Destination Guinea - Part 3
Part 3: Gaps and G-francs
Before entering the Camayenne, a reputedly three-star accommodation,
I took a moment to get my bearings. While the hotel entrance was
spotless, the deteriorating, mustard-hued apartment building across
the street was not. Laundered, well-worn garments hung limply on
rusted balcony railings. No one peered out of the apartments.
Ekwueme, following my gaze, explained that the building’s entrance
was on the opposite side, impossible to reach with the SUV because
of the garbage that littered the lot. I was to learn that the sight
of dogs, goats, and even men relieving themselves on the street was
not uncommon;
I couldn’t help but contrast the unpleasantly pungent and
continually noisy street air with the hushed, cool environs of the
hotel lobby. Businesspeople relaxed on divans or talked quietly at
small tables. A gift shop tastefully displayed offerings whose
prices and quality far exceeded those offered in the marketplace.
What a gap exists between the lives of the people of Guinea and
their comparatively wealthy foreign visitors, I thought sadly.
Perhaps, I’ll help in some small way to begin to close that gap.
Wouldn’t that be something?
At the registration desk, I met Kwadwo, a short, middle-aged man
with a limp and an amusing, if arrogant affectation. (He removed his
horned rimned glasses whenever he spoke English—or any of the other
languages in which he claimed mastery.) Self-important in his maroon
hotel uniform, he directed me to the money exchange office at the
far end of the lobby. Ekwueme waited near the elevator with my
luggage while I conducted business with an older, stern-faced woman
named Jamila, who checked my passport several times before entering
my visa number in a register, recording the serial numbers of my
hundred-dollar bills, and exchanging my American cash for G-francs
(Guinea francs)—all without saying a word. Each U.S. dollar netted
13 G-francs. I returned to Kwadwo to pay for two nights’ lodging and
pick up my room key. He pointed out Housekeeping, where I picked up
towels, washcloths, and a bar of soap. (The cost of these “luxuries”
would be added to my final bill!) With that in mind, I entered the
elevator with Ekwueme, wondering what additional “luxuries” I’d need
to make my room home for the next two days.
by Everil Quist, International Agri-business Consultant
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and G-francs
Everil Quist - President & CEO of QuistSpeaks, LLC
"Enjoy this story about the noble peoples of third world countries. I've truly enjoyed working with them and have many heartwarming and entertaining stories to tell.
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