The Congo River

This is my journal about what I learned from the Congo River series. The 3,000 mile long Congo river plays an important role for many people's lives. The river traces around the boundaries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Making it very important for trade and travel to far away parts of the country. People call it a floating market and the backbone of the nation, because it brings the nation food, water, a place to wash themselves and their clothes, the ability to travel and trade opportunities, and most of all it brings the nation inspiration and unification. It is funny how many people bathe in the river privately behind the barge, but many are curious and a lot of rubbernecking goes on especially when there are foreigners on board. I could not imagine a life so public! I need my space and privacy. Some days I prefer to stay home and be alone. I now realize that being alone and having privacy are luxuries that some people in the world cannot enjoy like I do. Life on the river sounds interesting. It is really interesting to learn about how people carry on with their day aboard a ship and do not get tired as much as I would expect them to. People are up at even 3:30 in the morning to get to work, I'd want to go back to sleep! Many myths and stories are about the river because it is so special and crucial to their survival. Men catch fish with baskets and some can even catch fish with their teeth "a style born of experience"! Even if people do not have jobs, they still can catch fish and feed themselves! They can still gather fruit and try to sell the food to their neighbors or foreigners. I imagine that the river relieves some of the poverty that they experience. Without the river, their lives would look very different.

It is interesting to contrast the way in which we treat our rivers in California in comparison to those in Africa. We do not depend on our rivers in the same way that people in the Congo do. Hungry people in the US can get food stamps, they do not have to rely on rivers for their food like those in the Congo. We do not praise our rivers, or use them for trade as much as they do. The only time I have been on a river was for recreational purposes. I hardly think of a river maybe once a month, but for people who live in the Republic of the Congo think of it all day long and make use of it. I could not imagine being on a river for days let alone weeks! I would be just as impatient as many of the people who travel the Congo River--maybe more so. To live on a cramped boat with live animals and so many noises of people and children would drive me crazy. I would probably get into many fights if I had to depend on a single river and the captain to get me to where I wanted to go. We have the luxury of driving in cars --all alone-- with relaxing music and perhaps air conditioning for when it gets hot or heating when it gets cold. The most we have to spend traveling is several hours--and that is considered a very long trip!

Oh how people on the Congo River are different than us! They partake in a completely different world than we do and a completely different history. It is so sad that their history is characterized by poverty, colonization, conflict, and pain. Millions of natives died in King Leopold's ruthless pursuit of rubber and ivory. Many people had their hands cut off if they did not perform to certain expectations. It is so sad that people in the West would take the little people in the rest of the world had and oppress them. With technology in the Democratic Republic of the Congo so much behind ours, the world to them must seem so much larger. Many people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are very poor, and jobless. Maybe one day things will be better for them and we could play a crucial part in helping them have a better way of life as they define it. At the end of the journey, taken by people who travel on the river, everyone has to share their things with the others. Everyone on board gets very excited to see the land that they are approaching. Everyone shares their leftovers. What a community and a nice tradition! It is interesting to learn about how common hardships can bring people together.