Life in The Congo: Reflections on Month One
Have you ever wondered what life is like in a place so different from your upbringing that everyday excursions feel unexpected and bizarre? Living in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, is exactly that—a whirlwind of frustrations, quirks, and moments that make you confused, cry, laugh, or just want to scream.
Whether you’re curious about our life in the Congo, dreaming of an overseas adventure, or just in the mood for a laugh, this is for you. Let me share a few stories from our first month of life in Kinshasa —the good, the strange, and the outright hilarious.
The Wild World of Traffic Sellers
I’ve complained about the horrendous traffic in Kinshasa, but in a very ingenious move, you can basically buy anything you want while stuck in traffic. Kinshasa’s traffic jams are the ultimate shopping destination.
Imagine you’re sitting in your car for 3+ hours, inching forward at a snail’s pace, and suddenly, someone is at your window holding up the snack you’ve been craving. You’d buy it, right?
Ok, now imagine that instead of the snack you’ve been craving it’s an old briefcase, miniature dollhouse furniture, outdated cell phone, giant Congolese flag, warm Fanta, or hard boiled egg. Still want to buy it? Me neither. They only sell things I’d never want to purchase, especially nothing I’d want to buy when I’m in my pure road rage mode after hour 3 of traffic.
Here’s a ranked list of the five strangest things that have been offered to me while sitting in traffic or walking on the side of the road:
- Live chickens – Standard poultry-on-the-go, obviously.
- A definitely-drugged puppy – I’ve never wanted to both rescue and run faster in my life.
- A large live fish in a very small jar – It looked as miserable as I felt in traffic.
- A hawk tied to a string – For the discerning bird enthusiast who needs their hawk immediately. This was right outside my front door and the vendor followed us down the street trying to convince me that today was the day when I really needed to buy a hawk. Sorry dude, not on my shopping list.
- A taxidermied crocodile and its sidekick, a poorly-taxidermied lizard – Both were horrifying, and yet I couldn’t look away. Imagine the seller tapping on your window with the long, dead lizard nails. Yes, this happened, and yes, I screamed in both horror and surprise.
The Mosquito Moat
Our house has a unique feature—an open sewer right out front. We endearingly call it the “mosquito moat.” Picture a putrid trench of deep water, its surface covered in thousands of mosquitos, and it is literally bubbling with bacteria and who knows what else.
I wish I was lying on this part, but the last time I looked there were feces floating in it. I try not to look at it when I leave the house, but it’s so awful sometimes I can’t turn away.
We recently saw the shocking aftermath of an intense rain storm, which led to the moat overflowing into the street. I imagined it slowly overflowing into our pool. Barf.
The Curious Case of Missing Animals
Kinshasa doesn’t have street dogs or stray cats or much wildlife of any sort. You can probably guess why. Instead, the city is ruled by lizards, which I’m fine with, they eat bugs and some are really brightly colored and beautiful. What I’m not fine with? The terrifying creatures I had no idea existed on this earth, like the water scorpion (!) that decided to go for a leisurely swim in our pool. You’re welcome for the nightmares.
I dumped it in mosquito moat (sorry water scorpion). Crossing my fingers it doesn’t mutate, grow to the size of a small dog, and come back to attack me.
Traffic: The True Boss of Kinshasa
You think you’ve experienced traffic? I did too, until we moved to Kinshasa. Kinshasa’s traffic is a beast unto itself, my partner’s colleagues routinely endure 4+ hour commutes, turning a simple trip into a full road trip. One memorable day, it took us so long to travel .5 miles that I could’ve walked faster, if only there were sidewalks.
Important note: In all honesty our life is relatively easy, especially in comparison to the millions of internally displaced people, many of whom are women facing gender based violence or children living in awful conditions. There are atrocious human rights violations throughout the history of the DRC that continue today.
Life in the Congo Month 1 Reflections
Moving overseas is a whirlwind of adjusting to the unexpected, laughing at the absurd, and learning to appreciate life’s quirks. Kinshasa is no exception. From the roadside marketplaces to the mosquito moat, it’s a city that keeps you on your toes and (occasionally) in your car for hours. Despite the challenges, we’re embracing this strange adventure, one day at a time.
