The Congo River 2.0
This past weekend we went and visited a tourist site further down the Congo river with our friends Dadys and Felicité. It is the same place we visited with them in 2018 when we visited Kinshasa before our marriage. It was just as lovely as the last time and it felt so good to get some air and spend some time in nature. Moses enjoyed it too! Now we have some nice family photos! This week also marks one year of us being in Kinshasa!
Paint Structure
Last month I designed an open-air steel structure where Othy was planning to produce paint for his business. The objectives were to cover the small triangular area completely, allow for sunlight and air to enter, allow for efficient storm-water run-off, and have the flexibility to be disassembled and remounted elsewhere if needed. Unfortunately it is looking like it won’t get built because Othy has found a more flexible space for future growth. I am still happy to have gained some more knowledge of costs and availability of steel in Kinshasa. It also gave me more practice working with Blender, an amazing open source modelling and rendering tool that I am appreciating more by the day.
Existing site condition
Elanga
Elanga is the Lingala name for the cooler dry season in Kinshasa. The temperature falls between 20-30 degrees instead of 30-35, it is often overcast, and there is very little rain. Early in the year it was the hot and rainy season and the river was very high and flooding some houses bordering the river. In contrast, now the river is at its lowest and areas normally under water are exposed. It has created a seasonal public space where people can walk out on the rocky and sandy riverbed. It is also an economic opportunity as many people go out and mine the rock. Unfortunately the low river has created stagnant pools that are a breeding ground for mosquitos. We are enjoying the more comfortable climate despite the rise in these unwanted visitors to our apartment! We have also enjoyed a few walks to the river.
Cooking in Kinshasa
Now that I am in Kinshasa, the produce that is available is even more limited than it was in Kampala. I am learning to cook the standard Congolese fare, but I also like to change things up because experimenting and trying new things is what makes cooking fun. So I am learning new recipes with the foods that are available. Here is another list of recipes that I am building. Like my other lists, it will grow over time!
Savoury:
Amaranthus Potatoes Curry by vahrehvah.com I prepare this without the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and green chilly and it still turns out well.
Easy Pinto Beans from Scratch by minimalistbaker.com This recipe has nice Mexican-inspired flavours.
Sweet:
Lemon Cake by preppykitchen.com I only prepared the cake part without frosting or filling and it was still delicious.
Pumpkin Bread by onceuponachef.com I prepared this without ground cloves and it was still delicious. I’m also not sure if what I used was technically a pumpkin, but the flavour and consistency is similar. Instead of canned pumpkin puree, I cut up the fresh pumpkin/squash, boiled it until tender, and then mashed it up.
Other:
Easy Homemade Bread Recipe by liluna.com I have been baking two batches (4 loaves) every week since self-isolation began so that we don’t have to go out and buy bread every few days. It turns out every time!
Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds by inspiredtaste.net I season it with curry and a dash of chili powder. This is now my go-to recipe whenever we have a pumpkin or squash since seeds are so healthy and I haven’t found seeds sold here.
Welcome to the World Moses!
We thank God for the arrival of Moses into our family. We are thankful for the friends and family who supported us in this journey. We are enjoying getting to know our little one who is already growing so fast.
First Christmas and New Year in Kin
Our first Christmas and New Year in Kinshasa were spent in the quiet company of good friends. On Christmas day Othy treated Augustin and I to a delicious chicken dinner. On New Years Eve Othy and I watched a movie called Survivor that was ironically a movie about a woman who prevents a terrorist attack in New York City on New Years Eve. Then when it was almost midnight we joined Augustin in the living room and counted down the new year. On new years day we hosted our friends Dadys and Felicité for another nice meal. Our community may be small in Kinshasa but we are so blessed to have these good friends!
Christmas dinner
Bringing on the new year
New years day
A Day in the Life in Kinshasa
We have fallen into a pattern here in Kinshasa. Life looks a little different so I thought I would write about it.
I often wake up at around 5 or 6am when it starts getting light. I usually get up and take tea with digestive biscuits and either do devotions or watch part of a show or movie. I often climb back into bed an hour or so later for a few more z’s as I don’t sleep as deeply these days. I then often wake up with Othy and make us breakfast which usually consists of bread with tea. If it’s not too hot a day, I often do an exercise video a few days a week. Then I get ready for the day and sit in the living room to do some work. I am unemployed now but am trying to keep busy on personal projects. I am working on updating my design website, improving images for certain past projects of my portfolio and creating designs for furniture to get made for our apartment. We are also hoping to make the same pieces available for sale in the longer term if we find there is demand. Sometimes Othy works from home and other days he goes into town for meetings. I have only been going to town for very specific errands like applying for my Congolese spousal visa or buying curtains. For lunch I usually reheat leftovers from the previous day’s dinner. I usually do more work in the afternoon depending on if we have power and how much battery life I have! Tasks like doing laundry are often driven by when the pump for the water is on. I am getting used to washing my clothes by hand. We fill up large bins in the kitchen and near the bathrooms for dishes, showering, and flushing when the water is off. Washing bedsheets is a particular pain! In the late afternoon when it is cooler I will sometimes go and buy small items from a small shop next door (like eggs or tomato paste) or a nearby market stand (onions and tomatoes). I am starting to get to know a few of the neighbours. If there are larger items to get like bread, oil, or jam we sometimes walk to the small supermarket that is on the main road. It is a very busy street with cars and roadside shops and is dusty with stirred-up sand. I am glad we are a bit away from the bustle and noise. There has been a lot of rain lately and the short-cut to the main road is a low area full of large puddles that sometimes have us hopping across stones. After a heavy rain I do not even try to go that way! It gets dark by 6pm and shortly after they will turn the generator on if there is no power. It takes longer to cook dinner here because there are less quick options than back in Canada. The main staples are potatoes, rice, fufu which is made from a mix of corn and cassava flour, and ndizi which are a variety of sweet plantains. The types of vegetables are limited and so I am learning to prepare more Congolese style dishes using cabbage, amaranth leaves, sorrel (they call it spinach here), okra, zucchini, and eggplant. More recently I am being introduced to a dish called Sombe which is made with cassava leaves (we have been buying it frozen from a neighbour because it is time consuming to make), and zucchini leaves. As I cook I get to enjoy a beautiful sunset over the Congo River, one of the special perks about our apartment. By the time we are done eating dinner I am about ready to turn in. Sometimes in the evening Othy plays guitar (I have been neglecting playing as of late) or we watch a show. I often go to bed before Othy because I wake up so much earlier. So there you have it: a typical day for us here in Kinshasa.
Our living room that we hope to eventually fill with custom wood furniture
Life Section 