When the Drill Becomes the Procedure

My school has an extensive set of drills, named after rainbow colors, and designed to keep students and staff safe in the event of political unrest. Their frequency has steadily occurred as the elections approach in the not unreasonable concern that things may take a troubled turn, if only briefly. After all, this is DR Congo where 5 years ago the city went on lockdown and students slept at their teacher's houses for 3 nights and cried when "all clear" was called and their parents came to collect them. This is the city where the local college down the hill from my home rioted in response to cities failure to provide them power and water. This occurred specifically on the night when a senior invited her teachers/coaches/mentors out to dinner to celebrate her graduation. Our boss called to tell us to keep celebrating rather than drive home. We turned this into one last teachable moment for the graduate: how to do a tequila shot.

Chaos happens. So when the receptionist flung open my door and shouted "Code Yellow Emergency Drill!" 10 minutes before the dismissal bell rang I figured, "It's probably not a drill." And it wasn't. Today was a demonstration geared toward the upcoming elections, ambiguously titled, "The Peaceful Protest of Rage." It took a slightly violent turn and although the streets were cleared and quieted, "Intelligence sources,"  not to be confused with intelligent sources (though I don't find the two to be necessarily mutually exclusive), decided this was the calm before the storm. In reality, it was the calm before the regularly scheduled hustle and bustle of Kinshasa. Nonetheless, for 25 minutes I entertained the Kinderfolk with songs and rhymes whilst their parents waited outside my door. (This particular drill called for students returning to class and not being released until the streets are deemed safe, no matter if their parent is there and wants to take them the hell home).

In the end it was a little blip in my day and in the daily happenings of the city, but I don't doubt there are more blips on the way. Fingers crossed for small blips all the way.