Munich

The elephant is the symbolic animal of Ivory Coast and a nickname for its people. And now he went to school! Don’t worry; it’s not a china shop. He hasn’t smashed anything up. On the contrary, he was lovingly cared for by the children during his visit to the primary school at Klenzestrasse 48.

My little friends want to know everything about the Ivory Coast: the climate – is it cold or warm? Do you have a desert? No, but it’s hot even if it rains a lot during the rainy season. The country is lucky to be very green, with huge forests where many animals live. Oh yes, the animals! While we’re on the subject, of course there are many animals. Wild animals like deer, antelopes and leopards. The children also want to know if ivory is still traded and especially whether we have lots of elephants. Elephant hunting was abolished years ago as was trading in ivory. The first president of the country, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, made this decision to prevent the extinction of the symbol of my country.

Do all the children go to school? Unlike Germany, only people with money can send their children to school. There is no compulsory schooling. Therefore many children throw themselves into working life very early, by selling tissues or cleaning shoes or car windows.

My young classmates also want to know whether the families have lots of children. The idea of family in Ivory Coast is entirely different than that in Germany. For us, a child means wealth. Having many children is a good thing whether or not you have the means to meet their needs. No one even asks themselves this question. God will come to their aid. That’s the way we see things and that is why many families have at least four children. Some even have twenty or more. A man can have many wives: that is also part of reality in my country that doesn’t cause a stir. As we say in Abidjan: “A good man must have at least two wives!” The schoolchildren are very surprised. “Why is it good to have two wives?” one even asked me.

This encounter was clearly give and take. As much as they learned about Ivory Coast, I learned a lot from them. They enchanted me with their intelligence, their tolerance and in particular this thirst for knowledge and with their human warmth. It will be unforgettable. Thank you, dear friends, for making me so happy and good luck at school!