So we waited out the elections. Some people said it would be fine, others (the ones that sat in the Kivu Sun across the border) said there would be attacks and we should just give all our money and if we didn’t give enough, we should expect to get raped and killed. So we sat at home on the 30th. The staff went to vote and things went fine. I think it will be the results that will cause problems if anything.The day after the elections, we went trolling to look for another house as we only had 2 days left. I have spent a month worrying myself sick about finding a new place. Initially, when Shege had her second TB test and all was clear, and Yongesa climbed out the old place and got herself electrocuted, and I was dying over Shege being on her own, I searched Goma for 3 weeks. Most of the places are either too expensive, have no trees/high walls or are on a very busy road. Tess and Nicole found a brilliant place but the walls were broken and there were people staying there so it didn’t look promising. We found a house in a state of disrepair with a small garden but a few tall trees. We were so desperate that it looked like that would have to suffice. We were even thinking about falling to plan B which would be to move all the chimps to the JGI office and modify the back section of the house as a cage area, but I was dreading that.Our very last commissioner showed us our very last house on the 1st of August (we were being kicked out the following day). It is not as good as our last place but it has a big back garden and a number of tall trees. We had to do it and so we negotiated that afternoon and after being asked for $1000 per month, we whittled it down to a nice round $666! There are good facilities for the caregivers and a nice room for the chimps. We did the move on the 2nd and spent 2 days furiously putting up fences and wire on the walls so the kids wouldn’t jump out. On the third day we let the chimps out of their bedroom. They were so frustrated being stuck in there and were happy to get out. Shege immediately found a space to get out and ever-curious Yongesa did the same. So the next day, we were at it again, blocking all exits. We seem to have it more or less under control but they still try. They are trashing the smaller trees and I just hope the owner doesn’t have a fit when he sees his garden. The house has 3 bedrooms and at last I am able to have hot baths at night.Our next crisis is finding enough money to be able to build a decent sanctuary at Lwiro and get everyone outside instead of living their days out in cages……
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