FIRST IMPRESSIONS (cont'd)
...a view down the street in front of the hotel

On Friday morning while taking a stroll along the main street I noticed the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations office. I approached the guarded gate, handed off my drivers license and given a visitor pass. I didn’t know what I would find inside but not surprisingly I was introduced to a Norwegian and a Belgian policy advisors who introduced me to a French animal production specialist. After exchanging some thoughts and potential further contacts, I departed feeling a little more at home already. Upon arriving back in the room, a door note indicated that Dr Michel Ngaranbe of the Ministry of Agriculture (MinAgri as they call it) had stopped by for a visit. Calling him on his phone prompted him to return almost immediately for an hour long acquaintance visit. In the afternoon I returned the visit to his office, a 10 min walk from the hotel where he further introduced me to Rwandan dairy production, processing and marketing via a presentation he had made to another organization.

After a further 2 hour visit I asked him if he could take me to the Bank of Kigali to use an ATM since my morning attempt at the hotel ATM was unsuccessful. Going to one branch nearby, after waiting a half hour (Friday busyness) we were told the computer had been down for 2 days and that the branch in a neighbouring suburb (Remera) was a better alternative. Arriving there, what appeared to be the manager directed us to a long line up at a particular and again waited a half hour. The bank guard approached us about our business and he set me ahead of the line leading to another office. Finally in the office that teller told me I would have to withdraw with VISA since international bank cards can’t be used in Rwanda but that I would have to return to the ‘manager’ to complete such a transaction. And so after about 2 hours Dr Michel dropped me off at the hotel with my 50,000 Rwandan francs (Rfr)…about $100 Cdn. As it seems and as the French would say, ‘ce la vie au Rwanda’…that’s life in Rwanda; unique yet hopefully rewarding as I proceed into the next 4 weeks of my life here.