Out in the fields..

A little drive through the countryside tonight.. plotting the running/walking route for the next hash. I had very little to do with it, except to ride in the back of a 15 passenger UN van, bumping along dirt roads in between flooded fields and take pictures. I'm a great helper!

Didja know?

So bin laden spent several years in Khartoum in the 1990's. It's true he lived in the next neighborhood over. I've been shown the house where people say he lived. It would take me about 25 minutes to walk there.
They say that the large mosque up on the main road (see above) was built with his money. I can't find confirmation of that.

This is all very weird to me.

Green!

This morning we went to a lovely plant shop on the banks of the Nile. It wasn't cheap, but it was really nice to see so much green. And flowers! We bought a few palms and other "its so hearty its almost plastic and thus might stay alive" options for our apartment. We'll keep you posted!

high cost of living?

Some things are expensive here. Most prices aren't shocking, coming from New York.
But yesterday, just down the street, we bought six rolls of toilet paper. For $5 US dollars! Ahhhhh!
Now I understand why the school suggests you buy in bulk through them.
We'll get that arranged- as soon as possible!

THE souk

Today we went on a little adventure to Souk Omdurman- the mother of all Sudanese markets. A quick taxi ride across the river, and we were in the middle of a huge, bustling city market. Said to be one of the biggest markets in Africa, it was street after street of plastics and spices and meat and vegetables and clothes and fabrics.... the list goes on. And on. Prayer mats. Scarves. Goat heads (Skinless? They have that too!) More amazing than other souks. And more intense.

I can't even really express the chaos- taxis, rickshaws, horses, donkeys, carts and people all trying to move through narrow, dirt streets.

Perhaps the most amazing thing is not the varied selection of goods, but the hospitality of the people. They don't harass, but welcome you. While they are surely trying to make a sale, they also seem so eager to introduce themselves and practice their few words of English.
Our friend Tony actually had a smiling man approach him, reach out, and grab his chin! The guy just smiled and went on his way. What? While not necessarily appropriate, it also seemed innocent enough. And funny. Very funny. But, that was the closest we got to a negative experience.
We didn't take pictures, but I borrowed this one from online. Its a fairly accurate representation of the grains and spices aisle. Without the people. We never had a clear path!

I don't think I have ever been to a country that has so little tourism. There are a lot of expats here, but they are working. And there are restaurants and cafes that support their tastes, to some extent, in the city. But they do not have goods and handicrafts for "the tourist".
I have never been to a market that wasn't, in some way, filled with silly knick-knacks hoping to attract tourists' dollars. There are no souvenirs here. You might find beautiful things, created by local people, but that serve a local purpose. That's pretty amazing. And refreshing.

An alarm thats easy to wake up to

Its 5:00 am on Friday morning. Friday meaning weekend.
I set my alarm to watch Obama's acceptance speech.
There's something about being abroad...
it seems to draw me into politics.

I'm watching history right now- on Al Jazeera.

I'm the biggest loser

I'm at home alone tonight, not feeling well, and I happen upon "The Biggest Loser" on TV. Very exciting. While I'm sure its an old season, its new to me. Because I'm not feeling well, I let myself get a little caught up in the two-hour finale. No harm done.
Just as we're looking at the four final contestants in their little tight shorts and red/blue tanktops- the power goes! I missed part of the final weigh-in!
Just another example of how hard life is here in Khartoum. :)

Public transport at its finest

These three women are wearing typical Sudanese dress. Waiting for the bus. Its a dark photo. I apologize.

We rode the bus the other day, and I promise, we did not look as beautiful flagging it down.

There aren't really bus stops, just loose routes that are pretty hard to figure out. But when you find one that you think you want to get on, you flag it down and find a seat. Everyone sits down. Eventually, the nice guy working the door snaps his fingers and everyone passes the fare to him. Forty or fifty piastres or cents. He takes his time giving change. When you want off, you simply snap your fingers at the door guy, and he hisses, telling the driver to stop.

This is a very calm and pleasant experience. People don't really talk much on the bus. Nobody is bumping into you. Flip down seats fill up the aisles as people pile on. This makes it difficult when you find yourself in the back of the bus looking to get off. Everyone filling the tiny aisles with flip-down seats has to get up, put the seat up, and get out of the way for you to shimmy out of the bus and onto the road. This is sometimes not even the curb, but the middle of the road.

Overall, its well-worth your 25 or 30 cents. Assuming, of course, that you get on a route that takes you to the right place.

Eeks-

I was tired last night so I didn't post. And I woke up to hate mail in my inbox!
School is finally settling into a routine. They are working hard. A lot of them like homework. (That could be related to the lack of entertainment choices here) It all leaves me exhausted.

Its a running club...

but I'm not running!

Tonight we finally made it to 'the hash'- the international running and drinking club with a Khartoum connection. It was really just a bunch of foreigners running and walking for a ways, following spray-painted arrows. You pay a bit- and you get dinner and a couple beers. (In other hashes around the world, they tend to be big drinkers- here people put up with the walk/run just for a shot at two cans of Heineken!) Every week is a different walk- so you end up seeing some of the city. And meeting people that are here for all kinds of crazy reasons.
We ended up dining and drinking on the roof of an Ambassador's house- good food, good company, and a great view of the city! Once on the roof, we were circled and doused in water. I think those are top-secret initiations that I can't talk about. (And we got to ride in a UN vehicle! Very exciting!)

Not a bad way to spend a lovely Monday evening...

Reprise

You all really seemed to get worked up about the Wedding Party Dress possibilities... While I haven't been back to the souk to find more, I was able to find another option photographed the other day. Black, a little more formal... always thinkin'... and always photogenic! ha!

Minor problem with the English language

So I have a student that is really confused by the abbreviation "Mrs." First of all, she's convinced that I am a "Mrs." That's not such a big deal. What might bring her trouble is that she believes with all her little heart that "Mrs." stands for "Mistress". "Mistress Pregont!"
You're just gonna have to trust me on this one, kid...

Texas Hold 'em

In NYC, it was so rare that you would invite anyone into your home. It was always easier to meet somewhere else- a park, a bar, a restaurant. Its really nice to now live in a building with friends right there. You leave your door open, and it turns into an event with seven people sitting around your table. While it often feels like a college dorm (except now everyone knows how to cook!) its exactly the sense of community that I was missing in Brooklyn.

And that community feeling extends beyond our building and staff...

I've been here just a few weeks, but I already find myself in a weekly poker game. Without so many entertainment options in the city, people really network and create their own diversions. Lots of potlucks and games. Thank God I'm a fan of both!

on the banks of the Nile...

So, on US government property it seems that we're allowed to break all kinds of rules- like show our shoulders! Good times aplenty...

Its... nice...

A big Thursday night out. Thirteen people sitting in giant bean bags, drinking fresh fruit juices, eating hummus, etc... and smoking shisha.
Living in Sudan has limited our vices to flavored tobacco packed in a water pipe.

It's for the best.

Dear Melinda,

So I've been doing some research for your wedding to my brother. I know you haven't decided on bridesmaid dresses yet, so I have been trying to help you out. Its hard from such a distance!
I have found some possibilities, hoping you weren't completely stuck on yellow. See below. The most important thing- completely affordable! Only $5 a piece at the market! Let me know how many and of what sizes (they tend to run large). Love, your helpful soon-to-be sister-in-law

Physical properties of matter

I have one student that showed up a week ago with NO English. She is an adorable little 11 year old in pigtails with a great smile and we have a lot of fun. I spend hours every day dancing around, drawing pictures and playing charades with her. It seems to be working.

Today I was helping her in her science class. She had been working on some basic vocabulary so that she could understand the lesson. While the teacher was reviewing, I was working with her to see that she still had a basic understanding of the vocab needed for the lab... The conversation went as follows:

Ms. P: "Do you remember these words?" "What does HEAVY mean?"
Student: " Heavy- you."
Ms. P: "What does LIGHT mean?"
Student: "Light- ME!" (bursts into giggles)

I laugh with her, and we both disrupt the lesson.
I go on-

Ms. P: "What does BIG mean?"
Student: "Big- you." (smile)
Ms. P: (understanding where this was headed...) "And SMALL?"
Student: "Small- me!" (another burst of laughter)

Absolutely amazing. She's a joker. In English.
And I'm feeling pretty proud.

An evening out

We went for a walk last night to THE stationary store in Khartoum. While its not the only one, its the only one with more than 15 square feet of its store dedicated to office supplies. This shop may only be 15 sq feet, but with all walls mirrored, it at least gives the impression of options.
We didn't find quite what we were looking for. Of course.

But afterwards, we did find a fish market. Feeling brave, we went inside. It was a very clean shop with fish under ice. The six workers were all watching TV, and I suspect the one with the most English was forced to get up and deal with us. "What's this?" Red Snapper. "What's this?" Red snapper. "What's this?" Red snapper. The fish didn't all look identical to me, but we played along.
We picked a whole fish, and he slammed it on the scale. 18 Sudanese pounds a kilo. That pretty fish brought us to 16 pounds (8 US dollars). He placed it on a tray and passed it through a whole in the plexiglas for his buddy to clean it for us. The cleaning and filleting is apparently included in the price. Beautiful.
We paid the nice guy in the front, made chit-chat and just as our fish was about to be passed again through the plexiglass hole... ZAP! The power went out on the street. We nervously looked out the window as we hear the grumblings of generators getting to work. Other shops lit up again. Prettty soon, there were 8 guys and one flashlight crowded around the generator out front of Two Brothers Fish Shop. Including the fish cleaner. We tried not to think about that.


Finally- it works! They congratulate themselves and got back to work. First washing their hands. I checked.

Dazzled

This is what independent reading looks like at our school. See me, reading along?
(Maybe you all can imagine that this is NOT what independent reading looks like in Brooklyn.)

Working Girl

I have to admit- it doesn't feel good to fight through the first day of the week, only to realize at the end that its only Sunday afternoon.
Here are three of my boys working really hard on their writing assessment. One wrote over and over again, "Please, I'm begging you to let me out of ESL and let me go to Arabic!" He swears its nothing personal...
The ESL department tests the kids in August, December and May. It's a lot... but I guess not when compared to the absurd amounts of assessments done on kids in most public schools. For the writing portion, they are writing me letters about anything they want. A few highlights:

"On my vacation we (which is my family) went to London, Paris, and Swiss. They say it will be raining so we brought umbrella, but it didn't rain. (except one day!) The point is that umbrella is heavy!!"

"I study a school it calls KAS. It's very beautiful, teachers and classmate are friendly! My mother said: It's very good school. If you don't understand, you can ask teacher. How about you? If you wants to china, I can teacher you chinese."

"I've a lot of fun in my village. There, my grandparents, uncles and aunts, feed fishes. They give the fish food everyday let the fish grow bigger and ready to sell them. E very week the fish saler take our fish to sell and gave the money from the market that sell our fishes to my grandfather because his the want who incharge of the fish money. Later, my grandfather divide the money to my aunts and uncles. With the money, thats why until now my family in Indonesia can live in happiness."

EEKS! -an apology for the last post.

I done wrong. I should have posted THIS picture showing the brunch setup rather than showing off all of our shoulders. That was one of the few pictures where you will actually see so much skin. It seems we get a little liberal on our own property. My apologies. :)

Brunch!

It seems that our building, of the three school residences, is the most connected. We have 8 people in six apartments... and we all seem to enjoy each other's company. (for now...)
Our doors are open, the coffee is on... It's that kind of place. Those kind of people. Which is great, seeing how there is not SO much else to do in the city!
It definitely has flashes of college dorm life.
(Except less air guitar. so far.)
I digress.
This morning we all came together for a waffle brunch on the roof. Two irons working as fast as they could, making these amazing waffles topped with REAL maple syrup, vanilla ice cream, and fresh mangoes. mmmm boy... We know how to treat ourselves right. For sure.

Still the rainy season...

We thought taking a walk the day after rain would be a challenge- but the Sudanese take care of things. We found this ready-made bridge to cross one of the city streets!

First night out!

We made it on the elusive 'list'. A Thursday night party list. 'Refreshments'!!!! Cupcakes!!! People that didn't want to talk about curriculum meetings. (!!)

Very exciting.

I'm having flashbacks to freshmen year of college, the last time I actually wanted to be on a list for a party. Except that was Sigma Kappa Theta bla bla bla bla nonsense.

The people on these lists are actually interesting, intelligent people that I enjoy talking to. So, it seems I have moved up in the world after all...

Cold water please!

So- after a long, hot day, I really want a cold shower. If not cold, cool. You would think that would be easy to find here. A hot water heater is a real treat. And we have two. They are small and have a switch and they are rigged up in our bathrooms. Thats not the problem. The issue is with the "cold" water. This water is kept in huge tanks on the roof. So, after a long, hot day, when I want a COLD shower, the water has been in the sunlight all day. HOT! HOT! HOT! water! What!?!

The trick is to not turn on the hot water heater. Then in the afternoon, the small water "heater" is actually holding cool water, inside, protected from the sun. So, when you want a cool shower, you turn the water to HOT.

Oh, what fun!

The first day of classes

I'm exhausted. Two days in, and I feel slower than the tortoises that live on campus. In fact, this afternoon, I wish I had their energy.
I'm still getting used to the early mornings (classes start at 7:20) and the heat (almost every day beats 100 degrees F) and the seemingly absurd amount of water I need to drink.

I'm happy. I'm tired, but very happy.

I forgot to mention...

our FABULOUS team name-

Llama Path! An anagram of all of the kids' first initials. (except B and M- couldn't make them fit!)
Note- It's really hard to rally kids behind a name like Llama Path. I think I was the most excited of anyone. Our 'llama walk' didn't even catch on!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

The first day of school was unlike any first day that I have been a part of. The morning was spent broken up in division- high school, middle school and elementary. After playing some ice-breaker games, we had our returning kids in teams making 'survival tips' presentations for the new kids while they were getting a tour of the campus. This worked really well. The kids that had been around a while were really happy to show off all that they knew. And I think the new kids found it useful. I know I learned a few things!

In the afternoon, we split the entire school into 12 teams, K-12. They created team names, team flags and a chant. After the 'opening ceremonies', the teams went to different field day stations. I was in the middle of the soccer field, in charge of the goal kicking station. No shade in sight! Despite the heat, it was an excellent way for teachers and kids to get to know each other. Very successful!

The kids seemed really sweet. It was really great to see the high schoolers helping out the little ones. There is something really valuable there, I think... the relationship between kids of different ages. It was really refreshing to see these big, tough-looking guys helping a five year old kick a soccer ball.

We were all exhausted at the end of the day- tomorrow, we start with our classes. After running around in the sun all day, I think we are all welcoming time with our classes in our cooler classrooms.

I'm hoping that my feet don't get quite as dusty while teaching IN my classroom! ha!

A typical ride home

I sneakily documented our drive home from school today. While we have a ride to school in the morning with other teachers that have cars, we often find ourselves leaving in the afternoon at different times. Without car, we venture out the gates and to the main road where we flag down a rickshaw (tuk-tuk). We're then in the awkward position of bargaining and explaining where we want to go with limited Arabic. Typically, it costs between $1-2.50 US to get home. Split between two or three people, its not a bad ride.
Though honestly, sometimes it IS a bad ride. We've been here less than two weeks and have gotten into one minor accident and ran out of gas in the middle of an intersection. I can only imagine the adventures we have yet to live!

The view of the school. The main gate is where the UN truck is parked. The 'beautiful' expensive wall was put in by the US government a few years ago. I promise, the inside is green and gorgeous.
Often weaving through traffic are carts like this- unfortunately, I missed the donkey leading the cart completely. Next time...



So when we ran out of gas in the intersection, the nice guy pulled a 20 oz soda bottle of gasoline out from under his seat and ran to the back of the rickshaw to 'fill 'er up'. I snapped this of his seat and 'dashboard' while he was gone. Anybody with a more accurate name than 'dash', please let me know. I'm at a loss here.

the farmer's market worker in me...

Presently limited in pictures, I did a little internet research to find this photo. While not perfectly representative of what's currently in season, it does show you where I'm buying my fruits and vegetables. These stands are all over the city. Most groceries don't sell much produce, and so this is where you would buy it. The prices vary greatly based on the vendor, the selection and your bargaining abilities. I'm still working on those.

So right now, at a veggie stand like this you would typically find arugula, potatoes, red and yellow onions, eggplant, a crazy green, long, odd shaped thing thats like an eggplant, garlic, watercress, cucumbers, and herbs like cilantro, mint and dill. I'm sure I'm forgetting something...
People tell me that the selection grows as the Nile recedes throughout the year.

Prices are often comparable to NYC, and everything is measured in Kilos. A kilo is equal to 2.2 US pounds. Tomatoes are very expensive right now- I just bought a half kilo for 4 Sudanese pounds. Thats just over a pound for 2 dollars.
Onions are really cheap, getting them for about 50 cents a lb.
I bought a kilo of cucumbers for 3 Sudanese pounds. Thats over a pound of cukes for $1.50.
I bought a huge bunch of dill for 50 cents US.
(can you piece all that together? add some local Feta cheese... It was one hell of a greek salad!)

There really aren't many restaurants here, so I'm sure we'll find ourselves getting really creative with the cooking! It's too early to miss NYC eats.... Those laments will come later!

the rains come...

I had a hard time sleeping last night. It might have been the excitement of the start of the new year. But, honestly, I think it was the whipping of the wind and the rain out my window.

Although people have been telling us that this is still the rainy season, I haven't felt this awful 'humidity' they claim. I think that's because of the Kansas in me. While it is really hot (and a bit humid) some days- it ain't nothin' compared to one of those really sticky Atchison afternoons!

Until yesterday, the rain that we had seen was very limited. Catching a ride in a car this morning, we finally saw the real effect of the rainy season- entire streets under HUGE pools of standing water! These roads definitely lack a sophisticated drainage system.

The drive to school was one of faith. Dear friend of mine driving, have you really traveled this road enough to know where the pot holes and problems are? You better have by now!

Upon arriving to school, we met everyone reporting back today- teachers from all over the world. Of course, we arrive to no power. None. Power outs are very common. For that reason, all of our apartments (and the entire school) are powered by generators when this happens. Except for today. A broken generator meant that as a faculty, we met the coolness of the morning with meetings outside under covering, and we sweat through the afternoon in our classrooms without swamp coolers or aircon.
Don't worry, by the end of the afternoon, the air was back on! Thank God!