The 29 May it was the International Day of the Blue Barrettes in honour of those that have lost their lives during service for the UN. In Bunia this is a large event taken seriously since many soldiers lost their lives here in 2003. During the day an exhibition was organised by all the present battalions; Nepal, Guatemala, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Morocco. But mostly, the day was celebrated with parades and performances in the main square of Bunia. The different armies showed self defense techniques, escort and ambush handling, weapon control, and Gurka knife dance (Nepal Army). The performances were impressive and appreciated by the audience. It was a warm day, and in honour of the programme, I was wearing my newly tailored made congolese dress. This I quickly realised was a mistake, because as much as I love taking pictures, I absolutely hate having my own picture taken (I know, it doesn't add up, but that's me in a nutshell). And, looking like an African, but still tall, blond and extremely white - no I don't tan at all - I think I posted for bout 500 photos that day. By now, probably all the soldiers in Bunia have had their picture taken with me... Anyway, I got some nice photos of them so I can't complain really. And none of the pictures of me will end up on this blog anyway.
