Take a break and the oportunity to travel to Africa. Living and working in Rwanda was an exhilarating experience I had. I lived the culture, the place and got to know the people. A piece of my heart was left with everyone I met. Open your heart, be ready to learn and get prepared to be transformed. If you think that you can make a difference and impact other people’s life, wait and see. Above all, it will change you and your own world forever.
What happens when a child is born in Rwanda?
It is a special moment for celebration. Relatives and friends bring with them all kinds of gifts as a sign of love and friendship. The presents can be milk, baby’s clothes, banana, beens, soap and also some money. Everybody cares and giving money is always received as a blessing of riches to the new baby born. The baby is also seen as a gift and a blessing from God.
I had the privilege to visit a lovely family, hold the baby and pray with the famiky and friends to thank Lord for such a special moment.
A speech is a must for the proud dad! We all had a drink and took lots of pictures. Remember we love photos!
Imagine that the culture of a society is like an iceberg with some aspects that are visible above the water and that there is a larger portion of the internal aspect that is hidden below the surface.
What does it mean?
It means that some external aspects of the culture you can easily see such as, music, cooking, dancing, dress, art and literature. Underneath the surface is the internal culture where you are going to find a variety of notions and concepts that are implicit, unconscious and subjective of knowledge.
What does Hall suggest?
That if we want to understand the internal culture of a society we have to actively participate and live in it.
What did I find out?
When I first entered in the Rwandan culture I started to discover the underlying behaviour, beliefs, values and thought of patterns of who they are. I wanted to interact and spend time with them.
