Luxury—or necessity?

When folks in the Western world—and that includes me—think of what are life's necessities, we usually think of far more than just food, shelter, clothing, and basic transportation. (Chinese:  衣食住行) We think necessities include a TV, a computer, and a cell phone.

The fact is that in a developing country things such as cars and electronics are usually more expensive than in the U.S. This is because imported goods are hit with duty and other taxes upon entering the country. Not only that, but you cannot always rely on the quality of the goods. So if you're going to buy a computer, it is usually best to get it in the U.S. or Europe.

Whether we consider something as a luxury or as a necessity depends upon the standard of living we are used to. For example, although I am surviving on about US$400 a month, there are brothers here who live on the equivalent of US$60 a month. I think I'm just getting by with bare necessities, but am I really? I pay $3 to eat at a Rwandan lunch buffet, and think that's pretty cheap, but the fact is that many people cannot afford such a "luxury," so they subsist on rice, beans, and vegetable for about 75¢. Sources say that Kigali is a fairly expensive city to live in, but by whose standards?

That brings up the subject of car ownership. The fact is that 95% of the people in poorer countries do not have cars, because 95% of the people are not rich. True, Kigali has a lot of cars. But when you take the number of cars here with its population of 1 million, compared to, say, Sacramento, the fact is that there are more cars per capita in Sacramento because there is not a decent public transportation system so everyone has to have a car.

In Malawi, a few my Western friends directly told me that it was wrong for me not to have a car. Hey, I survived there two years without one, and will survive here in Rwanda without one, just like by far the majority of people around me. In Malawi and Rwanda cars are more expensive to buy than in the U.S., and petrol (gas) is more expensive ($5.50/gallon). Besides, to hop on a bus and go to town (about 8 miles) is actually quite convenient. Once you get there, you don't have to worry about parking, which can be a big challenge. You need not be concerned about dodging motorcycles, about traffic jams, or about getting pulled over by the Rwandan police, who can be very strict about the least infraction and will lecture you in no uncertain terms. And another benefit of public transportation: it forces you to walk more, which will keep the kilos/pounds off! In 5 months I have lost 9 kgs., or 20 lbs. How do I know this? Because sometimes on the sidewalk, you see these guys with a bathroom scale who invite you to step on and check your weight, for 100Rwf. Hey, whatever it takes to earn a living...

Right now, my jeans are about 2 sizes too large. Usually, my shirt is worn outside to cover them. Any more weight loss, however, and I may have to go on one of those commercials asking for donations. :)

Oh, one more benefit of the bus: witnessing! One time, I distributed all my invitations on the bus, including two handed out the window to people standing at a bus stage! People here will gladly take anything you give them and not view it with suspicion, as is the case in the developed world.

But . . . if I ever did get a car here in Rwanda, this silver Mercedes (parked at the convention) is the one I want . . .

DREAM ON!!