Dear Kinshasa,
Thank you.
Thank you for the innumerable safe drives and runs I have had here. I know I am very lucky, but I will not leave here with anything but fond memories of traffic and training.
Your sidewalks made sure my Kinshasa parkour skills were always on point (I did fall once! But only once)
The occasional smile and friendly (or disbelieving) comment made me happy to be out early.
The sunrises were amazing.
I will sincerely miss running at 5:30am in Kinshasa. It's about as peaceful as this place gets, I think.
Thank you for allowing me to safely exist here for two years, observing, learning and soaking it in. I consider myself very lucky to have spent time here, meeting remarkable people from all over the globe and teaching classes of students so surreal-ly diverse, I never could have imagined them if I had tried.
This thought occured to me while I was running several weeks ago. Forgive me if this is maudlin or patronizing, it is not meant to be either... At the end of the day, Kinshasa is what I hope I am: a colorful, gorgeous, chaotic, beautiful, resilient, remarkable, confusing, wonderful mess.
I am a lucky girl, to have been here.
Love,
Ellen
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Horseback Riding
Hello there!
I had intended a horseback riding post way back in February, but some unexpected events caused me to wait until now. Last year I was very much interested in riding, but I never got the information on how and had heard a lot of rumors about the pricing being atrocious, so I was a bit turned off. This year, an intrepid friend and I managed to get through the hoops of the pricing introductory meeting to wrangle a deal for $150 each, which was supposed to only buy 5 rides, but we were given a 6th one for free (which turned out to be more than justified!)
Our first horseback riding day dawned perfectly adequately and we headed over to get started.
We both had backpacks with our money in them, which no one ever wanted to take, so we proceeded to ride with our bags, which turned out to be a mistake. My friend's horse startled at the motion of her bag, and long story short we ended up in the Kinshasa-eqivalent-of-emergency-room-on-a-Sunday all day long. It was quite traumatic, I felt bad that I hadn't reacted more quickly to help her and felt bad that it had been her! SO, after a concussion, which she definitely had, she decided it was best to wait a few months to get back on the horse! We went back in April, she had the SAME HORSE! (as did I, a horse Massimiliano who was overly fond of dragging me under EVERY low hanging branch, but very calm) and we made it perfectly through the hour long trail ride.
The third time we went, Massimiliano was not feeling well so I got a different horse, Haiti, who had a lot more spring in her step than he did and was fun to ride, though she was smaller than he was and I was worried I was large for her the whole time!
Anyway, this $150 was money extremely well spent (if we consider the free ride the one that my friend was hurt) because the trail rides we went on were nothing short of African fairy tale amazing. The rides took us through immaculately well maintained paths through fairly dense jungle. At times we could see houses and people on the borders of the area, but for the most part it was just these gorgeous trees, little streams and tons of butterflies and birds all around us. It was like what I think of as walking in the English countryside (and a little bit like the paths behind my house where I lived in Sheldon) except the African version. It was insanely beautiful and so fun. By the third time my knees were slightly more used to the saddle pain and I had absolutely the best time (could also have been due to the shorter, less wide, nicer horse who was not intent on getting me covered with dew, twigs and leaves from the overhanging branches.)
Overall, I am very happy I got to ride in Kinshasa, smell the perfect horse smell, and enjoy the gorgeous nature right next door to TASOK.
Everything I own is now pulled out of the desks, cupboards and drawers and waiting for me to pack it. I should get on that. :-)
I had intended a horseback riding post way back in February, but some unexpected events caused me to wait until now. Last year I was very much interested in riding, but I never got the information on how and had heard a lot of rumors about the pricing being atrocious, so I was a bit turned off. This year, an intrepid friend and I managed to get through the hoops of the pricing introductory meeting to wrangle a deal for $150 each, which was supposed to only buy 5 rides, but we were given a 6th one for free (which turned out to be more than justified!)
 |
| Circle Hippique de Kinshasa |
 |
| The riding ring, where the jumping competition is held every fall. |
Our first horseback riding day dawned perfectly adequately and we headed over to get started.
We both had backpacks with our money in them, which no one ever wanted to take, so we proceeded to ride with our bags, which turned out to be a mistake. My friend's horse startled at the motion of her bag, and long story short we ended up in the Kinshasa-eqivalent-of-emergency-room-on-a-Sunday all day long. It was quite traumatic, I felt bad that I hadn't reacted more quickly to help her and felt bad that it had been her! SO, after a concussion, which she definitely had, she decided it was best to wait a few months to get back on the horse! We went back in April, she had the SAME HORSE! (as did I, a horse Massimiliano who was overly fond of dragging me under EVERY low hanging branch, but very calm) and we made it perfectly through the hour long trail ride.
The third time we went, Massimiliano was not feeling well so I got a different horse, Haiti, who had a lot more spring in her step than he did and was fun to ride, though she was smaller than he was and I was worried I was large for her the whole time!
Anyway, this $150 was money extremely well spent (if we consider the free ride the one that my friend was hurt) because the trail rides we went on were nothing short of African fairy tale amazing. The rides took us through immaculately well maintained paths through fairly dense jungle. At times we could see houses and people on the borders of the area, but for the most part it was just these gorgeous trees, little streams and tons of butterflies and birds all around us. It was like what I think of as walking in the English countryside (and a little bit like the paths behind my house where I lived in Sheldon) except the African version. It was insanely beautiful and so fun. By the third time my knees were slightly more used to the saddle pain and I had absolutely the best time (could also have been due to the shorter, less wide, nicer horse who was not intent on getting me covered with dew, twigs and leaves from the overhanging branches.)
 |
| This is just the way down to access the more wooded paths, but you can start to get the idea. |
 |
| Horsies with their awards they've won at the jumping competition. |
Everything I own is now pulled out of the desks, cupboards and drawers and waiting for me to pack it. I should get on that. :-)
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