Meetings and Economics Lessons (Post #5)

Monday morning I woke up to a hazy morning of filtered light. I felt energized and ready to pour myself into the city once again. I started with an act of courage, calling a taxi to take me into the center of town on my own. The driver had some sort of pelt on his dashboard, which I found funny.

 

 There are not many street lights in Kigali. Most streets have large rotaries at crossroads.  But the few street lights they do have are arrows with a countdown of how many seconds you have until the light changes. Brilliant! I feel like we could adopt this innovation here at home.   

I had a coffee with someone from the Aspen Institute and we talked about the future of MUG and how she wants to start programs to train leaders in communities who can then make real change. The meeting was in the Radisson Blue, the fanciest hotel here. It is a big resort hotel connected to the Convention Center, and we sat at the huge breakfast buffet overlooking the pool area. Very posh. Then I sat in the lobby doing some notes and I thought to myself, what the heck am I doing here!!?? This is where high flying business people go. I guess that is me now! Actually I thought of my grandfather flying around the world to big meetings and how his stories prepared me for this.

After that meeting, I met up with Linda who took me to the shopping district. She said she wanted me to have some fun, so convinced me to try the motorbike taxis. Manzi told me NEVER to get on one of those, but I took a chance. 

  It was actually super fun, but insane. The drivers zig zag in and out of traffic. My knees were about 6 inches from the next car. But definitely a good way to get around. 

  One trip cost about a dollar to go a few miles.

 Then we went into the craft market. You walk into what looks like a strip mall but inside are little cubby rooms, each one for one person selling their stuff. Once you see a few you realize they all have the same sort of stuff, but some is really cool. I looked around and they are all beckoning to me, “Please madam, come see my things.” At first it was ok, but when I saw how big it was, how many people are there with stalls trying to make some money, it was overwhelming.  

Some nice handmade stuff was really beautiful, but then they have cheap things with a picture of a gorilla and the word Rwanda on it.  I bought some nice gifts but had to learn how to haggle.  I didn’t do very well, I think, but was learning. Linda gave me some negotiation lessons.   

 I felt so bad for all the people I did not buy from.  When I left they were yelling to me and one guy tried to follow us out.  Heartbreaking.  Then we went to buy sunglasses and I did a bit better with firm decisions.  

We had to stop at a money agent to send some mobile money to the driver who would take me to Musanze the next day. Mobile money is growing here, although everywhere you go people are cursing the intermittent internet. It’s actually sort of funny.  “Network!” they all scream, waving frustrated phones in the air.  Phones are EVERYWHERE. Seriously everyone has one in their hand at all times. 

 

We took a moto taxi back, but this one was so much more insane! Plus I was now carrying packages and a big bottle of water. Super stressful, but we made it. People all want cash, but it is never a straightforward transaction. Then someone takes your cash and then says they don’t have the right change. But it isn’t that they are stealing, they then turn to the person beside them and ask them to restart the transaction correctly. Orchestrated chaos.  

The city is full of color and energy and commerce. Here is a video of an intersection near the shopping area.    

Done with shopping, Linda left me in Kigali Heights at the Java House, an open air coffee shop that is perfect for meetings. I met with Rhoda from World Connect who taught me so much about how development work in Rwanda happens best. Then I met Yvan from the Segal Family Foundation who is teaching me about how fundraising and investments work in the modern era. As I met with him, we were joined by Dr. Joseph, the President of the IREME Board who I have worked with over zoom for a year now.

When Joseph arrived it was like a homecoming. I gave him a big hug, so happy to meet him in person.  It is really amazing what Zoom can do, create a relationship and a family across the world. 

After that, I went to find a taxi back to the hotel. Mind you, I was in this fancy shopping area, but now I also had a day of haggling lessons under my belt. I asked a taxi driver guy, how much to go back to my hotel?  He said, 85. WHAT!!!??? I said, "85? Getting here this morning I paid 20!"  "Yes," he replied, "but I have to go around the round-about now." Blink blink. It was the same road back, but this guy was trying to get me to pay 85. "Never mind, I will take a mototaxi," I said with my new found negotiating confidence, and I started to walk away. 

"OK!" he said, "I will do it for 7." 

What the heck? We went from 85 to 7? Hahahahahaha. 7 to go back to the hotel? Yes, he agreed. So I went. We were driving and started chatting and I asked him about gas prices in Rwanda, which is about twice the price of gas in the states currently. I don’t know the exact numbers, but it was expensive.  Now I felt bad, so I ended up paying him 10! Hahahaha, it was a lesson in new economics today.

  

Back at the hotel, I again sat on the veranda overlooking the city. Cranes flew in white paper packs of five across the skyline and a rainbow grew out of the sky. 

So many times during this journey, and in all my time with Move Up Global, I feel the universe pulling me with its unknown forces toward something special. This moment was similar. It was quiet reassurance that if I get still and listen hard, she will take me where I need to go.  

I ate a beautiful dinner of vegetable curry and went to bed dreaming of what tomorrow would bring.