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!!!

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!

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

A sign in the UNMIS bathroom stalls

Sudanese are just not familiar with our type of toilets...