Of guns and mangoes
Dear friends,
In case you wondered what your four globe-trotting Belgians got up to in 2006:
-all of them stayed in Ivory Coast -- where the UN is trying to keep the peace between the rebels in the North and the president in the South, and trying to organize elections which keep being postponed. Meanwhile the country is in limbo and the only sure way to make a living is by joining a hairdressing saloon, a brothel, a mobile phone company, or, yes, the UN mission here.
- Griet chose the latter. She joined the UN radio where she has to steer a team of local producers into churning out broadcasts that ‘enhance the peace process’ (or so it sounds in UN language)
-Kamiel had been working for the mission for two years already as a logistician, providing anything from tents to toilets to the peacekeepers. He used to be based in the capital, Abidjan, but due to his excellent relationship with his boss he got sent up North to work and live in the rebel area. This turned him into a Santa Claus-like figure for our two daughters who are now forever counting the days till He comes home -- though unlike the real Claus he never brings any gifts as there is nothing to be found up there, except for guns and mangoes.
-Niko, four, has started her second year in kindergarten. There she had to get used to a teacher asking her for money all the time (because even with a salary of 140 dollars it is hard to make a living.) Besides economic realities, Niko also learnt some other facts of life, like how to make babies, here’s the version she came home with: you have to eat lots of sweets so that your belly will bulge and if you keep eating and bulging, finally a baby will drop out.
-Remi, two, has only just started her pre-kindergarten year. With her blue eyes and blond hair we still get plenty of camels and cows offered as her bride price by elderly men, who want to marry her themselves or have her for their sons. So far we have not accepted any such offers.
Best wishes and fingers crossed for a peaceful 2007
Griet, Kamiel, Niko and Remi
In case you wondered what your four globe-trotting Belgians got up to in 2006:
-all of them stayed in Ivory Coast -- where the UN is trying to keep the peace between the rebels in the North and the president in the South, and trying to organize elections which keep being postponed. Meanwhile the country is in limbo and the only sure way to make a living is by joining a hairdressing saloon, a brothel, a mobile phone company, or, yes, the UN mission here.
- Griet chose the latter. She joined the UN radio where she has to steer a team of local producers into churning out broadcasts that ‘enhance the peace process’ (or so it sounds in UN language)
-Kamiel had been working for the mission for two years already as a logistician, providing anything from tents to toilets to the peacekeepers. He used to be based in the capital, Abidjan, but due to his excellent relationship with his boss he got sent up North to work and live in the rebel area. This turned him into a Santa Claus-like figure for our two daughters who are now forever counting the days till He comes home -- though unlike the real Claus he never brings any gifts as there is nothing to be found up there, except for guns and mangoes.
-Niko, four, has started her second year in kindergarten. There she had to get used to a teacher asking her for money all the time (because even with a salary of 140 dollars it is hard to make a living.) Besides economic realities, Niko also learnt some other facts of life, like how to make babies, here’s the version she came home with: you have to eat lots of sweets so that your belly will bulge and if you keep eating and bulging, finally a baby will drop out.
-Remi, two, has only just started her pre-kindergarten year. With her blue eyes and blond hair we still get plenty of camels and cows offered as her bride price by elderly men, who want to marry her themselves or have her for their sons. So far we have not accepted any such offers.
Best wishes and fingers crossed for a peaceful 2007
Griet, Kamiel, Niko and Remi
posted by Griet at 4:07 PM
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