We always try hard to mind our businesses because we are busy, we have work and studies, and we don’t know anything about our neighborhood. That is basically how most people live in Kigali; you wouldn’t even know whether your neighbor has celebrated anything, or maybe if they need help. It is the world we live in (we thought). Suddenly, that changed when the Corona Virus happened; because then we had to live in our homes every day and look at everything in a different perceptive.

“Before lockdown, I never really cared about my neighbor. I didn’t even realize our houses are so close until I heard her singing a month ago, and I was like how does she sing so well!?” Says Ms. Adia Uwase, a college student in the ULK campus. According to Ms. Adia, you don’t know something until you have time for it and get to explore it. That is what happened with her when she connected with her neighbor and got a new friend despite every hardship everyone went through in lockdown.

“I don’t want to mention her name friend, she is my childhood, and we have been neighbors ever since I was a child. The funniest part is when I never really cared about her profession until this April when she asked me to share lunch with her since she was home all alone.

I didn’t have a choice but to go, well why would I say no when I had no other plans? At least someone was willing to make me leave me house for a while. So I went and I had fun for real, we had to catch up about our long lost friend.

However, I was surprised when it was time to eat. Too much food, different types of dishes, and salad decorations; it was all breathtaking. So I had to ask how she was so good at that. Well that was when she told me it was her profession. She is a cook at Café camellia.

Trust me, I was both amazed and impressed. But then I realized one thing; although I always thought I know her, and I used to call her a friend, I had no idea she was such a good cook. I don’t think I ever cared about it before, but jeez the taste in her food is something I cannot easily forget. My point is; this lockdown wasn’t so good to me and many other people out there probably, but well I got time to reconnect with my old friend and got to know more about what is up with our lives.

Therefore, the lockdown was no joke but there is always room for something good! Try in every corner to grab an opportunity to make anything right, you never know; it might change your life, bring you back a friend, or teach you a lesson.