Welcome to the US...

Dear Luci and M,

So I actually made it all the way inside the Embassy today. Last time I was here we made it to the security gate and ended up going into town for our meeting. I was supposed to give a presentation so I brought my lap top and the necessary USB to be told we couldn't bring any of it in. This time, I knew enough to send things in advance, but apparently the USB rule has been laxed a bit so I didn't have to send everything in advance after all. They have consolidated the US Government agencies into the new Embassy building here, USAID, CDC, State...

All that to say, we made it fully inside the walls today. There is a first set of walls, then you enter another building and go through security again. As we cleared the second level and walked through the courtyard one of the guys we were meeting said "welcome to the US". It was shockingly accurate. It feels entirely separate from the place we are actually in. A piece of US soil in the middle of Kigali. It was all constructed by US contractors. I wouldn't be surprised if the materials were sourced from the US too. It's an impressive structure, and there is a nice atrium area and coffee shop and official looking Marines around. I would not have been the least surprised has I encountered a McDonald's or a Starbucks.

For obvious reasons, there are no pictures. But just wanted you to know I was stateside for about an hour and half today and I didn't even have to change planes!

Cheers,

Kik