Born and raised in Goma, I was able to experience a city where everything seems close. It is easy to get groceries within a 10 minutes walk distance or see friends and family within a 5 minutes walking distance. Goma is a city located in the East of the Republic Democratic of Congo, with 29.24 sq miles and a population of 700 000.
Goma is a vibrant city. There are always people on the road, either selling things or just having conversations with one another. People from the neighborhood know each other, and children refer to grown-up neighbors as "uncle and aunty." In Goma, we go by the idea that a “neighbor is a family member.” During the holidays, my neighbors come home very early in the morning to see my little brother who is the same age. We usually have breakfast together, and after that, they can stay and play from home, or my brother can go to their place.
For school, people choose schools depending on their financial situation. There are schools in all districts and neighborhoods, more private than public schools. All schools follow the same curriculum, but some schools have better structures, teachers, and discipline. There are also 5 universities in Goma, and students choose which one to go to based on their interests and financial situation. It is not hard to get into a university. So long as you pass the national exam after high school, you can get into any university.
In terms of job opportunities, a lot of families own some sort of business, but there are also a significant number of NGOs. Some people make multi-million dollars from their businesses, but other people get just enough for food. This creates social classes with a huge gap between them. The rich are RICH and the poor are QUITE POOR. It seems like the city is divided into two. However, people usually look past their financial differences and live together as a community. In terms of industrialization, there are not a lot of industries in Goma, people eat organic food, and export what is not there. Goma shares a border with Rwanda and this presents great opportunities for exportation.
Goma is not the cleanest or safest city, but it presents touristic interests with its various natural attractions. There are zoological parks, mountains, and there is a lake on the west side of the city with a lot of islands. Like in many cities, people come from different places within Congo and go live in Goma. This creates a city with different ethnic groups that speak different languages. It is very common to hear people speak a language you are not familiar with. There are at least 10 different ethnic groups in Goma. However, they are all unified by the national language: Swahili, or the official language: French. Despite having different native languages, no one feels excluded. Goma is a big inclusive city, and everything seems so close.
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