The Walk Home

Hosting visitors in Rwandan culture is an honor. When you have a guest, you offer him the very best seat in your house, the very best food and/or drink available, and, when it’s time for him to leave, you walk him home. I love this tradition for many reasons. Most importantly, because when I visit people among the many hills and valleys in my community I usually have no idea where I am so I appreciate the guidance back home. 

This custom can, however, create some confusion when you reach home and suddenly visitor is playing host and host visitor… and then we’re walking again in the other direction.  Last week I was party to such a predicament, when after walking my friend home (a thirty-five minute walk uphill) I was invited in to look at photos and take some lemons from the family tree. After the usual series of greetings to family members, neighbors, and curious children, my friend walked me back to our original starting point on the other side of the valley. No wonder Rwandans are so fit!