the next 6 month. But the thought of the challenge made me smile.
Luckily I
got out with all my three bags. I guess Air France economy performs much better
in terms of baggage delivery when flying to the pit of the world than American
Airline business class on a direct flight flying to two major western cities.
Good for me!
Sister
Flora and her big brother were outside waiting for me, hoping that I would come
out before the major rain and sand storm that was slowly turning the sky
threating black would arrive. And I did.
Isabelle in
Paris had warned me that central Africans, though very kind, tend to be very
individualistic. The drive was very quiet. I could tell that Sister Flora had
not really prepared anything at all to help make my arrival and integration
smooth and enjoyable. Let’s see how my mission goes before making a firm
statement on this.
On the way
to the Catholic Mission welcoming center where I am to stay for my first month
here and until I find a place to rent, we went through a neighborhood which I
totally loved because it was so lively, agitated, colorful, and filled with
little streets and stands I would have loved to explore. But Sister Flora said
it was the headquarters of the rebels. Ah, ok, I see…well perhaps I will try to
hold my curiosity a bit then.
Then we
went through the first unique two way roundabout in the world. There was
construction work being done, yet they did not manage to find any alternative
than to turn a regular one way roundabout into a two way one. Go wonder.
We passed several
official buildings. Ministries, hospitals, universities…yet each and every time
these buildings were either so old or run down (and not because they had been
ravished by the conflict) that they made you wonder whether they were real or
part of a zombie movie set. I am dying to find a way to take photos of these
places…if only it were legally allowed here!
They
dropped me off to my housing, wished me good evening and took off. Just like a
taxi driver would have done.
Dinner is
at 7pm. I am absolutely dead tired. The anxiety of the week. The constant
errands in Paris. The heat and humidity. I am tired. I get to my room, unpack a
tiny bit, and take a long shower. Lol at first when walking into the bathroom,
I see a large plastic bucket with a small bucket inside. I think to myself
“yay! Just like in Indonesia!”. This little thought making me travel back a
while back to such incredibly happy times made me smile and cheer up a bit.
Out of
curiosity I try to see if by luck my French SIM card will allow me to send a
text message to my parents. It does. Yay! But then it wont allow me to send any
other message at all to anyone else. Oh well, at least my mom is now
re-assured.
Dinner is
quite interesting…fascinating actually. We are only 6…6 expats Rwanda, Holland,
Togo, Italy, and one more I could not figure out. But the caliber of these
people, having worked in the worst places on earth for great NGOs, and knowing
just about everything about the geopolitical situation of every African
country, is just incredible. I barely said a word during the while dinner. Ha!
The only comment I made was when one of them mentioned that they would not mind
spending a few days in Casablanca. Hell no. Casa has nothing to offer. But
quickly I realized that perhaps, compared to what this country has to offer,
with all the war restrictions and all, Casablanca might actually feel like a
haven. Gosh! I already miss the couscous and tajines of Morocco. Patience…only
6 months to go.
Remi
suggested I meditate twice a day during my mission to evacuate all the
frustration and stress. Tonight I am way too tired to do this. It is not even 9
pm and I am already hitting the sac.
Nzonilakwi
as they say here in Sango. Goodnight…may the mosquitoes not bite…Eastern
African malaria is supposed to be way worse than West African malaria, and also
potentially lethal.
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