Open Writing

It could be by now that you’ve reached the conclusion that the quality of life is very low here in the DRC. Indeed there are many other places in the world I could live where I would be happier and enjoy a much better quality of life. When I find myself wondering why I’m here, I reflect on how much I missed the UN when I was outside of it, what good uses I can put the money I’m earning to, how lucky I was to have been given a second chance to join the organization, and how, even after all the negatives, I still enjoy the peace-keeping life more than anything else.

I remember some of the high points. For example I was present at the independence ceremony of Namibia, in March 1990, with Nelson Mandela, just released from prison but not yet South African president, sitting only 50 yards away from me in his box, watching the South African flag lower and the new Namibian one rise high above the stadium, with tears of joy running down my face. I still get goose-pimples to this day, thinking about how privileged I was to be part of history.

I contemplate all this from the comfort of my beautiful apartment, sitting at my bar, having another gin and tonic, watching the mangoes fall from the trees outside my window, caressing my cat (I adopted a gorgeous ginger cat, Kofi, from our previous office compound) who gives me unconditional love and never complains, choosing from my extensive CD, DVD and MP3 collection, 46 different TV channels, having a maid to do everything for me, (haven’t cleaned, washed a dish or a garment for four years) being able to travel out of here every three months and I think that life is not so bad after all.

As I think I mentioned in a previous episode, the French language continues to delight me – it is a constant source of joy to me, and another positive point about being here. There are some days where I can almost express myself better in French than English.

The earnings and savings power this job has given me has now allowed me to do a little investing in real estate and find a place for my retirement. Since I’ve been here in the Congo, I’ve been looking at various options: South Africa, Croatia, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, France. I keep coming back to Europe, because essentially I feel European at heart. The UK is out, not only because of the prices but also the weather.

I went back to my beloved Greece to explore the island of Evia in the summer of 2005 but found the prices higher than I expected. Croatia too has increased more than 100% in places over the last two years and the best times to buy have gone. South Africa is still a big gamble and the prime discouraging factors are the violent crime and uncertain political future.

I also started looking at what my money might buy me in developing countries: Central America, the Caribbean and South America. In early 2005 I became interested in Uruguay through a two-part article in a magazine called “International Living”, to which I subscribed for a year or so. We also have a large Uruguayan military contingent here in the Congo and I talked to many of them who seemed to uphold what I had read and gathered from my research.

I decided to go check it out for myself, so I took a trip there last December. I found it had numerous advantages over any other Latin American country: it boasts a very advanced level of development, very high level of education and literacy, and most of its population is of European origin. It also has very advanced social welfare programmes, excellent medical care, an extensive stretch of coastline, an agreeable climate, beautiful colonial architecture and prices I can still afford. Language is not a problem and the people are polite, cultured, friendly and intelligent.

I returned in August this year with a mission to find a property and am pleased to say that after viewing more than 35 properties in three weeks, I finally found one to suit me and the closing was on 11 October. It’s an apartment right in the centre of Montevideo, opposite one of the main squares, Plaza del Entrevero.

The building is listed as a “patrimonio historico”, the façade is beautiful and cannot be changed as it’s a protected monument, which dates from 1929. There are a lot of original features, e.g. the lovely old-fashioned open lifts, of the wrought iron kind. Everything is well-maintained. The 125 square metre apartment is on the 4th floor. It has three bedrooms, with the possibility for a fourth, two bathrooms, exquisite marble along the edges of the walls and beautiful wood floors. I’m having some work done to it - some structural changes and a kitchen put in - and hopefully will rent it out from early next year.

I’ve recently made a new friend, Grace, who’s Maltese. She joined us from the mission in Eritrea. This Christmas, we’re going to Malta on holiday, primarily to relax. My trip to Uruguay this summer was so hectic I needed a holiday to recover when I got back. But, as we’re both in the market for a property, we’ll also spend some time looking around and checking the prices. I’m looking forward to it as I’ve never been to Malta before; Grace has family there, so it will be all the more enjoyable having her to give me the benefit of all her knowledge and the “inside scoop”.

We have a holiday coming up and I may go either to Brazzaville for a long weekend (I have an invitation to stay with my ex-yoga teacher, who is from Mauritius and whose husband works for the South African embassy – they moved from Kinshasa across the river last year) or back to Bukavu in the east and try to make the long-overdue trip to see the silver-backed gorillas in the mountains between Congo and Rwanda.

A lot depends on the security situation in effect at that point. Many rumours are flying around as to what will happen between now and then, and after the run-off in the presidential elections.

This is the largest and most expensive peace-keeping mission in history. MONUC’s budget for 2002-2003 was $581.9 million. For 2006-2007, it’s $1,091,242,800 …… yes, that’s One Billion, Ninety-One Million, Two Hundred and Forty Two Thousand and Eight Hundred Dollars. Everybody wants to see that money produce lasting results.

I don’t have a crystal ball – but I’ll keep my go-bag packed.