Some people call it Congo Disorder other Congo Dementia, or Congo Disease but we all say CD for short and we all know exactly what we mean by it. I don’t know what it is about this place (or maybe I do) but it seems to literally drive a person mad. I’ve spent years in other African countries without a break and it never bothered me. I admit there have been plenty of times even while living in America that I needed a break or was sick of life as usual but CD is very different.
When a foreigner first gets back to Congo after having been in some other more normal country Congo’s backwardness is extremely irritating and impatient sets in. After a week or 2 you get used to it fall into routine and Congo’s nonsense feels normal. After as short as 3 weeks for some or as long as 2 months for others CD starts to set in. You stop thinking like a normal person and start acting foolishly. There is a definite linkage to the onset of CD and the amount of time remaining before one leaves Congo.
Here are some common symptoms of CD
- A short fuse: even the smallest of problems are just too much and an explosion is likely to occur
- Throwing caution to the wind: being careful about not drinking contaminated water or eating food sure to make you sick, driving too fast too late etc
- Pessimism: thinking Congo will not change and projects will not be successful
- Insensitivity: not caring about other people’s feelings or situations
- Daydreaming: it is difficult to stay focused on the projects at hand since your mind is constantly wandering to better places
I am currently suffering from CD and need to get outta here! Hopefully tomorrow. As I’ve been telling some of my friends “I’ll be nicer when I get back.”
