Walking Tour of Brazza

Photo: Memorial for Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza

There are few Americans here. It’s a fact.

Supposedly, there are about 237 of us in Brazzaville, but I haven’t met any outside of the embassy. I did bump into my neighbor in room 109, Directeur Gérant Jean Albert Placide Kaya, who works with environmental issues for Eco Durable and who also knows about my state: Iowa. That was exciting. Monsieur Kaya gave me a ride to the ATM machine at the Crédit du Congo this afternoon in his SUV. Ex-pats who work for NGOs or embassies usually have their own large, safe vehicles with seatbelts or use a car and driver if they are leaving the workplace for a meeting during working hours. I use taxis, and the taxi drivers sometimes try to overcharge me, but my friends at the hotel protect and bargain for me, haggling for a fair price so I won’t be overcharged.

I have made friends with some of the men who work in the hotel because there aren't many women in the public and work spaces where I have been. At the hotel, there is Carlos in the restaurant where I eat my breakfast. He is 25 years old and from Cameroon. He speaks English to me, and I speak French to him, and he has a lovely smile. We watched Eminem rap videos this morning because I was the only guest in the restaurant and Carlos swayed to my table with the beat of orange juice and coffee on a tray. I forgot how many crumbs pan au chocolat can produce like a buttery rain on the table. Then there is Jacques, who is 47 years old and works at the gate as a guard. While he is working Jacques reads books, and I noticed that one of his books was The Origin of Genesis. We talked a briefly about religion, and he wants to learn about Buddhism. Now I am helping him practice English, although he is very shy and we use French most of the time. Brice works at the desk and saved me from a mean taxi man, so I shared chocolate cookies with him when I returned from my adventure in the city today. I feel that I have protectors here at the hotel, and I am sure that I will miss these big brothers dearly when I depart.

There is still no word on my house yet. I thought I might see my new maison on Friday, but perhaps another day.

I spent this morning working on my syllabus and identifying objectives for my class, and in the afternoon I went for a walking tour of the city. I must admit, I did not know who Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza was until I bumped into his beautifully designed memorial and lushly landscaped city park where I hungrily downed two local yogurts for lunch- one coconut and the other mixed fruit. Pierre was the man who arrived in Central Africa and helped pave the way for colonization. That’s why I didn’t understand why his body had been repatriated to Brazzaville from Algeria in October 2006 in a triumphant and ceremonious return. When compared to the Belgians’ rule in the Congo, Pierre was a more humane, just, kind, and moderate governor-general of the French Congo. That's something to be said for this man in a time of colonial exploitation and cruelty.

End Note: I feel as if the Republic of Congo is the forgotten country. Most Americans are only aware of the DRC and Kinshasa and don't know Brazzaville is on the map. In addition, there aren't many tourists here, and for the average Congolese men and women I am meeting, I am the first American they have encountered. All these things make me want to work all the more to do what I can to help the people of this country!!!!!I

I have so much more to learn about this country, so I hope you look forward to future adventures and discoveries with an American chica in Brazzaville.