Missive from Ottawa

So it’s been two months now since I got back from the Congo. I’ve been thinking about writing something to close out this chapter of my relationship with the Congo for a while now. Last time I wrote my closing remarks from Charles de Gaulles airport in Paris. This time it’s much less timely but better late than never.

The trip home was a long and boring process. Before leaving the mission the UN makes sure that all of the paperwork is in order; that you’ve returned all of your equipment, don’t have outstanding claims against you, that you’ve properly accounted for all of your working days, and so on. You do some of this where you worked (in Goma for me). The final checkout is either in Kinshasa or Entebbe, depending on whether you were posted to the Eastern or Western half of the country. I spent five days in Entebbe Uganda. I’d say I was actively involved for half a day in checkout activities: handing over paperwork proving that I’d returned my equipment and so on, or preparing my return trip. The other four and a half days were spent waiting for the wheels of the UN machinery to turn or the weekend to go by so I could catch my Monday morning flight. There’s not much to do in Entebbe, or nearby Kampala (the Capital). I ran, tanned, and watched NCIS. As a parting note on this topic, if ever you’re in Entebbe I recommend staying at the Boma Guest House. Nice place. Clean. Good kitchen. Friendly and interesting owners.

Buckingham Palace

The next leg of the trip home was via London. I flew British Airways to London on Monday morning, stayed overnight in London and then flew Air Canada to Ottawa. The flights were unremarkable and went well. Pretty much all you can ask for. If I never have another Heineken beer it will be too soon though. It must be the official beer of airlines around the world. Unfortunately the layover in London was too brief. I didn’t get to see much of the city. I did get to have supper in a pub, eat fish and chips, and do my morning run through Hyde Park and past Buckingham Palace. I saw a few other landmarks you hear/read about. I guess a more thorough visit of London will have to wait.

The first half done (that's me on the right)

One of the things I did after getting back was take a short “vacation”. Think of it as a getting to know spouse again trip. In 2007, we went to New York City. This time it was Vegas. As I mentioned in a previous missive, one of my goals upon my return from the Congo was to run my first marathon, which I did. So in addition to shopping and a little gambling I ran the Hoover Dam Marathon on the shores of Lake Mead (about 25 miles southeast of Vegas). My goal beyond completing the race was to come in under 4 hours. I arrived in 3 hours 55 minutes. Mission accomplished.

Meet TaTiana

My other goal was buy a little sports car, specifically an Audi TT. I’ve always liked that car. We rented one in Spain while we were on vacation there in August and that just confirmed that I really liked it. Most CF members get some kind of post-deployment “gift” for themselves or their family when they get back. Last time it was the hot tub and backyard makeover. This time it was Tatiana. She’s not brand new; can’t afford that. But she’s been well cared for and the price was right. My brother says she’s a mid-life crisis car. I disagree. I’m not in crisis and I haven’t reached the mid-point in my life. I plan to live for a very long time you see. I just think of her as a treat for a job well done.

One thing I learnt while in the Congo is that I would not make a good reporter. Nobody said anything but I’ll be the first to admit that my blogging was sporadic, at best. It started off strong and I got regular posts written and then it the energy and drive and posts dropped off precipitously. The same thing happened on my first tour. I now realise that writing the blogs, and finding something interesting to write about, became a chore and that I was good at procrastinating, something Chantal would readily confirm. Anyway, sorry about that.

I write this missive on the eve of the announcement of the electoral results for the presidency. The vote, which took place last week, went relatively well by most accounts. There was some violence and, if memory serves, 28 people were killed in electoral violence. Deplorable but pretty minor in relative terms considering what has happened in the Congo. There have been some reports of vote rigging but again pretty minor stuff by African standards. All good news but the real test will be this coming week when they announce the results. Africans are notoriously poor losers. The signs are not promising this time in the DRC either.

This tour was, for me, generally easier than the last. I pretty much knew what to expect, how things worked and so on. I lived in a different part of the country and got to see a number of new places and sights, both inside and outside of the Congo. The job wasn’t as challenging as my previous tour but it was interesting nonetheless. Speaking of which, lots of people have asked me exactly what I was doing in the Congo. My job was to be Senior Liaison Officer between the UN and the Congolese Army. My area of responsibility encompassed four provinces (Orientale, Maniema, North Kivu, and South Kivu). Within each of these provinces were two majors who acted as local liaison officers. My responsibilities were generally to supervise the local liaison officers and address issues that spanned two or more provinces.

Finally, just a couple thoughts on the experience as a whole. As with last time I met a number of people who I will think of as friends for the rest of my life. I hope they feel the same way. I had the opportunity to visit places and meet people that simply wouldn’t otherwise happen. It was a rewarding experience; professionally and personnaly. I learned/confirmed that as Canadians we are incredibly well off. Frankly we have nothing to complain about. Not even potholes. Will I do it again? I don’t know. There is nothing on the books and I’m not seeking another deployment. I wouldn’t say no but not in the near term and preferably not in the Congo. As a parting comment, I would like to thank everyone for their good wishes and encouragement. And most of all Chantal for allowing me to do this again.

Kwaheri (Goodbye in Swahili)