Suzan wants to see something of Kigali and Jane, Michiel, Beatrice and I accompany her to the Expo as it is near to the hotel where we had the writeshop. This time, I know what to expect and don’t want to miss the opportunity to buy some souvenirs to bring home. As we arrive at the Expo grounds, we soon split because it is late and extremely crowded. Beatrice helps me to buy shoes, necklaces and a bag. However, when we call the others to meet again, we learn that they have already left without us. Beatrice is a bit irritated. Now we have to find another way to go home and our computers are in Jane’s car. And Beatrice is wearing uncomfortable shoes. At least that can be helped with as I have just bought new sandals. We have no choice and leave the expo to get motorbikes. They should bring us to a place where we can sit down, have a drink and wait for Jane to pick us. The traffic is bad and my driver decides to use the sidewalk to overtake the queuing cars. I am getting nervous when my driver speeds up and the others are not keeping up with us. I can’t see them anymore and want the driver to wait, but he doesn’t understand. ‘Kisimenti’, he says. I know that junction, so I assume that it is alright. However, as we arrive there, Beatrice is not there. We were quite fast, so we wait. They don’t come. After some time, the driver is too impatient to wait longer and asks me to pay so that he can leave. I am lucky enough to have some money on me, because I gave my purse and my phone to Beatrice, who, unlike me, had taken her bag with her. I stay at the spot and wait on my own. They still don’t come. This is not good. I walk a short distance to a place where we have taken dinner before, but Beatrice is not there either. I have no idea where she is and I can’t call her as she has my phone. I can’t even ask a passing person to help and call her, because I don’t know my number by heart. I don’t even know what time it is and for how long I have been waiting, when I decide that the only option is to go home. There, Emmanuel has a phone and can call Beatrice on my phone. Another motorbike brings me to the house. I wait impatiently for the guard to open the gate and then rush inside to Emmanuel, who is watching TV. I tell him what happened and he says that Beatrice has already called him to ask if I am at the house. It makes me edgy when he doesn’t call Beatrice straightaway, but only rings once to make her call back. He doesn’t even ask her where she is, but at least she knows now that I am alright now.
I have already gone to bed, when she arrives at the house. She had waited for me, close to where I was waiting, but on the other side of the roundabout. As I did not come, she called Jane and waited for her to pick her and look for me. They looked at the office, which is not too far from that place, but of course didn’t find me there. They expected me to have no money at all with me, but there was nothing they could do and therefore joined the small reception for Suzan with some other SNV colleagues.
We learned something from it. Always tell the drivers to stay close together and clearly specify where you want to go.
