Necessity

No matter who you talk to about traveling abroad, and especially to the third world, they will most likely give you some dialogue about what you need to watch out for, what you need to bring, and what you don’t need to bring. Some of this advice should be followed but most of it falls by the wayside once you spend a decent amount of time in the area you are traveling.

My two-month anniversary is quickly approaching and I consider myself living proof of how traveling habits can fall by the wayside. I have taken on a more relaxed approach to what I watch out for and what I do.

Sunscreen is no longer worn out of necessity but rather on the odd occasion. Some of the expats, who have been here longer than me, have given up completely on malaria meds and have dropped the mosquito net as if it was an alien idea. I still drape my net only because after my first night of rebelling against “the man”, I woke up with a symmetrical design of mosquito/other bug bites across my chest. (Don’t worry mum I am still religious about my malaria meds.) I have also become less concerned over what I eat. Sure I have had my run in with the odd dish that hasn’t agreed with me but for the most part I am not too worried about food served at restaurants. I am able to say that I have popped the odd locust in my mouth and I have eaten something that looked awfully close to intestines. Lastly, instead of keeping a bottle of hand sanitizer in my back pocket wherever I go, the bottle is now perched on my desk back in my room at Maji.

Now, you have to understand that I am not completely careless. I still wash my hands and will turn down a fresh salad here and there. Along with the habits that I have dropped I have learned a few things that are important to know when living in Goma:

• Wearing long pants on a hot Congolese day is not a form of torture

• Washing your feet is more important than a full body shower

• A conversation is still coherent when 3 different languages are used

• You are genuinely excited when your ride shows up only 15 minutes late, or a meeting starts on time.

• Your plans at the beginning of the day do not always match the score sheet at the end of the day and that’s okay.

I don’t know where the idea comes from that when you go to Africa you need to wear clothes with as many pockets as possible. Sure I can see the odd pair of cargo pants being useful but are the goofy vests and double zip offs a necessity? Not likely. Although, it seems that this form of dress has become the uniform of the white African traveler.

It is interesting to see how people cope when traveling or living somewhere foreign. I still carry around my laptop, sunglasses and rain jacket where ever I go, cause you never know right? Haha. We all have things that make us comfortable in uncomfortable situations. After living in Goma town things like hand sanitizer and goofy looking sunglasses are used no longer out of necessity but rather for the feeling of comfort and safety.