A year that was!!!

It’s been a year since we set shop at Lubumbashi. 'Time flies', 'time heals', 'time waits for no man' are all clichéd expressions but they are so true. These days it’s about ‘now or never’. ‘Grab the opportunity when it knocks’ are passé. It’s not about pausing anymore, it’s about marching ahead of time, it’s not about waiting for things to happen, it’s about making them happen. However, all these are meant for regular people. I personally love life quiet, balanced and laid back. Lubumbashi has provided just that. As a disclaimer, this is purely my account of life here and it has been nothing short of fascinating. For my not so open P, I know he is good for the ride. Period!!!

I can’t think of a single soul who was genuinely happy for us when we moved, not because we were moving but because we were moving to a malnourished economy in Africa, to untested waters in DR Congo, to an unheard destination called Lubumbashi. To start with, it was quite an effort to get people to pronounce Lubumbashi right. I see the glass half empty, I have a tendency to over analyse, albeit my skeptic nature, I was still excited and positive about the move. I made sure I read every bit on the place and the life here. I had heard a lot, courtesy P and his contacts here. I got nothing promising, despite that I was ready. Must confess, when I have a problem, P is my hotline. He has a solution every time, even where I see no hope. He is the kind who sees the glass half full. Maybe he has a secret stash of solutions. When I see hope in his eyes, I just go along blindly, when I see skepticism in him, I know it’s hopeless. About the relocation, I saw no skepticism but a lot of optimism and eagerness, a desire to do something out of the box. That enthusiasm rubbed off and there I was, ready for the flight.

It was not an enjoyable flight for sure, to start with our flight from Chennai was delayed and for innumerable reasons the passage at Mumbai was not pleasant to say the least. Am not looking forward to another international-domestic transfer at Mumbai. Upon landing at Lubumbashi, I was in for a shock. The face of the Airport and the scene it presented were appalling. There cannot be an airport worse than this in any city, definitely needs a major makeover ( have talked in length about the airport in one of my earlier blogs ). Am sure most people would want to head straight to the departure lounge, on arrival. The first impression is the best they say, not so in this case. The city, on our way home came across as old, shattered, dusty, deserted and lacking in infrastructure. When we reached home, the same, a rickety old place with furniture and other wares put in place just for the sake of it. I was disoriented from the journey, felt no excitement, the hope faded away and I heard no more promises. I looked at P and for a change I saw disappointment. I wanted to take the next flight home. I was angry at P for his show of optimism earlier, what was he so optimistic about???

The first day seemed like a bad dream, the second day I realised it was not a dream but a reality, a rude awakening really. We could choose to make it or just return home. P had assured me that we could return to greener pastures if I wanted out. He also believed we would settle down in a couple of days, he was optimistic again. I needed to trust P and not make it harder than it already was. After all he was as disenchanted as I was, probably even more, considering he was promised our basic needs would be taken care off. I remember wishing someone had notified us about the arrangements earlier, we would have been better prepared. I still maintain, we didn’t have much expectation of the place and the facilities when we made the decision to relocate. I believe the process of settling in shouldn’t be this difficult. Is this a price one has to pay for optimism, hope and excitement???

Once we got used to what we had at our disposal and having already come to terms with what we could never have, life became simpler. We made a conscious decision to live life the way we wanted. Comfort was of utmost priority, we decided to make it happen with or without help, we decided not to wait for things to happen. We were never about all work and no play, we made a decision to remain the same in the core. We decided to embrace Lubumbashi and its people. The rewards were visible in an instant. The city all of a sudden became inviting, the landscape became greener, our house became our home, even the plants in the garden began talking nice, my eyes saw the poor and downtrodden but I saw them happy. I was becoming a part of Lubumbashi.

Must admit there are a few worries. Health for example, I know there are health centres that can take care of common ailments, how about more serious issues??? I suffer from a not so common ailment. I might have to go back home if I fall seriously ill. I keep my fingers crossed. When one has to visit a hospital, it does not come cheap. For some of us who travel regularly, we have to wait for a year to do so. Most of us have families and friends who eagerly look forward to our annual visits, so the sightseeing and adventure trips are pushed to the backburner. The lack of public transport is definitely a deterrent, we are dependent on our husbands for the same. Entertainment is restricted to restaurants, grocery shopping, drives through roads travelled frequently, visiting friends and taking part in events and festivals.

When one measures happiness it is not what one does occasionally that counts, it’s the life one lives on a daily basis that becomes the measure. Lubumbashi offers a lot of peace and quiet, life is slow paced with plenty of time to process feelings and decisions. One could choose to become a couch potato or be full of life, one could choose to lead a hectic social life or stay indoors in the warmth of one’s home, there is time and space to enjoy the niceties of life. One just learns how to maneuver around what is available at one’s doorstep. I for one have learnt, life is simply not based on what one does not have but on what one does have. To put it philosophically, Lubumbashi aids personal growth, provides opportunities to discover and understand oneself better and the time to dream and ponder over one’s future.

Lubumbashi may not be everybody’s cup of tea, has certainly been mine. The place is absolutely beautiful, serene and untapped, add peace, comfort and quiet, what else could one ask for.

An experience like no other...