Charles
Introduction
I met Charles working at the Portland Public Library. I was a relatively new employee, but had quickly discovered that a favorite part of my job was meeting the increasingly diverse array of patrons who frequented the space. One of the first stops many new Mainers make upon arriving in Portland is the library. As Charles later highlighted in our interview, many newcomers, be they from another state or another country utilize the resources at the library to help establish themselves here. Furthermore, having spent time in east Africa I am often able to speak to new patrons from Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo about places, events, and politics. This helps to establish bonds and people are generally happy when I express interest in their place of origin.
Conversations about Burundi, and it being January, lamentations over the cold and snow moved Charles and I towards friendship. Though he is less dependent upon the library and its resources, having found employment and an apartment, I still see Charles regularly. We generally find time monthly to converse and share meals and he was gracious enough to allow me to interview him for this project.
Background
Charles was born in Muramvya province, just east of Bujumbura, Burundi in 1969. He is one of ten siblings, five boys and five girls. He attended the Lycee Murmvya where he focused his studies on science before attending the University of Burundi in Bujumbura. At university Charles studied soil sciences and upon completion of his degree began teaching math and science at Nyakabiga high school. After teaching for five years he made a transition towards work more closely related to his university studies and in 2001 started working as a consultant and focal point for the UN Food and Agricultural program in Bujumbura. In this position he focused on local horticulture. After nine years with the UN Food and Agricultural program Charles became the leader of the Environment and Climate Change project. This position provided him with ample opportunities to network with individuals working on climate and environment related projects throughout the African continent. Through these connections in 2013 he became the director of the Association Burundaise pour la Protection de la Nature or ABN. ABN is a partner designate with BirdLife International, headquartered in London which, "strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources," according to the organization's website.
Videos of Charles discussing some of his projects with ABN
In 2015 the political situation in Burundi began to deteriorate significantly. This made work, especially work dealing with wildlife and conservation especially challenging. Charles' position with the UN and the ABN had allowed for him to travel and present at conferences in a number of locations throughout Africa, Europe, and the US. In January of 2017 he left Burundi to attend an Forestry conference at Yale University in New Haven, CT. Upon completion of the conference he traveled north to Portland where he chose to begin establishing a new life. Having spent time on the road for work before, feelings related to his transition being more permanent than previous travel did not begin stir until after more than two weeks into his stay. Holding our interview mostly in English, with some broken French, Charles explained to me that he lacked the English words to describe the feelings of sadness and missing he felt over not being with his family.
A New Beginning
Some of the most significant challenges Charles has experienced since settling in the US include the language barrier and wrestling with his perceived self value. Unlike many new Mainers, Charles spent time studying English and traveling to English speaking areas prior to his arrival. He is friendly and outgoing and does not shy away from opportunities to practice his English. Even with this background, Charles found the task of navigating his new life quite difficult. Accommodation for non English speakers is not necessarily a priority in the US, and this trait is perhaps more exaggerated in Maine. The list of tasks confronting Charles included applying for a work permit, enrolling in the General Assistance program, and finding a place to live and work. Navigating this maze of bureaucracy posed significant challenges. Through persistence and resources such as the Portland Public Library, his caseworker, and knowledge shared by other new Mainers, Charles was able to find housing at the YMCA within his first month of arriving in the US.
Another challenge faced by Charles and perhaps many individuals in similar situations was more mental and emotional and related to beginning a new life largely from scratch. Charles, who had accrued 20 years of experience in conservancy and climate related work, was largely relegated to stasis for months while waiting for his work permit paperwork to be processed. Furthermore, the degrees he had attained in Burundi were not viewed as adequate or equivalent to those of his US counterparts. He told me this caused somewhat of an existential crisis. How does one in middle age, with significant and specific experience handle rebuilding a life from the ground up? How does this experience impact the understanding of one's self worth? These are questions Charles has struggled with since arriving in Portland.
Although Charles' time in Portland has included significant challenges, it has also resulted in a number of encouraging successes. Beyond finding a job and an apartment, Charles was introduced to Colin Apse, who heads the Eastern U.S. and African Freshwater programs at The Nature Conservancy, a non profit, conservation focused organization. Because of his work history Colin asked Charles if he would like to volunteer with the Nature Conservancy and focus on the organization's work in the African continent. Since this invitation, Charles has been working with the Nature Conservancy multiple times per week. During our interview he noted how this work has helped him stay connected to his preferred field and also offered him an avenue where his experience and work is highly valued. This has helped him to reckon with some of the mental and emotional challenges associated with his move to Maine. This opportunity was presented to Charles after a number of months of waiting and inactivity. It generally takes over 5 months for work permits to be granted and though there are a number of volunteer opportunities available in the Portland area, Charles noted that this time was a serious struggle. The large amount of down time was easily and often filled with anxious and worrisome thoughts which made him question his decision to move to Portland. Finding work with the Nature Conservancy has helped to ease some of this anxiety and also improved Charles' self perception.
This past spring Charles was also asked to participate in a forum which focused on the impact of climate change on national security. This event was hosted by USM and attended by Senator Angus King. Charles spoke about the impact of continued climate change on Burundi. Other speakers included new Mainers originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. This event provided Charles with another opportunity to focus his energies on producing a presentation which utilized his education and experience. The forum was attended by hundreds of people, all intently listening and interested in what Charles and his co presenters had to say. Afterwards there was dinner and a brief meeting with Senator King. This event was significant to Charles as it showed that his knowledge and experience were valued by the greater Portland community.
A flyer from the presentation at USM
Towards the end of our interview we turned to Charles' future. This period of transition has upended a relatively stable career path and at this point he is considering the practicalities of beginning anew. He is drawn towards both academia and education. Though currently employed at Maine Medical Center, Charles hopes to eventually find work either teaching or in conservation. He has completed a number of classes through Portland Adult Education, a resource he values highly and is currently considering his future options. He could see pursuing a degree in resource management or environmental studies or attaining a teaching degree and working as a Math or Science teacher. This decision process has been slightly unsettling as he never imagined reassessing his career choice two decades into it. He is weighing the practicality of supporting himself and hopefully his family and also his affinity for work related to conservation and the environment. More than anything Charles hopes to be reunited with his family. In the meantime he plans to continue to persist and involve himself in his community.
Charles flanking an image of Portland Adult Education
*All photos and videos courtesy of the author
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