You are in Rwanda, dear Wanda.

Yes I am.

I arrived with my dear friend (and research colleague?) Åsa to Kigali airport at 12.00 pm local time, which is actually local time for Swedes to. Thus I wonder if it actually makes it to glocal time? For those of you who are not familiar with ‘glocality’, it is something that is local and global at the same time, such as the ‘Glokala folkhögskolan’ In Malmö which offers education in Hip hop culture and graffiti painting. I wonder if Timbuktu had something to do with this…

Rwanda, from the top of the Ethiopian airline aircraft was like a green painting, divided into little frames with red contours. I assume these were the lands of farmers facing daunting economic property reforms, but from above it reminded me more of an idyllic little country side. It looked just as the picture in my guidebook from Bradt. A book which, by the way, is applauded by the backpackers at our current hostel for its’ up to date information from 2006. As you might understand there are few guidebooks on Rwanda, and Lonely Planet has yet not realized its possibilities in this Gorilla loving country. So far it seems as if most of the tourists here are to see the famous silver back gorillas, and less to experience the food or any other main attraction for tourists.

Speaking of the food: so far it has been less ‘exotic’ consisting of French fries and chickpeas in yoghurt. However, I had the opportunity to try some spicy carrot soup in the restaurant at the hostel. Very refreshing for lunch, but probably more of my colleague’s favourite. Speaking of my colleague, she suffers from a phobia for mosquitoes, thus constantly making sure her mosquito net is firmly set around her bed. Just for the fact, we have so far seen one mosquito in this country. I am starting to question my expensive malaria pills. My colleague is not.

Tomorrow we are set to meet the representatives from the research centre ‘Never Again Rwanda’ for the first time. I sense my research question will be questioned… I will brief you into that matter once it is settled.

Take care and thanks for reading.

Over and out.

agata