De retour au Burundi

After two months abroad, I traveled back to Burundi today. The travel was again very long. This time I flew from Montréal to Amsterdam, Nairobi and Bujumbura. Upon arrival in Nairobi, I heard the terrible news about the terrorist attacks at the Westgate Mall, a high-end shopping mall in the South-East of the Kenyan capital.

Ode to Burundi

It has only been three weeks that I have spent in Burundi, but I already fell in love with this tiny little landlocked country in the Great Lakes Region. I am not sure how to explain it, but it is a magic place. Its flora and fauna are just remarkable ; the thousand hills stunning ; the beautiful blue skies breathtaking. It is a hidden little paradise in the heart of Africa. And its people are one of the most welcoming people I have ever met. Burundi has a huge potential for ecotourism and its beauty should be seen by as many people as possible. 

But the past weighs heavy. Since independence, the country has been struck by many political crises culminating in a 13-year long civil war (1993-2005). Often identified as an ethnic conflict among Bahutus and Batutsi, the conflict is foremost entrenched in the struggle for political and economic power.

Médias burundais

Cette liste est une première tentative de ma part de résumer les médias les plus importants du Burundi. Elle a été établi à travers mes discussions avec les habitants de Bujumbura. Alors, cette liste ne se veut en aucun cas représentative. 

The cruel side of Bujumbura

One of the cruelest sides of Bujumbura are the many children that live on the streets of Bujumbura. Today it is estimated that around 3000 children live on the streets of the Burundian capital alone.

Quelques recommendations culinaires de Buja

Le Burundi offre ses propres spécialités cuisinières. La partie du pays au Lac Tanganyika est particulièrement connue pour ses variétés de poissons. Ici une une collection de quelques recommandations culinaires.

The contentious issue of land ownership in Burundi

Land is a scarce resource in Burundi, which, together with its neighbor Rwanda is one of the smallest and most densely populated countries in Africa. In a country, where more than 90% of the population live from agriculture, access to land is a synonym for life and death. During my first stay in Burundi, I witnessed the potential explosive nature of land conflicts first hand.

Les traces de Khaddafi à Bujumbura: La religion et l'éducation

La bibliothèque de l'Université du Burundi

La grande mosquée de Bujumbura

Gatumba

Impressions from my first visit to Gatumba and Burundian border with the Democratic Republic of Congo ...

The very first impressions from Bujumbura

My first impressions of Burundi collected just a few jours after my arrival ...

Time to Say Good Bye São Paulo

I am almost about to leave for the airport. I had a wonderful time in São Paulo. And I would love to come back to this country one day. I have rarely met people that are so hospitable than Brazilians. There is a great deal of enthusiasm and passion for introducing foreigners to Brazilian culture and customs.

I would especially like to come back to visit Rio and the state of Bahia. All the great music and food seem to come from this Northeastern state, characterized by the most distinctive African imprint in Brazilian culture. I am thinking here especially about the martial art of capoeira. Just an incredible artistic expression.