Cell Phone Country

I'm sitting in a staff meeting or a cooperative training when I hear the not so subtle tones of a phone beginning to ring. Immediately, I try to identify to the ring and the source to make sure I am not the culprit. After making sure my phone is on vibrate only, like I have been trained to after years of sitting in classrooms, I look up to see the embarrassed and guilty party whose phone is continuing to ring. My eyes shift around the room and I notice the tutilere or training leader reaching into their pocket non-chanlantly and pulling out a buzzing phone. The finish their sentence, look down at the phone again, and answer it turning their back on their meeting.

When you think of Africa, cell phones are not typically the first thing that comes to mind yet in Rwanda, cell phones rule. There are only 3 network carriers, MTN, Tigo, and Rwandtel all fighting for top rights. What they don't seem to understand is they don't even have to compete; most Rwandans not only have a cell phone, they typically have at least two with two different networks. For some of the wealthier, there are phones that hold two SIM cards to eliminate the hassle of carrying two phones.

During the half and hour morning prayer and song time, there will be at least 7 or 8 phone calls. I have yet to figure out if phones are just that much of a status symbol or people just don't care about interrupting or distracting others, but if the phone rings, you get it, no matter where and when.