My six-month mission in Sudan has come to an end! Tomorrow, I will be leaving Africa. I am not looking forward to the long journey (Khartoum/Jeddah/Frankfurt/New York), but Inshallah, I will get some sleep on the planesssssss! This week has been quite busy w/ good-bye dinners and get-togethers, so I am feeling pretty exhausted.
I had a very good experience here. Met some incredible people and really enjoyed learning about the Sudanese culture.
Khartoum; “the city of dust”, where the two Niles meet and the air is hot, think and arid will always be in my memories. Particularly the sight of women wearing long sleeves turtlenecks, socks and gloves under 100F and the fine sand fog that was always in the air, stayed on my skin and turned my clothes to a reddish yellow…
I hope that for those of you who followed this blog, I made the entries interesting enough. I tried! It’s really hard to put into words every little thing that amazed me here! But, with time, I am sure I will get to tell you more stories in person.
Thanks for your support!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Whirling Dervishes
This weekend I went to see the Whirling Dervishes of the Sufi. The Sufi movement is known in Sudan as Tariqas (the way to God). Their unique spiritual practice aims at letting go of personal desires and purifying the inner self to gain a closer connection to God.
We arrived around 5PM and went straight to see the Maqam, a tomb of Sheikh Hamad Al Nil (a 19th century Sufi leader who is worshiped today). Inside, it was just a couple of people praying and lighting incense next to the tomb. Some came to greet me and one lady put some perfume on my hand. They seem happy to have an outsider there.
We arrived around 5PM and went straight to see the Maqam, a tomb of Sheikh Hamad Al Nil (a 19th century Sufi leader who is worshiped today). Inside, it was just a couple of people praying and lighting incense next to the tomb. Some came to greet me and one lady put some perfume on my hand. They seem happy to have an outsider there.
Then, we went outside and the ritual began. It is a prayer, but to me it looked more like a celebration. It started around 6PM, when dervishes from other communities arrived. -This all happens inside the cemetery by the way-. They formed a big circle and with the sound of drums and repetition of divine names of God, the movements began. Trance is primarily used and attained through whirling around. But I saw some people also inflicting pain on themselves through bites and rolling on the ground. Most participants had a smile on their face though, and when I pointed that observation out to our driver (a local Muslim) he told me: “lady, the word dervish means crazy. Crazy in love with God!” :) At sundown, the ritual ended and the dervishes went to the mosque to pray in a very orthodox Islamic manner.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
"I relate, therefore I am"
I have learned that family is central to life in Africa.
The family here extends to relations that most Western cultures, I think, would no longer have knowledge of. Yesterday, my colleague asked me how she would call/refer to, the wife of her brother-in-law’s cousin. She wanted to learn the English word. After I repeated her question in my head a couple of times to make sure I understood it, my reply was: “Nothing. It’s too far removed!” She smiled and said that I was wrong. It’s not “too far removed.” She explained that her brother-in-law was like a brother to her and his cousin was like a brother to him. Therefore, the cousin was also her brother so the woman he married, should be considered her sister. My response was just “Wow!” :)
The family here extends to relations that most Western cultures, I think, would no longer have knowledge of. Yesterday, my colleague asked me how she would call/refer to, the wife of her brother-in-law’s cousin. She wanted to learn the English word. After I repeated her question in my head a couple of times to make sure I understood it, my reply was: “Nothing. It’s too far removed!” She smiled and said that I was wrong. It’s not “too far removed.” She explained that her brother-in-law was like a brother to her and his cousin was like a brother to him. Therefore, the cousin was also her brother so the woman he married, should be considered her sister. My response was just “Wow!” :)
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
I feel like a wallet with legs...
“Sister! Sister! Buy this watch from me, buy this raffle ticket, buy this bucket, buy this box of napkins, buy me water, or just give me money!” I am so tired of listening to this every single day! Same people stand in the same street lights and come to me with the same story! Not to mention the “thieves” in the market who have the nerve to charge me USD$5 for ONE onion! :)
The internationals have really spoiled these people... They see us, and dollar signs must go into their heads…
The internationals have really spoiled these people... They see us, and dollar signs must go into their heads…
Friday, June 26, 2009
Count down...
I have served 96% of my mission. t’s almost time to leave Khartoum…
I will miss the work and some of the friends I made here, but there are some things (like sand getting stuck on my lips because I am wearing a melting lip balm because of the crazy dry weather and heat), that I just can’t wait to not have to deal with!
I will miss the work and some of the friends I made here, but there are some things (like sand getting stuck on my lips because I am wearing a melting lip balm because of the crazy dry weather and heat), that I just can’t wait to not have to deal with!
Monday, June 15, 2009
In transit...
After a two-week vacation in the States, I am now on my way back to finish the mission. Oh, the JFK-Dubai Emirates flight is such a killer! I watched six movies and couldn’t sleep due to various types of odor, kids screaming and prayer sounds around me. Now that I have done some shopping here in Dubai airport, I just can’t wait to get back to my apartment in Khartoum so I can have some rest!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
"What was your Dowry?"
That was the question my Southern Sudanese colleague asked me the other day over coffee. When I explained to her that in my culture, this is not necessary, her jaw dropped! "This is not right!" she said.
She told me that if I got married here, to a man from a Dinka tribe, I'd be worth about 250 cows due to my height. Taller women are expensive! The short ones "cost" about 100 cows.
The "Dowry system" here works in the way that the family of the man pays to the family of the wife. With cows, goats etc.
It is very interesting to be hearing these sort of things from the Sudanese culture. My colleague is as shocked as I am about this dowry/no dowry issue :)
What a world!!!
She told me that if I got married here, to a man from a Dinka tribe, I'd be worth about 250 cows due to my height. Taller women are expensive! The short ones "cost" about 100 cows.
The "Dowry system" here works in the way that the family of the man pays to the family of the wife. With cows, goats etc.
It is very interesting to be hearing these sort of things from the Sudanese culture. My colleague is as shocked as I am about this dowry/no dowry issue :)
What a world!!!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Grabbing Boy
The other day I had the weirdest thing happen to me since I arrived here in Khartoum. This cute little kid, who was not older than three, came and latched on me for like 5 minutes and only let go when my colleague gave him money. It was a very strange way to beg and a very uncomfortable situation for me. I could see a woman, whom I assumed was the mother, giving him instructions from the side of the street and that made me a little upset. She mumbled words and made gestures to him. Neither one looked at my face. I felt really like a log! :)
As I tried to walk, with him attached to my leg like a little dog, I felt very bad for him and upset with the woman. It was hot; the little boy was dirty and stinky. He didn’t even try to speak with me, nor did he put out his hand or made a sad face as most street beggars do here. He simply grabbed my back pocket and then my leg until he got one pound.
So odd!
As I tried to walk, with him attached to my leg like a little dog, I felt very bad for him and upset with the woman. It was hot; the little boy was dirty and stinky. He didn’t even try to speak with me, nor did he put out his hand or made a sad face as most street beggars do here. He simply grabbed my back pocket and then my leg until he got one pound.
So odd!
Monday, May 11, 2009
La vie en dustland...
This weekend, I witnessed my first real sandstorm, aka Haboub. It was really difficult to stay and see outside. There were sand and trash flying all around! Inside the apartment, I also could smell the dust because it found its way in... It was crazy! The following day, my place looked like it was under construction.
The “Hahoub” ended within a few hours, but the dust is still in the air. I heard it will only go away when it rains. But it almost never rains here! One positive side of all this dust is that it blocks the sun. So it’s cool and dusty :)
Anyway, I also had a nice market experience on Saturday. I went to a local place with my friend and had lots of fun. I felt a lot like an outsider, but also felt welcomed and confortable in the area. 
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
A hot massage...
Since I had a terrible experience in a massage place in East Timor, I was hesitating to go to such places here in Khartoum. I am not a big fun of paying to be tortured. But I really felt like a massage this week so I asked my best friend to take me to this place that she had been going for a while for a Thai massage. I took a chance and didn’t get lucky :)
As soon as I get in the place, they ask for money (advance payment always, here!) and then I am told to go to room #4 and wait. The tone in the receptionist’s voice wasn’t so pleasant, but Sudanese in general are not very client oriented. I didn’t mind that so much and did as told. I get in the room, change into some extremely large pants and sit on the mattress on the floor -(the only thing in the room). A nice lady comes in a little bit later and as soon as she begins the massage, the lights go off. I immediately ask if they have a generator in that “spa” and shaking her head she says: “it’s broken Madame.” I thought to myself: “just my luck!”
What could have been a quite good experience (because the girl was actually from Thailand and a professional) turned out to be 30mins of a sweaty and “mosquitoey” session. I don’t think I have to repeat myself about the heat in Khartoum so I leave up to your imagination to picture the scene! I had paid for 1h, but I could only tolerate 30mins of it. I left a little annoyed, not surprised though. I came to a mission area, a place where hardship allowance is paid to us, so “pampering” is a luxury I shouldn’t have expected. :)
As soon as I get in the place, they ask for money (advance payment always, here!) and then I am told to go to room #4 and wait. The tone in the receptionist’s voice wasn’t so pleasant, but Sudanese in general are not very client oriented. I didn’t mind that so much and did as told. I get in the room, change into some extremely large pants and sit on the mattress on the floor -(the only thing in the room). A nice lady comes in a little bit later and as soon as she begins the massage, the lights go off. I immediately ask if they have a generator in that “spa” and shaking her head she says: “it’s broken Madame.” I thought to myself: “just my luck!”
What could have been a quite good experience (because the girl was actually from Thailand and a professional) turned out to be 30mins of a sweaty and “mosquitoey” session. I don’t think I have to repeat myself about the heat in Khartoum so I leave up to your imagination to picture the scene! I had paid for 1h, but I could only tolerate 30mins of it. I left a little annoyed, not surprised though. I came to a mission area, a place where hardship allowance is paid to us, so “pampering” is a luxury I shouldn’t have expected. :)
Saturday, April 25, 2009
The Nubian region of Sudan...
This weekend, I went on my first excursion out of Khartoum. I joined a colleague who works at the Brazilian embassy and we took the “Bin Laden road” (BL fund the contruction of this road during the time he lived here in the 90s) to an area called “Mussawarat es-sufra”. It’s an area with ruins, temples and some pyramids. It was a 2 ½ hour drive north of Khartoum.
The pyramids here in Sudan are the “poor cousins” of the ones in Gyza, but I enjoyed seeing them. The heat was extreme in that area. The temperature must have been around 55C. The sand was getting inside my sandals and burning my feet, but I refused to ride the camel. It just isn't my kind of thing :) . My friend jokingly said that here in Sudan, there isn’t “one sun”, but “one sun for each person”. It’s really indescribable!
The pyramids here in Sudan are the “poor cousins” of the ones in Gyza, but I enjoyed seeing them. The heat was extreme in that area. The temperature must have been around 55C. The sand was getting inside my sandals and burning my feet, but I refused to ride the camel. It just isn't my kind of thing :) . My friend jokingly said that here in Sudan, there isn’t “one sun”, but “one sun for each person”. It’s really indescribable!
Anyway, the road was good for most of the time, but at some point we had to make a turn into the sandy area. It was like going on a safari, only with very limited types of animals to see. We just saw camels, donkeys and goats. It was a bumpy ride and the car got stuck in the sand, but it was just a scary minute. We managed to get it out.
We met a few people who lived in the communities around the temples and it amazed me that they were there. It’s hard to imagine that one can survive in such dry conditions…
Hope you enjoy the
pictures.
We met a few people who lived in the communities around the temples and it amazed me that they were there. It’s hard to imagine that one can survive in such dry conditions…
Hope you enjoy the
pictures. Thursday, April 9, 2009
My Birthday
It’s really true, time flies! Yesterday I turned 31. And I never thought I’d celebrate it in Africa! Wow! I am looking forward to the rest of my life! :)
Yesterday was a quite usual day for me. Not many people in the office knew it was my birthday and I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. Only a few colleagues wished me well. But I received plenty of messages and phone calls from my friends abroad to make up for it!
The sun was shining really strongly in Khartoum as usual. At 7:45am the temperature was about 105F and by noon it was already 115F, so I spent most of my day inside the office (with a/c). I had lunch with one of my Brazilian colleagues and at the end of the day, I went to the gym.
Afterwards, I had a very nice dinner at the Rotana with two other friends. I had the “Om Ali” dessert that I like so much, plus many many others! :)
Yesterday was a quite usual day for me. Not many people in the office knew it was my birthday and I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. Only a few colleagues wished me well. But I received plenty of messages and phone calls from my friends abroad to make up for it!
The sun was shining really strongly in Khartoum as usual. At 7:45am the temperature was about 105F and by noon it was already 115F, so I spent most of my day inside the office (with a/c). I had lunch with one of my Brazilian colleagues and at the end of the day, I went to the gym.
Afterwards, I had a very nice dinner at the Rotana with two other friends. I had the “Om Ali” dessert that I like so much, plus many many others! :)
Monday, March 30, 2009
Egypt
I just came back from a wonderful vacation with Matt and my mom in Egypt! Although we did visit basically all the temples there, took a boat, four planes and a car, we also managed to find a lot of down time to just relax.
We spent a total of 3 days in Cairo where we rode horses (Matt rode a Camel) to the Pyramids, visited the Sphinx, the Cairo museum, the famous local Souq, the Citadel and the Coptic city area.
We also took the Nile cruise and stopped in all the major towns along the river: Aswan, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Luxor. We visited a temple devoted to a crocodile god, saw the Dam that stopped the Nile river and created Lake Nasser, visited a local spice market in Aswan and drove 2.5 hours to Abu Simbel (which is the probably the world’s biggest middle of nowhere! Through the window of the van, I saw absolutely nothing but sand during the whole time!) The temple in Abu Simbel was great though. It was worth the trip.
Our last stop on the cruise was Luxor. It is a cute town, nicely kept, but clearly very touristy. There, we visited the Valley of the Kings, which is an enormous pharaonic cemetery (where king Tut’s tomb is), the temple of Hatshepsut (the female ruler), and the gigantic temples of Karnak and Luxor. We also experienced a sandstorm in this town. It was incredible!
We had a private guide the whole time and he was very educated about Egyptology. The ancient Egyptian monuments and the hieroglyphic texts were all amazing to see.
We also took the Nile cruise and stopped in all the major towns along the river: Aswan, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Luxor. We visited a temple devoted to a crocodile god, saw the Dam that stopped the Nile river and created Lake Nasser, visited a local spice market in Aswan and drove 2.5 hours to Abu Simbel (which is the probably the world’s biggest middle of nowhere! Through the window of the van, I saw absolutely nothing but sand during the whole time!) The temple in Abu Simbel was great though. It was worth the trip.
Our last stop on the cruise was Luxor. It is a cute town, nicely kept, but clearly very touristy. There, we visited the Valley of the Kings, which is an enormous pharaonic cemetery (where king Tut’s tomb is), the temple of Hatshepsut (the female ruler), and the gigantic temples of Karnak and Luxor. We also experienced a sandstorm in this town. It was incredible!
We had a private guide the whole time and he was very educated about Egyptology. The ancient Egyptian monuments and the hieroglyphic texts were all amazing to see.
We ended our trip in the nice beach resort town of Sharm el Sheikh. Matt and I relaxed a lot by the Red Sea. We stayed in the Naama Bay area, which is the center and THE place to be. We ate a lot of good food, went to a casino, saw belly dancers and whirling dervishes’ dancers, tried sheesha, laughed and enjoyed each other's company very much!
Now I am back in Sudan. Well rested and ready for another couple of weeks of work before my next vacation… :)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Update
Hi all!I don’t have much news to report. These past few days have been normal and although the ICC decision caused all of us to be more concerned and alert, thank God nothing major has happened here in Khartoum and we’ve been going about our business as usual.
I am just going to post some pictures of me so you all see that I am fine and describe a little of my routine in this city.
I ride to work everyday at 8:00 with my Brazilian colleague 
(10min drive). Once I arrive in the office, I make a phone call to the U.S., read the daily local newspaper and start working. Our department is in preparation phase and there are still a lot to be organized before the elections actually happen!
Around lunch time I usually have a sandwich or a yogurt at my desk. Sometimes some of us from the office go out to a restaurant. I never eat in the UNMIS cafeteria. The food there is terrible!
(10min drive). Once I arrive in the office, I make a phone call to the U.S., read the daily local newspaper and start working. Our department is in preparation phase and there are still a lot to be organized before the elections actually happen!Around lunch time I usually have a sandwich or a yogurt at my desk. Sometimes some of us from the office go out to a restaurant. I never eat in the UNMIS cafeteria. The food there is terrible!
About 3x a week I go to the Rotana in the evenings to work out for 1 hour. (Tef and Yndira will be surprised to read this!) but I am not on any better shape. I eat lots of 
sweets; There are amazing ones here! The gym is just to pass time :)
On weekends, I also work out a little and then go spend the rest of the day by the pool. It’s great! I read, chat with my friend and play with her kids.
So, that’s it. Today is Sunday here and I am about to start my last work week before a 10-day vacation! Yay! :)
sweets; There are amazing ones here! The gym is just to pass time :)On weekends, I also work out a little and then go spend the rest of the day by the pool. It’s great! I read, chat with my friend and play with her kids.
So, that’s it. Today is Sunday here and I am about to start my last work week before a 10-day vacation! Yay! :)
Friday, March 6, 2009
"Isabel"
I didn’t expect that after officially changing my last name, I’d create a new confusion!
When it was just "Aline Alves", the problem most people seemed to have was getting the right pronunciation of my first name. However, “Alves” was always pronounced correctly. After all, it is a Spanish last name! :)
Here in Sudan, I think people’s eyes are getting puzzled with the As and Ls in both names or they are just too lazy to try to pronounce Aline, because Asbell has stuck in their minds and a few people have assumed that my first name is “Isabel” :)
So, in the UN compound, I am known to some as Aline and to others as Isabel!
I have to come up with a way to use that to my advantage…
When it was just "Aline Alves", the problem most people seemed to have was getting the right pronunciation of my first name. However, “Alves” was always pronounced correctly. After all, it is a Spanish last name! :)
Here in Sudan, I think people’s eyes are getting puzzled with the As and Ls in both names or they are just too lazy to try to pronounce Aline, because Asbell has stuck in their minds and a few people have assumed that my first name is “Isabel” :)
So, in the UN compound, I am known to some as Aline and to others as Isabel!
I have to come up with a way to use that to my advantage…
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Hummus
Last Saturday, I was invited for a barbeque lunch over my Lebanese friend’s house. We had delicious lamb kebabs and I saw (and learned) how hummus is made from scratch! It was a fun day. However, it was the day I found out that I cannot pronounce the word “hummus”! I’ve been saying it for years and no one ever corrected me, but this one day, my friend’s brother-in-law corrected my pronunciation all the time! :)
Anyway, this afternoon the ICC will deliver its decision on the charges against the Sudanese president. We are probably going to be released from work soon...
Anyway, this afternoon the ICC will deliver its decision on the charges against the Sudanese president. We are probably going to be released from work soon...
Friday, February 27, 2009
Power outage
Last night I experienced my first power outage in Khartoum. Apparently, there are many more to come!
I got home around 8:30pm and realized that I had to use one the “thatchas” my mother-in-law gave me to carry in my purse - a mini flash light which was just enough to guide my way through the walkway to the main door of the building and to my apartment –.
Once I got in and felt the heat, I decided to call my friend to ask her about the situation in her neighborhood and probably ask to sleep over because my apt. felt like an oven! At that moment, I see my neighbor who invites me to go outside with her and learn how to turn on the generator! I had never seem the generator, but it’s this big contraption which stays right on the sidewalk in front of the building! (I passed by it everyday and never noticed it) It's kept inside a cage secured by a huge locker! There are four buttons, which need to be pressed in a particular order and many others that we are not supposed to touch at all! I wrote down the instructions, but the difficult part is to open the lock to get access to these buttons! The hole collects dust and the key won’t get it! Once it does and we get it to open, it’s hard to close it! After we are done, we need to turn up switches for each apartment. It's a kind of annoying task, but I can handle it.
Anyway, it took us about 10mins to get it going, but it was a good experience. I needed to learn in case I am ever alone in the building when this happens next. This blackout also gave me an opportunity to get to know my neighbor a little better. We spent a few hours chatting and by the time the conversation was over, power had returned and we went to turn off the generator!
Today I went to the gym and the pool. It was a very nice (AND VERY HOT) day :)
I got home around 8:30pm and realized that I had to use one the “thatchas” my mother-in-law gave me to carry in my purse - a mini flash light which was just enough to guide my way through the walkway to the main door of the building and to my apartment –.
Once I got in and felt the heat, I decided to call my friend to ask her about the situation in her neighborhood and probably ask to sleep over because my apt. felt like an oven! At that moment, I see my neighbor who invites me to go outside with her and learn how to turn on the generator! I had never seem the generator, but it’s this big contraption which stays right on the sidewalk in front of the building! (I passed by it everyday and never noticed it) It's kept inside a cage secured by a huge locker! There are four buttons, which need to be pressed in a particular order and many others that we are not supposed to touch at all! I wrote down the instructions, but the difficult part is to open the lock to get access to these buttons! The hole collects dust and the key won’t get it! Once it does and we get it to open, it’s hard to close it! After we are done, we need to turn up switches for each apartment. It's a kind of annoying task, but I can handle it.
Anyway, it took us about 10mins to get it going, but it was a good experience. I needed to learn in case I am ever alone in the building when this happens next. This blackout also gave me an opportunity to get to know my neighbor a little better. We spent a few hours chatting and by the time the conversation was over, power had returned and we went to turn off the generator!
Today I went to the gym and the pool. It was a very nice (AND VERY HOT) day :)
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Incident at the UN!
Incident at the UN!
Yesterday was a weird day for me. I arrived in the office at 8:00 and found out that my work computer had been stolen over night. A mystery! No one heard or saw anything and I basically had to spend my day being interrogated by the Investigations Division! A very unfortunate situation that resulted in a very unproductive day!
Not much else to report. The whether in Khartoum remains hot, dry and dusty. The traffic is still chaotic (did I mention that the lights here turn yellow before they turn green?), but the food is good, the friends I made have been great and I am still enjoying this mission very much! It’s already been a month since I left New York City! Time flew!
One last thing; besides Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, Al Bagdadia, AlThuraya, Al Rafiden, Al Majd, Al Hakeka, AlFajr, AlKass etc. I am excited to also get CNN (in English) on my TV at home! Guess which channel I fell asleep to last night? :)
Yesterday was a weird day for me. I arrived in the office at 8:00 and found out that my work computer had been stolen over night. A mystery! No one heard or saw anything and I basically had to spend my day being interrogated by the Investigations Division! A very unfortunate situation that resulted in a very unproductive day!
Not much else to report. The whether in Khartoum remains hot, dry and dusty. The traffic is still chaotic (did I mention that the lights here turn yellow before they turn green?), but the food is good, the friends I made have been great and I am still enjoying this mission very much! It’s already been a month since I left New York City! Time flew!
One last thing; besides Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, Al Bagdadia, AlThuraya, Al Rafiden, Al Majd, Al Hakeka, AlFajr, AlKass etc. I am excited to also get CNN (in English) on my TV at home! Guess which channel I fell asleep to last night? :)
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Sandstorm...
I have adjusted in my new place (gray building) and I like it very much. I do laundry everyday! :) Also, my ears are stating to get used to the sound of Arabic. “Hamdulilah” is my favorite word so far. It means “Thanks to God” and it’s said all the time here. I like the way it sounds.
Last week I had a taste (literally!) of what the Haboob will be like. We had a sandstorm and for like a whole day, I tasted and breathed sand. I learned not to have conversations outside or by the window! There was so much dust in the air that we couldn’t see the sky. It wasn’t blue nor cloudy. It was just “yellowish”. Some pics are attached, but unfortunately they don't capture the storm very well… These were taken on the way from the UN to my place. Anyway, Happy Belated Valentine’s Day to all! It was also Valentine’s Day here in Sudan.
Last week I had a taste (literally!) of what the Haboob will be like. We had a sandstorm and for like a whole day, I tasted and breathed sand. I learned not to have conversations outside or by the window! There was so much dust in the air that we couldn’t see the sky. It wasn’t blue nor cloudy. It was just “yellowish”. Some pics are attached, but unfortunately they don't capture the storm very well… These were taken on the way from the UN to my place. Anyway, Happy Belated Valentine’s Day to all! It was also Valentine’s Day here in Sudan.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
A new place...
I moved again!
I had an insect problem in the 2 bedroom apartment, so I moved out over the weekend. I am now staying in a nice small studio located directly across from the Khartoum cemetery! :) But there is a washing machine inside, which is a big treat for me! :)
I had an insect problem in the 2 bedroom apartment, so I moved out over the weekend. I am now staying in a nice small studio located directly across from the Khartoum cemetery! :) But there is a washing machine inside, which is a big treat for me! :)
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Catching up
Hi everyone!
Since my last post, I’ve moved out of the hotel into a nice two-bedroom apartment, joined a gym, had wonderful ice-cream and other sweet treats at a fancy bakery called “Ozone”, attended a cocktail party at the Norwegian embassy, AND attended a Coptic Sudanese wedding! I’m exhausted today :)
My life here is starting to become “normal” (I usually don’t have such busy weekends in NYC) and I have met a lot of nice people to help me out. Thank God!
The building where I live is on a very busy street, within walking distance to a supermarket, a pharmacy, a hotel and two nice restaurants. It’s not within walking distance to the UN compound, but I think I will get to and from work with the office driver.
The Rotana hotel has a wonderful pool and a great gym, so I decided to join as a member for an initial 3-month period. Because the rates are much cheaper if you join as a married couple and I was told that single women enrolment are “frowned upon”, I have found a fake gym husband (Matt agreed to it :)) He is a Brazilian guy who just arrived for a one-year mission.
The Public Relations Manager of Rotana is a nice Brazilian/Lebanese girl, whom I have befriended. (You may be thinking that there are a lot of Brazilians here, but there are only 25 in the whole country and I met almost all of them either in person or via email). Yesterday evening, after a nice relaxing day at the pool, I went to her house for some pampering time! She had a manicure and a hairdresser come over and after we got ready, I went with her to a Coptic Sudanese wedding! Can you believe that I have already attended a wedding here? It was a cool experience!
The wedding was huge! At least 800 people and it was located in a farm by the White Nile. There were actually trees there! It was nice to see some green for a change. Khartoum is pure dust! (Poeiraaaaa…) We met some other interesting people who were sitting at our table (including the pastry chef of the Ozone bakery). Coptic Sudanese are descent from the ancient Egyptians and are much more liberal than the usual Northern Sudanese. They also look different (have lighter skin). I learned that they are very united and wealthy around here. The community is small, so they help each other out in business and stuff. Since they are Christians, there were alcoholic drinks, photographers and women with cleavages at the party! It was a strange sight for me. :)Anyway, The wedding was very nice – quite similar to Western parties - The Bride wore a white gown, they danced to an American song, posed for pictures with the cake … all of that usual stuff. The main differences were all the Henna in the bride’s arms, the noise that other women made with their tongues around her when she walked by, and the Arabic music playing in the background. We didn’t stay long, but the party was supposed to last until 4am!
Today (Sunday) was my first official working day after a lot of induction training. I haven’t interacted with the locals so much because I have noticed that women are really treated differently here. I am always served last if I am being served by a Sudanese in a restaurant and there are men at the same table, a local man almost pushed me to get by in front of the line at the bank, another pulled his chair away from me when I went to sit next to him and another refused to shake my hand. So, I am respecting their traditions and have been trying to keep away. Only talk when talked to! The women are very shy and I have only interacted to a local girl who works in my office. She is very nice. Conservative and friendly
Ok, so that’s it for today. I will post some pictures next time. I need to get internet at home now!
Since my last post, I’ve moved out of the hotel into a nice two-bedroom apartment, joined a gym, had wonderful ice-cream and other sweet treats at a fancy bakery called “Ozone”, attended a cocktail party at the Norwegian embassy, AND attended a Coptic Sudanese wedding! I’m exhausted today :)
My life here is starting to become “normal” (I usually don’t have such busy weekends in NYC) and I have met a lot of nice people to help me out. Thank God!
The building where I live is on a very busy street, within walking distance to a supermarket, a pharmacy, a hotel and two nice restaurants. It’s not within walking distance to the UN compound, but I think I will get to and from work with the office driver.
The Rotana hotel has a wonderful pool and a great gym, so I decided to join as a member for an initial 3-month period. Because the rates are much cheaper if you join as a married couple and I was told that single women enrolment are “frowned upon”, I have found a fake gym husband (Matt agreed to it :)) He is a Brazilian guy who just arrived for a one-year mission.
The Public Relations Manager of Rotana is a nice Brazilian/Lebanese girl, whom I have befriended. (You may be thinking that there are a lot of Brazilians here, but there are only 25 in the whole country and I met almost all of them either in person or via email). Yesterday evening, after a nice relaxing day at the pool, I went to her house for some pampering time! She had a manicure and a hairdresser come over and after we got ready, I went with her to a Coptic Sudanese wedding! Can you believe that I have already attended a wedding here? It was a cool experience!
The wedding was huge! At least 800 people and it was located in a farm by the White Nile. There were actually trees there! It was nice to see some green for a change. Khartoum is pure dust! (Poeiraaaaa…) We met some other interesting people who were sitting at our table (including the pastry chef of the Ozone bakery). Coptic Sudanese are descent from the ancient Egyptians and are much more liberal than the usual Northern Sudanese. They also look different (have lighter skin). I learned that they are very united and wealthy around here. The community is small, so they help each other out in business and stuff. Since they are Christians, there were alcoholic drinks, photographers and women with cleavages at the party! It was a strange sight for me. :)Anyway, The wedding was very nice – quite similar to Western parties - The Bride wore a white gown, they danced to an American song, posed for pictures with the cake … all of that usual stuff. The main differences were all the Henna in the bride’s arms, the noise that other women made with their tongues around her when she walked by, and the Arabic music playing in the background. We didn’t stay long, but the party was supposed to last until 4am!
Today (Sunday) was my first official working day after a lot of induction training. I haven’t interacted with the locals so much because I have noticed that women are really treated differently here. I am always served last if I am being served by a Sudanese in a restaurant and there are men at the same table, a local man almost pushed me to get by in front of the line at the bank, another pulled his chair away from me when I went to sit next to him and another refused to shake my hand. So, I am respecting their traditions and have been trying to keep away. Only talk when talked to! The women are very shy and I have only interacted to a local girl who works in my office. She is very nice. Conservative and friendly
Ok, so that’s it for today. I will post some pictures next time. I need to get internet at home now!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Quick hello
Hi all
Sorry it’s been a while, but I have been busy with UN security and induction training and apartment hunting. (no luck on that yet because I am looking for a roommate and that is the difficult part)
Anyway, I am also sorry for the lack of pictures, but it is not allowed in the country and I don’t want to take the risk. I will take a few from inside the car as soon as possible!
Sorry it’s been a while, but I have been busy with UN security and induction training and apartment hunting. (no luck on that yet because I am looking for a roommate and that is the difficult part)
Anyway, I am also sorry for the lack of pictures, but it is not allowed in the country and I don’t want to take the risk. I will take a few from inside the car as soon as possible!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Day three, Rotana (and a little of Obama)
“Rotana" is a very nice hotel here in Khartoum where I had dinner last night. I ate a delicious international buffet! A girlfriend from NY was doing some temporary work in the area, so we met to catch up. The wait staff was all Sudanese and when one of them heard that we were Americans (my friend said we both were), he got carried away and went on and on about how much he didn't like Bush and how excited he was for Obama. He said he was very happy and would now travel to the U.S.A. with his family. He was quite genuine! I only watched part of Obama’s speech on BBC. I am sure it was a very fun day in the states!
At this restaurant we also had a very nice Sudanese dessert called "Um Ali", which is basically a mush of whatever bread is left over from breakfast, mixed in with a lot of butter, cream, milk and other not so healthy ingredients. I thought it was strange that the pastry chef had no problem in telling us that he uses any type of bread, "depending on what is left over". J
Anyway, day three for me was pretty hectic with UN bureaucracy. I am still getting set-up and need to run a lot around the compound area (under a very strong sun!) before I can start working. Things here also move at a much slower pace and I hear that a very commonly used word in the country is: "Inshalah". It means, God Willing! I hope it’s God’s will that I get an apartment soon too! J
It's 4am my time now and I just woke up. Still Jet legged…
bye bye for now.
At this restaurant we also had a very nice Sudanese dessert called "Um Ali", which is basically a mush of whatever bread is left over from breakfast, mixed in with a lot of butter, cream, milk and other not so healthy ingredients. I thought it was strange that the pastry chef had no problem in telling us that he uses any type of bread, "depending on what is left over". J
Anyway, day three for me was pretty hectic with UN bureaucracy. I am still getting set-up and need to run a lot around the compound area (under a very strong sun!) before I can start working. Things here also move at a much slower pace and I hear that a very commonly used word in the country is: "Inshalah". It means, God Willing! I hope it’s God’s will that I get an apartment soon too! J
It's 4am my time now and I just woke up. Still Jet legged…
bye bye for now.
Monday, January 19, 2009
In Sudan!
I hear the Adhan at 6:00 am and I get scared! That’s how I start day two in Khartoum. I had heard this sound already when I left the airport yesterday, but hadn’t paid much attention to it because of all the other traffic noises around me. Adhan is a pray calling sound from the mosques, summoning all Muslims to their mandatory prayers. It happens a few times a day. I think the sound is similar to the one a herdsman makes in order to drive cattle. Very loud!
Day one was quite organized. Brazilians picked me up at the airport and took me around the “city” – To me, Khartoum looks more like a big village than a city –. The traffic is pretty scary though. Nobody seems to obey the traffic signs or lights and they all drive terribly! We went to have dinner at an “internationals point” here called “solitaire”. It’s a placed owned by an Egyptian man where Brazilians get a 25% discount “just because”. I had chicken kebab – nothing great, but familiar. I also met a very nice Indian girl who works for WHO. The only Sudanese person I interacted with so far was the nice man who helped me with my luggage at the airport. Our conversation of about 1 min was limited to very few words: Germany, Brazil, Football, Football match, Football players and Sucran.
Anyway, so far so good. My hotel room is simple and bit gross as expected, but I can deal with it for now until I find a more permanent place to live. I will clean it up, of course! I am happy that at least I get a “very low” and sometimes a “low” internet signal in my room! If it wasn’t for it, this post wouldn’t be up today!
So, that’s it for now. I just wanted to let you all know that I arrived safely. I will try to keep this blog updated. I may post only in Portuguese sometimes, so get your translators ready! I promise to try to take pictures.
Day one was quite organized. Brazilians picked me up at the airport and took me around the “city” – To me, Khartoum looks more like a big village than a city –. The traffic is pretty scary though. Nobody seems to obey the traffic signs or lights and they all drive terribly! We went to have dinner at an “internationals point” here called “solitaire”. It’s a placed owned by an Egyptian man where Brazilians get a 25% discount “just because”. I had chicken kebab – nothing great, but familiar. I also met a very nice Indian girl who works for WHO. The only Sudanese person I interacted with so far was the nice man who helped me with my luggage at the airport. Our conversation of about 1 min was limited to very few words: Germany, Brazil, Football, Football match, Football players and Sucran.
Anyway, so far so good. My hotel room is simple and bit gross as expected, but I can deal with it for now until I find a more permanent place to live. I will clean it up, of course! I am happy that at least I get a “very low” and sometimes a “low” internet signal in my room! If it wasn’t for it, this post wouldn’t be up today!
So, that’s it for now. I just wanted to let you all know that I arrived safely. I will try to keep this blog updated. I may post only in Portuguese sometimes, so get your translators ready! I promise to try to take pictures.
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