One of the first things I noticed about Kigali when I came for a short visit in December last year, was its striking similarity to India. Kigali is just like an Indian town set in a green valley, just better and more comfortable in a lot of ways. It has a vibe like home, just with lesser people on the streets, less commercialization and less noise. People don't stare at you as much, even though you're a 'muzungu' (foreigner in Kinyarwanda). Men (and women) don't check you out with penetrating or lusty eyes, nor do they harass the muzungus with things to say or sell. We're just one of the residents, just more funny and weird. The wide expat population in the city has deprived me of the curiosity I expected to ignite. But then that makes it all the more comfortable to be here.
I do ignite curiosity and excitement here with my very meagre knowledge of Kinyarwanda. I'm always surprised at the warm response I get when I use the basic Kinyarwanda terms and this has motivated me to learn the language more. Yego.
Another thing that struck me early on was how fashionable the women here are. The colors are of course fantastic. I wonder why we are slowly getting averse to wearing bright, bold colors in India. With the extent of urbanization, colors are fading away. Lately however, I've observed a revived love of bright colors in Indian metros. But there's absolutely no comparison to Africa. I love it here!
Many women wear the most fashionable (and complicated) clothes, and have a great dressing sense. All the accessories, shoes, it's all pretty cool. Also, coming from India, I had extrapolated my image of a developing country to Rwanda, where I expected women to cover themselves up as much as possible. But no! Shoulder-less dresses, noodle straps, cleavages, knee length skirts, are a part of the basic dressing style. I'm also reminded of the female locker room in my gym. Ok, too much casual nudity. I am not used to this, but the perspective of 'what's the big deal' is amazing and at the same time, liberating. It's a small taste of the power Rwandan women hold and display.
Oh yea, Rwandan women are strong. They lead things, change things and have a sense of self-respect which amazes me. Of course, Kagame's focus on gender equality is a big catalyst, but I'm not sure how deep a role it plays. Strong does not necessarily mean physically strong, many professions like driving a moto are pretty male dominated.
That brings me to these ubiquitous motos. Common in Africa (east Africa I suppose, not sure), these are motorcycle taxis, which find you everywhere. Noone has to walk too far for a moto. Pretty convenient, but the helmet puts me off, especially if I've washed my hair that morning. Expats here are not a fan of the motos, because they can be dangerous. I'm yet to get worried about the safety, but for the sake of hygiene and my pocket, I've decided to take the bus more often. But that also means more walking. And more walking means better health.
I think I'll end up getting a lot of exercise here, I wish I could find healthier food too. But that and others in another post!
I do ignite curiosity and excitement here with my very meagre knowledge of Kinyarwanda. I'm always surprised at the warm response I get when I use the basic Kinyarwanda terms and this has motivated me to learn the language more. Yego.
Another thing that struck me early on was how fashionable the women here are. The colors are of course fantastic. I wonder why we are slowly getting averse to wearing bright, bold colors in India. With the extent of urbanization, colors are fading away. Lately however, I've observed a revived love of bright colors in Indian metros. But there's absolutely no comparison to Africa. I love it here!
Many women wear the most fashionable (and complicated) clothes, and have a great dressing sense. All the accessories, shoes, it's all pretty cool. Also, coming from India, I had extrapolated my image of a developing country to Rwanda, where I expected women to cover themselves up as much as possible. But no! Shoulder-less dresses, noodle straps, cleavages, knee length skirts, are a part of the basic dressing style. I'm also reminded of the female locker room in my gym. Ok, too much casual nudity. I am not used to this, but the perspective of 'what's the big deal' is amazing and at the same time, liberating. It's a small taste of the power Rwandan women hold and display.
Oh yea, Rwandan women are strong. They lead things, change things and have a sense of self-respect which amazes me. Of course, Kagame's focus on gender equality is a big catalyst, but I'm not sure how deep a role it plays. Strong does not necessarily mean physically strong, many professions like driving a moto are pretty male dominated.
That brings me to these ubiquitous motos. Common in Africa (east Africa I suppose, not sure), these are motorcycle taxis, which find you everywhere. Noone has to walk too far for a moto. Pretty convenient, but the helmet puts me off, especially if I've washed my hair that morning. Expats here are not a fan of the motos, because they can be dangerous. I'm yet to get worried about the safety, but for the sake of hygiene and my pocket, I've decided to take the bus more often. But that also means more walking. And more walking means better health.
I think I'll end up getting a lot of exercise here, I wish I could find healthier food too. But that and others in another post!
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