Burundi

Burundi was a country I knew very little about before visiting. Knowing it was one of the poorest countries in the world, I’d imagined a dry, barren landscape. Instead, I found a country of rolling green hills, lush countryside, and surprisingly beautiful scenery. I hired a local guide named Ernest, who took me across the country’s interior. Along the way, we visited the source of the Nile, stopped at waterfalls, and watched the Royal Drummers of Gishora, a renowned group that preserves the ancient drumming traditions of Burundi’s former kings. Their thunderous performance remains one of the most impressive displays of music and culture I’ve ever witnessed.

As we traveled together, Ernest shared one of the most incredible life stories I’ve ever heard. After his father was killed in ethnic violence, he left his village at just 12 years old and made his way to the capital, Bujumbura, hoping to build a better life. He survived by selling peanuts and other items on the street, taught himself English, enrolled in fifth grade at 19, graduated from high school at 27, and eventually started his own tour company to show visitors the beauty of his country. Ernest’s story is one I’ll never forget. It reminded me that our circumstances may shape where we begin, but they don’t have to define where we end up.