Heart of Darkness

I’ve been bringing back the world for the last 17 years and it never gets old. I started as a return Rotary exchange student who was encouraged to share about my experiences in Finland. I later went on to continue this tradition as I came to visit schools in traditional Ghanaian clothe and carrying a basket on my head. Last year was sharing about Afghanistan. Tonight was on skype to a class of Seniors at my home town high school.

The class sent me a few of their questions in advance, so I decided to share some of my responses with you as well. They are reading Heart of Darkness and are interested in the affects of colonialsim in Congo.

How has colonialism changed the Congo?
Congo wouldn’t be what it is today without colonialism; for better and worse. It is like asking what America would be like without pioneers. You simply can’t say. The remnants of colonialism are clear though. In Bukavu, where I am at the moment, you have the first movie theatre in Africa, where in the 1950s you had 40,000 Belgians living on the beautiful lakeside of Bukavu in houses that look like they’ve been imported straight from Europe. The houses remain, but many have not been maintained well in the last 60 years plus. In cities like Kinshasa and Kisangani, you have very colonial feeling cities, with wide boulevards and European architecture.

How has Africa become more developed over the years or is still like it’s pictured in Heart of Darkness?
It is certainly more developed in many areas, but in others I’m certain the feel of the outside world is more of a mythical presence. In the cities you have everyone with mobile phones, as landline technology really never made it to most places in Africa. Congo may have influences of the West, but in reality noone could say that it is developed under any standards. It would fit the definitions of undeveloped and underdeveloped in many more places than it would the status of “developing.” We are trying, but it is a slow process. Quite frankly, it is hard to develop a place that is still at war. This is a lesson we learn daily in places like Afghanistan, Iraq and Sudan as well.

Is the widespread disease in Africa really as bad as the media portrays it?
Yes, I would for a medical organization, and though we do all that we can to help, it is still not enough. Congo is ranked 188 out of 190 countries for being the worse off in terms of health. It is estimated that 37 to 75% of the population have no access to health care. When I first saw the clinic that we support I was quite critical in thinking that we could do more. Now that I have had the opportunity to see clinics that are not supported by international organizations, I see how much of a difference we truly make. In the clinics that we are moving in to now, there is literally a bed of hay for patients and women giving birth.

What’s it like living in the Congo?
This, of course, depends on who you ask. Since I can’t really say for sure what it is like for a typical Congolese person (as there is a huge variation between classes), I will speak for myself. It still depends greatly. A year ago we had very intermittent electricity, internet, and water. Nothing was a given. There was never hot water. Now we’ve managed to improve things a great deal. I went with a cold shower for nearly a month, but managed to get that sorted out as well. The internet has been reliable most of the time, as you can see from our skpye call. I have a great team that I’m working with here, both national and expatriate (the term for foreigners living in other countries). Our Country Director is so funny that he has us rolling in laughter most nights at dinner, and tonight I just returned for a fun match of pool against another couple of NGO types. I really enjoy being in Congo. It is a lot of work, but it feels very well worth it at the end of the day. Last year when I was here for two months, I worked 16 hrs a day everyday, now I’ve trimmed that back to 12 and it feels managable.

What languages do people speak?
Congo is the size of Western Europe or the US East of the Mississippi, so there are a great number of languages traditionally. The most commonly used, depending on where you live, are Ki-Congo, Shilubu, Lingali, or Ki-Swahili. French is the official language. You will be lucky to find someone with a few words of English outside of the professional arena.

What do people eat there?
Congolese, as other traditional African foods, are made of only whole foods. There is nothing processed in the diet here. Only the most elite would choose to eat the locally made cheese here that is a luxury not available in most other places in Africa. Starches are big here, meaning plaintains (large bananas that aren’t sweet), cassava (starch like potatoes but with no flavor). As expats we eat much better, but still limited in nature. Our cook pretty much alternates between rice and pizza, and on a lucky day we get an excellent fruit salad.

What’s the climate?
Since Congo is so vast, this depends on where you are. Tonight, here in Bukavu, it is cool after the rains; somewhere in the 70s. It is high in elevation, and most days are mild; in comparison to the snow that is dumping in DC at the moment, I have nothing to complain about here in my sandals. In Kinshasa it is very hot, and you are pretty much sweating all of the time.

How is life there different than life in Days Creek?
There is really not much that is similar. As I’ve learned in all places around the globe, the only thing that stays the is consistent, is yourself. It look me awhile to understand what was meant by the quote, “Wherever you go, there you are.” Only your perspective on life and how you handle things remains the same. In terms of other things, not much is the same. My clothes are different, language is different, daily habits are different, etc.

If you could change one thing about life in the Congo what would you change?
I would master the art of quantum physics and be able to go back and forth between Congo and home more often. I love Congo, but sometimes you are needed at home as well.

Have you read Heart of Darkness? IS the Congo really like that?
I have to admit that I haven’t read the Heart of Darkness. You’ve inspired me to check this out form the library as soon as I return. I will report back here and let you know what my thoughts are. From my guess, however, I anticipate that in many ways it was as described and in other ways it was nowhere like described.

How has the Congo effected you emotionally?
Congo tugs at my heart strings. Congo gets under you skin. Someone at an expat party last week said that Congo was like Fabio (the romance icon); you didn’t know why you were attracted to it, but you are. I can’t say that I’m attracted to Fabio, but I can say that Congo pulls me in ways that seem impossible. The need here is simply so great. It makes we want to dedicate my life to making a difference in the lives of those who have everything against them.

What are the people like? Are they simply savages like in the book?
Congolese are certianly not savages. From a western perspective though, imposing our standards makes them seem like savages still today. I will say that there are certain acts, by a relative minority, that are extremely savagelike. There are still massacres, beheadings, and violent, violent rapes. I cannot defend this as being unsavage. I’m certain that there are extreme conditions and circumstances, but that cannot be condoned. There are also many traditions that Westerns would find as savage like; forced marriage, incest, Most Congolese, however, are very hardworking people who are simply doing what they can to survive. A small minority are more priveledged and enjoy a lifestyle with some Western aminities. I can also say that indeed, the behavior of colonists was often savage in its definition. Cruel and demoralizing.

Are there still tribes in the Congo? Have you met with any of the native tribes?
There are some, but in very remote areas. Pigmies, who live in the forest, are the ones you hear about the most. Most Congolese will tell you that they still live like savages. I’ve met a few pigmies, but those who are on our staff and aren’t exactly living a traditional lifestyle.

Are you worried about your safety?
I’ve been very fortunate to have never been in a truly life threatening situation. I am, however, cohnizant of the reality that I often put myself at risk on a daily basis when I am in the field. I manage those risk and listen to my intuition, but I certainly wouldn’t stay at home to be safe. You can read my post about the “zone rouge” to learn more about some of those risks.

Did the colonists really treat the Africans as badly as they do in the book?
Yes, I’m most certain that they did. It was really, truly, disgraceful. There is nothing to defend it from my view. I’m interested to read Heart of Darkness and then give my feedback.

Best,

Miel