April 13, 2006

Rwanda!

So, next week, I will be going to Rwanda for a Regional Meeting! Prior to starting my work stint in Africa, Rwanda conjured pictures of Mass Genocides and Confusions. But ever since I've been in the DRC, I hear people talk of Rwanda like it's a little haven of peace (how weird right?) with beautiful hills and a more chilled out atmosphere. I hear people are a tad colder (less outwardly enthusiastic) than the Congolese--which frankly is fine with me.

So I look up the country in Wikipedia, and get this description:

Rwanda /ˈru̯ɑndə/ is a small landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of east-central Africa, with a population of 7,954,013. It is bordered by Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania. Its fertile and hilly terrain, which gives it the title "Land of a Thousand Hills" (French: Pays des Mille Collines /ˈpe.dəˈmiː.koˈlæn/), supports the densest populations in continental Africa. It is best known to the outside world for the 1994 Rwandan genocide that resulted in the deaths of up to one million people. Before this, it was known mostly as the habitat of mountain gorillas."

Oy! The Land of a Thousand Hills? Sounds more like the Land of a Thousand Descriptions. I can't wait!

4 comments:

amazedlife said...

No, really, Rwanda is the best. Go to Kibuye if you have a chance, because it is officially the most beautiful place ever.

Anonymous said...

Are you going to be able to see gorillas? You should definitely do it if you have a chance, a friend of mine loved it!
-Ammo

Anonymous said...

can't wait ? me too ! So nice to have somebody travelling for you. strudel

TheMalau said...

Hey Rwanda is cool. I lived there for 4 years, and that was 12 years ago. All the people that went there told me it has gotten even better. I am just surprised because I did not pin you for someone who ha a problem with enthusiastic expression