Bite de Rwanda

The long anticipated day has finally arrived. This afternoon Rwandan time, which is 6 hours ahead of EST, after a two hour delay at Heathrow, which was caused, according to the Ethiopian Airlines crew, by an extremely intoxicated passenger, I arrived in Kigali.

My first experience on Continental Africa was an interesting one. I approached the customs desk ready to explain my complicated story about why I was visiting Rwanda and how I would be staying with my friend's family. I was also a little anxious because I had decided , against my better judgment, to smuggle some plastic bags (now illegal in Rwanda) into the country.

Instead of the tough questions I am used to, the border official smiled, looked at my passport, and asked me if had ever been to Rwanda. I answered no. He told me that he had been to Canada. I asked him which part. He mumbled something I didn't understand and then clarified that he had only ever really been there in his mind.

My other impressions of the country so far, if only initial, are that Rwanda is a country on the move. It markets itself as the Switzerland of Africa. The country is attempting to root out corruption and create an efficient, 21st century economy. Indeed, in recent years, English has been increasingly taught in schools as the country attempts to compete with regional African players as well as on the world stage with other emerging economies.

In short, my first day has been an eventful one. I have been through three power outages and a cold shower, but I don't appear any worse for the wear. Tomorrow is Wednesday in Kigali.

Best, Raffi