The Great Wall of China is not just a historic site. It is a force. It stretches and twists across the mountains like a living testament to what human beings can achieve when they refuse to stop. When I visited it recently, I expected the breathtaking views. I expected the crowds. I expected the photos.
What I did not expect was the lesson.
From the moment I arrived, the energy was electric. The Wall is visited by thousands of people a day, and yet it does not feel chaotic. It feels alive. Crowds from every corner of the world, Chinese locals smiling warmly, tour guides waving flags, families laughing, children racing up the steps. It is a celebration of history that still beats loudly in the present.
When Rwanda meets China
Somewhere between catching my breath and catching my balance, a friendly lady turned to me and asked:
“Where are you coming from?”
“Rwanda,” I answered.
Her eyes lit up immediately. “Rwanda! Oh, I know Rwanda. It is in North Africa!”
I laughed, not mockingly, just warmly, and replied, “It is in East Africa.”
It was funny and human, but also a reminder. The world still has a lot to learn about Africa. And maybe we still have work to do in teaching it.
A Fortress, fatigue, and a lesson I did not see coming
I pushed myself to climb all the way to the 8th fortress. And let me tell you, it humbled me. My legs were shaking. My lungs were burning. At some point, I genuinely felt like I was about to lose my sight from fatigue.
That was the moment I wanted to stop.
That was also the moment I refused to.
People talk about perseverance like it is glamorous. It is not. Perseverance is sweat, frustration, doubt, and discomfort. It is also the only path to the top. On those final steps, I realized:
Life does not reward the strongest. It rewards the ones who keep moving.
That fortress became a metaphor. Everything that looks great from afar will challenge you up close. Ambition asks something from you, and it is usually more than you expected.
What I carried home
I left China with more than photos and souvenirs. I left with three reminders:
🔸 Greatness requires endurance. You do not get the view without the climb.
🔸 Identity needs ownership. If we do not tell our stories, others will, and not always correctly.
🔸 Patriotism is not just politics. It is showing up for your culture, your history, your attractions, and your narrative.
If China protects and celebrates its heritage so fiercely, why should we not do the same?
If locals fill the Great Wall, why should we not fill the Nyungwe, the gorillas, Lake Kivu, and everything in between?
As Africans, we are sitting on wonders the world dreams of.
We just have to love them loudly.
Final thought
The Great Wall taught me that strength is not measured by how easy the climb is, but by how committed you are to reaching the summit. And maybe, just maybe, greatness starts when we learn to climb for ourselves and celebrate what we stand on.
